nfoligno

Not the same Jason, Mendenhal is the 2nd rated RB (some would argue Stewart). Brohm the 2nd rated QB (seen some argue Henne). But that does not mean the two have equal draft value. Mendenhal is considered a 10-15 pick value. Brohm? I think he is considered an early 2nd round value, but likely to go in the back of the 1st as many expect a team to trade up to get in front of some of the QB needy teams at the top of the 2nd. 2nd best OT is either Albert or Clady, depending on who you ask. Who is the 2nd best S? Whoever it is, if a team has both OT and S as their top needs, would the two be the same? Sorry, I just do not agree w/ this logic. I have no problem w/ Brohm, but not at 14, and I think most would see it that way.

One, while I am not 100%, I believe player jerseys go into the league sharing program, and thus doesn't really make the team money. I guess they make the team some extra, but only 1/32 share. So if the team go rid of Urlacher and Hester, you would not go to a game. Hate to say this, but there is a line behind you that would. Thus, while many would be upset, that does not mean it would actually affect the teams bottom dollar.

How do they make the team money? Didn't the bears sell out their games, even during the shit years, when the best player was....um....Curtis Conway? Bears still sold out. I believe jersey sales going into the league sharing pool, so how do you think these players actually make the team money.

Got it. While I admit I have not seen him play, from what I have read, I am not a fan. I am a tad biased going in against WRs this year as everything seems to indicate this is simply not a good year for WRs. From what I have read, there is no questioning his size, but that is about the only part of his game that isn't questioned. He sounds, going off reports, like another in the line of WRs who were able to produce in college, based largely on his size, but it sure doesn't sound like he has the rest of the game to take it to the next level. Lack of route running is a big issue for me.

Funny. Several others question if we should even do the deal. I saw a think ranking the top players in the league, and in the opinion of that writer, Hester is top 10. Hester scores as much as many WRs or RBs. He is not just "a return man" but the best of all time, and is now looking to move to WR. I have no idea what a team would give for Hester. I have no idea what he is worth in a contract negotiation. Frankly, that is a big part of the problem.

Admittedly, I do not have the numbers in front of me, but are the SB's of the 9 and 10 draft picks that out there? I know #1 is, and usually the first few after that, but I didn't think the 9 and 10 were. W/ that said, I would also like to point out the coin these guys are/ may be seeking. Harris supposedly wants $30m. Hester supposedly could be seeking a deal like Berrian's. Didn't he get around $16m? Who knows how much Urlacher wants.

Huh? How do Urlacher, Harris or Hester generate income? Team was making money prior to them, and will continue after. Further, team gets plenty of coin outside ticket sales.

This says it all for me. From NFL.com Compares To: ADAM ARCHULETA-Chicago...Zbikowski spent the last few years living off the reputation he made as a big-play specialist in 2005. He has been anything but that player since, trying to come up with the big play to compensate for his mental blunders and being caught out of position on a regular basis. He is an adequate punt returner, but not of NFL quality. For a player that thrives on big plays, he is caught out of position too often to warrant consideration as an instant starter. However, he could provide good relief in the sub package and on special teams. That is not enough to justify him being an early pick. Is a player who reached his peak in college -- what you see, is what you get. We just got rid of Archuleta. Why would we bring in the rookie prospect who compares most to him. By the way, Bartlett also compares w/ Arch. Ouch!

See my prior comment. I do not think this would/could happen in the real world, but it is fun to consider.

Hardy? Do you mean Harvey? If so, he will be long gone, and regardless, why would we want another DE. We already have too many. Just say no. CJ may well help our offense, but IMHO, our offense would still stink, and CJ would quickly be a locker room cancer. WRs like him are only happy when they are putting up big numbers, and in our offense, I doubt that would happen. He would not only throw our QBs under the bus, but would throw the entire offense (including staff) under, and then drive the bus himself.

One, I would argue the core of a bad apple is not a core worth keeping. Two, if there is a believe that core is not long term, it would make sense. Three, if the team is no where close, and looking at our offense, I question how close we are, then it makes sense. Four, I am not saying it is going to happen. W/ rules surrounding the rookie pool, I doubt it even could happen, even if we wanted to. I was just throwing it out there for the hell of it. It is not to be taken too seriously.

Reading from more and more sources that Minny is close to a deal for Jared (not of the Subway commercials) Allen. Before anyone gets their panties in a wad about why I would post this on a bears forum, let me make two points. One. This is further reason to draft OL. They already have a very strong interior w/ Kevin and Pat Williams. The addition of Allen could give Minny a very, very strong DL. I believe it was already among the best run stuffing DLs, but now it could kick it up a notch, or two, in the pass rush department. The need to upgrade the OL only goes up. Two. One reason KC supposedly is looking to trade Allen is a contract dispute. Something we are getting to become experts in. Anyway, Allen, from what I have read, is on record that he is seeking a deal in the Freeney range. Thus far, Freeney's deal is more of an exception, rather than the rule. That I know of, no other defensive player is close to Freeney, at least not in terms of bonus and up front money. If Minny trades for Allen, they must know his contract demands, and must be willing to come to terms w/ said demands. If a 2nd defensive player signs a Freeney like deal, IMHO, it would only embolden Harris' camp in their demands.

You might think that scheme over the top, but think about this. Olsen and Clark are at TE. They are both solid receivers, and Olsen has the speed to get over the top. In Hester, who have a very solid receiving FB, who won't just catch the ball and fall down. If you have Forte in the backfield, now you have added one more solid receiver. All the while, you still have a WR on the far outside. So while you might very well just smash it down their throat, at the same time you could also have 5 legit receivers. So what does a defense do? Stack up w/ big bodies, and thus expose yourselves for our Olsen going over the top, or prepare for the pass catching ability, and get smashed in the mouth. I'll tell you who would really love this unit. Our defense. Our offense would win TOP battles to the point the D would be working on excercise bikes to stay warm on the sidelines.

Yes, it will cost a ton in SB. Then again, we gave Briggs $13m and he still isn't happy. Harris wants $30m. Urlacher wants more, and who knows how much Hester wants. Yes, those are proven studs, but are proving to be pain in the arces too. Take that $30m Harris wants and spread it out.

Hey, I said "make the board" happy. I didn't say it would make me happy. 9th - Albert 10th - Clady 14 - Otah 22 - Phillips 28 - Brohm So I leave the 1st round w/ new LT, LG and RT. Combine these rookes w/ Kreutz and Garza, and we will have the most dominant OL in the league in one years time (give them a year to develop together). I take Phillips at 22, and immediatly insert him into the starting lineup. If this is going to be a developmental year, there is no reason not to get our developmental QB. 2nd round goes to Curtis Lofton. Great fit to replace Urlacher. In the 3rd round we have 4 picks. I like that. 70th - Forte (insert Smith if that is your preference). Benson will look great behind the OL I have built, but here is my 2 in the 1-2 punch. 77th - Rachal - I continue to build my OL. Rachal could push Garza immediatly 78th - Pat Sims - One of my favorite DTs in the draft. Gap shooter, and great fit for our system. 90th - Quinten Demps - I like this safety, as I continue to upgrade our secondary. While I am not going to do the entire draft, I would like to point out my 4th round pick would be Jacob Hester, who will immediatly replace McKie. Clady - Albert - Kreutz - Rachal - Otah - This is an OL that should dominate for years to come. I like how Kreutz would be able to lead as the veteran, while the rest have an opportunity to develop and grow together, and w/ Kreutz as their mentor, they should be nasty. Besnon/Forte as my 1-2 punch w/ Jacob Hester blocking for them. Nice. Speaking of blocking and all, Imagine the above OL. Now imagine Clark on one side, and Olsen on the other. Benson and Hester in the backfield. Who is our receiver? Who cares? We are going to pound the ball right up the gut. Defense takes a hit w/ the losses of Urlacher and Harris, but we still have Briggs/Hunter, as well as our current youth (Williams/Okwo) and I really like Lofton. Sims may not be harris, but I like him, and after I give our DEs the green light, it will take pressure off Dusty and Sims. Phillips and Demps really upgrade this secondary. What do you think Jason?

Pointed this out elsewhere, but while a team can cut a player, it is also why SBs have gone so high. Until players have to give back part, or all, of that SB when they do not play well enough, I don't want to hear about it being unfair. Players can get cut, but they keep their money.

I'm spoiled. LOL. I would argue players who make more money than they know what to do w/, then demand more, are the spoiled ones. I have never agreed w/ this argument. If a player doesn't perform, he gets cut. Yes. At the same time, he does not have to give back the money already given which he didn't earn either. Does he give back his SB? No. The reason the SB was made so big in recent years (relative) is to offset the chance of being cut. So the player has his out if he doesn't live up to snuff. On the other end, I think it is a tad one-sided. I think the players believe renegotiations are part of it, which the teams do not. Or he played through injury planning to seek more money. If he sat out, he would not have been in any position to ask for more money. A team guy goes to practice. Cry me a river for these millionaires. Damn right I want them to jump through hoops like monkeys and do so w/ a smile (actually a bear growl). They are playing a game, and getting paid sick money to do so. 1. IMHO, anyone who has to revert to name calling (see above) is a, well, lets just say I don't want to resort to that level. 2. They hav eascended to the highest level blah blah blah. Yea, we get it. What they don't often get is that it is a team sport. So what is the point of playing football? Is the point to make as much money possible, or is the point to win championships? That is what I think players often either lose focus of, or never had the right focus going in. If it is just about the money for a player, I would rather he play for another team. If it is about winning, then I question the antics going on here. I am all for the player when the team is simply being cheap. That is not the situation here. The team shelled out for Urlacher several years ago, and did so when he had two years left on his original deal. Now, after a sub-par year for Urlacher, and the team, he is (IMHO) telling the team it is all about him, and not about championships. Maybe this is not the standard that should be used, but I use Michael Jordan as a great example. Throughout his career, he was not the highest paid. In fact, often he was not even in the top 10, even though he was unquestionably the best player in the sport. He always said he would accept less in order for the team to add more players, because championships were the priority, not striking a deal your agent can crow about.

I hear you on how this doesn't sound right, but let me point out that it could be Urlacher's agents doing the trash talking, which IMHO, would make more sense. While that "may" change things some, I question how much his agents would be talking w/o his permission. Retirement - You argue why he would not retire, but that does not touch on whether or not he would try to use it as a threat, however empty. A couple years ago, would have you believed Urlacher to skip OTAs? Demanding more money - As said above, I doubt Urlacher is taking his issues to the media so much, but that doesn't mean his agents aren't doing the talking. We have held players accountable for the actions of their agents in the past, so why not here. Holdout - Players always have a reason, but the injury reason seems to be out, as Urlacher is quoted as talking about how good he feels. He is saying that he may skip OTAs to spend more time w/ his family. Nice sentiment, but do we all not have to miss our families some to earn our pay? Regarding the insider bit, I always love how quick people are to dismiss confidential sources when it doesn't fly w/ their belief, and use said sources when it does. If we were talking about PFT's "Bears insider", okay. But we are talking about a local papers bears beat writer. They often do have pretty solid ties, and I do not believe should be so easily discounted. I would like to point you back to the early period of Brigg's contract squabbles. Eearly on, Briggs was acting the part of the good guy in front of the camera, while Rosenarce was acting the part of the bad boy behind closed doors. Could this not be the same. Urlacher is working to keep up his image w/ the fans, while his agents play dirty. Why would that even be surprising, as it is all but the norm in the NFL. Some, like Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens, are happy to show their true colors, but most hide behind their agents. I freaking love how players always say, "I am really not involved. My agent is handling this, and will give me a call when it is time to sign a new deal. I'm staying out of it and focusing on the football side." Yea, and I have some sweet ocean front property in Arizona.

Part of what is unbelievable is that most who felt Urlacher would ask for more, did so because of the idea Briggs would get a deal greater than Urlacher's. Briggs in fact got around $7m less in SB than Urlacher did several years ago, thus it would have seemed the previous reasons to believe Urlacher would do this fell null and void. Nope.

I think it is you, and the rest of us fans, wanting it to be true. For better than I year we have read various web sites predict that Briggs posturing would lead to an eventual showdown between the team and Briggs. We didn't want to believe that to be true, but it sure seems to have come to pass.

I know it is part of the game. At the same time, while I expect this BS from some, I do not expect this BS from the "face of the franchise". I expect him to be above this crap. Further, the simple fact that he is making a play for more money after last year, considering the year he and the team had, I think is just unbelievable. As for Hester, I do not think I have blasted him, and said myself I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. But, if we are going to blow it up and rebuild, his value may be higher than any, and more than any, I question our ability to keep him long term and/or his ability to dominate long term.

Problem is, these workouts are technically "voluntary" and thus would not be subject to any fines or penalties. Technically, he has done nothing wrong by missing these workout sessions. But, IMHO, skipping these after the club gives you so much money is simply bad form. Further, after such a poor year, anyone who skips shows their level of committment to the teams future success.

I am sure this is all "technically" true. If his agent asked for a trade, then Urlacher can honestly say "he" himself never asked. If his agent talked of retirement, then Urlacher can honestly say "he" himself never mentioned it. Players do this all the time. They know full well what their agents are doing, but use those agents as a shield. As for wanting to be a bear, sure he does. Hey, recall how negative Briggs often got, and yet still would say at the end of the day that he wanted to be a bear.

I am tired of these players not wanting to play under the contracts they signed, and am ready to deal w/ the situation. Urlacher - NO desperatly wants to upgrade at LB, and has even been talked about trading up in this weak LB draft to get Rivers. Instead, we offer them one of the best LBs in the game. NO sends us their 1st (10th overall) and 3rd. Harris - Cincy needs a DT in the worst way, and is also talking about trading up as Ellis may not fall to them, and the dropoff after Ellis is deep. Cindy sends us their 1st (9th overall) and 3rd (they have two). Hester - Yes, that is right. I am going to deal the windy city flier. I do not think his value will ever be higher. He is the games best return man, and could become a good WR too. I do not believe he will ever be a great WR, as I do not believe he will ever become a consistent enough player at WR, but he could be very dangerous in that regard. Dallas' top two needs are for a return man and WR. They are looking at RB, but that is due to what is there in the draft more than pure need, as they have Barber. Hester definitely fills their need as a returner, and w/ Romo and TO, he would be in a far better position to develop as a WR. For Hester, they send both of their 1st round picks. So we give up a ton, but also enter the draft w/ 5 picks in the 1st round, including 3 in the top 14. We have 4 picks in the 3rd as well. We these picks, we can make the board happy by adding both OL (Clady w/ the 9th) and RB (Mendenhall w/ the 10) in the 1st round. We can add a DT like Balmer at 14, and maybe grap the WR/returner Jackson w/ one of Dallas' picks to fill a pair of needs of our own. W/ my final 1st round pick, I add Kenny Phillips to start at S. No LB added, but none worthy, and I give Williams and Okwo and opportunity to fill the position. Point is, I blow it up and infuse this team w/ a ton of young talent. If we keep all these veterans, this may not be a great year anyway, so blow it up and start developing youth for a long run after this year.

From PFT, which uses as a source the Sun Times, BRIGGS STILL NOT HAPPY? As if the Chicago Bears didn’t have enough to worry about with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher wanting more money, the linebacker who did get more money apparently still isn’t happy about his situation. Brad Bigg of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Lance Briggs has been skipping voluntary workouts. He reportedly has already missed enough of the sessions to miss out on his $250,000 workout bonus. Last month, he signed a $36 million contract with the Bears, after it became obvious that there was no serious interest in him elsewhere. It could be that Briggs is still upset that he wasn’t able to sign with the San Francisco 49ers, who very well might have been willing to pay more money to Briggs than what Briggs got from the Bears. But the Niners were, by all appearances, scared away from pursuing Briggs as a free agent due to the tampering charges that were filed by the Bears based on unauthorized contact with Briggs’ agent in conjunction with failed trade efforts during the 2007 regular season. -------------- You have got to be freaking kidding me. I do not want to hear about how these are voluntary workouts, or how these are veterans who do not need these sessions. I think our defense playing like shit last year is evidence they need every practice they can get. This is unbelievable.