Roy Williams to Chicago (1 Viewer)

[ditka85]

overall feeling is disappointment in Bears high-ups. we pass up the quality WR's who are 6' 5" and go after more of the same as what we have. Knox a fine slot receiver but a #1? Bennet? still waiting for that breakout year.

Though I guess it's a track record they keep going. No talent to evaluate players. No #1's left in Angelo's reign of drafting. So why be annoyed at a good cheap pick up? Speak out about the pencil totin' President of this organization, who has no clue what football is all about. The Packers will continue to beat us up if we don't fight back. They lack creativity, talent evaluations are awful. What have we done to get the edge on the Packers?

Sure they answer to a budget, but this is going into the Scrooge level of pinching Halas' pennies too tight. Unless they pick up a true #1 How's Cutler ever gonna pass 4000 yds? Oline has not been addressed, as they let several qualified Tackles and Guards fall off the board. They answer with wait, plenty will show up after all the teams release there players. OK but why did you pass on Colledge (Packers), Colon (Steelers), Bushrod (NO) all were very qualified! and I must take this performance from the front office? I love Kreutz but he got his lunch handed to him last year, let him go and get a real center who can hold off those big boys. Kreutz can coach but his playing days are over...

1) #1 WR's don't have be tall. Greg Jennings, Steve Smith, Desean/Maclin etc.2) The Packers continually beat the Bears up??? In case you have no memory, the Bears play the Packers better than anyone in the NFL. Look up "Lord Rodgers" stats vs Chicago, much worse than the rest of the league. The Bears beat them last season when they had Finley and crew, lost week 17 and lost by a touchdown in the NFC Championship game with Caleb Hanie leading a comeback.

Have the Packers gotten better??? Lost Barnett, Colledge. Could lose James Jones and Cullen Jenkins. Also two key starters Woodson/Clifton are 35.

No team in the NFC North has made big strides in FA, no need to freak out in the first week.

3) The Bears offered Willie Colon 3 million more in guaranteed money, but he chose to return to Pittsburgh. This shows that Chicago is trying.

4) Cutler can throw for 4000 yards if the OL is improved, not if the Bears signed Holmes/Sidney Rice.

5) Kreutz must go, I agree with you on 1 point in your post.

Too bad we lost out on Colon.I can live with the Roy signing as long as they address the OL in free agency, which it seems they are trying. Keeping Cutler upright will improve the passing game much more than Roy will.

 

[Statorama]

Guess I'm the only 1 that thinks Williams will actually put up decent numbers.

If anyone can effectively utilize him it will be Martz. The only real issue will be if the Bears front office thinks of RW as a #1. He's a #2 possession-type WR at best.

 

[Bri]

Martz really seems to have enough power in that organization to destroy it.

well said

 

[travdogg]

There's a whole lot of overreaction among Bears fans apparently.

I think people are really underrating Johnny Knox here. He's almost a 1,000 yard WR in only his second year, and is still improving. He looks like he's gonna be another Santana Moss to me. Earl Bennett is a decent slot guy who Cutler trusts and seems to be in the right place most of the time. Roy is a WR who needs to be motivated a certain way, and Martz was able to tap into that when they were in Detroit together. Considering that they likely(we don't know yet) got Roy for very little money, I'd say this is an interesting move, that has a lot of upside.

Greg Olsen is a nice talent, but he's not a system fit, and there was a 99% chance he walked after the season anyway.

I don't really get the complaints about not making a big splash. Santonio Holmes was never leaving NY, and Sidney Rice just has bad investment written all over him. Steve Smith wasn't available, and the Burress backers are being unrealistic about how much he'll have left after his layoff.

O-line is the same way, they were never getting Doug Free, and they would have had to overpay to get Clabo or Joseph.

Who should they be going after?

 

[FavreCo]

Have they signed Furrey and aZ-Hakim yet?

 

[ditka85]

There's a whole lot of overreaction among Bears fans apparently.I think people are really underrating Johnny Knox here. He's almost a 1,000 yard WR in only his second year, and is still improving. He looks like he's gonna be another Santana Moss to me. Earl Bennett is a decent slot guy who Cutler trusts and seems to be in the right place most of the time. Roy is a WR who needs to be motivated a certain way, and Martz was able to tap into that when they were in Detroit together. Considering that they likely(we don't know yet) got Roy for very little money, I'd say this is an interesting move, that has a lot of upside.Greg Olsen is a nice talent, but he's not a system fit, and there was a 99% chance he walked after the season anyway. I don't really get the complaints about not making a big splash. Santonio Holmes was never leaving NY, and Sidney Rice just has bad investment written all over him. Steve Smith wasn't available, and the Burress backers are being unrealistic about how much he'll have left after his layoff.O-line is the same way, they were never getting Doug Free, and they would have had to overpay to get Clabo or Joseph. Who should they be going after?

I tend to agree with most of this. I was never a big Olsen fan. Getting a (most likely high) 3rd for him is pretty good considering they were not going to resign him. Still plenty of time to get OL help.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

Have they signed Furrey and aZ-Hakim yet?

We're gettin the band back together!

 

[hook014]

There was a party thrown in Dallas when he left. He is worthless, and actually seemed to stunt the growth of other receivers because of Jerry's unwillingness to admit he sucks. Nice to finally see Jones come to his senses and right the wrong.

He really does suck. Greenberg and Schlereth of ESPN are hyping this acquisition this morning saying things like "he's going to be just what the Bears need." So clueless. With these guys Williams is somehow still living on reputation from when he entered the league. He drops waaaay too many balls. He's often not in the right place on a route. You think Cutler was an INT machine before? Hoo boy, just wait until he throws a few Roy's way and they are picked off because the WR hasn't turned around or has his head up his butt. Yeah, great acquisition. Just like in Dallas.

Great point on the INTs. Can't count the number of times a QB threw a pass his way and got picked cause Roy broke the wrong way. Cut to shot of QB talking to head coach and pointing at williams. Head coach just nodding in agreement and trying to settle his QB.Cutler and Lovie will have some closeups this season.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I kind of like it as well. They are obviously going to be running a lot of sets with 1RB and keeping the TE in to block. Roy knows the system, so should be integrated quicker than a lot of other Free Agents who are signing around the league, and will be able to play right away in a complex offense. Cutler and Co. should also be better in year 2 of this O.

So the question is, what WR positions are being played by whom. Who are their STL counter-parts (Holt Role, Bruce Role, Az Role etc.) and where do these guys rank among re-draft WRs?

 

[Todem]

Although he looked shot to me in Dallas he may be a surprise sleeper and a viable WR 3 in FF in this offense with dare I say WR2 potential?

Interesting signing.

 

[Clifford]

There's a whole lot of overreaction among Bears fans apparently.

I think people are really underrating Johnny Knox here. He's almost a 1,000 yard WR in only his second year, and is still improving. He looks like he's gonna be another Santana Moss to me. Earl Bennett is a decent slot guy who Cutler trusts and seems to be in the right place most of the time. Roy is a WR who needs to be motivated a certain way, and Martz was able to tap into that when they were in Detroit together. Considering that they likely(we don't know yet) got Roy for very little money, I'd say this is an interesting move, that has a lot of upside.

Greg Olsen is a nice talent, but he's not a system fit, and there was a 99% chance he walked after the season anyway.

I don't really get the complaints about not making a big splash. Santonio Holmes was never leaving NY, and Sidney Rice just has bad investment written all over him. Steve Smith wasn't available, and the Burress backers are being unrealistic about how much he'll have left after his layoff.

O-line is the same way, they were never getting Doug Free, and they would have had to overpay to get Clabo or Joseph.

Who should they be going after?

Knox is good at a few things but does not fit the bill for ALL that we need at WR. I'm glad we have him, but I'm not going to pretend he can be an all-around WR who can comes down with the ball in any situation. He's too little to be aggressive over the middle, and can't come down with a jumpball. Roy should be able to accomplish both those things, and be a nice compliment. We have been missing a big, physical receiver, and while I am not going to predict a Roy rennaisance, at least we now have someone on the roster who can win a jump ball in the end zone. If he gets 1 TD every other game (and we didn't overpay) then this was a good signing.

 

[Vision6]

its astonishing (and quite funny)that people continually blame Martz for everything

 

[az_prof]

Roys best season come with Martz as OC in detroit.Granted that was 5 seasosn ago but he knows the system and im sure mad Mike wanted him.

How dare you bring positive facts into this thread? You're not following along in the feeding frenzy! Shape up!

personally, baring major injury. Roy will be the most productive WR on the bears this season, IMHO

I don't get the love AT ALL here. The guy hasn't broken 1,000 yards in 1/2 a decade. Knox is better now and has better upside IMO. He lives off his one good year like Lee Evans ....guys just keep going to the well hoping that this time it will work out. The same year that Roy had his best year (finished 10th in 2006) he had a nice 1300-7, Mike Furrey, yes Mike Furrey had 1100-6 alongside him....He won't be on my team unless he's somehow sitting there in the 13th round.and how can you bar injury with this guy? he's played 16 games once in 7 seasons.

I think the Mike Furrey analogy may bode well for Knox. Roy may come close to 70 for 1000 yards, but he will be better for fantasy than he will for the Bears. Bear's fans better hope their D is #1 or it could be a cold winter in the windy city.

 

[BallparkFrank]

Assuming the Bears are done addressing the WR position, anyone care to take a guess at stat projections for Roy this season or where he'll be ranked amongst WR's? Thankfully I've never been burned by him in the past, which is probably why I'm at least a bit intrigued.

 

[crazy8]

I think the Bears was a good landing spot for Roy,a little more mature and humbled

by his performance & production in Dallas along with not being the fourth or fifth

option should really motivate him similar to Lloyd in Denver last year.

 

[hostile]

Guess I'm the only 1 that thinks Williams will actually put up decent numbers.

Roy was not playing poorly last year with Romo. He had a 4.2/61.2/1 average (67/979/16 pace) through the first 5 games. It looked like the light had been turned back on. I think he's worth a shot now, depending on price, which I feel will almost certainly be very cheap.

Exactly.He's still young too at only 29 years old.He was sitting on the wire in one of my leagues so I've picked him up, and why not? He could have WR2ish upside for a very minimal cost. I can think of many more WRs people are carrying at the back of their rosters who have far less upside.

 

[Chadstroma]

Terrible, terrible, terrible signing.

I don't think it is a terrible signing, but if this is all the Bears do to improve their WRs, then that is terrible. They lost Olsen's production, so you have to make up for that. Does Williams even offset that? I don't know. Williams is a weak #2 WR at best. We have Knox who is probably a below average #2, Bennett who is a low end #2, or a #3, and Hester who should be a slot receiver. We have no one who approaches being a #1. And there is no one else on the roster that shows particular promise. And you add that Roy Williams has been a negative locker room presence. Williams improves their overall talent level at WR, but largely because the talent level at WR is so poor. There has to be more coming up than this is all I can say.

Yea, still no #1 but in Lovie's book... Knox, Bennett and Hester are all #1's

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

Guess I'm the only 1 that thinks Williams will actually put up decent numbers.

Roy was not playing poorly last year with Romo. He had a 4.2/61.2/1 average (67/979/16 pace) through the first 5 games. It looked like the light had been turned back on. I think he's worth a shot now, depending on price, which I feel will almost certainly be very cheap.

Exactly.He's still young too at only 29 years old.He was sitting on the wire in one of my leagues so I've picked him up, and why not? He could have WR2ish upside for a very minimal cost. I can think of many more WRs people are carrying at the back of their rosters who have far less upside.

How do you get WR2-ish upside out of a guy who has only finished better than WR29 once in his career?

 

[candymanvandyfan]

In Knox and Hester, the Bears already have two receivers who can't catch, #### out on stuff, look confused, and run the wrong routes. They really don't need a third one in Roy Williams.

Sam Hurd looked like a good value pick to me. He'll help out on Special Teams at least. He's a better receiver than Davis.

Given what the Bears have, I think it could end up with Bennett and Williams and then a Hester/Knox rotation. Hurd will make the team and then either Fantuz or Sanzenbacher.

WR:

Bennett

Williams

Hester/Knox

Hurd

Fantuz/Sanzenbacher

They just can't keep watching Knox and Hester make a mockery out of the position. People who are praising knox for his numbers must not watch the games.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Hester, Olsen, Aromashodu and Davis combined for 177 targets last year.

All but 73 of those are gone from the team, and I'd expect that Roy's arrival cuts into Hester's time at WR as well. So there could easily be something like 140 targets up for grabs.

I like Roy to get 100-110 of those and 55-65 catches. So 55-770-6 to 65-940-7, or 11 to 13 PPG.

Solid WR4 depth, with WR3 upside. Not bad for a guy who was on a lot of WWs a week ago.

 

[LarryAllen'sJockstrap]

From a Cowboys fan, I think he's worth a shot. He's got big hands and can make spectacular catches, but he struggles with his routes and getting off the line. If he could somehow get into a system that makes an effort to get him clean off the line, he could be a playmaker. I wouldn't expect it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he turns things around in Chicago. He got slammed here in Dallas after his slow start and never seemed to recover mentally.

 

[Couch Potato]

Bennett is the seriously underrated one here. He could catch 70-80 balls this year and be a real PPR value at his ADP. He'll be the new Mike Furrey. Martz realized after the fact that he was under-utilized last year.

 

[Manster]

From a Cowboys fan, I think he's worth a shot. He's got big hands and can make spectacular catches, but he struggles with his routes and getting off the line. If he could somehow get into a system that makes an effort to get him clean off the line, he could be a playmaker. I wouldn't expect it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he turns things around in Chicago. He got slammed here in Dallas after his slow start and never seemed to recover mentally.

Not saying you are wrong, but I saw a guy who was jokin around, loose, too loose if you ask me. I just didnt see the fire in him. I dont know, maybe his body language doesnt tell the whole story. He got a bigger payday than he deserved. Makes me think he was laughin about fleecing Jerrah.

Bennett is the seriously underrated one here. He could catch 70-80 balls this year and be a real PPR value at his ADP. He'll be the new Mike Furrey. Martz realized after the fact that he was under-utilized last year.

I've been seeing some Bennett love lately. I've been waiting for Cutler and him to really sync. Im not gonna think about him till the end of the draft, but might snag him if hes there late.

 

[wiscstlatlmia]

Have they signed Furrey and aZ-Hakim yet?

We're gettin the band back together!

 

[The Man With No Name]

From a Cowboys fan, I think he's worth a shot. He's got big hands and can make spectacular catches, but he struggles with his routes and getting off the line. If he could somehow get into a system that makes an effort to get him clean off the line, he could be a playmaker. I wouldn't expect it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he turns things around in Chicago. He got slammed here in Dallas after his slow start and never seemed to recover mentally.

Not saying you are wrong, but I saw a guy who was jokin around, loose, too loose if you ask me. I just didnt see the fire in him. I dont know, maybe his body language doesnt tell the whole story. He got a bigger payday than he deserved. Makes me think he was laughin about fleecing Jerrah.

Bennett is the seriously underrated one here. He could catch 70-80 balls this year and be a real PPR value at his ADP. He'll be the new Mike Furrey. Martz realized after the fact that he was under-utilized last year.

I've been seeing some Bennett love lately. I've been waiting for Cutler and him to really sync. Im not gonna think about him till the end of the draft, but might snag him if hes there late.

Bennett caught 64.8% of his targets last season. Hester- 54.8%, Knox- 52.6%And Hester's yards per catch was the lowest of the 3

 

[el-gato-grande]

As a Bears fan, I like the Williams signing. Nobody would have come in here and been effective this season in Mike Martz's system without the benefit of OTA's and Minicamps. We saw that last season when it took the Bears receiving group a full camp and half the season to learn it (and that's after Martz simplified it for them).

I also think Jay needs a big target at the position and especially in the Red Zone where he tends to take stupid risks and puts receivers in bad positions where they have to body or go over the defender to get to the ball. Williams has the size for that (unlike Hester for instance).

Based on these facts along, I believe Williams will be the second leading receiver for the Bears this year. I think wdcrob is probably a little high considering last year's stats. Something like 50 catches, 775 yards and 6 TD's sounds about right.

 

[NeverEnough]

As a Bears fan, I like the Williams signing. Nobody would have come in here and been effective this season in Mike Martz's system without the benefit of OTA's and Minicamps. We saw that last season when it took the Bears receiving group a full camp and half the season to learn it (and that's after Martz simplified it for them).I also think Jay needs a big target at the position and especially in the Red Zone where he tends to take stupid risks and puts receivers in bad positions where they have to body or go over the defender to get to the ball. Williams has the size for that (unlike Hester for instance).Based on these facts along, I believe Williams will be the second leading receiver for the Bears this year. I think wdcrob is probably a little high considering last year's stats. Something like 50 catches, 775 yards and 6 TD's sounds about right.

What's your prediction for WR1?