Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[rawaction]

I hear ya. But we might also be able to get someone in here that knows how to draft offense. I understand both sides of it. I guess at this point I was ready for a change. Might be a case of "be careful what you wish for", but that's where I'm at.

 

Sure, there's room for improvement, but in a salary cap league the Bears did well under Angelo. A lot of other guys have done a lot worse with the same resources that he had.

 

On the bright side, the new guy doesn't have to acquire a franchise QB (the toughest thing for personel people to do). But we still don't know that there will be a new guy running things.

 

I'm not sure what you consider "doing well". The Bears have had 1 playoff season out of the last 5. And the times they have been decent, Lovie has gotten significantly higher production out of his team that the talent level would indicate. Last year's OL debocle was enough to fire any GM. This year's handling of the FA period.

[jersey cubs fan]

BradBiggs Brad Biggs

#Bears announce no other changes will be made. Lovie Smith to be coach in 2012.

 

No other changes could mean, "at this time", or it could mean they won't be replacing Jerry with an outside GM, or there's a slight chance they will hire a new GM who will be told he's got to work with Lovie in year 1. Angelo had to work with Jauron for 3 years before he was canned.

[gflore34]

Well, some good news!!! I often thought Angelo was trying to prove he was smarter than everyone else when drafting red-flagged players like Carimi, Williams and Harris. As if I know something about their past injuries that you don't and I'll prove by drafting the player every team passed on.

[Sammy Sofa]

YES!!!! best way to start the new year as far as sports goes for me. Angelo miserably failed in having a 2nd QB and a competent O-line for many years. Those were obviously the most glaring errors in recent years.

 

Yeah, the old "didn't have a 2nd QB issue" was always hanging over his head.

 

Hahahahahaah!

[Banedon]

The team released a statement that Bears CEO Ted Phillips informed Angelo of his decision on Tuesday morning.

 

So Phillips made this decision?

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not sure what you consider "doing well". The Bears have had 1 playoff season out of the last 5. And the times they have been decent, Lovie has gotten significantly higher production out of his team that the talent level would indicate. Last year's OL debocle was enough to fire any GM. This year's handling of the FA period.

 

As annoying as things have been in the down times, the worse they have done in the Lovie/Jerry era has been 7-9. There's a hell of a lot of 4-12 type teams out there every year, and the Bears were never close to being that bad since Jerry was allowed to bring in his own coach. They averaged about 9 wins a year together, won three division titles, made two NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl. They would have easily won a playoff spot this year with a healthy Cutler. They stand up favorably to the Vikings and Lions during that time, same with the Cowboys, Redskins, Bucs, Cardinals, Falcons, Rams, Eagles, Seahawks, 49ers and Panthers. Really only the Giants, Saints and Packers have been better in the NFC during the era, and most of the AFC has been worse as well. They've done well. Not good enough of course, but there's a lot worse out there. This isn't Jim Hendry with resources that dwarf his competition in the division. I would be very concerned with who they wind up bringing in to replace him (if they do at all), especially considering the dark year of the Wanny/Jauron era that preceded Lovie/Jerry.

 

About the talent level comment. I think this was easily the most talented team in the NFC in 2006. Lovie didn't get more out of them than what they were. He typically got as much as you could expect, but I don't think they ever outperformed reality.

Edited January 3, 2012 by jersey cubs fan

[jersey cubs fan]

Well, some good news!!! I often thought Angelo was trying to prove he was smarter than everyone else when drafting red-flagged players like Carimi, Williams and Harris. As if I know something about their past injuries that you don't and I'll prove by drafting the player every team passed on.

 

Carimi didn't have red flags. He and Williams were both consensus worthy of being picked where they were. And Tommie Harris? Give me a break.

 

Angelo screwed the pooch in the post super bowl draft (when Lovie was given additional power in the organization) with reaches on guys like Bazuin and Wolfe that wasted picks that needed to go to rebuilding the offensive line.

[rawaction]

Bye bye Angelo. Take your crappy scouts with you.

 

Scouting, I actually don't have a problem with. The Bears have done a decent job with late round picks, where scouting really comes into play. Melton was a RB/DE in college and led the league in sacks by DTs this year. Lance Louis was a college TE. Knox, Moore, etc.

[jersey cubs fan]

The team released a statement that Bears CEO Ted Phillips informed Angelo of his decision on Tuesday morning.

 

So Phillips made this decision?

 

It says he informed Angelo. George could have sent him on an errand.

[jersey cubs fan]

Bye bye Angelo. Take your crappy scouts with you.

 

Scouting, I actually don't have a problem with. The Bears have done a decent job with late round picks, where scouting really comes into play. Melton was a RB/DE in college and led the league in sacks by DTs this year. Lance Louis was a college TE. Knox, Moore, etc.

 

Eh, scouting is pretty huge in the first 2-3 rounds. Outside of the top 5, it takes scouting more than worldwide consensus to decide who is worthy.

[Sammy Sofa]

gooney killing it with this one.

[Magnetic Curses]

Lovie certainly has his issues but his players play hard for him. Maybe in 1-2 years but right now I'd rather not get rid of him now. Too much shakeup for an organization that has a team that can contend with a couple of good moves.

 

lovie's been fine, we're in the playoffs at 12-4 or 11-5 if our franchise doesn't go down. i think that the offensive line is set going into next year with williams and carimi coming back. i was ecstatic about carimi when we drafted him and most here were too.

 

if we can get a good WR who is ready to contribute right away then i think we're challenging the packers for the division.

[Little Slide Rooter]

1/3/12: Alright! Angelo out, good things are on the horizon.

?/?/12: Bears hire as new GM! Great hire, he should be able to turn this ship around in no time.

1 month later/12: Boo He didn't make a serious attempt to sign , , and . Bears are going to suck until 2023. Boo, hiss.

[jersey cubs fan]

Let's not forget Jerry had 3 QBs who he acquired running teams this year. He also had two drafted RBs as franchise backs in Benson and Forte, plus Thomas Jones was somebody who he acquired for the right price at the right time in his career. Jerry wasn't incompetent in the least. He got guys, but Lovie's coaching staff struggled to get the most out of a few of them. He did a very bad job identifying the need to draft offensive linemen between the Columbo and Williams picks, which was something the Bucs struggled with as well during his tenure there.

[Magnetic Curses]

i don't get all the happiness for firing angelo. if cutler doesn't go down, we're a top 5 team in the NFL. it's his fault for not carrying a capable backup, but he put together a good team.

 

this could have more to do with the polians being ousted in indy.

[Magnetic Curses]

for the record, i hate the polians

[jersey cubs fan]

i don't get all the happiness for firing angelo. if cutler doesn't go down, we're a top 5 team in the NFL. it's his fault for not carrying a capable backup, but he put together a good team.

 

this could have more to do with the polians being ousted in indy.

 

My money is that it has to do with Lovie/Martz vs Jerry/Caleb. This season ended when Caleb Hanie stepped on the field and Jerry pushed him on Martz, who did not want him at all. They will go with Lovie/Martz/Tice/Marinelli and have some internal guy be the vice president of player personel or some such thing. If it goes well, Lovie will have a chance to hire his "boss", if it doesn't, they will hire a new guy next year and clean house.

[Little Slide Rooter]

i don't get all the happiness for firing angelo. if cutler doesn't go down, we're a top 5 team in the NFL. it's his fault for not carrying a capable backup, but he put together a good team.

 

this could have more to do with the polians being ousted in indy.

 

I think that a lot of people both internal and external were pissed that he didn't make a serious attempt to go after McNab when they knew that Cutler would miss significant time. Would McNab have made a difference? Who knows but I'd have liked our chances of at least back dooring into the playoffs a lot better than I did with Caleb "anyone but Todd Collins" Haney or or Josh "anyone but Caleb Haney" McCown.

[Theo]

I see on ton of meatballs on twitter, other message boards, etc clammoring for Bill Polian. Are people still stuck 10 years ago when he drafted Peyton Manning and Edge?

 

The past five years, there hasn't been a worse team in the draft than the Colts. Take a look at those drafts from 2005-now. It's awful. On top of that, at least Angelo new some of his draft failures and traded for Cutler and threw money at Peppers. The Colts have ignored FA, thinking they had their own pipleline.

[Banedon]

Let's not forget Jerry had 3 QBs who he acquired running teams this year. He also had two drafted RBs as franchise backs in Benson and Forte, plus Thomas Jones was somebody who he acquired for the right price at the right time in his career. Jerry wasn't incompetent in the least. He got guys, but Lovie's coaching staff struggled to get the most out of a few of them. He did a very bad job identifying the need to draft offensive linemen between the Columbo and Williams picks, which was something the Bucs struggled with as well during his tenure there.

 

Jerry had his "hits", for sure. But he missed big recently. He really screwed the pooch on the post-lockout free agency, didn't get any FA's for OL, and ended up with Roy Williams, Marion Barber, and a punter (full credit for Podlesh). He may have gotten Peppers two years ago, but he also spent a lot of money on Taylor and Manumaleuna. He spent like $3 million on Meriweather mid-season, he clearly misjudged Hanie's abilities as a backup, and I can't imagine that the whole Sam Hurd situation helped Angelo's cause any.

[rawaction]

Bye bye Angelo. Take your crappy scouts with you.

 

Scouting, I actually don't have a problem with. The Bears have done a decent job with late round picks, where scouting really comes into play. Melton was a RB/DE in college and led the league in sacks by DTs this year. Lance Louis was a college TE. Knox, Moore, etc.

 

Eh, scouting is pretty huge in the first 2-3 rounds. Outside of the top 5, it takes scouting more than worldwide consensus to decide who is worthy.

 

Yeah, maybe. And part of the problem with the early picks has been the scouting failures with guys like Dan Bazuin and Garrett Wolfe going higher than most thought they should. And guys like Jarron Gilbert being a failure. But I think the Bears can scout just fine. I think the problem is they think they are too good, and don't go with the consensus scouting choices.

[jersey cubs fan]

Let's not forget Jerry had 3 QBs who he acquired running teams this year. He also had two drafted RBs as franchise backs in Benson and Forte, plus Thomas Jones was somebody who he acquired for the right price at the right time in his career. Jerry wasn't incompetent in the least. He got guys, but Lovie's coaching staff struggled to get the most out of a few of them. He did a very bad job identifying the need to draft offensive linemen between the Columbo and Williams picks, which was something the Bucs struggled with as well during his tenure there.

 

Jerry had his "hits", for sure. But he missed big recently. He really screwed the pooch on the post-lockout free agency, didn't get any FA's for OL, and ended up with Roy Williams, Marion Barber, and a punter (full credit for Podlesh). He may have gotten Peppers two years ago, but he also spent a lot of money on Taylor and Manumaleuna. He spent like $3 million on Meriweather mid-season, he clearly misjudged Hanie's abilities as a backup, and I can't imagine that the whole Sam Hurd situation helped Angelo's cause any.

 

I'm not saying the guy is without flaws. I'm saying he built a good team and the the Bears have done well under Lovie and Jerry. Plus, there are a hell of a lot of worse football people out there. Football isn't filled with a bunch of Theos.

[Banedon]

i don't get all the happiness for firing angelo. if cutler doesn't go down, we're a top 5 team in the NFL. it's his fault for not carrying a capable backup, but he put together a good team.

 

this could have more to do with the polians being ousted in indy.

 

My money is that it has to do with Lovie/Martz vs Jerry/Caleb. This season ended when Caleb Hanie stepped on the field and Jerry pushed him on Martz, who did not want him at all. They will go with Lovie/Martz/Tice/Marinelli and have some internal guy be the vice president of player personel or some such thing. If it goes well, Lovie will have a chance to hire his "boss", if it doesn't, they will hire a new guy next year and clean house.

 

I wonder if Angelo and Lovie were butting heads over Martz. Lovie and Martz saying they need OL and WR, and Angelo blaming Martz's scheme.

[Magnetic Curses]

i don't get all the happiness for firing angelo. if cutler doesn't go down, we're a top 5 team in the NFL. it's his fault for not carrying a capable backup, but he put together a good team.

 

this could have more to do with the polians being ousted in indy.

 

My money is that it has to do with Lovie/Martz vs Jerry/Caleb. This season ended when Caleb Hanie stepped on the field and Jerry pushed him on Martz, who did not want him at all. They will go with Lovie/Martz/Tice/Marinelli and have some internal guy be the vice president of player personel or some such thing. If it goes well, Lovie will have a chance to hire his "boss", if it doesn't, they will hire a new guy next year and clean house.

 

we're going to need a #1 WR, though, and I'm not sure that kind of lack of structure at the top for the time being would be very good for that. i think they go with a big name, although that may not be what is best for this org.

[jersey cubs fan]

we're going to need a #1 WR, though, and I'm not sure that kind of lack of structure at the top for the time being would be very good for that. i think they go with a big name, although that may not be what is best for this org.

 

A big name GM? I have a lot of doubts they will. A big name GM won't settle for being told he has to keep the coach. And I think the Bears organization loves Lovie. Maybe I'm wrong and George is desperate to get his mom a title before she dies. But it shouldn't be hard for Lovie, Martz and a personel guy to recruit any free agent WR, if they want one.