Chicago Bears 2012 Offseason Thread (3 Viewers)

[flapgreen]

The more I read the more I realize that the GM who's hired isn't going to have much power at all. It's definitely not going to be similar to what McKenzie or Grigson have done with the Colts or the Raiders. Anyone thinking the GM will be allowed to send Lovie and his crew packing after next season is only fooling themselves. That's not happening. Giving Teddy "the accountant" complete power over hiring a GM is a horrible idea, but his job has been to make the McCaskeys as much money as possible, and he's been successful at that. This guy gets it.

Bears' GM search reveals intentions for role

By Kevin Seifert(ESPN)

The Chicago Bears are expected to complete their second round of general manager interviews Friday, barely beating the scheduled melting of your local glacier. Unless something veers off the Bears' steady but obviously unhurried course, a new general manager could be in place by the weekend.

It's been nearly three full weeks since the Bears fired Jerry Angelo. Team officials interviewed five candidates last week, one per day, and are bringing two of them back at the end of this week for additional talks. New England Patriots executive Jason Licht is at Halas Hall on Thursday, according to the team, and Kansas City Chiefs executive Phil Emery will have his second round of interviews on Friday.

Numerous media outlets have suggested Emery is the favorite, largely because he once served as a Bears scout and is a workaholic talent evaluator who isn't likely to rock a leadership structure that team president Ted Phillips wants to preserve. Licht's lack of previous ties to the organization make his future plans less certain.

As for the Bears' methodical approach, in all seriousness, I don't think it will prove a big long-term issue. It's true that the Bears' next general manager has missed a chance to hit the ground running at the Senior Bowl this week, but it's not as if he was needed to conduct a coaching search or begin the process of overhauling the roster.

The Bears will do neither in 2012, and the pace of this process is a strong indication of the place the new general manager will have in the Bears' organization. This is clearly not a job that, when unfilled, leaves the organization unable to function. If the Bears intended this job to be the second-most powerful role in the franchise, just below that of Phillips, I imagine they would have moved with greater urgency.

The best way to describe the Bears' next general manager, be it Emery or Licht, is that he will be the team's top talent evaluator and will share in decisions with coach Lovie Smith and others. He will not be an all-powerful guru or a franchise-wide authority figure, at least not any time soon.

It's becoming painfully obvious why Ross and Raye were the first two candidates dismissed.

 

[3nOut]

The more I read the more I realize that the GM who's hired isn't going to have much power at all. It's definitely not going to be similar to what McKenzie or Grigson have done with the Colts or the Raiders. Anyone thinking the GM will be allowed to send Lovie and his crew packing after next season is only fooling themselves. That's not happening. Giving Teddy "the accountant" complete power over hiring a GM is a horrible idea, but his job has been to make the McCaskeys as much money as possible, and he's been successful at that. This guy gets it.

Bears' GM search reveals intentions for role

By Kevin Seifert(ESPN)

The Chicago Bears are expected to complete their second round of general manager interviews Friday, barely beating the scheduled melting of your local glacier. Unless something veers off the Bears' steady but obviously unhurried course, a new general manager could be in place by the weekend.

It's been nearly three full weeks since the Bears fired Jerry Angelo. Team officials interviewed five candidates last week, one per day, and are bringing two of them back at the end of this week for additional talks. New England Patriots executive Jason Licht is at Halas Hall on Thursday, according to the team, and Kansas City Chiefs executive Phil Emery will have his second round of interviews on Friday.

Numerous media outlets have suggested Emery is the favorite, largely because he once served as a Bears scout and is a workaholic talent evaluator who isn't likely to rock a leadership structure that team president Ted Phillips wants to preserve. Licht's lack of previous ties to the organization make his future plans less certain.

As for the Bears' methodical approach, in all seriousness, I don't think it will prove a big long-term issue. It's true that the Bears' next general manager has missed a chance to hit the ground running at the Senior Bowl this week, but it's not as if he was needed to conduct a coaching search or begin the process of overhauling the roster.

The Bears will do neither in 2012, and the pace of this process is a strong indication of the place the new general manager will have in the Bears' organization. This is clearly not a job that, when unfilled, leaves the organization unable to function. If the Bears intended this job to be the second-most powerful role in the franchise, just below that of Phillips, I imagine they would have moved with greater urgency.

The best way to describe the Bears' next general manager, be it Emery or Licht, is that he will be the team's top talent evaluator and will share in decisions with coach Lovie Smith and others. He will not be an all-powerful guru or a franchise-wide authority figure, at least not any time soon.

It's becoming painfully obvious why Ross and Raye were the first two candidates dismissed.

Would that be such a bad thing? We HAD someone who had some power and look where that left us. I think we NEED someone who can evaluate talent.

 

[flapgreen]

We definitely do need a great talent evaluator, which is why Emery should do well in that position, but he will be more of a director of personel than an actual GM. What we don't need is Ted the accountant hiring a new GM and basically keeping most of the GM powers himself. From everything I've read, George McCaskey hasn't even part of the interviewing process, so the main people innvolved in hiring has been Teddy and the current coach. Ted is basically the GM and the new GM will be solely a talent evaluator. How many times in history can you remember a new GM being forced to keep the current head coach. It should be his decision to keep the coach or not. Slice it how youu like but that's a dysfunctional way of doing things and isn't how the successful franchises in the league operate. It would great if we could operate like the Pack or the Steelers, but sadly it won't happen. That's a very upsetting thing to the many loyal fans.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

We definitely do need a great talent evaluator, which is why Emery should do well in that position, but he will be more of a director of personel than an actual GM. What we don't need is Ted the accountant hiring a new GM and basically keeping most of the GM powers himself. From everything I've read, George McCaskey hasn't even part of the interviewing process, so the main people innvolved in hiring has been Teddy and the current coach. Ted is basically the GM and the new GM will be solely a talent evaluator. How many times in history can you remember a new GM being forced to keep the current head coach. It should be his decision to keep the coach or not. Slice it how youu like but that's a dysfunctional way of doing things and isn't how the successful franchises in the league operate. It would great if we could operate like the Pack or the Steelers, but sadly it won't happen. That's a very upsetting thing to the many loyal fans.

The Bears didn't have a GM before Angelo...so it's not that big of a deal. I know some would like the GM to pick his HC, but Lovie is at least an average NFL HC.The key here is hopefully the new GM can evaluate talent in a much better fashion to improve this team. They could have Kristin Cavallari as the Head Coach, but as long as the new GM is bringing in more talent, this team will improve.

 

[flapgreen]

I like the Cavallari idea. As I have said in the past, I've always thought Lovie was a good coach, but you can't coach the same team forever. Look at Jeff Fisher. Most of the players Lovie started out with are gone now. Briggs and Urlacher won't be around for that much longer.

As for not having a GM, the Bears record before having a GM speaks for itself. Awful. Ownership doesn't get it. The culture around the team needs to change. You would think their lack of success over the last twenty years would make it obvious, but they continue doing the same things year after year. Insane.

They're making money, which in the end is what's most important to the McCaskeys. Ultimately, they know the Bears will always have fans and be beloved by the city of Chicago. Winning isn't the most important thing to them. It seems pretty obvious to me.

 

[Power Monster]

You cannot expect to win in the NFL without guidance from a GM. These dummies want everyone to fit in with their 1950 small minded NFL high level "planning" and this is the problem. The Bears love to hire "yes" men to just toe the line and keep out of trouble. In looking at what is left of the GM potentials, the 2012 season will start off on the right foot or the wrong foot. Would you rather have a man from the Patriots or from the Cheifs? Let's see if the dummies can make the right decision. It looks quite easy to me and I appluade the team for at least putting themselves in a position to hire a GM that might just get this team a semi-decent draft this spring. It is quite obvious- sign Forte, fix that OL mess, draft or sign two all pro potential WRs and get back to the idea that big beefy pass catshing TEs with speed to kill is how you will score and win and win and win in today's NFL!

 

[flapgreen]

I'm thinking I was wrong about the unspent cap money from last year. Most of it can be rolled over and spent this season.

 

[geoff8695]

You cannot expect to win in the NFL without guidance from a GM. These dummies want everyone to fit in with their 1950 small minded NFL high level "planning" and this is the problem. The Bears love to hire "yes" men to just toe the line and keep out of trouble. In looking at what is left of the GM potentials, the 2012 season will start off on the right foot or the wrong foot. Would you rather have a man from the Patriots or from the Cheifs? Let's see if the dummies can make the right decision. It looks quite easy to me and I appluade the team for at least putting themselves in a position to hire a GM that might just get this team a semi-decent draft this spring. It is quite obvious- sign Forte, fix that OL mess, draft or sign two all pro potential WRs and get back to the idea that big beefy pass catshing TEs with speed to kill is how you will score and win and win and win in today's NFL!

How many drafts do you think it's going to take to 'fix' the OL, and acquire three premier receiving targets?Also, what do you do about an aging defense, and a D-line that already doesn't take full advantage of Peppers commanding double teams?IMO it doesn't matter where the new GM came from, what matters more is his ability to evaluate talent (both college and at the pro level), and having enough power to keep Lovie from having too much say in the player personnel decision making process.Although I'm not sad to see either leave, Martz and Angelo were recipients of a world class "bus throw" from Ted Phillips and Lovie Smith. Lovie never should have had as much influence as Angelo allowed him with busted draft picks like Benson, Haynes, Etc. and failed FA/trade acquisitions like Pace, Archuletta, Etc. And that's not even mentioning the terrible decisions like trying to convert a poor run stopping/very good pass rush specialist like Mark Anderson into an every down DE then letting him get away to NE (where they properly use him to generate pass rush/sacks and you can watch his skills on display in this year's Super Bowl), or chasing Alex Brown out of town, or the way Lovie treated Ron Rivera and brought in cronies who've failed as defensive and offensive coordinators.If you want to see a template for success, look no further than the NY Giants. A franchise QB with legit weapons at his disposal, combined with a very good D-line (which makes the rest of the defense MUCH better and masks all kinds of deficiencies in the defensive backfield). Bears definitely need a couple of WRs, but they also need to focus on both lines (offense and defense) to create a perennial contender and maximize their strengths.

 

[geoff8695]

Here's a great interview of Hub Arkush on the McNeil and Spiegel Show heard Friday on the Score. You have to scroll down to access the interview, but I thought it was worth a listen...

Essentially, Hub favors Emery and talks about it in more detail around the 9 minute mark or so (12 minute long interview)

Similarly, here's a recent Sun Times article on Emery as well, in which KC GM Scott Pioli (who played an instrumental role building the Patriots dynasty 2001-2008) and is Emery's current boss in KC, gives Emery his respect and full endorsement...

I'm pulling for Emery to get this job, sounds like he is strong willed enough and has enough exposure to properly evaluating talent to have a chance to make this work, and not allow Lovie Smith to have too much influence (shouldn't repeat some of Angelo's mistakes).

 

[flapgreen]

Emery hired. Bringing in Licht was odd anyway.

 

[geoff8695]

Phil Emery Hired As Bears GM

He’s described as a real hard-worker, who exhausts all resources. This is important in making sure you hit on a few late-round picks and undrafted free agents. It helps if you can uncover the talent other teams may be neglecting or undervaluing (if it’s out there).

 

[flapgreen]

Ruskell expected to be relieved of his duties per Hub.

 

[flapgreen]

Rumors that Christensen might come as "passing coordinator if the Colts don't retain him. I hope he comes. Who else is left? Everyone else has declined to take the position.

 

[jagbag]

Rumors that Christensen might come as "passing coordinator if the Colts don't retain him. I hope he comes. Who else is left? Everyone else has declined to take the position.

Not happening. Staying with Colts as WR coachhttp://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/post/17037017

 

[flapgreen]

Rumors that Christensen might come as "passing coordinator if the Colts don't retain him. I hope he comes. Who else is left? Everyone else has declined to take the position.

Not happening. Staying with Colts as WR coachhttp://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/post/17037017

:( Anyone here have a little free time? There's a spot open on the coaching staff.

 

[DoubleG]

Phil Emery Hired As Bears GM

He’s described as a real hard-worker, who exhausts all resources. This is important in making sure you hit on a few late-round picks and undrafted free agents. It helps if you can uncover the talent other teams may be neglecting or undervaluing (if it’s out there).

Good stuff Maynard!

 

[flapgreen]

He sounds solid. Everyones is saying he's the hardest worker they have ever known.

 

[flapgreen]

Christiansen taking the wr coaching position in Indy isn't a done deal yet. He was hoping for the OC position, instead he's getting a demotion. I hope that's enough to get him to come to Chicago. And for crying out loud, can they get rid of Daryl Drake already? That bum is the worst coach on staff. He should've been fired even before Martz.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Christiansen taking the wr coaching position in Indy isn't a done deal yet. He was hoping for the OC position, instead he's getting a demotion. I hope that's enough to get him to come to Chicago. And for crying out loud, can they get rid of Daryl Drake already? That bum is the worst coach on staff. He should've been fired even before Martz.

Why is he a bum or the worst coach on staff?

 

[flapgreen]

Christiansen taking the wr coaching position in Indy isn't a done deal yet. He was hoping for the OC position, instead he's getting a demotion. I hope that's enough to get him to come to Chicago. And for crying out loud, can they get rid of Daryl Drake already? That bum is the worst coach on staff. He should've been fired even before Martz.

Why is he a bum or the worst coach on staff?

Is that a rhetorical question?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Christiansen taking the wr coaching position in Indy isn't a done deal yet. He was hoping for the OC position, instead he's getting a demotion. I hope that's enough to get him to come to Chicago. And for crying out loud, can they get rid of Daryl Drake already? That bum is the worst coach on staff. He should've been fired even before Martz.

Why is he a bum or the worst coach on staff?

Is that a rhetorical question?

Fine, hide behind some random statement.I've met Daryl Drake and talked football with him. He knows what he's talking about and hasn't had a lot to work with in Chicago during his tenure.

 

[flapgreen]

Dude...no you didn't go there.

 

[Power Monster]

How many drafts do you think it's going to take to 'fix' the OL, and acquire three premier receiving targets?

I don't know but they blew many of drafts signing OL prospects that other teams avoided due to injury. In looking at mistakes and making the same mistakes again and again the team has been behind the 8 ball with the OL. The line is just bad. They had a premier receiving target in Olsen. They used a 1st round pick on him. He was a target that had the trust of the franchise QB but they decided to let him go for a draft pick that may or may not match the value of Olsen. Remember that Olsen did not fit Martz's "scheme" but now Martz is gone. The OC was dictating personnel moves which render the GM useless. Strange moves! They struggle for years to get a solid target and they let him go after he proved himself.

Also, what do you do about an aging defense, and a D-line that already doesn't take full advantage of Peppers commanding double teams?

I thought that the DL played well in spots last year. They seemed to rotate players in and out but maybe the scheme is old and tired along with much tinkering from the HC. The linebackers are getting long in the tooth but when they are healthy they are very productive. However, this is another unit with poor depth from lame drafting. The secondary is a work in progress but it is clear to me that they will have to neutralize the likes of bigger playmaking receivers in the division.

IMO it doesn't matter where the new GM came from, what matters more is his ability to evaluate talent (both college and at the pro level), and having enough power to keep Lovie from having too much say in the player personnel decision making process.

I would rather take a GM that has the most experience in the Patriot organization but is this going to be a lame duck GM hiring? Martz was making decisions with players and it appears that before they hired a GM, the organization was making GM decisions. I fear that the organization will hinder a GMs ability to function in his role.

Although I'm not sad to see either leave, Martz and Angelo were recipients of a world class "bus throw" from Ted Phillips and Lovie Smith. Lovie never should have had as much influence as Angelo allowed him with busted draft picks like Benson, Haynes, Etc. and failed FA/trade acquisitions like Pace, Archuletta, Etc. And that's not even mentioning the terrible decisions like trying to convert a poor run stopping/very good pass rush specialist like Mark Anderson into an every down DE then letting him get away to NE (where they properly use him to generate pass rush/sacks and you can watch his skills on display in this year's Super Bowl), or chasing Alex Brown out of town, or the way Lovie treated Ron Rivera and brought in cronies who've failed as defensive and offensive coordinators.

Amen- they tend to go in reverse quite often.

If you want to see a template for success, look no further than the NY Giants. A franchise QB with legit weapons at his disposal, combined with a very good D-line (which makes the rest of the defense MUCH better and masks all kinds of deficiencies in the defensive backfield). Bears definitely need a couple of WRs, but they also need to focus on both lines (offense and defense) to create a perennial contender and maximize their strengths.

I agree but perhaps the reason why the Bears cannot obtain a WR in the same way that they have struggled to obtain a QB is due to their brain trust being so out of touch with reality in the NFL that they cannot evaluate talent. They are going to be eaten alive by the Packers and the Lions if this draft is not fruitful.

 

[flapgreen]

First big move made by Emery, I think. Ruskell out.

 

[flapgreen]

Bears interviewing Van Pelt for qb coach position. :X . I hope Christansen decides to leave Indy and come to the Bears. He has many more years of experience than Van Pelt.

 

[flapgreen]

Creepy Hug it out?

 

[flapgreen]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:

1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)

2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).

3)Floyd WR

I'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

 

[geoff8695]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).3)Floyd WRI'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

Draft DL, OL, and WR & get a legit NFL WR in FA and I will be happy...Gotta make both lines a priority in the draft, and bring in a legit FA #1 WR to give Cutler another weapon. Do it right and Bears are in the hunt for 2012 IMO.

 

[DoubleG]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:

1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)

2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).

3)Floyd WR

I'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

Draft DL, OL, and WR & get a legit NFL WR in FA and I will be happy...Gotta make both lines a priority in the draft, and bring in a legit FA #1 WR to give Cutler another weapon. Do it right and Bears are in the hunt for 2012 IMO.

Agree 100%. I wouldn't mind if they addressed either line through FA as well. Add lineman on both sides of the ball(either early in the draft or FA), sign a true #1 WR in free agency (not someone Lovey calls a #1, not someone who is #1 on the Bears just because everyone else stinks) a WR who "dictates coverage" - and draft a WR fairly high (before the 4th round) and I'll be pleased.

 

[RBM]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).3)Floyd WRI'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

Draft DL, OL, and WR & get a legit NFL WR in FA and I will be happy...Gotta make both lines a priority in the draft, and bring in a legit FA #1 WR to give Cutler another weapon. Do it right and Bears are in the hunt for 2012 IMO.

Its really not a difficult formula for Emery

 

[SmoovySmoov]

I'd be happy

Doubt it.

 

[flapgreen]

I'd be happy

Doubt it.

awwwww :(

 

[flapgreen]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:

1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)

2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).

3)Floyd WR

I'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

Draft DL, OL, and WR & get a legit NFL WR in FA and I will be happy...Gotta make both lines a priority in the draft, and bring in a legit FA #1 WR to give Cutler another weapon. Do it right and Bears are in the hunt for 2012 IMO.

Agree 100%. I wouldn't mind if they addressed either line through FA as well. Add lineman on both sides of the ball(either early in the draft or FA), sign a true #1 WR in free agency (not someone Lovey calls a #1, not someone who is #1 on the Bears just because everyone else stinks) a WR who "dictates coverage" - and draft a WR fairly high (before the 4th round) and I'll be pleased.

I doubt they will sign a top wr in free agency and draft a wr in the first three rounds too, but I wouldn't be against it. A top free agent wr would come at a high cost. I'd rather they sign a guy like Nicks, if New Orleans doesn't re-sign him, and then take Floyd or Jeffrey in the first round. Of course, if DeCastro is still there at 19, take him and then sign a FA wr. I'm not even sure if any of the top free agents will be worth it, though. Colston has been injured as of late. Robinson is still somewhat unproven and will come at a high cost. VJ has a crappy attitude and wouldn't fit well with the Bears. If Bowe isn't re-signed, I would definitely be interested in him.

 

[geoff8695]

Upcoming draft, who to target in first round:

1)Decastro OG(if he lasts)

2)Jeffrey WR(obv huge need).

3)Floyd WR

I'd be happy if we could get any of these guys. I'm leaning more toward Jeffrey right now, but putting Decastro next to Carimi for a good 5-6 years or more would completely change what this line looks like for years to come.

Draft DL, OL, and WR & get a legit NFL WR in FA and I will be happy...Gotta make both lines a priority in the draft, and bring in a legit FA #1 WR to give Cutler another weapon. Do it right and Bears are in the hunt for 2012 IMO.

Agree 100%. I wouldn't mind if they addressed either line through FA as well. Add lineman on both sides of the ball(either early in the draft or FA), sign a true #1 WR in free agency (not someone Lovey calls a #1, not someone who is #1 on the Bears just because everyone else stinks) a WR who "dictates coverage" - and draft a WR fairly high (before the 4th round) and I'll be pleased.

I doubt they will sign a top wr in free agency and draft a wr in the first three rounds too, but I wouldn't be against it. A top free agent wr would come at a high cost. I'd rather they sign a guy like Nicks, if New Orleans doesn't re-sign him, and then take Floyd or Jeffrey in the first round. Of course, if DeCastro is still there at 19, take him and then sign a FA wr. I'm not even sure if any of the top free agents will be worth it, though. Colston has been injured as of late. Robinson is still somewhat unproven and will come at a high cost. VJ has a crappy attitude and wouldn't fit well with the Bears. If Bowe isn't re-signed, I would definitely be interested in him.

If Nicks were to become available, I would be deliriously happy with a bears acquisition of a FA all-pro lineman.However, the Saints would be fools not to franchise tag or sign him, and I don't think they are fools.

Not sure which FA WR they end up with, but they need to get this one right IMO. More than a little nervous about this since it's likely to be a BIG financial commitment.

Howver, I'm trusting Emery's ability to get the draft right (for a change), but it will be interesting to see how well he and Lovie get along. According to some reports Emery, unlike Angelo, isn't going to be seeking to build a consensus with the coaching staff on draft picks. Considering Lovie's inability to assess draft talent, I'm kinda excited about this really...

 

[mlball77]

Well, there seem to be some FA WRs this year that could really help the Bears (assuming they are not franchised). Not saying any of them are realistic fits, but maybe. I think the team really needs a bigger sized WR to go with guys like Bennett and Hester (average or smaller players). So guys like Colston, VJax and Bowe pique my interest. Reggie Wayne's age scares me, Brandon Lloyd probably wouldn't consider returning to CHI, and guys like DeSean Jackson and Mario Manningham don't seem like good fits, imo.

There is some FA depth at WR this year.... it would be nice to see CHI make a splash (hopefully a good one), if they don't draft an early WR this year.

 

[flapgreen]

Pretty sure either Colston or Nicks will hit the market from New Orleans, most likely Colston. I don't think they can sign Brees to a big deal, and then keep Nicks and Colston. Nicks is much more important to them than Colston, so Colston will probably be available.

 

[RBM]

I would take Colston in a heartbeat.

I know there is zero chance, but can you imagine if we put Mario Williams on the other side of Peppers.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...no thanks.

Mario Williams would be fun, but i'm holding out hope Corey Wooten shows something.

 

[flapgreen]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...no thanks.Mario Williams would be fun, but i'm holding out hope Corey Wooten shows something.

Six tackles in two years. How long do you plan on holding out hope? Not many players are even kept on the roster on many teams after two years of no little to no production, just another empty roster spot.

 

[RBM]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...

Looked fine this yr.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...no thanks.Mario Williams would be fun, but i'm holding out hope Corey Wooten shows something.

Six tackles in two years. How long do you plan on holding out hope? Not many players are even kept on the roster on many teams after two years of no little to no production, just another empty roster spot.

Rookie year- Recovering from a torn ACL from his last year of college and ENDED Brett Favre's career2nd year- Torn knee ligament in preseason gameI'd say he gets a pass for at least another year. He has good size and ability from what i've seen.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...

Looked fine this yr.

If you can sign him to a 1 or 2 year deal I'm good with it. Anything past that, don't hold your breath.

 

[flapgreen]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...no thanks.Mario Williams would be fun, but i'm holding out hope Corey Wooten shows something.

Six tackles in two years. How long do you plan on holding out hope? Not many players are even kept on the roster on many teams after two years of no little to no production, just another empty roster spot.

Rookie year- Recovering from a torn ACL from his last year of college and ENDED Brett Favre's career2nd year- Torn knee ligament in preseason gameI'd say he gets a pass for at least another year. He has good size and ability from what i've seen.

Two torn knee ligaments in two years and has barely played during that time, I don't know how many more passes he should get. In today's NFL, you can't have players sitting out for the majority of their first two seasons in the league, especially if they're not high draft picks. That's not how it works now. I hope Emery can actually move on from a player that doesn't work out, unlike Angelo. I don't doubt Wooten's ability, but two years in the league injured and not producing as a mid-round pick and you're gone.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Colston and all of those knee surgeries...no thanks.Mario Williams would be fun, but i'm holding out hope Corey Wooten shows something.

Six tackles in two years. How long do you plan on holding out hope? Not many players are even kept on the roster on many teams after two years of no little to no production, just another empty roster spot.

Rookie year- Recovering from a torn ACL from his last year of college and ENDED Brett Favre's career2nd year- Torn knee ligament in preseason gameI'd say he gets a pass for at least another year. He has good size and ability from what i've seen.

Two torn knee ligaments in two years and has barely played during that time, I don't know how many more passes he should get. In today's NFL, you can't have players sitting out for the majority of their first two seasons in the league, especially if they're not high draft picks. That's not how it works now. I hope Emery can actually move on from a player that doesn't work out, unlike Angelo. I don't doubt Wooten's ability, but two years in the league injured and not producing as a mid-round pick and you're gone.

I know what you're saying but Peppers and Idonijie are both older...they have nobody young. I'd wait another year before you throw Wooten to the wayside. He was being touted as a late 1st/early second before he tore his ACL

 

[flapgreen]

Unless they take a DE early this year, which isn't out of the question, I don't know what other options they have, anyway. They're already thin at DE. They shouldn't be, but they are.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Unless they take a DE early this year, which isn't out of the question, I don't know what other options they have, anyway. They're already thin at DE. They shouldn't be, but they are.

They need some of these young players to finally pan out on defense. DE-Wooten, DT-Paea, DT-Melton, S-Major Wright, S-Chris Conte. They have shown flashes, but they need to develop into good starters.

 

[flapgreen]

Todd Haley hired as Steelers OC, again showing why the Steelers are a very successful organization year in and year out. Meanwhile, the Bears promote their OL coach from possibly the worst line in the league over the last two seasons. Great job, Bears! It would be so easy to hire somebody worth a crap, too. The Steelers have always gotten it.

 

[flapgreen]

Unless they take a DE early this year, which isn't out of the question, I don't know what other options they have, anyway. They're already thin at DE. They shouldn't be, but they are.

They need some of these young players to finally pan out on defense. DE-Wooten, DT-Paea, DT-Melton, S-Major Wright, S-Chris Conte. They have shown flashes, but they need to develop into good starters.

I agree, but they have made some terrible decisions during the process. Melton has been on the team three seasons and has yet to make a consistent impact. Wooten has shown nothing to prove he can stay healthy and contribute at all. Although young, Conte played well at times last season, especially for a rookie. Major Wright is mediocre at best after two full seasons. Chris Harris was cut during the middle of the season. Merriweather was claimed off of waivers and paid good money, and consequently benched after two games and relegated to fourth and fifth on the depth chart. After years of missed draft picks trying to address the safety position, they finally develop Manning into a good safety, and then let him walk. Of course, he had a fantastic year in Houston this season. I hope Paea works out but his play was also less than stellar last season. I mean, how many freaking teams draft players in middle to early rounds and make them inactive for some or all of their rookie seasons? Was Bennett that bad his rookie season? Their drafts have been so bad over the last few years that it's going to take at least a couple years of great drafting and developing talent to come close to competing with Green Bay and New Orleans, probably longer than that. You can sight how they were doing great during the first half of last season, but it means little. As soon as they had a serious injury, it was all over. Ask Houston how they adjusted after having to turn to the third string quarterback. Due to being so thin at almost every position on the team because of bad drafting and refusing to admit their faults, the Bears are always one serious injury from going into the tank. I don't see how anyone couldn't see it. Here's to Emery changing the culture of this organization. For the love of all that's holy, I hope he turns this mediocre franchise around.

 

[RBM]

Unless they take a DE early this year, which isn't out of the question, I don't know what other options they have, anyway. They're already thin at DE. They shouldn't be, but they are.

I mentioned the pipe dream that is Williams, but I wont be surprised to see us take a run at Robert Mathis. Vet, Dungy guy so he knows our defense, and just cant imagine a rebuilding Colt team will bring him back.

 

[flapgreen]

Unless they take a DE early this year, which isn't out of the question, I don't know what other options they have, anyway. They're already thin at DE. They shouldn't be, but they are.

I mentioned the pipe dream that is Williams, but I wont be surprised to see us take a run at Robert Mathis. Vet, Dungy guy so he knows our defense, and just cant imagine a rebuilding Colt team will bring him back.

Bottom half of the league in sacks over the last two seasons. I don't understand why we can't get more pressure. What's the problem? No pressure up the middle? Idonije? He's not worth a damn either. I thought Okoye had a very good season, though. Hopefully, they'll bring him back and start him next season. And yes, Williams is a pipe dream. They shelled out big money on Peppers. I don't see how they could pay another end big money in free agency. I think they're stuck with what they have at DE for now.