Bearstalk

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Today marks the beginning of a regular feature on ChicagoBears.com. Senior writer Larry Mayer will sit down with general manager Jerry Angelo to discuss the most pressing issues involving the Bears on the first and third Wednesdays of each month during the offseason and every Wednesday throughout the season. This unique feature will provide you with inside information directly from Jerry that you can’t get anywhere else. Jerry will candidly discuss relevant issues affecting the Bears that avid fans are most interested in. We hope you enjoy the first installment. LM: After the 2008 season ended, you said that you believed in Kyle Orton an…

Now that I've started to look at the draft more closely, I wanted to get some reaction to those who watched more college football than I did regarding a couple players who seem to fit what the Bears might want, but who I haven't heard mentioned much on this board: Max Unger, OL, Oregon - Started for four years, beginning at LT and finishing at center and can probably play every position on the line. Looking at his measurables and combine performance, I can't help but be reminded of Branden Albert last year, who played OG but everyone projected could play LT. Unger seems to offer the same ability, except you KNOW he can play OT. I keep seeing him go in the last first,…

Chris Simms is signing with Denver, as per PFT. He wouldn't have been great, but I liked the idea of having him as a back-up, and I really don't think we'll spend the money for Leftwich. Khalif Barnes is meeting with Oakland. He's the last tackle available who'd be an upgrade over St. Clair. (At least he's still in the mix . . . ) Jermaine Phillips, the top safety available, is meeting with the Chargers & Seahawks. I just view back-up QB, safety, WR, and o-line as MAJOR problems we need to address in the draft AND free agency. We're so damn thin we need two of each position. My optimism is fading fast.

Okay, this is not a complain thread. There are plenty of those which I have plenty of comments on. My question is this. We have about $34m in cap space. It was reported to be around $30m, then it was reported the cap went up another $4m for all teams, thus $34m. Each year, we spend close to our entire cap allowance, if not the full amount. That doesn't mean we use it all up loading up on FAs, but on paper, we do use up all our space. This year, we simply do not have the in-house players really due to be extended, which has used up a ton of our cap space in recent years. So where are we going to use our $34m? While we have seen a slow start, I would assume we …

I just got off the phone with Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan from Moving The Chains. A few callers before a guy named Super Bowl Shuffle was talking to them about the criticisms Jerry Angelo receives. They said that Jerry told them there was a situation happening he couldnt do anything about because of a lack of cash. Ha wasn't given permission to spend the cash needed to make a move he said, quoting the hosts, "made him sick in the stomach." Saying that it was something they could really have use to help the team. Not sure if this is about Cutler, Cassel, Houshmanzadeh or possibley an OL. It sounds as though he is frsutrated by it and said that his comments about Craig St…

Does anyone else here think its possible that we may try to somehow acquire first day picks from someone, saving our cap space for this year on first day rookie deals and the potential need to re-up Orton? It seems rather odd that we dont appear to be using any of the cap space, and I dont see anyone on the new contract list other than the potential for Orton to get one. Other guys who appear to be in last years of deals are Mark Anderson, Dusty, AP, Ogunleye and Daniel Manning. If it IS possible...or you think it could be...who could we move on draft day to get picks in the 1st 2nd or 3rd rounds? I personally cant think of anyone we could offload of value oth…

Okay, conspiracy theory in me here. Some years back, Angelo had a coach he didn't want. At that time, think back on how active we were in FA. Something between little and nothing was added in FA. Angelo did VERY little to upgrade this team during that time, and it showed in how weak our personnel was. Then Jauron is gone, and he gets the coach he wants in Lovie. Nearly immediately, he begins to be a player in FA. We then see him making some big moves like adding Tait, Wale and Moose, among others. Now look at this offseaosn. It starts out w/ all the talk from Lovie indicating he believes the team has the talent, and only coaching has held them b…

1. Angelo said he expected to make no immediate splash. I can understand why some considered this to be a smoke-screen, but I bought it. 2. When was the last time we EVER signed a significant player on free agent weekend that wasn't our own??? I'm thinking Thomas Jones in 2004. So it's been 5 years since it's happened. Other guys like Moose we're signed before free agency, and other players we signed, in most cases, weeks after it began. This includes: Tait, Fred Miller, Reuben Brown, Brian Griese, Brandon Lloyd, RMJ, Kevin Jones . . . We also, much later in each case, traded for guys like Archuletta, Darwin Walker, and Wale. Am I forgetting any…

As per PFT, Housh signed with Seattle for 5 years, 40 million, with 15 guaranteed. Not to far off from Berrian's 6 year, 43.5 million deal with 16 guaranteed. Nate Washington signed with Tennessee, but I haven't seen the numbers. Hopefully, he cost a lot since I'll be pissed if they got him for a "reasonable" amount. Those two guys were considered the top two UFA available (not counting Marvin Harrison). It doesn't surprise me we went after them, since I think we really want to give Hester, Bennett, and Olsen a continued chance to develop. I include Olsen in that group, since he plays the WR spot at times, and we'll look to focus on him more and more in ou…

...isn't it? To read all the KFFL, PFT, etc. blurbs about guys visiting teams and not see the Bears mentioned once? I just wish JA would show a bit more movement. We do have holes and there are players out there that can help. My gosh, are we painting ourselves into acorner for the draft or what?

Williams, Beunning , Kruetz,Omiyale,St.Clair

Among the most often pointed out issues involving ANY team now trying to make a play for Cuter, it is pointed out that no one has Cassel to offer Denver, which was the key in this. It is less about the new staff disliking Cuter, and more about their simply really wanting Cassel. However, Cuter wants out now, and we have all seen what can happen to a team when one of its star players begins going to the media and saying he wants nothing to do w/ that team. Well, as it has been pointed out, we have no Cassel to offer. Further, Denver, if they trade Cutler, has nothing in depth to replace him. Further still, Denver is not assured of getting one of the top QBs in the…

Bengals | Grossman to visit Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:12:57 -0800 Joe Reedy, of The Cincinnati Enquirer, reports unrestricted free-agent QB Rex Grossman (Bears) said during a radio interview that he will meet with the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday, March 5. Here's some news for the guys with the kffl ticker blues.

1. Wouldn't you just love to know how many offers the Bears have out?? Anybody think that Omiyale is the only guy we called at midnight last Friday? 2. I'm guessing Sharper's agent leaked the info the Bears showed interest. Telling a Minnesota newspaper a division rival wants to sign Sharper, might up the Vikings offer. For all we know, the Bears are only offering him the veteran minimum. Technically, we'd still have interest in him, but not much. 3. I suspect Angelo makes an offer for a guy and does not waver much. Last year we saw this with Briggs & Berrian where the offers did not change. Hell, we probably could have gotten Briggs to take less …

1. Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi 2. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers 3. Sherrod Martin, FS, Troy 3. Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn 4. Phillip Hunt, DE, Houston 5. Marko Mitchell, WR, Nevada 6. Londen Fryar, CB, Western Michigan 7. David Veikune, DE, Hawaii 7. Russell Allen, OLB, San Diego State Thoughts?

Jones has suitors but wants to stay with Bears Recommend (4) Comments March 1, 2009 BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com Kevin Jones never used his knee as an excuse last season, but he was eight months removed from surgery to repair a torn right anterior cruciate ligament when the season began. Now the running back is ready to show what kind of player he still is five years after being a first-round pick of the Detroit Lions. RELATED STORIES No reaching for the stars ''This is Kevin Jones' comeback year,'' Jones said Saturday from Blacksburg, Va., where he was visiting former college teammates at Virginia Tech. ''Whatever opportunity I get, it'…

Per ESPN, Jason Taylor was just released by the Redskins. He was injured last year and only started eight games. I think he would be worth a couple years depending on what he is looking for. What do you guys think?

The Denver Broncos may have seriously damaged their relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler. A source close to the situation confirmed the Broncos were trying to acquire quarterback Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots by dangling Cutler, their Pro Bowl quarterback. The trade talk infuriated Cutler, who now wants to leave the Broncos. The source said the proposed trade was a three-way deal that would have sent Cassel to Denver to reunite with former Patriots offensive coordinator and new Denver head coach Josh McDaniels, Cutler to Tampa Bay and compensation from Tampa Bay to New England. Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel were traded Saturday to D…

PFT just announced the Detroit Lions signed Bryant Johnson for 3 years 9 million. Yesterday, David Haugh reported Johnson was a guy the Bears might be interested in. So he's off the board. T.J. Housh is flying to Minnesota today or tomorrow to talk with them. How damn good will that offense be if they can sign him? Meanwhile the Bears, who have the worst group of receivers in the NFC North (or possibly in the league for that matter) don't appear to be interested in bringing anyone in. In Angelo's defense, getting rid of Engram helped pave the way for Booker. And in 2006, I was screaming for the Bears to sign a #2 WR, and not doing so helped open up the…

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