jason

I hope he's telling the truth and not just blowing smoke. If so, it's exactly as I've said for a long time. All it takes is a few like-minded athletes to bind together and say, "We don't need the max deal. Let's sacrifice a little to build a franchise together." It has sort of happened in the NBA with the players recruiting each other. I'd love to see an NFL trend start in Chicago.

I honestly have NEVER heard anyone use that phrase to mean simply slightly deteriorated. Whenever that was the intention it was simply said as such. I've lived all over the U.S., from coast to coast and even in Chicago, and whenever I've heard an American person say that idiom, it has always had the double meaning as in the definition below: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/past+one's+prime Synonym: "Over the hill" It ain't like I edited the definition on their website. Like I said before, it was a big misunderstanding.

No twisting at all. Past his prime/peak is a common idiom.

Nope. That's something I truly believe. The defensive pieces are undeniably better this upcoming year.

More than once in the other thread you said Hester was "past his prime." Now, unless you were being 100% literal, that saying typically carries with it a certain amount of negativity. When someone says that someone is past their prime, it typically also means "getting old" or "over the hill." It's fairly idiomatic in the Americanized English language as something negative. If you didn't mean it that way, and simply meant it as "not quite as good as the superstar who set the NFL on fire," which would be uncommon usage, then this was simply a huge misunderstanding.

Agreed 100%.

I have to see it translate to the NFL before I believe. The CFL field is over 10 yards wider than the NFL field, and that matters a lot. If Hester were playing in the CFL during his career he'd probably have 50 return TDs given how close he's been so many times and how different the speed in that game is vs. the NFL.

Not terrible. Not sexy. I could live with that.

Regarding this part that I cut from your post... The problem I have with it is that the new Bears management has shown a propensity to not negotiate. Hester definitely was asking for too much money, but that's how negotiation works. One high, one low, reach a middle somewhere. I bet Hester could have been had for close to $2M, maybe less, if the Bears had even tried negotiating. I think the Urlacher thing was a much bigger mistake, because he was the face of the franchise. It was sort of disgraceful how they handled that. Urlacher may not have been the posterboy for fan relation, but he was still the #1 guy. And he unequivocally would have helped the defense last year from being the worst Bears rush defense ever. Hester is not as significant in terms of the contract and negotiation, but it's the same M.O., and it will also affect the Bears negatively.

Easy. If HHCD and Donald are gone, I'm sure someone like Nix or Jernigan are there. If not, there was a huge run on DTs and something crazy might have happened where an absolute BPA falls to the Bears.

Pretty much. If there is a 1st round rated FS or DT there, then TE is a ridiculous pick in the first. Same goes for the second round. And for that matter, CB has to be in there. TE is just far too great a luxury when there are glaring holes and problems elsewhere, especially for a guy who drops 11% of the passes thrown his way.

Hell, I didn't feel that way after signing Young and Houston. But now with Allen as well? No way. If the Bears are only 20th in rush defense next year, which is not good but is an improvement, they probably win 5 of the 8 games they lost last year (excluding the NO, STL, and PHI games).

Are you ready to just dump Bostic already, or do you just not see him as a MLB? Dude was a rookie last year playing behind one of the worst DLs of all time...maybe he should be cut a little slack.

Bingo. He's an improvement over Peppers in just about every way except ear size. If he gets 10 sacks a year and creates havoc several times a game, which he will, then he's worth it.

Only time will tell at this point. But I fear this will be just like Urlacher. Had the Bears even negotiated, they could have probably kept their guy, and their guy would have undoubtedly helped the team. Maybe Hester agrees to 1.75-2 with performance escalators with the Bears? We will never know, just like the Urlacher situation, and according to Melton that's how it was with him too. The team wasn't actually there to bargain or negotiate. If the Bears do poorly on ST this year, and the Falcons do well, I won't be the only one that notices.

It would still be ridiculous in the first round. Backup TE, even the second guy in an Ace, is still a luxury behind several other needs. Some of which are desperate needs.

Honestly, I think at this point you could put a trained monkey at DC and improve over last year. The pieces are just that much better. Add that to the fact that the Bears will certainly draft defense high, and it gets even better. Allen is an upgrade over Peppers in terms of pass rush. Houston and Young are both upgrades over Peppers or SMC in rush defense. The LBs will be better and have more experience. There should definitely be a rookie starting over Conte at FS. Cohesion or not, this defense is undeniably better than last year. And at the rate the offense was scoring, all that's needed is for the defense to be a little better. Other than the Eagles and the Rams games last year, a slightly better defense likely helps the Bears get a W in various games.

I will be absolutely furious if the Bears draft a TE in the first round. It would be ludicrous.

Kind of my thinking too. Someone is losing out on this deal, and it ain't going to be Jared Allen. Either Young or Houston gets pushed into a rotational situation or moved inside.

I thought Houston was a DE?

The only question this leaves me with is, who loses out on the DL?

Yes. Or trade down.

There was similar angst for that HOF MLB...and rightfully so considering how much he was missed.

Exactly.

HAHAHAHAA! What an offseason by Emery. This guy does not F' around.