'TD'

I think the information is wrong. I can't find it anywhere else, and the guys on Bears all Access on the SCORE was using the March 12th date tonight.

Forte is one of my favorite Bears. I think he may just be the best player on the team. That said, the Bears aren't winning the Super Bowl this year, it's the last year of his deal, and he's old for a RB. I wouldn't be upset if they decided to move on.

Hub has been on the get rid of Marshall train since day one. He and Bernstien have been leading the march.

Do you remember who exactly broke this? I'd like to read the details, but it's hard to find because of all the articles on the Bears not committing to Cutler.

If there is as much interest in him as reported, there has to be a trade market for Cutler.

I think any kind of pay cut/restructure is out of the window. There is no positioning needed if they just want to convert to bonus like they did last year, and Cutler has too much money guaranteed to want to change his contract. He will be paid well if he stays, cut, or traded. But I am convinced that Fox and Pace know exactly what they are doing with Cutler. I think getting to know Cutler is just setting the course of the path they are heading. The big question is where does that path lead? -Is it a way to appease fans that they talked, on the same boat, and things will be different this time? -Is it to stall on a commitment to Cutler until they ultimately trade him? -Is it a way to say that they had different visions, and decide to part ways via cut? I think cutting him is out of the picture now. Getting to know Cutler doesn't fit the cutting narrative like it does keeping or trading him. I think they would have stuck with only saying they are evaluating him if that was the case. I honestly have no idea what they will do at this point.

I think that is the first time ever I've been accused of kool aid drinking here, awesome!! Zaidman already had the narrative in his mind, and to him Fox and Pace's comments confirmed it. I took the same comments as they were willing to commit publicly to the idea of them being back, in comparison to their comments on Cutler and Marshall. If anything definite can be said, it's that Fox and Pace are obviously on the same page and they very talented at making people think they said something when they said nothing at all.

He may be right, but he was going off his perception instead of facts and I don't trust Zaidman's perception. Both Pace and Fox referred to their history as Bears and such. Zaidman takes it as trying to address their situation better than what happened with the Bears and Urlacher. I didn't come away with that. It felt more of a positive, and a willingness to consider bringing them back.

The score is going to have Pace's presser in full at noon (10 minutes).

He doesn't give away much, but I like to see him talk. There definitely seemed to be an interest in bringing Tillman and Briggs back.

McCown does have a good rapport with the roster, and familiar with the city. It make sense for him to come to Chicago on both the team's and his own sides.

I absolutely love he coaching staff. I just think there was a lot of luck involved in getting them, which the Bears could use.

I don't think they had many options left on the table. Gase and Fangio were held hostage by San Fran. They had a verbal agreement with Gase to be a head coach and Fangio wasn't allowed to interview with other teams. By the time San Fran made their move to Tomsula, both coaches were left with few options. If they wanted to coach this year, the Bears were one of the few guaranteed jobs for the coaches. I'm not sure it says much about the Bears ability to turn it around. It just says the Bears and familiarity with John Fox is a better option than Jacksonville for Gase, and the job security with the Bears situation is more appealing for Fangio than the Skins situation with Gruden.

That's how i took it, but I didn't get in a debate over semantics. Build the team so you can get BPA in the draft and FA eventually.

I think people were going crazy about Bostic because of the hits he laid down. When he's not laying hits, he's been a bad football player. I'm not sure it is completely Coaching, as other guys like Jones and Sharpton came out not looking bad compared to their expectations.

I understand what you mean now, I could see the Bears definitely be bringing in another RB. Pace's saints have a history of finding decent RB after RB for their team. No doubt he will be looking at the position, especially considering Forte's age and being the last year of his contract. I'm not particularly high on Gase's/Fox's ability to gauge the talent of the RB's once they are on the roster. The Broncos almost were in reverse in their RB order last year. Everytime someone got hurt, the next guy in was a lot better. Ball played some what poor, then hillman did pretty well, but then finally CJ Anderson was amazing. I just don't buy into the Marshall thing, and that players can't stand him. I am sure there are some that can't like Gould, but I would guess the reports are blown up a little. I would much rather see DLP also. I just don't think he has many ties with Chicago as he hasn't been here long, and he basically followed Kromer here. Pace was over the pro player personnel during his tenure, and the team let him move on in free agency. That's the main reason I don't think it's a given he will be back. I could see them getting Long to LT in the future, I just don't see them moving him out to the blindside right away. He has dreamed of being a T, and should have a little pull with his high level of play so far at guard. I could see them giving him a shot at RT to see how he does, and maybe move out to LT in 2016 if he excels at RT this year.

I actually disagree with a lot of what you said. I'll skip QB so the thread doesn't get hi-jacked with another discussion there. -I absolutely don't think Forte will be turned into a 3rd down back. He is the best player on the offense. -I agree they may draft a WR, but I think Marshall has a solid Future, and could play at an extremely high level for the next 5 years with the Bears. -I think at most, they kick out Long to RT, I can't see him getting the start at LT without experience. -Fox values veterans, and I don't see Garza getting cut. -DLP will may choose to follow Kromer to Buffalo. I don't think it's a given he will be back.

Hyde has been behind Gore, so don't count him out. Elliot is a major reason they won the national championship despite going through 3 QB's. I think it's an awesome pick up, and if they don't translate to NFL talent that makes him even better considering what they were able to accomplish without NFL talent. I love the addition.

I won't comment, because my answer is obvious. Personally, I would like to see the Bears draft at 7 this year for once and get a top guy for once. I'm no expert on this years draft class, so I'm not sure if it's advantages to have their 2 1st vs. the Bears 1st and 2nd in this draft. If the trade was made, Cutler would basically have the value of one of their fourth round picks. The Browns have the 12th and 16th in the fourth. Would you prefer a trade down that was proposed, or to stay with the Bears picks and get the Browns 12th pick in the fourth? Edit: I left Manziel out, as I don't see the Browns getting rid of him this year. It just doesn't seem advantageous to give up on him. If it's that bad that they are willing, then he probably has no value anyways.

The true GOAT

This is kind of off where the subject has traveled, but relevant to the original topic. Another option with Cutler I forgot to mention is to give him the June 1st designation and cut him before March 13th. It would put his cap hit this year at his current cap hit ($16.5 million) minus his new salary. Likely, his hit would go down to at least $13-$15 million for this year. The June first designation would push $3 million in dead cap money to 2016.

I didn't include the replacement, as it is hard to assess. Claussen isn't under contract. I don't think Fales will be retained under the new regime, if he is, I can't see him as Cutler's only back up. Draft picks money is already set aside. No matter who gets picked in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, whatever, they will be paying that money no matter what. So the rookies money is irrelevant. The question then is, do the Bears bring in a veteran to back up Cutler if he is retained? If so, what quality of back up will he bring in? I think at most, a veteran brought in to compete will be in the Kyle Orton range of $5 million. If the Bears go for a back up that was similar to Claussen this year, we are looking at less than a million. So we are talking no difference to $5 million a year difference in the previous cap hole. I think it will be in the middle and not much of a difference. Because the money matters. Jeffery counts as $1.5 million against the cap this year and it's his last year. He'll be looking for a pretty hefty contract this yea, his number will likely go up to over $10 million a year next year. Kyle Long counts $2.4 million against the cap this year and will likely go up to the 9 million range after next year. Those alone offset most of the Allen and Forte contracts, and as the cap goes up so does the cost of new contracts. More money means the better the players you can bring in, and the more that you can bring in.

Well he gets paid, but I am talking to cap space used over the next 3 years. This year there is at least a $16.5 money hole. 2 Years and the money hole has grown to between $29.5(cut)-$41.5 million(retained). 3 years and your money hole is between $41.5(cut) to $46.5(retained).

The money hole gets bigger, which is my whole point. You'll likely see the continue through 2016 and 2017 if it's not plugged in 2015. I don't see any coach being able "turn him around" in his 10th year at age 32.

I really don't hate Cutler. I laughed when he was on the league. But yes, we are far off. I see no possible way that ALL the holes can be filled this year, or even close to it. There are just too many needs at starter. I think the team has good depth players but needs 2 safeties, a starting CB, 3 starting linebackers, a DE, likely a fat guy in the middle, one starting offensive lineman, a speed WR, a KR, and of course a QB. I can't see that being done this year, and some ppl on this team can fill those slots. As of now, I still see those as needs. A team can pull Tim Tebow out of retirement and win. That doesn't mean you keep a QB that lead the league in turn overs 2 of 6 years, and mortgage $10 million of cap space in the future. I just think it would be easier to win with the unknown replacement QB and the players you can bring in with $10 million plus in 2016.