bradjock

Oops. I didn't see you posted this already when I started the new thread. I'm not a fan of bringing anyone here who might embarrass the franchise. I want to see how good Greg Olsen & Hester can be before we spend a bunch of money on a potential turd.

Why not add him? Chances are, we need to add two more WR's. We take one in the early rounds, but we still need to add a veteran, probably for cheap. Is Williams better then Brandon Lloyd? Who's better between the two of them?

Agreed completely Big Daddy. With the exception of some embarrassing photos that seemed to have taken place almost immediately after we signed Brian Griese, Orton did nothing but bust his ass for this franchise. The guy has a nack for winning. How many times did he lead us back in the 4th quarter last year? I hate to see him go, but he's no Jay Cutler.

Good points about the draft value. Although that system is totally screwed up right now, at least with the top 10. My view is this: How many more picks would the Bears have had to spend to find a franchise QB? Here's what we've spent the last 10 drafts: (I apologize if someone else has pointed this out, but I haven't seen it.) 1999: Cade McNown--12th overall 2003: Rex Grossman--22nd overall 2004: Craig Krenzel--5th Round, 148th overall 2005: Kyle Orton-4th Round, 106th overall For all that, Orton was the only one we had left, and we weren't very confident with him. In other words, chances are that over the next 10 years, we'd have given up an assload of picks trying to find the next Jay Cutler. Of course ultimately time will tell. If he's our QB for the next 10 years, it was a damn good call.

That's interesting as hell to look back on. Most of us thought Flacco & Forte were taken too high. On hind-sight, neither was taken nearly high enough.

Great article Pix. We're lucky this is a deep draft for WR's where a few quality guys will be available will we pick in the 2nd round (although it still wouldn't surprise me if we went DE with our first pick.) Of the players from last year, one thing the most successful players had in common (Avery, Jackson & Royal) is that they all had damn good QB's getting them the ball. I'm still struggling with the realization that now we have a QB who can actually do that! As for who we take, my guess is we roll the dice a little bit and look for a guy with loads of talent who can stretch the field. Last season we went with more of a "safe" player in Earl Bennett. He has good hands, but he's not that big, that fast, or athletic. Louis Murphy is big, fast and athletic. I could see us taking him.

Turner constantly talks about "stretching the field." The only guy we have who can do that is Hester. Of this list, the only guys who can legitimately do that as far as I'm aware are Matt Jones & DJ Hackett. Jones has issures while Hackett has major injury problems. I'm guessing both of those guys will end up with a one year deal for around the minimum. The unbelievable advantage the Bears have it: 1. For once, we actually have a QB who makes the WR's look better . . . as opposed to "Mushin Moohamish." 2. Our WR's suck so bad, Hackett & Jones are likely better then anybody we have. With Cutler & the upgraded offensive line, Chicago looks like a good place for WR's. Either way, I don't see us spending much on Holt until we figure out what we have. And I sure as hell don't see us giving up a draft pick for a RFA.

Last April Roethlisberger signed an 8 year 102 million $$$ extension with 36 million guaranteed. I'm sure that will be the starting point for what Cutler is looking for. That being said, it wouldn't hurt to wait a year until we start talking about an extension. quote name='nfoligno' date='Apr 2 2009, 07:44 PM' post='61824'] I have to believe we made this deal w/ the intention of keeping him long term, which means a new deal. While he is not due to hit FA for two more years, you gotta bet he wants to be paid. Now we can utilize that huge amount of cap space. It will be very curious to see just how big of a deal he gets, and further will be interesting to see the "bears are cheap" response when we give him a deal for likely $30m guaranteed.

I'm guessing the lesson here is, "Good things come to those who wait." How many on here we pissed we didn't go after Haynesworth? The fact that we had tons of cap-room made this more "do-able." As for the WR's, previously fans have wanted to "over-pay" for over-rated WR's in hopes they'd make our QB's better (Moose & Housh for example). Now it's simply a matter of finding out how Cutler can make a WR even better.

Yeah, but you read the quote and it says, "General manager Jerry Angelo says the team already is discussing scenarios in which it can move up from its 17th spot in the second round to acquire a "bubble first-rounder" early in the second round. Angelo also is open to the possibility of moving down if the round does not break right." I'm sure they discuss "moving up" every year. But I get the feeling the discussions go something like, "If Michael Crabtree is available at the start of round II, I think it'd be worth giving our 2nd and our 7th to move up and get him." With the lack of a #1 next year, I'd say the odds of us moving down a few spots are far more likely then us going up.

With the 49th pick I'd include Paul Kruger from Utah. He's an all-around DE who good at getting to the QB. Also in the 2nd, Derrick Williams is the next best WR you didn't mention. There's a good chance Robiskie & Britt will be gone. Most draft guides have a several safeties projected to go in round 4. That might make sense for the Bears.

1. Don't forget that we played Greg Olsen in the slight sometimes last year. With Des Clark around and Kellen Davis looking like a stud, it wouldn't surprise me if we saw more of that. 2. There's also a ton of pretty good WR's without a home. Matt Jones & D.J. Hackett both have talent, and we could do worse then to bring Brandon Lloyd back. 3. Is there anyone here who doesn't think we'll draft a WR in rounds 2 or 3? Whoever that is will be in the mix.

Come draft day, just breath and remember how you felt yesterday afternoon. Close your eyes and go to your "happy place" because if you want OL, I think you are going to be sick. Damn good point. It is a downer that the next two drafts won't be nearly as meaningful, but it was well worth it (assuming Cutler doesn't suck). I know all the arguments. I have made them myself many times. But step back and take a look at this point. On the OL, you and I can debate the quality day and night, but the fact remains we have added 3 veterans for the OL, including one future HOF player. Meanwhile, look also at the weapons our franchise QB will have to throw to. Hester and Bennett yes, but then what? Then theres the defense, which has not gotten much attention. Last year, top 3 picks were offense, and this year, little done in FA. I think that we will see a WR drafting in either round 3 or 4, and that will be it for offense until the 7th. Agreed with the o-line. We currently have 7 guys on the roster who are either very talented or very proven. I see us going back to only keeping 7 0-lineman on the roster (not counting Mannelly). Beekman & Shafer will back-up and both can play multiple positions. The one thing we have to look at with this trade is that our lack of a #1 pick next year might have an impact with how we draft this year. I'd previously assumed that next year our #1 priority would be DE, with Wale, Idonije, & possibly Mark Anderson all being free agents. DE might be our priority. Then again, the whole point of trading for Cutler was being able to stretch the field. Hester is the only guy we have who can do that & top speed receivers should go quickly. There likely won't be a player like that available by the time we draft at the end of round 3. Last year I felt like we didn't really want Bennett, since he's more of a slot receiver, but we settled for him since everyone else was gone. Due to our lack of high end picks, I no longer see us taking a safety in round #2 unless a top guy falls to us and we go with the "best available." I look for us to take a safety in the 4th or with one of our two fifths.

On paper, adding Plaxico would be the piece that would make the Bears look like the best team in the league. Moves like this leave pre-season prognosticators drooling all over themselves. Yet I would say no to this due to the "Daniel Snyder" effect. What I mean by this, is teams can make the next step by adding a player or two. You never see teams that go crazy with off-season moves and have success. Before we need to spend big money on a WR, we need to find out exactly what we have. How good is Hester, Olsen & Bennett. Statistically they appear to be mediocre, but how damn good were Eddie Royal & Brandon Marshall last season? Either there two of the best WR's in the league, or Cutler made them look one helluva a lot better. Does Marshall go for almost 1300 yards with Kyle Orton? Does Royal approach 1000? Does Brandon Stokely come close to 600? My guess is "hell no." Olsen's a #1 draft pick, Hester a #2, Bennett's a #3. We owe it to them and to ourselves to find out what they can do before we go crazy shopping for WR's.

Well for me personally, we have Nathan Vasher who's a pro-bowler CB. Caleb Hanie who's going to be Tony Romo . . . along with our first round pick, is there any other crap we can throw onto the pile and hope Denver wants? I'd love to see it happen, but it ain't going to happen.

Are Human Growth Hormones a recreational drug? I would literally stake my life, my families lives, and everything I own that the Bears have players who are on HGH. I don't like cocaine use, HGH use, pot use (but I personally find beer to be A-OK.) We know these players are using. We don't care that they're doing drugs, we only care that they get caught and embarrass our team.

The weird thing with that whole story is that it sounded almost like the cop was out to get him from some reason. From what I got, Matt Jones or his friend didn't appear to be doing anything wrong, and the cop siad, "Hey, that's Matt Jones!" and arrested him. I could be missing something on that. We've had players doing far worse. If we think he's cleaned his act up, why the hell not?

I agree with your point about the o-line, but couldn't the EXACT same thing be said about WR??? This screams to me that we've already decided to draft a WR in round #! with hopes that he'll start alongside of Hester. I agree that we've not taken an o-lineman in the 2nd or 3rd rounds since Terrance Metcalf, but who says we won't this year? If we're committed to WR at #18, why not draft a guard in round 2 or 3? That'd make more sense from a talent stand-point, we'd still be building the line, and we'd still have a need for Pace. Granted, I'm using my crystal ball and making a lot of predictions. But here's what it comes down for me: Does signing Orlando Pace to play RT make our o-line significantly better for the 2009 season? If it does, then hell yes we sign him.

Matt Jones broke his parole by drinking beer at a golf course. Sure, they could go hard on him, but somehow I think he'll get off easy on this one. He didn't do anything illegal he just embarrassed his team. My guess is 6 games maximum. We spent 16 games waiting for Earl Bennett to learn the damn playbook. Matt Jones is 25 and was just starting to develop. Is it really that much of a risk.

How many cornerbacks do we need? Peanut, Vasher, Corey Graham . . . I'm guessing that if we sign Lucas we'll move Dannieal Manning back to FS. Maybe move Vasher to nickel back? What is our infatuation with Carolina players? Ricky Manning Jr., Dante Wesley, Frank Amiyale . . . It seems like when a player comes to Halas Hall it's in the fairly serious stage of negotations.

That's interesting as hell. How many players have we physically brought to Hallas Hall??? Questions this raises: 1. Does Chris Williams suck??? The article mention Pace can no longer play LT, but I wonder. 2. Are we definitely going WR in round #1??? I find it odd that we haven't brought in any WR's, like Holt. 3. Are we really convinced Amiyale will be great at LG? Looking at Pace tells me the answer is yes. 4. Are we not thrilled about Eben Britton? That'd be a "no." Interesting.

Good question about the suspension time. I don't recall Cedric ever being suspended. It's possible Matt Jones could be suspended, but the only violation I'm aware of is that he was drinking beer, thus violating his parole. He wasn't being disruptive, he didn't beat up his body guard or a nerd at Denny's, he wasn't even drinking and driving. He was drinking beer. My guess is if he's suspended it won't be for long.

IMO we don't have a problem with players who have "minor" off the field problems. Dusty Dvoracek beat his buddy into a coma in college, Brandon Lloyd was considered an ass, Brian Griese was a drunk, Moose had been arrested . . . I could go on. What gets players dumped is when the head-line reads, "Chicago Bear running back Cedric Benson was arrested again today . . . " It's a lot better when the head-line read, "Cincinati signs former #4 overall draft-pick for the veteran minimum." We'd never go after TO or Michael Vick. Their issues become bigger then the team itself, and that's counterproductive. Matt Jones was caught snorting cocaine. To me that's not any worse then injecting your body with human growth hormones in order to enhance your production on the football field. (I'd guess that at least 1/2 the NFL uses HGH . . . compare today's NFL with 20 years ago. Something ain't right.) Chances are Matt Jones will sign a one year deal for the minimum. I'm hoping the Bears are one of the teams he gets to choose from.

Last season Matt "Cocaine" Jones caught for 761 yards in 12 games. That's pretty damn good. The guy is 6'6, damn good speed, and he's a former #1 pick. Hell, wouldn't he instantly be the best WR on the roster? He was dumped after being arrested for cocaine & later drank beer at a golf course. As far as I know he's never been an ass-bag in the locker room (thanks Cedric). He's had relatively minor problems, and I'm sure Lovie has already forgiven him. Not to mention he's only 25. Most importantly, signing him would give us true flexibility on draft day. We'd have legitimate starters at every position and could truly operate with the intent of drafting the best player available.

That is one helluva a memory. Either way, it's a nice pick-up for the money, and it gives us lots of flexibility in the draft.