balta1701-A

So...if this winds up even moderately affecting the Bears...failing to do due diligence before this signing ought to be a firing offense for the management.

I have to justify why 1 hit happened? And after 2/5 of the starting oline was out for the year?

Guys, can we avoid the name calling? Don't make me come back there...

Frankly, I thought Cutler had plenty of time except for the games that Omiyale was in there, and it wasn't because of Cutler stepping up. I actually thought Cutler was holding the ball way too long and that a number of his sacks, except for the games with Omiyale, were on him holding it for way too long...which I would almost call a coverage sack...which is the kind of thing that happens when WR can't get open.

But seriously, if you spend another high draft pick or two on the OLine...then you're still going to be just talking about the O-Line on promise! It literally doesn't change anything except benches one promising young player for another. And Personally, I find it ridiculous after all the low round picks we've seen have success in the NFL that people are judging 2nd and 3rd year players based on where they were drafted. I mean, pick your example, there's dozens of UDFA's who wind up as major successes, and a bunch more show up every year.

A couple points in reply. Webb is, IMO, already at least an average LT. But if we simply want to go after "tools" here, he has above average LT tools. The thing that keeps him from being an above average LT right now is that he commits too many penalties. Too many holds and too many false starts...but that means that he has it in him to become an above average LT simply by learning the game more. Secondly...you ask for the team to commit to developing O-Line by looking long term. I hate to say it...but this is exactly the Offensive line the Bears have right now, a number of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year guys, with a veteran center between them. Yet, by drafting another O-Lineman and benching one of the current group, you're essentially demanding a full restart to the process of developing that line, and you're doing it during the last year or two when Peppers and Urlacher will be major contributors. Third...can you legitimately establish for me based on someone's stats that Webb has given up an anomalously high number of sacks/hits this season? I've searched around for the stats and I don't see them. Last year, he was one of the worst OLineman in football...this year my estimation is he's been solid.

Really, no. I wanted a first round O-Lineman drafted last year, and I got one. I might well be in the boat of wanting another O-Lineman this year had it not been for the emergence of Louis as a legit option at RG.

If the Bears decide they have any money to spend in the FA market (after hopefully adding some depth at a couple spots), I'd really like them to fill 1 of those 2 roles, either DE or WR, in the FA market. I wouldn't expect a 2nd rounder to come in and be ready to take the reins at either position unless you got an absolute score.

So, you give 4 competent O-Linemen when Carimi and C. Williams are healthy. That basically means your entire problem with the O-Line is Webb right now. I'll admit, Webb is not the best lineman in the league, but he is no where near bad enough that he should be replaced by a rookie. We already had one person in this thread go after him because he was a 7th round pick and ignore the fact that he's played fairly well this season. Webb is still a work in progress, everyone will admit that. IMO, the biggest thing he needs to do is cut down on the penalties...he's actually done a fairly good job of being an effective blocker this year. The penalties have hurt, but that is the kind of thing that you're not going to improve upon by replacing the guy with a rookie. Quite simply, I don't see that any of the proposed setups people have offered here will provide a substantial upgrade over Webb, and I think he's going to keep getting better the longer he plays; he's already playing leaps and bounds above last season and that was with the lockout in place. This Bears O-Line never had Carimi all year, and aside from the games where Omiyale started, Cutler had time to throw and the RB's had exceptional holes. Webb's guy in particular often does little damage: he has Jared Allen's number for some reason. I understand you've been a bit down on Louis because he hasn't been there the last couple weeks, but that's also while playing out of position.

I could see drafting a 3rd round O-Lineman this year if there's one that the team's scouts really like, but if you're not drafting a starter, then it's a mistake to spend your first round pick on an O-Lineman. You spend a first or 2nd rounder on O-Line, you better be getting a guy who is penciling into your Line on day 1. Even if he needs some time to develop, there needs to be a spot for him. The biggest need, IMO, is not to protect Cutler, the Bears have invested a ton of assets in that. I don't care whether a guy is a 7th round pick or a converted TE if he's played like a starting NFL Offensive lineman this year, and those 2 have done exactly that. The Bears' biggest need right now is for someone who Cutler can reliably throw to, and I'm going to be saying that the whole offseason. It will speed the offense up if Cutler has a target who is reliably open or able to make plays quickly, and it will give him a quick out option when the opposition Blitzes that he currently doesn't have. Should the Bears address that need in FA, then I would actually put the first and 2nd round picks onto the defensive side of the ball. #1 need is a WR, however it is addressed. The O-Line needs depth, but it has a good set of 5-6 capable starters. What it is missing is a backup LT, because Omiyale is in that role currently and he doesn't belong on the practice squad, let alone ever getting a start. That's the kind of position I think you can fill with either a late round pick or with a $2 million, Chris Spencer level signing on the free agent market.

Weird thing though is...Cutler hasn't really been hurt by the offensive line or Martz's playcalling, at least in the injuries that cost him the "end of the last 2 seasons". This season was by all accounts as much of a fluke injury as you could get. Last year's injury maybe, maybe you could blame that on the O-line, but we can't even seem to agree on when it happened. The only O-Line injury Cutler has really taken was that concussion that cost him the Carolina game last year. You're right on the "Mad Martz" game every year being a problem, Giants last year, Detroit this year. That def. needs to stop. But a different OC might well put Cutler at greater risk, if you're rolling him out and using his legs more, he's probably set up to take quite a few bigger hits in that way.

"Backup QB" is one of their needs. I look for starters in the first or second round, I look for depth in 3-5. QB is a position where the Bears need depth. If they can find a guy they like on the FA market, I have no complaints about filling the position that way, but similarly, there are needs that the FA money can be spent on as well.

If you're looking at how this season turned out and thinking anything other than "Jay Cutler is perhaps the most underrated player in the NFL", I have no idea what you've been watching.

Garza was just signed to a 2 year extension and you've benched Louis, who was the Bears best O-lineman for the first 1/2 of the season when he was playing Guard. This is why I don't like taking an O-Lineman in the first or 2nd round this year.

Which offensive lineman from the Bears current group is going to be benched in favor of a rookie?

The fact that McNabb can't even hang on in front of Ponder and can't get anyone in the league interested in him any more should tell you everything you need to know about him.

I have no problem with maintaining the same system going forward for the next year, given how decimated this offense is...the stability will be good for everyone. If someone is grabbed by another team (Tice being the most likely candidate), then I wouldn't complain.

"Vet backups" aren't always the solution, especially if you're in competition with teams who are seeking the same guys as starters. If you can steal a guy like Orton at a good price, go ahead, but it's also worth looking to address that spot in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft if you can find someone you like. That also has the possible benefit of giving you a valuable trade chip in 2-3 years if the guy develops well (which of course also means keeping him in the same system for a while).

I think that the Bears are basically set on "Starting level O-Linemen". Webb, C. Williams, Garza, Louis, and Carimi is a very solid line setup with a ton of youth and athleticism, and they're only going to get better with time. The Bears do have a need for an extra backup tackle, since moving Louis outside is only a stopgap and Omifail should never, ever, ever play in the NFL again. Finding a better OL than any of those guys would take a major investment and I'm not sure you'll find that on the FA market anyway. Very few teams would be able to overcome losing 2 starting O-Linemen for the season, and the Bears shouldn't be any different in that regard; they just need extra depth at the tackle spot and to remove Omiyale. The Bears are pretty darn desperate for a top talent receiver, even if he takes a while to grow into the system. Bennett looks like a solid second option, and guys like Knox and Hester can fill a role, but they can't be counted on as top flight guys. That's the Bears' biggest need this offseason, aside from "having guys get healthy again".

I'd say that football 101 is that a game is not won in 1 play, but it can fairly easily be lost in 1 play. You change the results of 1 of those 2 Barber plays, and you change the result of this game.

It saved them basically 44 seconds.

2 plays.

A Paea sighting!

Let's be clear again...that is only true if you don't count Jay Cutler. If you want to look at it a different way, the Bears have spent their last 5 first round draft picks on the offensive side of the ball, going all the way back to the 2007 draft of Olsen. 1 TE, 2 O-Linemen, and 1 QB which cost 2 picks, in addition to other high picks like Knox, Bennett, and Forte while they were at it. Hell, you can go back further and even add in Benson to that list.

By doing what, giving up 0 points?