jason

Yeah, my philosophy on defense is that the 1st and 3rd levels are much more important than the LBs. I think if the 1st and/or 3rd levels are good, the LBs are basically guys that are required to find their gaps and hit tacklers. I know it's super-simplified, but that's my thought. And since the Bears already have Briggs, SMC, Bostic, DJ, and Greene, I don't think LB is a need. If those 5 can't fill the 3 LB positions then that's a big problem.

Not bad, but if it plays out that way it would kill me. Tons of guys I like going just before the Bears pick. Based on that structure, I'd actually prefer to see it go: 1 - Jernigan, DT 2 - Roberson, CB 3 - Bucannon - S 4 - McCarron - QB

I honestly believe the move will turn out to be unspectacular but ultimately good for the team. Peppers may be a more dynamic player, and have better rush skills, but he got pushed around on running plays. What the Bears need is stability. They need run-stoppers so the young/inexperienced LBs can get their feet wet without standing in front of Class IV rapids. If the D improves modestly in terms of stopping the run, it drastically alters the TOP and makes the Bears a legit title contender.

Yeah, that's kind of how I feel.

Again, how can someone say his D doesn't require cover corners if he hasn't consistently produced excellent results?! It doesn't make sense. The only way that statement could be proven true would be if he didn't have cover corners and he produced excellent results! Maybe the reason Lovie's system hasn't turned a team into a consistent top 10 defense is that he was missing a cover corner the entire time?

Easy possible answers... 1) Lovie is a poor talent evaluator. 2) Lovie wants to start his team with "his" guys (kind of like what seems to be going on with the Bears in some regard) 3) Revis told Lovie he doesn't want to play as a cover-2 guy since it minimizes his spotlight

Tell me this wouldn't look great.

The more I think about it, the Allen & Houston combo works really well. Offenses are forced to protect the edge that Allen is flying off of, which helps Houston. Similarly in the running game, they are less likely to have success running at Houston, which means the Bears could probably scheme to help Allen's side of the field. Houston - Melton - Ratliff - Allen, let's do this!

Also, the Bears should be targeting AJ McCarron in the 3rd or 4th. Groom him for a few years and then he turns into the next Tom Brady.

EXACTLY what I thought. I was actually kind of hoping the Bears wouldn't re-sign him because I didn't think he'd be worth the money it took. Turns out my thoughts were right, because no way he gets that $$ from the Bears to be a backup. This just means the Bears should draft a mid-round QB for Trestman to turn into a stud.

All around agreed. If the Bears were able to resign Melton (assuming he's anywhere close to his former self) and get Allen would make me pretty happy. I've always liked Allen, and after a quick bit of reading about him I like him even more. [Houston - Melton - ?? - Allen] is a pretty good front four.

Agreed. I don't think it's bad. I don't give a damn who he is. If they think he's worth the money, then he absolutely gets a shot at displacing Conte, because Conte is an Italian word that means "Count," or in his case "can't be counted on."

PREACH!

The bolded is flawed logic for two reasons. One, Lovie had a lockdown corner the entire time he was in Chicago. That player's name was Charles Tillman. It just so happens that he was also good at everything else, and potentially the best at forcing fumbles in NFL history. Two, saying that Lovie's "system" doesn't need a lockdown corner implies that his past efforts show consistent success without a lockdown corner. It simply doesn't. Regardless of whether one agrees on point one of Peanut being a lockdown corner, the simple fact is, Lovie's D was hit or miss the entire time he was in Chicago. 12 years and we got to see the following averages: -13.8 in yards -10.1 in points -6 in takeaways -13.9 in rush att -12.1 in rush yards -12.3 in rush TDs -12.3 in rush y/a -24.9 in pass att -17.4 in pass yards -11.4 in pass TDs His defensive past shows that he coaches consistently average, or slightly above average, which is the entire reason he was fired. Take Peanut away from Lovie during his tenure with Chicago, and that defense is much worse, and has significantly less takeaways.

But what if the Bears can't sign any of those guys? What if all the legit DT/DE/CB guys left say, "Thanks, but no thanks" when offered a contract? It's an odd scenario, but I could see the Bears deciding to just upgrade the offense into an unstoppable force since the D can't be fixed. If you can't fix the hole in the boat, get a bigger bucket to bail water.

Maybe Tillman will be replaced by Revis?

As long as they don't run him up the gut three times in a row like Wolfe, I think Sproles could be very productive. But if the Bears were getting offensive luxuries, I'd rather get Edelman.

NFL Network just said Tillman was gone to Tampa Bay.

Briggs, DJ, Bostic, Greene, and SMC, yet you'd take LB in round 1? That doesn't make any sense to me. The Bears need to go DT or S in the first.

Do you think it's possible Houston is better than Peppers at this point in their respective careers? Peppers was very ineffective last year. Hardly noticeable most of the time. Hard not to improve on that.

That would be horrible. Are you being serious? You want to keep Peppers at a huge, salary cap-crippling, contract even though he hasn't done much? And, you want to pick a LB in the first even though the Bears got a LB with 2 of their first 3 picks last year?

All that scares me. It says, "Guy who gets stoned at the line of scrimmage, doesn't get much real pressure, but is good at getting off the block to stop the run." I'd rather see a pass-rusher. If the Bears get him, I hope they don't break the bank.

HAHA!