2014 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[jersey cubs fan]

what would it take to get Dansby? god, him, Briggs, and Melton would turn this D around in one offseason

 

I feel like God owuld turn around most defenses :wink: But in all seriousness, is there much difference really between a 3-4 ILB and 4-3 MLB? I think Dansby has played mostly in 3-4 defenses in his career.

 

Seems to me if the team is desperate for LB help the last thing they want to do is go 3-4, thus requiring even more LB help.

[sweetpeteman]

what would it take to get Dansby? god, him, Briggs, and Melton would turn this D around in one offseason

 

 

A lot of money. The Cardinals are already pretty close to their cap, so they may not be able to bring him back.

 

 

If you can't spend big at ILB, Smith and Mays may be better options. Smith has experience in the 3-4 Hybrid, Mays is younger and also played in the 3-4.

[rawaction]

I think Emery will approach this offseason like the last one. He will build up on the DL. I'd do it the same way as he did the OL. Sign one of the big FAs (Johnson, Hardy, Bennett), sign a mid-level FA ala Slauson, and draft DL in the 1st and again in the mid rounds.

 

A DL of those FA DEs, Ratliff (or a mid-level FA DT), Hageman (1st round pick), and Wootton with Paea, Collins, McClellin, Bass and a late round pick among the backups could be a solid rotation.

 

As for LB, I think they'll bring back 1 of the vets (Briggs, Anderson or Williams) not more than that. I think you bring in 1 other vet, to either push Bostic at MLB or at SLB if Williams is back at MLB. Greene is still a backup.

 

At DB, I'd resign Jennings to a 3-4 year deal. Sign Tillman to a 1-2 year deal. Draft CB early (probably 2nd round). Sign a SS (Byrd and Ward are excellent but will cost too much), I'm thinking a guy like Mike Mitchell from Carolina. Then draft a FS to compete with Conte in the mid rounds. Conte will be oK surrounded by 10 solid players.

 

If I had to ballpark a mock draft by position it'd be: DT, CB, Rounds 3-5 (QB, S, DE in some order) Round 6- 2 picks (LB, backup skill pos, 2nd CB)

 

DE- FA, Wootton, draft pick, McClellin/Bass/Washington (competing for 1-2 spots).

 

DT- Ratliff, Collins, Paea, 1st round pick

 

LB- re-signed Vet, Bostic, Greene, Castonzo (ST), FA vet, late draft pick

 

CB- Jennings, Tillman, Frey, draft pick, vet depth for special teams, maybe one of the practice squad CBs (Hurst or CJ Wilson)

 

S- FA, draft pick, Conte, Walters.

[Banedon]

@adamjahns

 

Based off talks in the #Bears locker room, it does sound like most players expect Jay Cutler to return.

[jersey cubs fan]

@adamjahns

 

Based off talks in the #Bears locker room, it does sound like most players expect Jay Cutler to return.

 

I wonder what the talk was last year when it came to Lovie's future. I'm guessing they expected him to return.

[Banedon]

Haha, Hub is on The Score, filling in for B&B today, and Dan Durkin is tweeting corrections to things he's saying, about Peppers cap numbers, and informing him that the Bears cut Brandon Hardin back on Oct 28th.

[Banedon]

@adamjahns

 

Based off talks in the #Bears locker room, it does sound like most players expect Jay Cutler to return.

 

I wonder what the talk was last year when it came to Lovie's future. I'm guessing they expected him to return.

 

It's a lot easier to randomly, unexpected decide to make a coaching change than to make a QB change, especially when you don't have another QB in place as a replacement.

[jersey cubs fan]

@adamjahns

 

Based off talks in the #Bears locker room, it does sound like most players expect Jay Cutler to return.

 

I wonder what the talk was last year when it came to Lovie's future. I'm guessing they expected him to return.

 

It's a lot easier to randomly, unexpected decide to make a coaching change than to make a QB change, especially when you don't have another QB in place as a replacement.

 

I would think it is just as easy to not bring back an unsigned QB as it is to fire a signed head coach with no external shenanigan issues coming off a 10-6 season. Or at least similarly difficult.

[rawaction]

I'm having trouble prioritizing defensive need for the Bears. They need players at just about every position. Best defensive player available for the first round?

 

If Nix III is there at the 14th, I'm having a hard time thinking who I would pick over him.

 

If you went by that mock offseason in page 2 in this thread, HaHa or a CB (who is the #1 CB in this draft anyway??)

 

I think it's probably Justin Gilbert from Ok State.

 

Would love to see Nix on the Bears. That guy is a monster. HaHa would be interesting. I feel like we've seen what big time safeties can do recently with Vaccaro, Berry, Earl Thomas, etc. going early and being impact players... not saying HaHa is anywhere near Berry or Thomas, but he's a well-regarded safety along the likes of Vaccaro (different positions though, right?) who helped the Saints D tremendously

 

The top of the CB position is really good, IMO. Also very tight as to who is the best. I personally still like Bradley Roby from Ohio St, he's the athletic freak though he got lit up at times this season. Gilbert has the ball skills and is a great returner, but seems to make boneheaded mistakes. Ekpre-Olomu is a stud from Oregon, but is probably a little undersized. Still I think he's every bit as good as Trufant (and similar size), who the Bears liked last year. I also like Dennard from Michigan St. He was a shutdown CB the last 1.5 years, but doesn't have the great athletic ability like the other 3.

 

Also, love Nix. He'd be my ideal pick at 14. He can play 3-4 NT, but his quickness make him better in a 4-3 gap shooting D for me. I like Hageman too, but not as much at 14. Tuitt is interesting too, if the Bears play any 3-4. But I also wouldn't mind him as a big 4-3 DE on run downs (though he's not that great of a run defender).

 

Clinton-Dix is pretty good. But not quite as good as those guys. I wouldn't pick him at 14. He's more of a late 20s talent, unlike those other guys who were top 10-15 guys.

[Banedon]

@adamjahns

 

Based off talks in the #Bears locker room, it does sound like most players expect Jay Cutler to return.

 

I wonder what the talk was last year when it came to Lovie's future. I'm guessing they expected him to return.

 

It's a lot easier to randomly, unexpected decide to make a coaching change than to make a QB change, especially when you don't have another QB in place as a replacement.

 

I would think it is just as easy to not bring back an unsigned QB as it is to fire a signed head coach with no external shenanigan issues coming off a 10-6 season. Or at least similarly difficult.

 

But your replacement options are fewer than they are with HC.

[sweetpeteman]

I'm not saying that they will go to the 3-4, but somebody at Reddit gave evidence to the theory (I'm still trying to find the post) and it makes sense. Emery came from Atlanta and Kansas City when they were both under 3-4 schemes with Crennel and Mora.

 

 

I've always thought that Tucker was just a stop-gap. The Bears didn't want to make major changes to both the offense and defense in one offseason, and tried to find somebody that could run Lovie's scheme while they rebuilt the offense. Now with the offense looking good, they will try to rebuild the defense.

 

It also follows why they didn't try to extend a lot of players last offseason, so that they could have flexibility going into this offseason.

Edited December 30, 2013 by sweetpeteman

[jersey cubs fan]

But your replacement options are fewer than they are with HC.

 

Eh, there's probably like 20 competently solid QBs out there and probably the same number of head coaches. I wasn't really trying to compare the situations, as I wanted Lovie gone and Jay to return. But was just making a point about how players probably aren't in tune with the front office and its intentions.

[davell]

Saw a comment from Tillman hoping he's still here, with an insinuation he could take less to stick around. Same article mentioned reuniting with Lovie too for him, wherever that winds up being. If Briggs is cut, I definitely see that as a possibility with him too.

[Guest]

But your replacement options are fewer than they are with HC.

 

Eh, there's probably like 20 competently solid QBs out there and probably the same number of head coaches. I wasn't really trying to compare the situations, as I wanted Lovie gone and Jay to return. But was just making a point about how players probably aren't in tune with the front office and its intentions.

 

I would think that there are way more guys out there that can competently head coach an NFL football team than there are guys who can competently quarterback at the NFL level.

[Banedon]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

 

There's a lot of talk of bringing the old Tampa group together -- Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo, Tim Ruskell -- for the #Bucs. Would be ideal.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

 

There's a lot of talk of bringing the old Tampa group together -- Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo, Tim Ruskell -- for the #Bucs. Would be ideal.

 

The Dung? Booger McFarland?

[jersey cubs fan]

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 6m

Tim Tebow signed for three years with ESPN. Left option open to pursue QB career.

[cubbyvirus00]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

 

There's a lot of talk of bringing the old Tampa group together -- Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo, Tim Ruskell -- for the #Bucs. Would be ideal.

 

It would be ideal if this were 2004.

[davell]

Trestman and Emery to meet media Thursday morning. Biggs speculates any moves they make will happen before then.

[jersey cubs fan]

Trestman and Emery to meet media Thursday morning. Biggs speculates any moves they make will happen before then.

 

Thursday seems late for the end of season media round-up. Seems like a lot of guys were set to do that today. They fired Lovie on Black Monday, just before he was going to address media, right?

[Cubswin11]

Guys on The Score said the Thursday date is mostly due to the holiday schedule this week (said they weren't gonna do it on NYE or day) and the fact they were still in it up until yesterday and might not have had the prep time to do what they need for it (teams like TB, CLE, etc. all know their fates and were preparing for today for a while). Said the timing doesn't signal any major transactions or announcements. FWIW.

[Derwood]

I was hoping Tucker would be fired by now

[davell]

Trestman and Emery to meet media Thursday morning. Biggs speculates any moves they make will happen before then.

 

Thursday seems late for the end of season media round-up. Seems like a lot of guys were set to do that today. They fired Lovie on Black Monday, just before he was going to address media, right?

 

He was definitely fired on Monday. I don't remember if he was getting ready for a press conference or not.

 

As for the Thursday date? I guess Thursday makes a bit of sense with the holiday, but I could definitely see some stuff getting done in time to announce it by then as well. Emery could wing a Q and A, if he wasn't technically prepared for it, so not being prepared seems a bit flimsy to me.

[minnesotacubsfan]

http://www.theheckler.com/2013/12/30/chris-conte-facebook-fan-page-somehow-has-negative-52000-followers/

[UMFan83]

Cutler was on his final show today. Didn't say anything newsworthy just reinterated his desire to stay in Chicago, when asked about hometown discount he said something to the effect of "obviously when someone leaves their team in FA they usually are offered more to leave" and said he would be disappointed if there wasn't a contract in place by the start of the new league year.