rawaction

Dilemma. I'm up about 60, but with a 4-1 start disadvantage currently. I could make that 4-2, but Zach Duke would be my 7th start. Do I go with Duke who threw a -20 up on my bench earlier this week?

Any interest in Mike Miller? He stinks defensively, but he's a guy that can knock down an open jumper. He's a UFA, I believe. I'm kinda torn.

Do the Bulls have the money for say: Bosh and Josh Howard? Joe Johnson and Channing Frye?

Speak of the devil.... Yeah, I knew that when I posted. This should work out well. The Bears need more 33 year old, small WRs on the team.

To be honest, that's not as bad a scenario this year. The line is still a problem, but I'd hope they'd be at least a little better with Williams at LT, Omiyale at RT, and hopefully a new LG brought in. Cutler threw for nearly 3700 yards and 25 TDs in a year where everything went wrong, and the team went 7-9. I hope that a full year of Aromashodu on the field and improvements from Hester, Knox, Bennett, and Iglesias make the WR corps decent enough. And you still have the Mike Martz factor. This is the same guy that made the Cowboys think Roy Williams was an elite WR and Mike Furrey a 1000 yard WR.

I agree, they have done well with what they had in resources as far as money and draft picks. My issue is that this is the best we could have hoped for. And I will never blame the team for the Cutler trade. I would make that deal 100 times out of 100. But they traded out of the 2nd last year, then gave up the 2010 2nd rounder for Gaines Adams, which was a bad idea well before he died. You can't build a long-term contender with no top 75 players. For every Tom Brady steal in the 6th round, there are multiple players picked in the 1st and 2nd rounds who are good players....you know, the way they are supposed to be.

Peppers replaced Ogunleye, a really nice upgrade, but then they got rid of Brown as well. Peppers is clearly the best of that group, but Ogunleye and Brown were both nice players. What they each needed was an impact guy on the other side though. This coaching staff and front office has not made a correct decision since the super bowl in terms of deciding when a guy was ready to take over for an incumbent. I don't trust them to properly evaluate whoever it is that's going to play more at the other end spot, or any of these safeties now on the roster. They probably made the wrong decision on Harris three years ago, but now he's a defensive back who is four years older than when last played for this team and wasn't good enough and still is not all that good. The problem with this defense was they were a young athletic bunch (something that was needed for this scheme) but they got old. They got older on this Williams for Harris deal, they got an old guy in Peppers and they invested an obscene amount in an old backup RB and an old TE who has done nothing in his career. They are making moves and making investments, but they seem incredibly short sighted and not all that impactful. You talk about the defense being older, but Peppers is younger than both starting DEs were last year, and they get younger and more athletic by letting Anderson, Idonije, and hopefully Wootten play instead of Brown. While, Harris is 4 years older than he was last time he was a Bear, he's just 28 years old. And he became a better player in Carolina who should be near his prime still. They also have continously brought in young LBs (none of whom could crack the rotation other than Roach) and have several young DBs (Bowman, Moore x 2, Graham, Afalava, Manning, Wright, Steltz). The only post prime players on the D now are Peppers, Urlacher, Briggs and Tillman...the first 3 are all still capable of playing at a Pro-bowl level. Tillman is still the best CB on the roster.

What's with the first pitch swinging?

He better get a reality show. Chad is the greatest person alive.

what about the tommie harris incident? They'll get over it. Plus if he's playing LG, he won't have to deal w/ Tommie directly in practice....I don't know.

Was just reading that. I also ran across an article on PFT that said Deuce Lutui may be the odd man out in Arizona. They signed Faneca who has always played on the left side. Lutui is their RG, but they like Reggie Wells who could be moved to the right side. They also picked up Rex Hadnot and Jeremy Bridges this offseason, along with drafting Herman Johnson a mammoth OG last year. Lutui has refused to sign his tender and has not shown up to voluntary workouts this offseason. He's 26, 330 and would be a great trade option for the Bears.

I'm really starting to like the way the defense is coming together. Whether you think they upgraded enough or not with Peppers and Harris, the thing I like is that the Bears have a nice group of players who have a history of forcing turnovers. Tillman's stripping of the ball is well documented, and he had 4 forced fumbles last year. Chris Harris also brings a nice history for getting the ball out from Carolina. He had 8 FF one year, and 2 last year, to go w/ 3 INTs. Peppers has forced 5 fumbles each of the last 2 years, and has 30 for his career. Major Wright also forced 8 fumbles in UF with 9 INTs. And Bowman has picked off 7 passes in 17 career games. The SS, FS, DEs are also replacing guys that didn't force TOs at all. As bad as the Bears D was vs. Cincy, Arizona and Baltimore, they finished middle of the pack in total defense (17th). Adding 2 healthy all-pro caliber LBs all year will certainly help the 23rd ranked run D, and the TOs will help keep the D off the field hopefully.

Hmmm interesting. I'd rather keep him and let him, Afalava, and Harris battle for a starting spot, but he does look like the #3 to me at this point, so if we took Bullocks instead it wouldn't be a huge deal. I'd probably keep Payne. He's probably the best FS on the roster at this point (I know, not saying much), not knowing what Major Wright will do. But even if you figure Harris and Wright as starters, Payne would be the first likely to get time at FS and would at least be in the mix w/ Afalava at SS. I figured Bullocks and Steltz were in trouble w/ an outside shot you could find a trade partner for Danieal Manning.

So we traded Williams for Bowman, in a roundabout way :) Looking at depth now though, I see this: FS-Wright, Manning SS- Harris, Afalava, Payne (not necessarily in order, this spot is wide open) Bullocks will struggle to make the team, and Steltz is definitely gone IMO. Whether or not Bullocks makes it depends on how deep we go at other positions, such as DL or OL. At LB we have: Pisa, Urlacher, Briggs, Roach, Hillenmeyer, Shaw. Thats six, although Shaw is pretty much exclusively a special teamer. Hopefully we stay healthier at LB this year. Pisa and Urlacher missed 29 combined starts last year. I think they are trying to get Shaw on the field more because he was so good on ST. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Matt Mayberry make the team.

FWIW, Chris Harris was traded to Carolina for a 5th rounder in the 2008 draft. That pick turned out to be Zachary Bowman.

There's nothing at all wrong with some depth at our weakest defensive position. The Bears now have: Chris Harris Kevin Payne Al Afalava Danieal Manning Josh Bullocks Craig Steltz.......at the S position all of whom have started at at least 1 of the S positions for the Bears. Then you throw in the first draft pick this year and the Bears have a lot of bodies at the S positions all of a sudden.

TT, I think you are selling Colvin short. Sure he never showed much in the minors, but he appears to be much more patient and selective at the plate. I think something may have clicked with him. He still was a top draft choice, with all kinds of potential. Could be living up to that.

I think they are going to get a vet too. I've heard McCown is getting strong interest from the Bears.

Jets are going to cut Faneca on Monday. Wonder if he is an option for the Bears. I think he's still pretty solid and you could get 2 decent seasons from him while you develop another OG (Lance Louis, John Asiata) that's already on the roster.

I would have gone w/ one of the corners, but Wootten was the 5th best player on my board today, and 2 of them were gone when the Bears picked. I think Wootten is a solid pick. Was a potential 1st round pick last year, but tore his ACL in the Senior Bowl.

Two strategies for today. If one of the top 4 I named are on the board at say 105, I'd look to trade up giving up a 6th, which should be plausible w/ a team just moving down a few spots. Then I'd take the 5th and move down to get a late 5th and a 6th. Or I'd stay pat at 109, then look to trade the 5th to get into the late 4th. Then I'd trade down in the 6th and look to get an extra pick late.

He's a guy that many think will be a better player in the pros. If you think about it, Florida gave up 12 ppg, less than 10 in their first 12. They just put the #1 CB, 2 DEs, and a LB in the draft. Wright didn't have much of a chance to do anything because the front 7 and shutdown CB made all the plays. I'm not sold on Wright, but I don't see how he can't be fluid enough in pass coverage if he ran a 4.4ish 40. With what was on the board, it was probably the right pick.

If he's there, I'd take Bruce Campbell. It's hard to pass up on his upside. PLus, the OL prospects are few and far between at this point. Other than that, I'm looking at CBs Dominique Franks and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, and DEs Everson Griffen, Corey Wootten and Brandon Lang. Bears pick 11th in the 4th....this would be my draft board going into tomorrow: 1. Campbell 2. Franks 3. Griffen 4. Owusu-Ansah 5. Wootten 6. Geno Atkins 7. Selvish Capers 8. Lang 9. Reshad Jones 10 Al Woods 11 Perish Cox I'm really hoping for one of the first 4.

Williams would be a good fit for the Colts. And strangely enough, I saw a mock today w/ Nate Allen falling to #64 to the Saints. If Allen (who had dinner w/ Lovie a few weeks ago, and is my favorite FS prospect in the draft) is there at 63, then what about a trade up w/ the Colts? Bears get: #63 overall pick, Colts 3rd rounder Colts get: Bears 3rd rounder, Bears 5th rounder, and Jamar Williams. I don't know if that is fair or not, but the thought crossed my mind earlier today.

Best Value- Agreed. Kyle Wilson. If you have the Jets on the schedule...work on your wishbone formation, because you aren't throwing the ball on them. Other values: Dan Williams, Bulaga, Dez Bryant Worst Value- Tyson Alualu. While I like him, Jags could have had him w/ their 2nd round pick and Dan Williams is much better. Other reaches- Ryan Matthews, Tim Tebow, Devin McCourty Thought the Seahawks had a great day. They got 2 starters and what some had as the best OL and the best FS in the draft. Broncos have huge balls. Tebow and Thomas over Bryant and Clausen will be this regimes legacy. 49ers doubling up on OL surprised me. Lions trading up to take Best when the teams between them (Colts, Saints, Rams) were clearly not going to take him and were not likely to trade down.