AZ54

Rex has the arm strength and experience to settle in as a backup QB in this league for years. At some point he may even end up a starter way down the road and play well. We've seen this happen before with other QBs...Doug Flutie comes to mind for one.

Why do the Cards need a RB? They have Hightower and drafted Beanie Wells, who looked very good against the Packers. I wouldn't be surprised to see us pick up a RB, nor will I be surprised if we just settle with AP and Wolfe. Either way you can bet there will be at least one if not two RB added to our practice squad.

As far as Hood goes I look at it this way, Hood is a veteran who's been in the league long enough to understand different coverage techniques. I didn't see the game but I assume we were pretty basic against Cleveland. Despite that, and despite the fact that Hood has practiced against all those Cleveland guys for several weeks, he still didn't play well last night. That isn't a good sign. I too felt he was better than McBride but Lovie doesn't agree with me but he has more info than I have so we go with it.

Wait til you see 4 WR with Knox, Hester, and DA who is another sub 4.4 WR. For kicks let's go with an empty backfield and put Olsen out there too, he can either stay in and pass protect or run a pass route. I like the idea of keeping him in pass protection and let the fast guys run around a bit and see what Cutler finds.

Hood makes the team, McBride cut and replaced by DJ Moore at the bottom of the CB depth chart. The Bears give Moore one year to learn how to be a pro. I'd like to see Turrene on the practice squad.

I take the surprise and keep Malast and put Freeman on the practice squad.

I like Manning a lot at Nickel and I like what I've seen from the Payne/AFalava combo. I know both are young but in total I think this gets our best combo of players on the field at the same time. I think this has become more likely as Tillman's return is a bit in question. I'd rather give Tillman another week or two to fully heal up and get ready rather than lose him for the year because he came back to soon. That means we put Manning at nickel and Graham at CB along with Bowman. Vasher becomes one very expensive backup. When Tillman returns we have Graham as backup nickel or CB and Vasher behind him. Manning remains first backup at safety.

I think Malast is making things very difficult on Hunter. We have good depth and experience now with Pisa, Roach, and Williams. I won't be surprised at all to the see the Bears go with youth here and keep Malast. I expect Freeman to get on the practice squad. I disagree with the Dline because I think Melton goes on the practice squad. He's too raw to be ready this year and I highly doubt anyone would think enough of him to put him on their active roster. In his place we keep Gaines who has proven he can block and make big catches for us. Davis gets cut and Rideau finally makes the roster. Knox and Iglesias both make roster too. Running back: AP is cut and McClover takes his roster spot.

If Basanez is eligible for practice squad I believe that's where he'll end up. If not I still think there's a good chance the Bears cut him anyway.

Why now? I'd understand if someone was seriously injured but this would make no sense now.

Davis had no receptions tonight. Was he even on the field? As far as special teams he's been reduced to nothing more than a cover guy because of Knox doing KR/PR. I think after tonight Knox secured his spot on the roster. Davis has done the kick coverage role well this preseason but is that really enough to keep him on the roster? As I scrolled through the play by play on nfl.com I noticed Knox making the opening kick off tackle. I think that might be the end of Rashied Davis. I'm not trying to say one tackle is the difference but Knox has the arrow pointing up in a big way and he should only get better on special teams coverage. Point is this reduces one of the main reasons for keeping Davis. As far as receiving is concerned I think Rideau has surpassed Davis here too. Rideau has been in our offense long enough to know the system too so game experience goes to Davis but knowing the offense should be closer to being even although I'd still give an edge to Davis. Rideau has a nice size advantage over Davis and that's something we need on our roster. I won't be surprised if Davis sticks but at this point I say he's gone.

I'm a believer that you are what your record says you are, mistakes included.

Thanks. It won't be long before someone posts that AP is a better pass blocker. Wolfe is a far better special teams tackler and can return kicks. He's also more capable of providing big plays. I think he sticks as our #3 RB.

While I'm a fan of AP I've also been stating that his time with the Bears is over. All the Wolfe bashers are always saying how he doesn't bring anything to the table, nothing more than AP. I'm waiting for the end of the preseason to put together a post to compare their stats. If someone doesn't beat me to it I'll do it this weekend. Based on what I've seen in each game I think the stats for Wolfe have been either better or comparable to AP but I want to see it all together to compare. I know this, Wolfe has more KR yards than AP.

I don't think there's any doubt he makes this team. Dual threat at PR/KR and WR. He'd never stay on the practice squad after tonight, some team would at least pick him up to be their PR/KR.

Manginious has an ego problem and I totally agree that the Belichick disciples don't know how to apply his tough love tactics. Belichick himself didn't know how when he was in Cleveland. I like it because it's entertaining.

Ahh, adjustments. When do we get them?

Funny as hell!

We're going to agree to disagree here. My years of experience (lol) have shown me that these types of major organizational changes don't happen in a vacuum. Job interviews for head coaches last for hours and include at least two or three separate interview sessions. IMO there is no way Bowlen doesn't ask McDaniels what he thinks about the current players on the team and in particular how Cutler fits into his offensive scheme. I also believe the subject of his success in New England with Cassel was a part of the discussion. It might be one of the reasons he got the job. IMO all of these questions would be likely during an interview: "How did you develop Cassel to have such a successful season after sitting on the bench for years?" "Do you think Cassel can be a franchise QB?" "What do you think are New England's plans for Cassel this offseason?" "Would you be interested?" Part 2 of this equation is that Cutler had a conversation with Bowlen after Shanahan was fired. I can't imagine that being about anything other that the future direction of the team and likely included where he (Cutler) fit in with the long term plan. That's a typical question whenever a new manager is brought into a company, everybody wants to know where they fit in, or if they do. Even though McDaniels hadn't been interviewed or hired yet it's totally logical for Cutler to have asked Bowlen where he felt he fit in. I'll admit your scenario is a possibility I just view it as remotely likely. Flip it around and approach it from your angle and say McDaniels suprised Bowlen after being hired by stating he wanted to pursue the trade for Cassel. That would mean McDaniels said in the interview that he liked Cutler and could run his offense effectively with him. For McDaniels to come back just a couple months later and change his mind and ask the owner for permission to trade his franchise QB would take some balls. He'd be going to his new boss and telling him he either lied to him or didn't know what he was doing when he said in the interview that he liked Cutler. Keep in mind that decision would be made without even working with Culter on the field much less in the film room. That would be a major violation of trust and confidence if it hadn't been discussed before. Bowlen would realize immediately that if the deal fell through and became public knowledge that he risked alienating Cutler. I don't believe in coddling players, or any employee but you don't alienate a key performer and make them feel like they don't have a future with your organization. Like you said, head coaches come and go but franchise QBs are really hard to find. I believe Bowlen knows that and that's why I feel this was all part of the conversation in the interview. I just can't see Bowlen agreeing to the trade after having an agrement with his new coach they'd go forward with Cutler.

Ouch, I couldn't imagine that being as bad as that. The problem for him is that this is not good for his throwing hand. I know from experience that bad finger sprains don't go away quickly and affect my basketball shooting for several weeks. He must need a few weeks to get back to normal but even then it's likely going to affect his passes. It's a good thing he's a dink and dunk passer in a dink and dunk offense.

I'd much rather have Hood than McBride. We'll lose a bit on special teams coverage but maybe this is why McClover was brought back? Hood is more physical than McBride and can make some good plays. He's also inconsistent and makes some bad plays. As opposed to McBride who doesn't make any plays that's an upgrade.

Lost in all this is the point that our TEs are open, a lot! I realize our WR aren't getting open as often as we'd like (myself included) but I don't care how we move the football. If a D is giving us open TEs for 20 yards gains then I'll take it all night long. At some point teams are going to have to address this or Greg Olsen will beat them. That's one thing (among many) I like about what Cutler has done the last two games, he's spreading the ball around. While our WR might not be in the top half of the league, we have so many weapons and a QB who knows how to use them all over the field. It'll be reception by committee this year but I think it will work just fine. Hopefully by the second half of the season a WR or two have become more consistent threats for Cutler.

It's total BS to allude to that fact that this cheapshot block was the tacklers fault for moving too slowly.

Total bullshit and I'd be fining him big time. For a veteran player to do a cheapshot like this during a preseason game is really messed up. If I were on that D I'd have been taking a penalty for a late hit on Favre to makeup for it. A message needs to be sent around the league on this because a lot of teams are going to line up in wildcat formations. Not to mention all the Crowton WR screens we see.

Pass