Bears Offseason Thread (Trestman new HC, pg 37)

[Guest]

I'm sad but not surprised and I do think the Bears were jerking everyone around when saying they wanted him back.

 

This is from Mully's column at the Trib website. Kinda depressing.

 

...the Bears have effectively the same scouts in place who failed repeatedly to produce a linebacker through the draft in the Jerry Angelo era, during which the team flailed miserably 10 times at the position.

 

 

The Bears hired 8 scouts last year, and promoted others to new positions. Sure, he can say they still have many of the same scouts, but they also have a lot of new voices, and it was a significant change to the organization last year. I disagree it is "effectively the same scouts in place" as they have had all along.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-05/sports/chi-bears-add-scouts-expand-personnel-department-20120605_1_area-scout-national-scouts-kevin-turks

 

It is the same scouts that did so poorly in last year's draft.

 

I'm pretty sure that the old guard was in charge of last year's draft....not that I can even come close to agreeing that the draft was poor after one year.

[biittner77]

It's anecdotal, but the NFL is a league where you know what you have with a player during their first season. QBs take time to develop, other positions learn from experience but the reason why fans gets excited about the NFL draft is that those players can and should make an immediate impact. Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

[Guest]

It's anecdotal, but the NFL is a league where you know what you have with a player during their first season. QBs take time to develop, other positions learn from experience but the reason why fans gets excited about the NFL draft is that those players can and should make an immediate impact. Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

 

McClellin?

 

Hardin didn't even play, so I'm not sure how you can know what you have with him.

 

Alshon, as you mentioned.

 

And Evan Rodriguez did whatever he was asked to do well. Now they just need to ask him to do more things involving catching passes.

[rawaction]

The way I see it:

 

It's very sad to see Urlacher go, especially when it wasn't on his own terms. I think he had a lot to prove and he would have been as healthy as he has been in 2 years had he suited up for the Bears this year. Ray Lewis had a very similar situation with the Ravens and it looked like he had lost a step and was headed out of the league. He came back and gave the Ravens 3-4 more seasons. Not at the same level as before, but still above average on the field and played a huge leadership/inspirational role. I feel bad for guys like Briggs and Tillman who have never played on an NFL team without Urlacher. But they'll get over it. Just like they got over Alex Brown. Just like they'll get over Lovie.

 

That being said, this move probably won't sit well with most of the fanbase. It won't sit well with most of the defensive players. But it's 100% the right football move. The Bears need to change their identity as a franchise. The Monsters of the Midway stuff is over. The Bears need to change the culture from a defense first team to a team with an offense that needs to be feared. As long as Urlacher was here, it was going to be hard to change the team's identity. Losing Urlacher allows the Bears to take a big step in putting a younger defense on the field. The Bears started last season with 5 starters over 30. 2 of them will now be gone if Idonije doesn't come back. Even if he does, he won't start. And potentially 2 more will be gone next season with Peppers' contract and Tillman being a FA.

 

This also puts extra pressure on Emery to not miss early in the draft for a while. The offense is pretty young. And if you can build a solid young defense around guys like Melton, McClellin and whoever you draft at LB this year, the team won't have to sign big contract FAs to put themselves in this type of salary cap bind.

 

I don't buy this theory of "changing identity" at all. Brian Urlacher has nothing to do with the quality of the offense. His presence wouldn't have prevented them from getting better and his absence won't facilitate that improvement.

No but theoretically this would be seen as a defense first team with the same highly paid stars on the defensive side of the ball. I think this move shows people that the Bears aren't in the past anymore and will move forward with an offensive identity. Hiring Trestman was a start but keeping status quo on D would have been counter productive to changing the organizations culture for whatever that's worth.

[Banedon]

It's anecdotal, but the NFL is a league where you know what you have with a player during their first season. QBs take time to develop, other positions learn from experience but the reason why fans gets excited about the NFL draft is that those players can and should make an immediate impact. Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

 

McClellin?

 

He's the obvious answer. PFF:

 

Shea McClellin, DE

Draft: First round, 19th Overall

Snaps/Usage: 369 snaps, 268 rushing the passer

 

Notes: McClellin was thought to be more of a 3-4 outside linebacker prospect coming out of Boise State, but the Bears put him at defensive end and threw him into the mix as a sub-package pass rusher. He had moderate success as he graded at -2.8 as a pass rusher with 29 pressures on his 268 rush attempts. His 8.8 Pass Rush Productivity ranked 27th out of the top 62 qualifiers at 4-3 defensive end.

 

He's been a situational guy so far, and we'll have to see how the new staff uses him, but he clearly has long term upside.

[Guest]

Just to clarify, I didn't mean the question mark as, "I'm unsure," but instead, "How are you forgetting (or intentionally not including) him?"

[abohnhoff]

Evan Rodriguez arrested in Miami last night:

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/21/evan-rodriguez-arrested-in-miami/

[jersey cubs fan]

It's anecdotal, but the NFL is a league where you know what you have with a player during their first season. QBs take time to develop, other positions learn from experience but the reason why fans gets excited about the NFL draft is that those players can and should make an immediate impact. Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

 

McClellin?

 

Hardin didn't even play, so I'm not sure how you can know what you have with him.

 

Alshon, as you mentioned.

 

And Evan Rodriguez did whatever he was asked to do well. Now they just need to ask him to do more things involving catching passes.

 

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD fullback. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

[Soul]

What does resisting arrest without violence amount to? Arguing with the officer?

[Soul]

It's anecdotal, but the NFL is a league where you know what you have with a player during their first season. QBs take time to develop, other positions learn from experience but the reason why fans gets excited about the NFL draft is that those players can and should make an immediate impact. Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

 

McClellin?

 

Hardin didn't even play, so I'm not sure how you can know what you have with him.

 

Alshon, as you mentioned.

 

And Evan Rodriguez did whatever he was asked to do well. Now they just need to ask him to do more things involving catching passes.

 

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD [expletive]. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

 

I get it, but I'm giving him this draft cycle to improve before joining you.

[jersey cubs fan]

What does resisting arrest without violence amount to? Arguing with the officer?

 

I've always wondered about that one. If you don't immediately comply with their instructions is that resisting arrest?

[Guest]

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD [expletive]. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

 

That doesn't mean he won't be a valuable football player and doesn't have upside, which is what I was responding to. You can go ahead and call that pick a bust after one (missed) season, but with that combination of speed and size/strength, I am not willing to.

 

You can also not like McClellin picked where he was, but that's, again, not what I responding to. He definitely has long term upside.

 

And saying that if Rodriguez is a tight end they don't have to sign Bennett is incredibly silly, especially when the other TEs on the roster were pure garbage.

[jersey cubs fan]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman 21m

#Bears announce they've agreed to terms with tight end Steve Maneri on a two-year contract.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD [expletive]. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

 

That doesn't mean he won't be a valuable football player and doesn't have upside, which is what I was responding to. You can go ahead and call that pick a bust after one (missed) season, but with that combination of speed and size/strength, I am not willing to.

 

You can also not like McClellin picked where he was, but that's, again, not what I responding to. He definitely has long term upside.

 

And saying that if Rodriguez is a tight end they don't have to sign Bennett is incredibly silly, especially when the other TEs on the roster were pure garbage.

 

The draft is about getting value at the spot of the selection. A guy who hasn't played football in a year shouldn't have been drafted where Hardin was drafted and the fact that he already missed a year just cements the fact it was an awful pick. It does not matter if a guy maintains upside in the future. Anybody who hasn't retired and is relatively young theoretically has upside. That doesn't mean you can draft them wherever you want.

[Guest]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman 21m

#Bears announce they've agreed to terms with tight end Steve Maneri on a two-year contract.

 

I don't know who that is, but it looks like NFL.com has him as a tackle

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/stevemaneri/2508014/profile

[Guest]

 

The draft is about getting value at the spot of the selection. A guy who hasn't played football in a year shouldn't have been drafted where Hardin was drafted and the fact that he already missed a year just cements the fact it was an awful pick. It does not matter if a guy maintains upside in the future. Anybody who hasn't retired and is relatively young theoretically has upside. That doesn't mean you can draft them wherever you want.

 

It does when the question I was responding to was:

Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

[cubbyvirus00]

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD [expletive]. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

 

That doesn't mean he won't be a valuable football player and doesn't have upside, which is what I was responding to. You can go ahead and call that pick a bust after one (missed) season, but with that combination of speed and size/strength, I am not willing to.

 

You can also not like McClellin picked where he was, but that's, again, not what I responding to. He definitely has long term upside.

 

And saying that if Rodriguez is a tight end they don't have to sign Bennett is incredibly silly, especially when the other TEs on the roster were pure garbage.

 

The draft is about getting value at the spot of the selection. A guy who hasn't played football in a year shouldn't have been drafted where Hardin was drafted and the fact that he already missed a year just cements the fact it was an awful pick. It does not matter if a guy maintains upside in the future. Anybody who hasn't retired and is relatively young theoretically has upside. That doesn't mean you can draft them wherever you want.

 

Yeah it's hard to get excited about last years draft. Strikeout.

[jersey cubs fan]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman 21m

#Bears announce they've agreed to terms with tight end Steve Maneri on a two-year contract.

 

I don't know who that is, but it looks like NFL.com has him as a tackle

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/stevemaneri/2508014/profile

 

converted last year

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman 21m

#Bears announce they've agreed to terms with tight end Steve Maneri on a two-year contract.

 

I don't know who that is, but it looks like NFL.com has him as a tackle

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/stevemaneri/2508014/profile

He was until the Chiefs made him a TE.

[Banedon]

Hardin never should have been picked where he was, he hasn't played football in 2 years. This isn't baseball. McClellin was a bad pick, Hardin was awful. Rodriguez was pointless. He's a GD [expletive]. If he's a tight end they don't have to go out this year and blow a wad on a free agent. The draft was bad and Emery ran it.

 

That doesn't mean he won't be a valuable football player and doesn't have upside, which is what I was responding to. You can go ahead and call that pick a bust after one (missed) season, but with that combination of speed and size/strength, I am not willing to.

 

You can also not like McClellin picked where he was, but that's, again, not what I responding to. He definitely has long term upside.

 

And saying that if Rodriguez is a tight end they don't have to sign Bennett is incredibly silly, especially when the other TEs on the roster were pure garbage.

 

The draft is about getting value at the spot of the selection. A guy who hasn't played football in a year shouldn't have been drafted where Hardin was drafted and the fact that he already missed a year just cements the fact it was an awful pick. It does not matter if a guy maintains upside in the future. Anybody who hasn't retired and is relatively young theoretically has upside. That doesn't mean you can draft them wherever you want.

 

Yeah it's hard to get excited about last years draft. Strikeout.

 

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lu9q2ocPMt1qe2rjy.gif

[jersey cubs fan]

 

The draft is about getting value at the spot of the selection. A guy who hasn't played football in a year shouldn't have been drafted where Hardin was drafted and the fact that he already missed a year just cements the fact it was an awful pick. It does not matter if a guy maintains upside in the future. Anybody who hasn't retired and is relatively young theoretically has upside. That doesn't mean you can draft them wherever you want.

 

It does when the question I was responding to was:

Outside of Jeffrey, who from last year's draft class really stood out as having a lot of long term upside?

 

You can change the wording to justify your hope in the guys' future, but what matters is the draft was poor. It doesn't take 5 years to figure that out. This isn't baseball.

 

I've loved Emery's approach to the veterans, trading for Marshall, signing guys that needed to be signed, not caving on

Urlacher's cost, etc. I applaud his willingness to make a change from Lovie despite a relatively successful season.

 

But he had a bad first draft.

[Banedon]

@ESPNChiBears According to Miami Beach Police report - Miami Beach office first approached Evan Rodriguez at scene of traffic accident investigation.

 

@ESPNChiBears Police report states when officer asked Rodriguez for ID, he responded - "For what? I'm an NFL player. I don't need all that media stuff."

 

@ESPNChiBears Police report states officers tried to get Rodriguez to walk over to a sidewalk and he responded - "I don't need this I'm an NFL player."

 

@ESPNChiBears Rodriguez was not driving the car involved in the accident. He was a passenger.

[Banedon]

Apparently started yelling at the cops and interfering with investigation, had slurred speech and bloodshot watery eyes, strong odor of alcohol.

[jersey cubs fan]

What do I need ID for? I drive a Dodge Stratus!

[rawaction]

Fwiw, Rodriguez comes off as really ghetto on Twitter. Arrest doesn't surprise me.