2014 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[Soul]

How does it not make sense to pick up a starter OC who is available when yours is clearly on his last legs?

[Banedon]

Wow, what a great signing.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

What doesn't make sense?

 

The Bears resigned Garza when they didn't know who would be available and what they could afford. Obviously the league doesn't view this guy as a starter otherwise he'd have a bigger contract. So the Bears lay low and get him late and cheap and he is a great backup. So now he's available in case Garza doesn't make it to game 1, or if he doesn't last the season. How does this not make sense?

[rawaction]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

De La Puente at C, Garza at RG. Long at RT is probably a remote possibility. I'd hate for them to move Long's position so quickly and Garza was worse at OG than he has been at OC. But I'd guess it's something that's on the table.

[Guest]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

What doesn't make sense?

 

The Bears resigned Garza when they didn't know who would be available and what they could afford. Obviously the league doesn't view this guy as a starter otherwise he'd have a bigger contract. So the Bears lay low and get him late and cheap and he is a great backup. So now he's available in case Garza doesn't make it to game 1, or if he doesn't last the season. How does this not make sense?

I'm guessing DLP wanted a long term deal and centers are undervalued right now. He's a starter.

[Banedon]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

De La Puente at C, Garza at RG. Long at RT is probably a remote possibility. I'd hate for them to move Long's position so quickly and Garza was worse at OG than he has been at OC. But I'd guess it's something that's on the table.

 

I'd rather they make this move early, so long can have a full offseason to be at RT, rather than have to make a change in the season.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

What doesn't make sense?

 

The Bears resigned Garza when they didn't know who would be available and what they could afford. Obviously the league doesn't view this guy as a starter otherwise he'd have a bigger contract. So the Bears lay low and get him late and cheap and he is a great backup. So now he's available in case Garza doesn't make it to game 1, or if he doesn't last the season. How does this not make sense?

I'm guessing DLP wanted a long term deal and centers are undervalued right now. He's a starter.

 

Well, he may have the ability to start, but the league valued him as a backup, considering the contract he signed.

[rawaction]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

What doesn't make sense?

 

The Bears resigned Garza when they didn't know who would be available and what they could afford. Obviously the league doesn't view this guy as a starter otherwise he'd have a bigger contract. So the Bears lay low and get him late and cheap and he is a great backup. So now he's available in case Garza doesn't make it to game 1, or if he doesn't last the season. How does this not make sense?

I'm guessing DLP wanted a long term deal and centers are undervalued right now. He's a starter.

 

Yeah, he said he thought he'd have a long-term deal by now. So, getting to work with Kromer again is what led him to Chicago. Garza has been told his role in unchanged.

[Guest]

Why not just release Garza? Otherwise what's the point of this? Just depth? Slauson and Long will be starting, no? The only guys on the O-Line I don't really trust are Garza and Mills.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me. DLP is a starter.

 

What doesn't make sense?

 

The Bears resigned Garza when they didn't know who would be available and what they could afford. Obviously the league doesn't view this guy as a starter otherwise he'd have a bigger contract. So the Bears lay low and get him late and cheap and he is a great backup. So now he's available in case Garza doesn't make it to game 1, or if he doesn't last the season. How does this not make sense?

I'm guessing DLP wanted a long term deal and centers are undervalued right now. He's a starter.

 

Well, he may have the ability to start, but the league valued him as a backup, considering the contract he signed.

But so was Slauson.

[RynoRules]

Exactly re Slauson, who is now making starter's money.

 

At least based on advance metrics, DLP is superior to Garza. That's why having Garza on the roster with DLP doesn't make sense, unless -as noted earlier - the plan is to kick Long out to RT and move Garza to guard. To me that take away from the progress we made last year in terms of continuity.

 

If we are stuck with Garza then he should be the the C and G back-up, and DLP should be starting. I can't see a guy Garza's age in that role, though.

[rawaction]

Exactly re Slauson, who is now making starter's money.

 

At least based on advance metrics, DLP is superior to Garza. That's why having Garza on the roster with DLP doesn't make sense, unless -as noted earlier - the plan is to kick Long out to RT and move Garza to guard. To me that take away from the progress we made last year in terms of continuity.

 

If we are stuck with Garza then he should be the the C and G back-up, and DLP should be starting. I can't see a guy Garza's age in that role, though.

 

It always makes sense to have as many good players on the roster as possible. This is not like QB, where only 1 guy plays at a time. And it's not like you are paying him any significant amount of money. For the minimal investment that DLP is, it would make no sense if the Bears were like, "nah, we already got our center" and let him go elsewhere.

 

Plus, it gives the Bears a leg up to re-sign him for 2015 (and possibly beyond) since they'll have exclusive negotiating rights with him for a while before other teams can offer him a contract.

[RynoRules]

Exactly re Slauson, who is now making starter's money.

 

At least based on advance metrics, DLP is superior to Garza. That's why having Garza on the roster with DLP doesn't make sense, unless -as noted earlier - the plan is to kick Long out to RT and move Garza to guard. To me that take away from the progress we made last year in terms of continuity.

 

If we are stuck with Garza then he should be the the C and G back-up, and DLP should be starting. I can't see a guy Garza's age in that role, though.

 

It always makes sense to have as many good players on the roster as possible. This is not like QB, where only 1 guy plays at a time. And it's not like you are paying him any significant amount of money. For the minimal investment that DLP is, it would make no sense if the Bears were like, "nah, we already got our center" and let him go elsewhere.

 

Plus, it gives the Bears a leg up to re-sign him for 2015 (and possibly beyond) since they'll have exclusive negotiating rights with him for a while before other teams can offer him a contract.

 

You're missing my point, I think. I am more than happy to have DLP on the roster. I don't want Garza any longer - his presence uses up precious salary cap space and a roster spot that might be utilized on a more productive player.

[rawaction]

Exactly re Slauson, who is now making starter's money.

 

At least based on advance metrics, DLP is superior to Garza. That's why having Garza on the roster with DLP doesn't make sense, unless -as noted earlier - the plan is to kick Long out to RT and move Garza to guard. To me that take away from the progress we made last year in terms of continuity.

 

If we are stuck with Garza then he should be the the C and G back-up, and DLP should be starting. I can't see a guy Garza's age in that role, though.

 

It always makes sense to have as many good players on the roster as possible. This is not like QB, where only 1 guy plays at a time. And it's not like you are paying him any significant amount of money. For the minimal investment that DLP is, it would make no sense if the Bears were like, "nah, we already got our center" and let him go elsewhere.

 

Plus, it gives the Bears a leg up to re-sign him for 2015 (and possibly beyond) since they'll have exclusive negotiating rights with him for a while before other teams can offer him a contract.

 

You're missing my point, I think. I am more than happy to have DLP on the roster. I don't want Garza any longer - his presence uses up precious salary cap space and a roster spot that might be utilized on a more productive player.

 

Your point is wrong though. Garza only makes 1.5Mil. Not at all "precious". And he's productive enough to remain on the roster even if he's not starting, as he'd be a better football player than any of the backup OL on the team.

[RynoRules]

And I think you are wrong. Garza isn't a good player anymore. This is Kruetz redux.

 

There are free agent OL who would be better choices as a swing / backup OL.

[jersey cubs fan]

And I think you are wrong. Garza isn't a good player anymore. This is Kruetz redux.

 

What does that even mean? Kreutz was a highly paid player who dominated the locker room. It sucked that the Bears "best" lineman was a freaking center, even when he was good. Garza is a fairly compensated mediocre lineman who is not guaranteed the starting job for game 1, let alone the entire season.

[rawaction]

Bears bringing in De'Anthony Thomas for a private visit tomorrow. Very interesting. I'm not really sure what they'd do with him. I'm assuming he'd be another slot option, because I don't think a 174lb dude can really play in an NFL backfield consistently. Seems to be redundant to Chris Williams. Not that Williams is a shoe-in to make the roster or even be good, but he's been working out with the rest of the offense in FL so he has a huge leg up on DAT.

[Soul]

Cutler may be comfortable with Garza right now, too. Probably want to work DLP with him for awhile before just pulling the plug on Garza.

 

This is one of those "doh, of course" moves -- did anyone see it coming before it happened?

[JonJayCutler]

Emery would really have to [expletive] the bed in this upcoming draft to change how incredible I feel about this offseason.

[UMFan83]

Bears brought in Josh Freeman for a workout today. According to Jeff Dickerson he looked really good.

[davell]

Bears brought in Josh Freeman for a workout today. According to Jeff Dickerson he looked really good.

 

So many activities!

 

He'd be a great backup, if we could get him. I'd take him over McCown every day of the week.

[Smack]

Bears brought in Josh Freeman for a workout today. According to Jeff Dickerson he looked really good.

 

So many activities!

 

He'd be a great backup, if we could get him. I'd take him over McCown every day of the week.

 

Really? He looked awful last year in Minny. Funny bad....

[davell]

Bears brought in Josh Freeman for a workout today. According to Jeff Dickerson he looked really good.

 

So many activities!

 

He'd be a great backup, if we could get him. I'd take him over McCown every day of the week.

 

Really? He looked awful last year in Minny. Funny bad....

 

With Trestman? I definitely think he's got more talent than McCown. He's got to red educate himself obviously.

 

Side note-Biggs just mentioned we signed some long snapper to a 3 year deal that played under Trestman in the CFL.

[Banedon]

Not gonna sign Freeman for now. Possibility later.

[LeftCoastCubFan]

About a month till the draft. Looks like there are 5 sure things in the top 10 (or 13); Clowney, Matthews, Robinson, Watkins, Mack are sure things. Barr and at least one quarterback seem to be in it. That leaves 6 before the Bears pick.

 

So it seems that how offensive the remaining picks will be depends on how many quarterbacks are drafted; and whether Taylor, Evans and Ebron are rated highly (as the draft pundits say) should define the Bears draft.

 

I don’t see the bears drafting a safety that early. I’m hoping that Gilbert/Dennard or Mosely are there at 14. I’m not in love with Donald /Jerrigan that early. I worry Emery falls in love with someone like Haggeman after the last few drafts.

 

Best case is a trade down unless it’s the top CB.

 

Who are we drafting?

[Banedon]

Whoa. Are you lost friend? Didn't know you posted outside the politics thread.