Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[Magnetic Curses]

i'm looking through football outsiders and they really don't like our offense at all. i mean, forte is ranked in the 30's and 40's in the important metrics, cutler is 21st, i don't get it.

 

however, they love our defense.

[Magnetic Curses]

Johnny just isn't a receiver, he's a runner who needs a great QB to make him look decent.

 

i just don't think johnson is much better, if at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

i'm looking through football outsiders and they really don't like our offense at all. i mean, forte is ranked in the 30's and 40's in the important metrics, cutler is 21st, i don't get it.

 

however, they love our defense.

 

They've got a long way to go before you can have a lot of faith in their rankings. Football just doesn't lend itself to that sort of analysis nearly as easily as baseball does.

[jersey cubs fan]

Johnny just isn't a receiver, he's a runner who needs a great QB to make him look decent.

 

i just don't think johnson is much better, if at all.

 

He's nothing special but he's better than Knox.

[Theo]

Johnny just isn't a receiver, he's a runner who needs a great QB to make him look decent.

 

i just don't think johnson is much better, if at all.

2011

REC Yards TDs

82 1073 10

37 727 2

 

 

2010

REC Yards TDs

76 1004 7

51 960 5

 

 

Yeah, clearly they are neck and neck :bye:

[JonJayCutler]

What? Steve Johnson has two inches and 25 lbs on Knox. How is 6'2" 210 not a "big man type"? Roy Williams looked huge out there and he's 6'3" 215. Barely larger. A lot worse player too.

 

Johnson doesn't have Calvin or VJax size, but neither do Andre or Fitzgerald. His vertical is probably more important.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Johnson has become much more consistent then Knox. That and Johnny may be dead after his last game.

[Theo]

As for the physicall comparisons, Johnson is two inches taller and about 20 pounds heavier. He can fight off the DB on that slant route all day. He's a more polished route runner. The only thing Knox may have is straightline speed, they are really nothing alike.

 

I will say this for Johnson, I watched both Jet/Bills games this year, and he just embarrassed Revis on occassions. Does that mean he is worth #1 WR money? No, I thought I just toss that out there.

[Magnetic Curses]

Johnny just isn't a receiver, he's a runner who needs a great QB to make him look decent.

 

i just don't think johnson is much better, if at all.

2011

REC Yards TDs

82 1073 10

37 727 2

 

 

2010

REC Yards TDs

76 1004 7

51 960 5

 

 

Yeah, clearly they are neck and neck :bye:

 

considering johnson was targeted twice as many times as knox this year, those counting stats for 2011 don't mean much. knox was actually much better per play in 2010 than johnson, much better.

[Theo]

Of course they mean something, Johnson is a more productive wide reciever. You can't always write off number of targets as an excuse for a WR not putting up numbers, part of it is getting open to make the catch. Dude, it's not even close.

[Magnetic Curses]

Of course they mean something, Johnson is a more productive wide reciever. You can't always write off number of targets as an excuse for a WR not putting up numbers, part of it is getting open to make the catch. Dude, it's not even close.

 

the thing is that his catch rate wasn't very good, either. it's much closer than you think. like i said, per play, knox is much more efficient receiver.

[Splendid Splinter]

I'm kinda up in the air about Stevie Johnson. He's gonna need someone else with him. If Bears just looking to add 1 WR then go after V Jax or Bowe instead, but if they're going after 2 WRs or a WR/TE combo in FA or getting a WR and TE in the draft with a WR in FA, I'm alright with Johnson as the WR.

 

He's a bigger, more talented Knox IMO. He's gonna ask for #1 WR money and I don't think he's worth that. On the other side, he's better than what the Bears have right now (talent-wise). Yes he does drop balls and he's not exactly an efficient receiver either, but he also has made awesome CBs (Revis) look silly at times and really fight for the ball. None of Bears WR can do that IMO.

 

It'll all come down to how much $$$ he wants and what other moves can the Bears make in FA...

[Guest]

Hell, Knox might not play next season. That was a nasty injury.

[Magnetic Curses]

i'm just pointing out that he's not much better than knox.

[rawaction]

Yeah, not into Stevie Johnson. I have changed my stance on Vincent Jackson some, and I'd much rather pay him #1 WR money than Johnson even with him being 3 years old. Johnson's not a bad WR, but he's not a great one either. Not even close. He was clearly the #1 target in Buffalo and barely had a 1000 yard season, when his QB threw for 3800. All the other teams in the top 12 in passing had their top WRs put up a higher percentage (or similar) of their teams receiving totals than Johnson and most of them had a lot of competition for balls (Welker/Grontkowski, Colston/Graham, Cruz/Nicks, Wallace/Brown, White/Jones, Nelson/Jennings).

[minnesotacubsfan]

Johnson has already out-produced VJ at similar points in their career

[rawaction]

Johnson has already out-produced VJ at similar points in their career

 

Thru 1st 4 years:

 

Johnson - 170 catches, 2189 yards, 19 TDs, 12.9 ypc

Jackson - 130 catches, 2233 yards, 16 TDs, 17.2 ypc

 

Sure Jackson doesn't catch 75 passes like Johnson has the last 2 years, but Jackson has 3 seasons with more yards than Johnson's best season. And the yards per catch can't be discounted.

[minnesotacubsfan]

anyone have "targeted" numbers?

[rawaction]

anyone have "targeted" numbers?

 

Johnson - 135, 143

Jackson - 100, 107

 

Johnson's last 2 years targets. Jackson's 3rd and 4th years. Johnson didn't do much his first 2 years and can't find targets pre-2007 for Jackson.

 

115 was Jackson's targets this year.

[minnesotacubsfan]

interesting. where did you pull those? not being a jerk, I just couldnt find them

 

eta: also, yards per attempt?

[rawaction]

interesting. where did you pull those? not being a jerk, I just couldnt find them

 

eta: also, yards per attempt?

 

ESPN has them if you look at the team stats for the last 5 years.

[davell]

Personally, I'd take Stevie, even though he's far from my favorite of the WR FA. It's just, in the end, most of these guys probably won't hit the market. Bowe? Probably franchised? V-Jax is being extended possibly, as odd as that appears. Welker probably isn't going anywhere. Brandon Lloyd, who I don't want anyway, may follow McDaniels to New England and take Ocho's spot. It leaves Stevie, Colston, Desean, and Manningham. I don't know whether the Saints will be able to find the money to keep Colston, but he could take less money to stay as well. Desean? Wild card, who I go back and forth on, as far as whether I want him or not. Manningham or Stevie may be our best bets. I'd take either, mainly because they'd certainly be an upgrade from what we've got currently. Any help for Jay is much appreciated, as far as I'm concerned. That said, I love the idea of getting Finley and trading way up to get Blackmon.

[Smack]

Biggs says it's Emery. Edited January 28, 2012 by Smack

[Magnetic Curses]

Biggs or Briggs?

[Smack]

Biggs or Briggs?

 

Brad Biggs, sorry, typo. Per his twitter account.