Bearstalk

...and another one's gone. ********************************************************* ST. CLAIR LANDS IN CLEVELAND Posted by Mike Florio on March 17, 2009, 5:40 p.m. Tackle John St. Clair has opted to sign with the Browns, and to spurn the Bears. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times, Biggs has agreed to terms on a three-year, $9 million deal, with $600,000 guaranteed. The Bears had offered exactly half that amount — $4.5 million over three years. But Biggs says that the contract appears to be a series of one-year deals; this suggests that sizable roster bonuses are owed to St. Clair at the start of the 2010 and 2011 league years. …

Read on PFT that Cincy could be putting Levi Jones on the block, and this is not the first time I have heard this. What i have yet to really understand is, why? He was their 1st round pick and I thought has proven to be a very good OT for them. Why would they be shopping him?

Okay, so here is the question. Which is worse. Which is the lesser of evils. Wasted salary cap space or overpaying for FAs. Normally, I am not a big fan of overpaying for FAs, but I view this year as being different. In the past, we had plenty of our own to re-sign. That isn't the case today. In the past, we didn't seem to have nearly as much cap to work w/. This year we had anywhere from $30-34m, depending on what numbers you use. In the past, if you didn't love what you saw, you could use LTBEs and whatever other fun tricks the accountants use to eat cap today in order to epand it tomorrow, when pickings may be better. But w/ the potential of an unca…

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3991029 Updated: March 18, 2009, 9:15 AM ET Bears' Orton unfazed by speculation Comment Email Print Share Associated Press LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- On a strange day for football, Kyle Orton was unfazed by speculation, offseason comments or any challenges to his standing as the Chicago Bears' starting quarterback. Kyle Orton Orton As the Bears kicked off a minicamp two months early and the weather on a windy March day soared to 70 degrees, Orton was asked about comments from general manager Jerry Angelo last December that Chicago needed to stabilize the quarterback position. "I haven't talked to Je…

Here's a list of the WR's drafted in rounds 1and 2 since 2004:Bear Picks* 2004 Round 1 Round 2 Larry Fitzgerald Devery Henderson Roy Williams Darius Watts Reggie Williams Keary Colbert Lee Evans Michael Clayton Michael Jenkins Rashaun Woods 2005 Round 1 Round 2 Braylon Edwards Reggie Brown Troy Williamson Mark Bradley* Mike Williams Roscoe Parrish Matt Jones Terrence Murphy Mark Clayton Vincent Jackson Roddy White 2006 Round 1 Round 2 Santonio Holmes Chad Jackson Sinorice Moss …

Hi everyone! Last year's Talkbears mock draft was enjoyable enough for me that I figured WTH, I'll do it again. I'm open to formatting suggestions, but here's a basic outline. Each participant picks a team, or multiple teams if you'd like. From the moment we start, you're the GM. You want to trade picks, you want to bring Cutler to the Bears, whatever you want to do, do it. (2009 picks traded in the 2008 Talkbears Mock Draft do not count ). My goal is to start the draft process on Monday, March 30th, give or take. This gives us a little more time before the draft than we had last year, so we can push it longer if we want, and we won't be in a rush to get…

Now that St. Clair is gone it looks like Omilaye will be the new starting right tackle.

So far, according to either the Times or NFL.com, the Bears have had/will have private workouts with Phil Loadholt (RT, Oklahoma), Hakeem Nicks (WR, North Carolina), and Eben Britton (RT, Arizona). They also really like Herman Johnson (OG, LSU), along with Tampa and San Diego. Just wanted your guys' thoughts on this.

Some people are upset over the Bears about the lack of FA involvement, but with almost everybody locked up long term, we only have so much room before we have to start cutting guys and taking cap hits. I have 45 players I feel are locks for the 53 man, at least 5 draft picks will be on the roster, and I have some tweeners that could go either roster, practice squad, or cut. That pretty much fills the 53 man and as much as I would love to, I think we'd be better off not signing a guy like Tory Holt becasue we need to play Bennett and whoever we draft at 1 or 2. 57 Kreutz, Olin C 72 Buenning, Dan G 67 Beekman, Josh G ~~~~~~~Look to add a RT a…

I like Britton and Oher in the 1st, and each are well discussed, but are there any outside the box options to help our OL? Been speaking w/ a friend, and we were looking at Atlanta. Atlanta tendered two starting OL at 2nd round level. Both are very solid starters, and both are also still young. Harvey Dahl (RG) & Tyson Clabo (RT). Dahl is a solid starting OG. he is 27 and I believe started all year, and was part of Atlanta's solid OL. Clabo is also 27, and I think has started the last two years. But both are solid OL, still young, and w/ starting experience. It would cost a 2nd round pick to get one, but I am not sure there are any RTs I like in the…

Good article. Let's hope he can get Anderson back to his previous playing level. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/be...-bear19.article Peace

Bears | McGarigle to participate on tryout basis Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:36:51 -0700 Brad Biggs, of the Chicago Sun-Times, reports unrestricted free-agent LB Tim McGarigle (Rams) will participate in the Chicago Bears upcoming minicamp on a tryout basis. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bears | C. Cox to participate on tryout basis Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:34:53 -0700 Brad Biggs, of the Chicago Sun-Times, reports unrestricted free-agent SS Curome Cox (Saints) will participate in the Chicago Bears upcoming minicamp on a tryout basis. ------------------------------------------------------------------…

I not only think we need to draft one or two offensive lineman but also we need to think about grabbing one that is a leader to take Olins place a coulpe of years from now. There is no one on the line right now that shows leadership quaities to take Olins place. I think Robinson/OG/ Olk fills that bill. Also as a later round pick OT/ Boone/ OSU is was the leader of there line and 4 year starter. Projects to be a RT as a 3d or 4th round pick. He could fill both roles as a draft pick.

I am surprised no one has mentioned this, or maybe I just missed it, but in an interview which the Trib showed, Bennett flat out said he struggled to learn the playbook, and that held him back. He said he didn't understand the playbook until mid season. Even once you understand the playbook, there is a gap between understanding the plays, and knowing them to the point you can play w/ instinct, rather than thinking about the play the whole time. Most all of us have questioned his absence on the field, but I think this does in fact get Turner off the hook somewhat. Its one thing to look at the failures of our WRs and ask how much worse Bennett could be, but if he di…

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3996780 Vikings sign Holt, PaymahComment Email Print Share Associated Press EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed free-agent wide receiver and kick returner Glenn Holt and unrestricted free-agent cornerback Karl Paymah. NFL.com Video Bengals WR Glenn Holt catches a 10-yd TD filling in for Chad Johnson. Holt is a four-year veteran who led the Cincinnati Bengals in kickoff return yards in each of his three seasons with the team, averaging 24.3 yards per return. In 2008, Holt had 46 returns for 1,110 yards, with five returns greater than 40 yards. He started at wide receiver for the B…

http://www.draftcountdown.com/sub/Mock-Draft-A.php Take best DL/DB available in the 3rd (SS-Byrd)

Today on ESPN1000, Silvy/Waddle were explaining part of the St. Clair situation. They said the Bears offered the 3 yr 4.5 million deal. St. Clair said he was looking for a deal close to 3yr 15 million. The Bears did not budge and said to hit the market to find your value. At Cleveland, they offered him a 3yr 9 million deal which nearly fell apart after the numbers were figured out. I'm thinking St. Clair was trying to get the Bears back involved but Cleveland said take it or leave it. I find that amusing, but can't hate a guy for trying. I'm also relieved Angelo didn't fold b/c I truly want to see the Bears dedicate the next year or two to totaly rebuild the…

Round 1 Hakeem Nicks WR fufills the Bears need to add another playmaker on offense. Round 2 Lawrence Sidbury DE this adds a young fresh talent to be groomed to replace one of the Bears aging DEs and also is the traditional small school pick that JA takes in the 2nd round. Round 3 Phil Loadholt RT this fills a glaring need on the right side of the O-line and gives the Bears a huge Big Cat type player with youth. Round 4 Tyronne Green OG this players stock has been rising since the Senior Bowl and may not be here but if he is he would add some more youth to the interior of the line. Round 5 Drew Willy QB I believe that you should add a QB via the draft…

I see a lot of you are speaking highly about Herman Johnson but he IMO is a project.This is a guy who is 6/7 and over 320 pounds and plays inside.That is not a good fit.He tends to get straightened up to fast and he struggled in one on one drills at the Senior Bowl against Rajii,Brace and Jerry.What do you think would happen when he lines up opposite an Albert Haynesworth or the Williamses at Minn? He is being projected at OT because of his size but honestly he doesn't move that well.His only great distinction right now is that he was the largest baby born in the state of Louisiana at 15 pounds.

Every year the draft has strange twist that are unpredictable. This year I have a feeling that it will be even more strange this year.According to the talking heads OT and WR is going to dominate the first round with about 6 picks each that leaves 20 picks for the other posititons. I believe only two DTs Rajii and Jerry are locks for the first round with Hood and Brace following close behind. At DE Orakpo,Brown,Ayers, and Tyson Jackson should have cards turned in in their name along with "tweeners" English, and Maybin also.That leaves 12 picks.Pencil in Stafford,Sanchez,and Freeman at QB that leaves 9. Aaron Curry,Ray Maleuga,James Laurinatis and Clay Matthews leaves 5.Kn…