Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[Theo]

I'm thinking they should have just drafted DeCastro in the first round. He was the BPA and pretty much a lock at Guard. We could have looked at pass rush in other rounds.

 

Even if the Bears wanted a DE in the first, they could have gotten a G in the 2nd.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/51983/steelers-decastro-struggling-physically

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of Steelers training camp has been the struggles of first-round pick David DeCastro.

 

Considered the best guard prospect to come out of college in a decade, DeCastro has failed to beat out Ramon Foster, who went undrafted three years ago, for the starting right guard spot.

 

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked DeCastro whether he was having more difficulty with the mental or physical part of the game. "He said, ‘The mental part I got. The physical is a lot tougher. These guys are really good,'" Roethlisberger told the Beaver County Times.

 

DeCastro still might end up starting at right guard in Thursday's preseason opener at Philadelphia because left guard Willie Colon is dealing with an ankle injury. That would move Foster from right to left guard, opening the right guard spot for DeCastro.

 

Foster made it clear that he isn't conceding the starting job to DeCastro.

 

"You don't want to just passively give away your starting role," Foster told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is a world championship team, you want to be a guy starting on that team. We're both going to get better no matter who wins the job. We'll just handle that at the end of camp. Is there a sense of urgency? Definitely. I think it's there for Dave, too."

[Soul]

Decastro apparently looked good in the preseason opener. Personally, this early in the process, I find his admission that "these guys are really good" is refreshing, not a detriment.

 

Again, early camp performance does not equal career validation or damnation.

[Banedon]

Personally, I think Cutler had more to do with not upgrading the O-line than Tice. I have no evidence to back this up, but I think Cutler has been asking for more weapons for a while. Back when Martz was hired, we know that Cutler was pushing to hire Bates. I think this year, the Bears decided that they really ought to give Cutler his way before negotiating an extension. He got a new OC, he got Bates, and he got Marshall. I'm also guessing he was pushing for more WR help in the draft rather than O-line.

 

All just guesswork on my part, but it seems to me that it makes more sense than our O-line coach turned OC not wanting better O-linemen.

[jersey cubs fan]

Personally, I think Cutler had more to do with not upgrading the O-line than Tice. I have no evidence to back this up, but I think Cutler has been asking for more weapons for a while. Back when Martz was hired, we know that Cutler was pushing to hire Bates. I think this year, the Bears decided that they really ought to give Cutler his way before negotiating an extension. He got a new OC, he got Bates, and he got Marshall. I'm also guessing he was pushing for more WR help in the draft rather than O-line.

 

All just guesswork on my part, but it seems to me that it makes more sense than our O-line coach turned OC not wanting better O-linemen.

 

I don't buy it. He was pushing for WR but not at the expense of even addressing the line. A line, by the way, that has practically gotten him killed. Tice, Smith, et al have talked from day one about their ability to "coach up" the guys they have and Tice has been lauded for his offensive line coaching skills. The Bears reached on a tweener pass rusher in the first round when they could have had a lineman. They already had Marshall and could have had a lineman in the 2nd, but chose not to. They could have had one in the third, or fourth as well. I don't see why we'd theorize that Cutler had anything to do with ignoring the line problem. It has been a staple of Bears management for a decade. It is what they do.

[Magnetic Curses]

Personally, I think Cutler had more to do with not upgrading the O-line than Tice. I have no evidence to back this up, but I think Cutler has been asking for more weapons for a while. Back when Martz was hired, we know that Cutler was pushing to hire Bates. I think this year, the Bears decided that they really ought to give Cutler his way before negotiating an extension. He got a new OC, he got Bates, and he got Marshall. I'm also guessing he was pushing for more WR help in the draft rather than O-line.

 

All just guesswork on my part, but it seems to me that it makes more sense than our O-line coach turned OC not wanting better O-linemen.

 

I don't buy it. He was pushing for WR but not at the expense of even addressing the line. A line, by the way, that has practically gotten him killed. Tice, Smith, et al have talked from day one about their ability to "coach up" the guys they have and Tice has been lauded for his offensive line coaching skills. The Bears reached on a tweener pass rusher in the first round when they could have had a lineman. They already had Marshall and could have had a lineman in the 2nd, but chose not to. They could have had one in the third, or fourth as well. I don't see why we'd theorize that Cutler had anything to do with ignoring the line problem. It has been a staple of Bears management for a decade. It is what they do.

 

Once they passed on Rieff, there weren't any potential LTs left.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Yea, the bears and their aversion to drafting o-line is mind boggling. And I can't believe Cutler would be ok with this approach to an o-line

[Banedon]

Posted last night.

 

@LouCanellis

 

@BUrlacher54 says knee will bother him all season, interview tonight @foxchicago news at 9

[minnesotacubsfan]

Yaaaaaaaaaay

[jersey cubs fan]

Once they passed on Rieff, there weren't any potential LTs left.

 

LT is hardly the only questionable area. It's a 5 position group for at least 7 players and the Bears have maybe 2 guys who are solid where they are.

[Banedon]

Yea, the bears and their aversion to drafting o-line is mind boggling. And I can't believe Cutler would be ok with this approach to an o-line

 

I think Cutler thinks with the right receivers and right play calls, he can overcome the weaknesses of the O-line. Bootlegs, moving pocket, short drops, and big receivers. I think Cutler thinks that with those elements, that the O-line can be addressed during this next offseason. I think he said "get me some big receivers, and I'll make do with the o-line". So Marshall and Jeffrey are the result.

 

I'm not happy with not drafting O-line either, it's just the way I imagine the conversations went.

[Guest]

It certainly doesn't make the most of sense that they have spent the better part of 2 seasons placing a lot of faith on a 7th round draft pick to protect the QB. After nearly two full seasons, they go into a 3rd season as the guy with the job to lose after basically being labeled as one of the worst in the entire league at LT, let alone one of the worst linemen on the roster.

 

If he was a first rounder, it might have made a bit more sense that they would go to great lengths trying to prevent such a high pick from turning into a bust. Makes you wonder whose nephew Webb is.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yea, the bears and their aversion to drafting o-line is mind boggling. And I can't believe Cutler would be ok with this approach to an o-line

 

I think Cutler thinks with the right receivers and right play calls, he can overcome the weaknesses of the O-line. Bootlegs, moving pocket, short drops, and big receivers. I think Cutler thinks that with those elements, that the O-line can be addressed during this next offseason. I think he said "get me some big receivers, and I'll make do with the o-line". So Marshall and Jeffrey are the result.

 

I'm not happy with not drafting O-line either, it's just the way I imagine the conversations went.

 

I don't understand why you would think Cutler would say, "hey go ahead and ignore the line".

 

The coaching staff and management ignored the line. They've collectively ignored the line for a decade. Cutler was begging for help, but he wasn't dictating team policy of loading up on receiver and actively ignoring the line.

 

They drafted DE in the first round, an injured DB in the third and FB in the 4th. This wasn't Cutler's doing. It was the staff.

[jersey cubs fan]

From the trib, spoilered because it is so awful.

 

Webb posted a poem Tuesday morning on his Twitter and Facebook accounts:

 

“Every morning I wake up, and get out of bed, while thoughts of preparing to battle dance in my head. No visions of cupcakes and tacos . Just football and being the best Left Tackle! Jwebb Nation stand strong! I'll conquer this battle like King Kong! I'll protect our quarterback and won't allow any sack! I'm giving my best everyday and there simply isn't anything left to say------BEAR DOWN!!!!”

[Banedon]

I don't understand why you would think Cutler would say, "hey go ahead and ignore the line".

 

Well I don't think it went down exactly like that. I think Cutler had some input though. And I think that while he'd love better O-line protection, that WR upgrades were more important to him.

 

I think the Bears decided they were going to spend X resources on defense and X on offense. I don't think they could get the defensive player they wanted (whether or not you agree with the Mclellin pick) the receiver they wanted, and an impact O-lineman.

 

I don't think Cutler specifically told them to completely ignore O-line.

[Banedon]

From the trib, spoilered because it is so awful.

 

Webb posted a poem Tuesday morning on his Twitter and Facebook accounts:

 

“Every morning I wake up, and get out of bed, while thoughts of preparing to battle dance in my head. No visions of cupcakes and tacos . Just football and being the best Left Tackle! Jwebb Nation stand strong! I'll conquer this battle like King Kong! I'll protect our quarterback and won't allow any sack! I'm giving my best everyday and there simply isn't anything left to say------BEAR DOWN!!!!”

 

That is bizarre.

[tfarks]

J'Marcus Whitman

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't understand why you would think Cutler would say, "hey go ahead and ignore the line".

 

Well I don't think it went down exactly like that. I think Cutler had some input though. And I think that while he'd love better O-line protection, that WR upgrades were more important to him.

 

I think the Bears decided they were going to spend X resources on defense and X on offense. I don't think they could get the defensive player they wanted (whether or not you agree with the Mclellin pick) the receiver they wanted, and an impact O-lineman.

 

I don't think Cutler specifically told them to completely ignore O-line.

 

I don't understand why you think this is more Cutler than Tice. Cutler wanted help at any and all positions. That was clear. He's been unhappy with his receivers and line.

 

Tice on the other hand has been specifically held up as the guy who could get the most out of second rate lineman and has specifically come out and supported these second rate lineman time and time again, until just this week. It's the coaching staff and management that has decided to ignore the line. Not Cutler.

[Banedon]

I don't understand why you would think Cutler would say, "hey go ahead and ignore the line".

 

Well I don't think it went down exactly like that. I think Cutler had some input though. And I think that while he'd love better O-line protection, that WR upgrades were more important to him.

 

I think the Bears decided they were going to spend X resources on defense and X on offense. I don't think they could get the defensive player they wanted (whether or not you agree with the Mclellin pick) the receiver they wanted, and an impact O-lineman.

 

I don't think Cutler specifically told them to completely ignore O-line.

 

I don't understand why you think this is more Cutler than Tice. Cutler wanted help at any and all positions. That was clear. He's been unhappy with his receivers and line.

 

Tice on the other hand has been specifically held up as the guy who could get the most out of second rate lineman and has specifically come out and supported these second rate lineman time and time again, until just this week. It's the coaching staff and management that has decided to ignore the line. Not Cutler.

 

I find it difficult to believe that an O-line guy like Tice doesn't want better talent at that position.

 

Ultimately it doesn't matter. Jay and Tice don't get ultimate decision making on drafting and free agency.

[KingCubsFan]

I don't understand why you would think Cutler would say, "hey go ahead and ignore the line".

 

Well I don't think it went down exactly like that. I think Cutler had some input though. And I think that while he'd love better O-line protection, that WR upgrades were more important to him.

 

I think the Bears decided they were going to spend X resources on defense and X on offense. I don't think they could get the defensive player they wanted (whether or not you agree with the Mclellin pick) the receiver they wanted, and an impact O-lineman.

 

I don't think Cutler specifically told them to completely ignore O-line.

I think it has more to do with the coaching staff. With Emery coming in after the season, I'm sure he's had to rely on the coaching staff a lot in figuring out what the team needs really were. That's probably why we drafted an athletic pass rusher in the first round. Given Tice's background, he probably thinks he can coach up the O-line now that Martz's system is gone. It probably won't work, and my guess is Emery invests heavily in the offensive line next offseason.

[jersey cubs fan]

I find it difficult to believe that an O-line guy like Tice doesn't want better talent at that position.

 

Because he staked his reputation on being able to get the most out of the lesser talents. He was a coaching also ran before he came to Chicago and got the high profile gig. Everybody talked up his ability to "coach up" the talent that was already here. He expressed nothing but confidence in the people in place, until this week.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I think Tice is realizing he can't Jedi-master Webb and run this offense at the same time

[ConstableRabbit]

@BradBiggs

#Bears MLB Brian Urlacher had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this morning. Chicago Tribune story coming in moments.

 

@BradBiggs

Urlacher is already back at training camp and the goal is still for him to be ready for Sept. 9 season opener.

 

Not all arthroscopic surgeries are created equal, but this still can't be a great sign...

 

ETA: Link to Trib article

[Theo]

Why is he just having this surgery now? oh boy.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why is he just having this surgery now? oh boy.

 

Cleaning up after the summer setback.

[Theo]

This should have been detected and taken care of weeks ago when the soreness started, are the Bears doctors taken lessons from the Bulls doctors in terms of incompetence? Then again, this is the same team that allowed him to play in a completely meaningless regular season game that brought on this injury.