2014 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[WrigleyField 22]

I know it's been posted a bunch about getting around the Trib's pay wall but is there an easy way on my phone as well? I never seem to get around it there.

 

I always just do a google search for the actual headlines and the links always seem to work from there.

Yea I know that works in the desktop (plus I can always put on my hola add-on). But doesn't always work on my phone though. Got it to work this time. Hit or miss it seems.

[Banedon]

I know it's been posted a bunch about getting around the Trib's pay wall but is there an easy way on my phone as well? I never seem to get around it there.

 

I always just do a google search for the actual headlines and the links always seem to work from there.

Yea I know that works in the desktop (plus I can always put on my hola add-on). But doesn't always work on my phone though. Got it to work this time. Hit or miss it seems.

 

I always keep an alternate browser on my phone that is set to desktop mode for various reasons, and if nothing else, it should work that way.

[apete6]

You're right, comparing two of the most obviously bad baseball draft picks in a sport where you don't expect anything from most players for 5+ years is EXACTLY the same as passing up the biggest area of need on a team with a 2-3 year Super Bowl window in a sport where rookies routinely start.

 

You cannot make "need" that important in a draft.

 

So, drafting someone that is, what, 3 picks higher on your big board is reaching for need? Unless they had Pryor and/or Clinton Dix rated in the 20s, I would have thought that taking one of them would be worth "reaching" a few spots for. That, or trying to trade down, which they seemingly had no interest in given the speed of which they turned in the pick.

 

Again, not that Fuller isn't a very good prospect who will probably play at least 50% of the time this year and 100% of the time when healthy starting next season. It's the cost benefit they seemingly ignored where they could have gone 1st round Safety and 2nd round corner. Now, there really aren't any safeties who profile the 2nd round and maybe 1 or 2 that profile to be there in the 3rd round, assuming no other teams draft them before the Bears.

 

I'm all for sustaining long term success and this pick has a chance to do this, but most of the core of this team isn't getting any younger (Jay, Forte, Marshall) and when you've made the playoffs 1 time in 5 years, "reaching" a few spots to fill one of the biggest needs on any roster in the NFL would have been prudent IMO.

[Guest]

... when you've made the playoffs 1 time in 5 years, "reaching" a few spots to fill one of the biggest needs on any roster in the NFL would have been prudent IMO.

uh, exaggerate much?

[Guest]

My biggest issue with that is 1) safety isn't necessarily the biggest need on this roster (can make a good case for LB or DT, especially when you consider value of the position) and 2) you devalue the nickel DB position in the modern NFL. The nickel DB should be on the field for every play against Detroit and Green Bay and helps decrease the burden of the lack of quality of LBs since one will sit when you go nickel.

[Sammy Sofa]

You're right, comparing two of the most obviously bad baseball draft picks in a sport where you don't expect anything from most players for 5+ years is EXACTLY the same as passing up the biggest area of need on a team with a 2-3 year Super Bowl window in a sport where rookies routinely start.

 

You cannot make "need" that important in a draft.

 

So, drafting someone that is, what, 3 picks higher on your big board is reaching for need? Unless they had Pryor and/or Clinton Dix rated in the 20s, I would have thought that taking one of them would be worth "reaching" a few spots for. That, or trying to trade down, which they seemingly had no interest in given the speed of which they turned in the pick.

 

Again, not that Fuller isn't a very good prospect who will probably play at least 50% of the time this year and 100% of the time when healthy starting next season. It's the cost benefit they seemingly ignored where they could have gone 1st round Safety and 2nd round corner. Now, there really aren't any safeties who profile the 2nd round and maybe 1 or 2 that profile to be there in the 3rd round, assuming no other teams draft them before the Bears.

 

I'm all for sustaining long term success and this pick has a chance to do this, but most of the core of this team isn't getting any younger (Jay, Forte, Marshall) and when you've made the playoffs 1 time in 5 years, "reaching" a few spots to fill one of the biggest needs on any roster in the NFL would have been prudent IMO.

 

Wait, I thought you were talking about safety.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

[mul21]

My biggest issue with that is 1) safety isn't necessarily the biggest need on this roster (can make a good case for LB or DT, especially when you consider value of the position) and 2) you devalue the nickel DB position in the modern NFL. The nickel DB should be on the field for every play against Detroit and Green Bay and helps decrease the burden of the lack of quality of LBs since one will sit when you go nickel.

 

Especially when you can get a physical guy like this who's willing to stick his nose in there and make tackles. I would have been fine with Pryor or HaHa, but this is a really solid pick at a position that, at a minimum, was going to have to be upgraded next off season without question and is probably a need this season because of injury history on Peanut and Jennings.

[apete6]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

[wekim81]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

Well Mundy started all last year for NYG and MD started all last year for GB.

 

now i'm not arguing either is the answer long-term for the Bears, but I answered your question.

[apete6]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

Well Mundy started all last year for NYG and MD started all last year for GB.

 

now i'm not arguing either is the answer long-term for the Bears, but I answered your question.

 

That was last year, and they both got extremely low contracts Mundy (2/$3 with $800k guaranteed) and Jennings (1/$745k with $0 guaranteed) meaning that basically no one else wanted them, particularly Jennings who took $0 guaranteed. Both of those defenses were pretty weak last year (Giants 18, Packers 25--per pro football reference).

 

Again, Fuller will be fine, I just don't see how they could have passed on a first round Safety with this group of safeties on their roster.

[Rex Buckingham]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

 

Before picking Kelvin Benjamin the Carolina Panthers top 3 WRs were Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant, and Marvin McNutt. Their LT as of right now is someone named Byron Bell or someone named Nate Chandler...

 

I would estimate that those positions are more important than safety and those players are junk... Avant and Cotchery were bad #3 WRs last year, even though Cotchery somehow caught 10 TDs

[Guest]

Fuller will wear #23.

[JonJayCutler]

Didn't see that coming at all...

[Guest]

@AdamHoge: Kyle Fuller’s introductory press conference is about to begin. You can hear it live on @670TheScore.

[apete6]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

 

Before picking Kelvin Benjamin the Carolina Panthers top 3 WRs were Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant, and Marvin McNutt. Their LT as of right now is someone named Byron Bell or someone named Nate Chandler...

 

I would estimate that those positions are more important than safety and those players are junk... Avant and Cotchery were bad #3 WRs last year, even though Cotchery somehow caught 10 TDs

 

You got me, those Panthers WRs are truly atrocious. Good lord.

[Soul]

I think he is saying the Bears need for a safety ranks higher than almost any other team's needs for any given position.

 

That is crazy when you consider how many teams need an NFL caliber QB, and the fact that the Bears need for safety may not rank ahead of their need for dtackle, or possibly LB.

 

Do they have 1 safety on their roster that would start on any other team in the NFL right now?

Well Mundy started all last year for NYG and MD started all last year for GB.

 

now i'm not arguing either is the answer long-term for the Bears, but I answered your question.

 

That was last year, and they both got extremely low contracts Mundy (2/$3 with $800k guaranteed) and Jennings (1/$745k with $0 guaranteed) meaning that basically no one else wanted them, particularly Jennings who took $0 guaranteed. Both of those defenses were pretty weak last year (Giants 18, Packers 25--per pro football reference).

 

Again, Fuller will be fine, I just don't see how they could have passed on a first round Safety with this group of safeties on their roster.

 

Yeah, I can't pretend to know Emery's thought processes, but I assume the reason is something along the lines of really feeling like Fuller is going to be special, and also knowing that Tillman's just about gone, and knowing how important Tillman has been to the success of the defense -- they jumped at the chance to draft his replacement, and are convinced it will work out that way.

 

Probably thought one of the other safeties would drop to the 2nd round, too. Remember -- there were 4 safeties drafted after the Bears. I'm betting that was somewhat of a surprise to them. So they took a gamble on that, and it didn't work out.

 

Still doesn't mean they shouldn't have drafted Fuller to me, though. If this is the guy you think will cornerstone the DB group for many years to come, and you really feel he's going to be special. Yes, you go for it.

[Guest]

@AdamHoge: Kyle Fuller was the #Bears’ top rated cornerback. So ahead of Justin Gilbert.

 

@AdamHoge: Phil Emery said you can 100 percent rule out the idea of Charles Tillman moving to safety.

[Soul]

So, nickel CB this season, starter next season.

[tfarks]

They've known the safety class would be thin. And i believe emery himself mentioned his scouts being tasked to find one of the corners capable of converting to safety. I have no idea who fits that mold, but my guess is he's drafted tonight.

[tfarks]

I also saw that Fuller had a 10 yard split faster than the top WR prospects, Watkins included, to go along with a 4.5 40. At 6' I don't understand the consensus on him not being big or fast.

[Guest]

They've known the safety class would be thin. And i believe emery himself mentioned his scouts being tasked to find one of the corners capable of converting to safety. I have no idea who fits that mold, but my guess is he's drafted tonight.

 

Keith McGill from Utah, maybe Terrance Mitchell from Oregon.

 

I really like McGill as a third rounder.

[Banedon]

So, nickel CB this season, starter next season.

 

This "not a starter" meme is getting old. He'll play "starting" nickel back.

[jersey cubs fan]

So, nickel CB this season, starter next season.

 

This "not a starter" meme is getting old. He'll play "starting" nickel back.

except when they play the Jets.

[cubbyvirus00]

I don't get the meatball fans complaining that he's a starting nickel. Most teams with a halfway decent offense are going to try and spread you wide with 3 WR and a TE.