WrigleyField 22

Its worth it to overpay a little. Even if we overpay and can't fill all our needs this off season, we will have secured a franchise QB which is one of the hardest things to fill. Whatever we can't address this offseason gets put off a year.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_453954.jpg

Thats probably the best post ever.

Bears pick up a compensatory third rounder for Bernard Berrian. 99th overall. Also get two sevenths, 246 and 251, for Gilmore and Ayanbadejo. Cha Ching!

I got an answer from the guy over at RealGM and here's what he has to say about the Bears and White: Based on that quote, I wouldn't be happy with the Bears drafting White.

It also involves an unbalanced line most of the time. Also, what else are we supposed to call it? Do terms like Cover 2, West Coast, etc bother you. Its just a term that everyone mutually agrees to call a particular thing.

I guess. Its all very hypothetical anyways though.

I never said specifically that I wanted it to happen, but that I'd be intrigued by the possibility. However, it'd also be contingent on a few other things. 1. Trade down to the late first or early second to pick up an additional second rounder so we could still fill needs. 2. Pick him with the last second rounder or the third rounder. I'd want to fill needs first. 3. We are trying him as a Wildcat QB. I don't see him having value as a "traditional" QB 4. Probably would want a new OC, but obviously that won't happen now. Turner gets one season to try it out though. So let's just say we trade down and looked like this: Rd2a- Robert Ayers- DE or Louis Delmas- FS or WR (BPA-Britt,Williams,Robiskie,etc) Rd2b- Phil Loadholt- RT or Best Available Lineman (Guard or Tackle) Rd2c- Pat White Rd3- BPA (WR/DE/FS) -whatever we didn't address before Rd3/4*- BPA (WR/DE/FS) -whatever we didn't address before Rd4-7- Whatever, BPA, RB, LB, CB, anything *Comp pick for Berrian That first pick I would really prefer to be WR because its more pressing than DE or FS, but just kind of depends on who's around. I'd be pleased enough that will filled some needs that we then took a chance on White. Also, as far as trading down goes thats only if there isn't a really good pick to be made at 18. For instance, I wouldn't want to trade down with Maclin on the board so we could possibly get Pat White later. So I don't really think the draft plan should be lets trade down so we can get Pat White. Rather, if we happened to trade down just because we liked the value, and Pat White was still around after we filled some needs that'd be okay. So to answer the question if I want it to happen: I'd say kind of, but kind of not, but I'd definitely be intrigued as long as the draft played out in a way that we still filled our needs.

I think White in the 2nd would be a bad idea and the Bears won't do it. If they did, they'd fail to implement it properly. If you think otherwise fine, but I'm not sure what this discussion is about anymore. Its a discussion of the hypothetical scenario of running the Wildcat offense and spending a second or third rounder on Pat White to do so. It kind of became whether or not the Bears would do it, but I was originally less concerned about whether or not they would. Just curious how people would feel if they did. I'd be intrigued and nervous, but excited for the possibility it could work, and you think its a stupid idea.

Return man was actually a big need that year. It wasn't a second round need. We had Berrian, Davis, and possibly Vasher all capable of doing so. Plus many fans felt he would have been around much longer.

True, but a good return man touches the ball a few times a game. IF White or any other QB became a good Wildcat QB, even for just 12% of the snaps, which is how much Miami ran it last year, thats 7 or 8 plays. If you upped that to 20-30%, that would yield 12-18 plays per game.

It'd also be a waste to spend a second rounder on a return man. If this was 2006.

since Ron Turner probably isnt doing the formal and/or funcion of drafting, I dont think we need to worry about it So the GM is going to ignore how his coaches coach when making decisions? Is he also going to ignore the Bears are primarily a cover-2 team that emphasizes speed over size? Angelo doesn't draft guys that don't fit what they need and can use. He might draft guys that ultimately suck, but they fit profiles. Maybe Ron Turner thinks he could implement a Wildcat offense and is trying to convince Angelo of it. Also, in the NFL coaches generally aren't that long term. You'll take the right player and replace the coach later if he can't utilize the player with a coach who can utilize him rather than pass up the opportunity for a good player because of your current coach. The exception would be if you have a strong system that has proven success. For instance you're not going to get a 4-3 DE when you run a 3-4. However, I don't necessarily see a strong system with our offense, so I'll take the right players, whether it was Pat White or anyone else. Our offense can change.

Ultimately I'm not sure I would call it a stupid idea, but it would certainly be risky as all hell. The problem for me is that there has been some success in the NFL with the Wildcat, but we have no idea if that will stay or if teams will figure it out. My gut would be to say that defenses figure out how to defend it and it doesn't expand more than a gimmick offense or a "trick play". However, I'm not willing to say that theres no chance that the Wildcat could be used more extensively and have long term, sustainable success. That 10% chance intrigues me as a fan of the game. Its the same reason I was interested in the A-11 offense in High School (before it died). It'd be exciting as a fan to see some innovation. That being said, its obviously risky and I'd feel nervous. Worst case scenario though is it fails, we suck, get a high pick, and clean house on management and coaching. Overall, as a fan I want to see more Wildcat, but I don't want to see my team be the one that failed miserably at it.

Hell yes to quick picks.

I don't know if anyone has said that. The RealGM guy has predicted the Bears to pick him, but I'm not sure under what idea. He may have made the pick with the understanding the Bears would try and use him as a full time QB. Who knows. I just asked the hypothetical if the Bears picked him with that intention how fans would feel.

Just noticed this part. The draft expert at RealGM is an insider, so his picks aren't solely what he sees as good picks but actually based on what teams are looking at. Now obviously he doesn't know what every team is thinking and even if he did he still will get things wrong, but it's possible he has mad this pick in the last two mocks because he knows the Bears are looking at him seriously.

Late 2nd I believe. He traded down and took Manning, then got Hester later. It wasn't really a reach, he was talented as heck and filled a need they had. White isn't 2nd round worthy and doesn't do anything the Bears can take advantage of, plus they have tons of other actual needs, not part-time QB. NO ONE thought that at the time. He didn't project as more than backup DB and return man, and I don't think anyone thought "6 TD return man". It was a reach at the time.

Lets look at the TE example: Desmond Clark's stats (Catches, Yards, TDs) 2003- 44, 443, 2 2004- 24, 282, 1 2005- 24, 229, 2 2006- 45, 626, 6 2007- 44, 545, 4 2008- 41, 367, 1 Drafted Olsen in 2007, after Clark had put up his best season. There were a lot of people who wanted TE, even a late rounder after '04 and '05. Now I still liked the Olsen pick at the time and still do, but seeing nothing in '04 and '05 was frustrating. Last year, sure he finally addressed the O-Line, after ignoring it for the past 5 years. After Columbo in 2002, the only OL pick higher than the 6th round was Beekman in the fourth round. Now the line was actually a strength for a couple years, but a lot of fans saw the need for some long term growth because it was also an old line. Daniel Manning, Charles Tillman, and Roosevelt Williams left a lot of people wondering. Then as you said, guys like Bauzin and Wolfe way earlier than they were slotted.

Small school players way too early mostly. Just a lot of WTF picks. Another great example is Hester. He was a second rounder, right?

You don't see it that way, but I don't think you're giving Angelo enough "credit" in his ability to do the unexpected.

I read a couple articles yesterday (can't find them now) where he is quoted as saying he'll do whatever he needs to help out his team. On his pro day I know he did almost exclusively QB drills, but I believe he ran a few routes at the end when asked to. As far as him dropping I disagree. Some risk taking GM for a good team that has the luxury of not having to fill multiple needs will take him in the mid second to third round. Angelo definitely likes risks (see all the small school players that he drafts early) so it wouldn't surprise me. Now the Bears don't fit the qualifier of not having multiple needs, but they may be able to trade down to pick up an extra 2/3 round pick and still fill the needs they have. But I think he ends up going in the second round, third round at the latest. Eric Crouch was a late third rounder and I think White projects better at him at QB or WR. Miami actually makes a lot of sense. They have an extra second rounder, are the innovators of the Wildcat, and are coming off a successful season. Not sure if they've shown any interest at this point.

I don't know. If the Bears picked White with the intent to run the Wildcat (say 20% of the plays, Miami ran it 12% as reference) I'd be intrigued. If they pick White though, I hope they trade down to pick up a another second or third rounder because White would be kind of a luxury and not filling any need. White and Forte (maybe even Wolfe at times) as your running attack, and Hester with the threat to go deep could work if its done right.

Hypothetical Scenario: How would you guys feel if the Bears selected Pat White in the second or third round to be used as a Wilcat QB, backup WR, and third string QB? Note: I personally can't see the Bears drafting White with the intention of regularly running a Wildcat formation. However, the draft expert at RealGM.com has had White as the Bears second round pick for the past few updates, so maybe there is something there. Or maybe the Bears just like him as strictly a QB?

I agree a high WR pick isn't likely to have an immediate impact. However, depending on the draft plays out, we can grab a high risk WR and still get an OT in round 2 who better fits our specific line needs. Let's just say the choices were: Rd 1- Britten Rd 2- Robiskie or BPA (and we'll assume this BPA isn't someone who was expected to go earlier and fits another need like Delmas at FS or Ayers at DE) or Rd 1- Maclin or Heyward-Bey, maybe trade down slightly for Nicks or Britt Rd 2- Loadholt Okay, so obviously we won't know who will actually be around in the second round, but you can take a calculated risk with relative certainty that a player will be available. But just looking at those two scenarios: Either Britten or Loadholt should be able to start. I think Loadholt fills our needs better. We lack size on the OL. Loadholt could anchor our run game in a way that Britten wouldn't. Britten is pretty similar to what Williams would offer. Loadholts contrast would make for a more well rounded line. At the WR spot neither is really likely to be an immediate starter, but the guys available in the first round sure have great potential to be impact players in the future. Again, I'll stress that when we make the first pick we won't know exactly whos going to be available, but when you have multiple needs you have to consider what may be there with your later picks. Maybe Oher drops, and in that case you go with him. Someone like Britten, I'm not so sure. You may take the risk with a WR or DE and hope Loadholt is around in round two. If Loadholts not around theres a good chance you can find a starting quality guard in the second or third round and Omilaye plays tackle, which he is capable of doing.