2014 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[Guest]

Aren't sack totals heavily influenced by scheme in addition to raw skill?

[minnesotacubsfan]

@HubbuchNYP: Michael Bennett told me his dream is to play on the same team as Martellus, but it likely won't be the Bears. Why? "I don't like the cold."

 

 

He doesn't like the cold yet he plays for Seattle? Or is he just saying he had no choice last off-season but go there and will go somewhere "warm" this off-season?

 

it's not very cold in seattle

 

It's not warm, either. It's the perfect climate for fat people.

 

It's [expletive] damp-cold. I think I can catch a chill very easily here, chilled to the bone as they say.

 

Of course, everywhere is balmy compared to MPLS/STP.

[rawaction]

Aren't sack totals heavily influenced by scheme in addition to raw skill?

 

I think it's mostly raw skill. If a guy has skill, the team will scheme to make sure they get to the QB. Scheme isn't affecting McClellin's ability to get to the QB. McClellin's lack of talent is affecting his ability.

[Guest]

@HubbuchNYP: Michael Bennett told me his dream is to play on the same team as Martellus, but it likely won't be the Bears. Why? "I don't like the cold."

 

 

He doesn't like the cold yet he plays for Seattle? Or is he just saying he had no choice last off-season but go there and will go somewhere "warm" this off-season?

 

it's not very cold in seattle

 

It's not warm, either. It's the perfect climate for fat people.

 

I'm the opposite of fat but I think Seattle has close to perfect weather.

[cubbyvirus00]

Bennett is my favorite DE target this offseason (amongst those likely to hit the market).

 

Yeah, I still think the Bears would need an additional edge rusher with Bennett. He's never been a 10+ sack guy. He's a pretty good all around guy though, probably give you about 10 sacks, as he has share a lot of time his entire career. But I'd like the Bears to find a potential 12+ sack edge guy at some point in the draft. Unfortunately, I don't think there are very many of those guys in this draft.

 

If Emery finds a 12 sack guy this off-season he's a miracle man.

 

I said, "potential". Even if he's not going to get there for a couple years. The Bears need to find a guy with elite edge rushing potential. As good as Bennett is, he's not an elite edge rusher. And Bennett, Wootton, Bass, Washington and McClellin is essentially the exact same group as last year, that didn't get enough pressure on the QB. And also, if they are going to go hybrid or 3-4, they'll need a guy that can stand up and rush the QB.

 

Chandler Jones.

 

 

 

Anyways, the entire Dline needs prospects. I like the reports on Hageman as somebody that anchor the line and provide the interior push. If you can sign Bennett or Jackson and couple that with a stud DT, then you're in business.

[rawaction]

Bennett is my favorite DE target this offseason (amongst those likely to hit the market).

 

Yeah, I still think the Bears would need an additional edge rusher with Bennett. He's never been a 10+ sack guy. He's a pretty good all around guy though, probably give you about 10 sacks, as he has share a lot of time his entire career. But I'd like the Bears to find a potential 12+ sack edge guy at some point in the draft. Unfortunately, I don't think there are very many of those guys in this draft.

 

If Emery finds a 12 sack guy this off-season he's a miracle man.

 

I said, "potential". Even if he's not going to get there for a couple years. The Bears need to find a guy with elite edge rushing potential. As good as Bennett is, he's not an elite edge rusher. And Bennett, Wootton, Bass, Washington and McClellin is essentially the exact same group as last year, that didn't get enough pressure on the QB. And also, if they are going to go hybrid or 3-4, they'll need a guy that can stand up and rush the QB.

 

Chandler Jones.

 

 

 

Anyways, the entire Dline needs prospects. I like the reports on Hageman as somebody that anchor the line and provide the interior push. If you can sign Bennett or Jackson and couple that with a stud DT, then you're in business.

 

Depdending on the amount of money/years they want to come back, the Bears have the making of a great interior DL already in house. Paea, Collins, Melton, and Ratliff along with an early pick like Nix, Hageman, DaQuan Jones, Jernigan, Aaron Donald has potential to be a really good interior.

 

But with Peppers and Wootton this year, they were already 1 DE short. Cut Peppers and you need 2 guys, even if you bring back Wootton (which seems like a no-brainer).

[UMFan83]

Kyle Long is awesome:

 

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-26-2014/fX8bpM.gif

[ctcf]

Is it March 11 yet? :(

[Guest]

What's March 11th?

[Banedon]

What's March 11th?

 

Start of free agency.

[Guest]

What's March 11th?

 

Start of free agency.

 

Ah, duh.

[cubbyvirus00]

Per the Trib, Urlacher got an invite to hang at Bucs training camp for 1 week. He also decided to passive aggressively throw a dart or two @ Jay in the interview.

[Banedon]

Per the Trib, Urlacher got an invite to hang at Bucs training camp for 1 week. He also decided to passive aggressively throw a dart or two @ Jay in the interview.

 

What?

 

Urlacher said he was surprised by the size of the $126.5 million, seven-year contract for quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“Yes. Pretty large. It’s good for him," Urlacher said. "The thinking is if you think you have a franchise quarterback, you hold onto them. It’s hard to find them in the NFL and I think the GM there (Phil Emery) thought he had one, so they paid him like one.”

 

I don't see anything but a stock answer there. Pretty standard stuff.

[Derwood]

Per the Trib, Urlacher got an invite to hang at Bucs training camp for 1 week. He also decided to passive aggressively throw a dart or two @ Jay in the interview.

 

What?

 

Urlacher said he was surprised by the size of the $126.5 million, seven-year contract for quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“Yes. Pretty large. It’s good for him," Urlacher said. "The thinking is if you think you have a franchise quarterback, you hold onto them. It’s hard to find them in the NFL and I think the GM there (Phil Emery) thought he had one, so they paid him like one.”

 

I don't see anything but a stock answer there. Pretty standard stuff.

 

I guess you could interpret that statement as Urlacher not believing Cutler is a franchise QB

[UMFan83]

Per the Trib, Urlacher got an invite to hang at Bucs training camp for 1 week. He also decided to passive aggressively throw a dart or two @ Jay in the interview.

 

What?

 

Urlacher said he was surprised by the size of the $126.5 million, seven-year contract for quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“Yes. Pretty large. It’s good for him," Urlacher said. "The thinking is if you think you have a franchise quarterback, you hold onto them. It’s hard to find them in the NFL and I think the GM there (Phil Emery) thought he had one, so they paid him like one.”

 

I don't see anything but a stock answer there. Pretty standard stuff.

 

I guess you could interpret that statement as Urlacher not believing Cutler is a franchise QB

 

Yeah the guys on the score were talking as if they were passive-aggressive shots. I don't think Urlacher necessarily believes Cutler is a bad QB, I think he just doesn't like Cutler as a person.

[Guest]

Per the Trib, Urlacher got an invite to hang at Bucs training camp for 1 week. He also decided to passive aggressively throw a dart or two @ Jay in the interview.

 

What?

 

Urlacher said he was surprised by the size of the $126.5 million, seven-year contract for quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“Yes. Pretty large. It’s good for him," Urlacher said. "The thinking is if you think you have a franchise quarterback, you hold onto them. It’s hard to find them in the NFL and I think the GM there (Phil Emery) thought he had one, so they paid him like one.”

 

I don't see anything but a stock answer there. Pretty standard stuff.

 

"think you have a franchise quarterback" "thought he had one so they paid him like one"

 

some passive aggressiveness toward Emery too (and I guess you could understand why)

[Banedon]

I really think that's Chicago media looking for something. They were never BFFs. Who cares?

[pitchcs]

I really just think Urlacher is sort of pissed Jay is going to get paid way more by the Bears than he ever did.

 

Especially since he's got to believe that 85% of Bears fans like him more than Jay.

[jersey cubs fan]

I really just think Urlacher is sort of pissed Jay is going to get paid way more by the Bears than he ever did.

 

Especially since he's got to believe that 85% of Bears fans like him more than Jay.

That seems like an unlikely explanation.

 

Brian has not know you don't get paid by popularity and that QBs make more than middle linebackers.

 

Urlacher doesn't like Cutler. He spent his career on a team with a defensive mindset that had to play through incompetent QB play. Toward the end of his career Urlacher had the opportunity to actually play with a competent QB, and probably thought he had a shot to win a Super Bowl. But when all was said and done, Urlacher's career ended with a string of mediocre seasons and Cutler was unable to salvage it. So, he probably felt let down by Jay as well as just genuinely disliking Cutler's personality.

[pitchcs]

Yeah, and Urlacher's personality is through the roof.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah, and Urlacher's personality is through the roof.

 

Well yeah, he's the quintessential meathead/toughguy/jock personality who also happens to play middle linebacker. That's going to make him dislike every QB, whether they play on his team or another. I'm sure Butkus was the same way, especially at that age. But back then there wasn't as much movement from team to team by players so he may have been a bit more supportive of his own guy.

 

Urlacher also worshiped at the alter of Lovie, and he probably sees Emery/Cutler as major reasons why Lovie was fired.

[rawaction]

Yeah, and Urlacher's personality is through the roof.

 

Well yeah, he's the quintessential meathead/toughguy/jock personality who also happens to play middle linebacker. That's going to make him dislike every QB, whether they play on his team or another. I'm sure Butkus was the same way, especially at that age. But back then there wasn't as much movement from team to team by players so he may have been a bit more supportive of his own guy.

 

Urlacher also worshiped at the alter of Lovie, and he probably sees Emery/Cutler as major reasons why Lovie was fired.

 

And if Urlacher feels that way, Briggs feels that way. And if Briggs feels that way, a lot of the defense probably does too. Though, admittedly most of the defense was either young, new (Williams, Anderson) or probably don't give enough of a crap (Peppers, Jennings).

[cubbyvirus00]

Yeah, and Urlacher's personality is through the roof.

 

Well yeah, he's the quintessential meathead/toughguy/jock personality who also happens to play middle linebacker. That's going to make him dislike every QB, whether they play on his team or another. I'm sure Butkus was the same way, especially at that age. But back then there wasn't as much movement from team to team by players so he may have been a bit more supportive of his own guy.

 

Urlacher also worshiped at the alter of Lovie, and he probably sees Emery/Cutler as major reasons why Lovie was fired.

 

And if Urlacher feels that way, Briggs feels that way. And if Briggs feels that way, a lot of the defense probably does too. Though, admittedly most of the defense was either young, new (Williams, Anderson) or probably don't give enough of a crap (Peppers, Jennings).

 

Urlacher's really been quite annoying this entire past season on Fox Sports One. Every time the Bears came up, he appeared on the surface at least to be a little salty. Looks like he's going to continue being that way for awhile.

[Old Style]

He's talking about the Ravens, right?

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/10375220/brendan-ayanbadejo-says-players-smoked-marijuana-super-bowl

[Banedon]

He's talking about the Ravens, right?

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/10375220/brendan-ayanbadejo-says-players-smoked-marijuana-super-bowl

 

Maybe, but who cares?