fudgeripple2000

Braylon is their number one. Robiskie is your short intermediate/possesion reciever. Massaquoi is the unknown here. He seems more like the replacement for captain DUI. As much as I would love to have a number one like edwards. Chances are slim.

Another good WR that is being overlooked is Austin Collie from BYU. I hate the school but you know that you are getting a smart disciplined player. He isn't blazing but he runs great routes and has phenomenal hands. The common complaint most have on drafting a WR is that they take time to develop. Collie is just about as close to a plug and play WR as we will get in the draft. Not to mention he can be had in the later rounds.

Being fans we want win at all costs (Cowboys, Redskins). We tend to forget that it is a business and the owners and front office try and bring in people that represent the organization well. I run a business and I won't hire a raging hot chick to run my office that I can't trust and that is dumber than a sack of hammers. I hire people that represent what I want my business to be percieved as. So why would I expect my favorite football team to employ people with issues. Just imagine the bears signing him. After a few wins he decides to quit coming to meetings and showing up late for practice. Now you have a problem.

I highly doubt that every player has to get permission from the front office before they call their friends throughout the league. I would imagine there are phone calls on a regular basis between players that no one knows about. I liked that he had the endorsemment of his fellow teammates even the some of the defense wanted him back. It is interesting that it seemed those endorsements were before he was cut. Endorsements from Eli and others accomplishes two things: Acknowledging how much he was missed in the offense and making sure that if the team brought him back he would feel welcome. Finally, if Eli was to be drafted by the Bears and he pulled on us what he pulled on San Diego, would you call him a consumate professional. From what I see from other fans on this board, they would be hoping that he would get tertiary syphillis and live a painful life.

For the longest time everyone said how randy moss was a cancer. He attacked a meter maid in minnesota. Admitedly took plays off in Oakland. And now he is in a great organization where the coaches fit his personality and he thrives. This is just an observation: -Moss didn't do well with enabling coaches but does well with a hardnosed coach. -Plaxico already has played with two of the most hardnosed coaches in Cowher and Coughlin with mixed reviews. Maybe a less agressive and more enabling coach like lovie would be better with him. Point is do we want to take the chance. I say no for two reasons. First, do you want a mental midget that isnt' even smart enough to put the safety on when a loaded gun is in his pocket. Not to mention his narcisistic disregard for rules (how many speeding tickets in a month). Second, I know we are excited for Cutler to be here but if we are gonna run behind Cutler with a "whatever you say" attitude everytime he makes a phone call, then we are screwed before we get started. Just like Parcells wanted to be in charge of buying the groceries if he was going to be the chef, then let the front office do the same. They are the chefs and Cutler is in charge of delivering the food the chefs put on the plate.

Mortensen reported that Denver is wanting at least 2 first rounders for Cutler. At first reaction that is great for the Bears. I would give this years first and next years first for the chance at Cutler. However, whenever Washington is in the ring during a bidding war the Bears will fall short. Not because the bears can't, but because the bears won't. Snyder has a clear history of a "throw money at it" owner. He has overpayed for everyone. Just look at what he gave Archuletta. In business the market is defined by what someone is willing to pay for a product. In every league there is always a team that sets the market for people that is reckless and unrealistic. Yankees, Knicks (at least to this point), L.A. (soccer), and of course Washington. And in each case championships don't necessarily follow. So bears fans what is the decision? Get into a bidding war in which we will most certainly lose and depending on how much we offer will be directly proportional to the amount of damage we do to Orton's psyche. Offer the farm and lose to washington and Orton will see just how desperate chicago is to replace him. Is he strong enough to say "it's a business", or "I'll show them." Sorry, the dude drives a Prius. He is a tree hugger he will be affected. I say throw the two first rounders and a conditional pick. If that isn't enough to do it, then JA can say he tried, and Orton can be only mildly hurt.

As much as I hate to see a good defender leave in Harris. He does have commitment issues and was bit a little by the injury bug. Why not role the dice. JA has shown to get good talent in the later rounds. And let's see just how good of a d-line coach Marinelli is. Point is we are not respected offensively.

One of the things that made Cutler such a great quarterback is that he had recievers to throw to. We have Hester and tight ends. Not much else. Remember that Denver is on the hook to get rid of him. My question would be, how much say will Cutler have to where he goes? I imagine none. I wouldn't think Detroit because, with no concensus number one, Denver might not want the financial burden of trying to sign a first round pick. New York is on equal ground as Chicago with only a slight edge to Chicago due to the fact that we are in the NFC. My opinion is that Tampa Bay is the darkhorse. Warm place to play and they have shown more of a tendency than Chicago to go after players. Not to mention, I wouldn't know how to function as a bears fan if we had a true stud for a quarterback and not just Trent Dilfer clones

Would we have any interest in Holt or Pace? http://www.rotoworld.com/content/HeadLines...L&hl=138939 Holt: Good hands and with his age isn't as much of a deep threat as he once was. For other teams that would be a problem. But with a dink and dunk offense that focuses on accuracy and has limited creativity. Holt would allow Lloyd expendable. Pace Going into his 13th year age is an issue. Injury is another issue. However, two things: A third round pick is cheep for a tackle like Pace. We have shown in the past not to have too many problems bringing aged lineman. Second, imagine being Pace, locked into a long term deal and knowing your team will suck. That I would think would affect your offseason conditioning. Maybe a change of scenery and change of field surface would give him a couple of years left. If Gross can't be had than maybe Pace would be an option if his salary isn't too much.

I doubt that Arizona would be stupid enough to trade a highly drafted quarterback when the starter is 40. Not to mention that the Steelers will likely break "grandpa winter's" hip during the super bowl and hips, especially at Warner's age, will take forever to heal. Leinart was demoted to learn. He wasn't ready. Steve Young for example was destroyed when he went into the league. Granted it was with Tampa but I imagine that Steve would admit he learned alot behind Joe Montana. Matt was given the reigns too early. Arizona knows this. Kyle earned the starting job. But he just doesn't have the talent. Bring in a decent (better than orton) and continue to develop Hanie.

Just have to look at the Browns from last year. Everyone was acting as if Derek Anderson was the man. He got a good contract and now is a back up.

First: We have a hard enough time completing passes to the recievers we have. I don't use this as an excuse not to pursue a stud WR just an evaluation on what we have done. Quarterbacks work with recievers in camp and in the offseason on timing, rhythm, and understanding what eachother likes to do. What I took from our offense is that we do ok with seam routes between the hashmarks under 30 yards so basically tight end work. So T.O. would have a hissy fit as he has had with a quarterback who is comfortable with good tight ends. Second: T.O. is a cancer. Just like a cancer that if not treated hits the lymphatics and damages every organ up and down the line. When T.O. is loving "me some me" he goes after his quarterback, then his wide reciever coach (because he will listen), his offensive coordinator (for not having more plays for T.O.) and anybody else that is within earshot. HE IS UNSTABLE!!! The bears are not Dallas. Dallas is desperate even for head case cast offs. Which is why they choke. Their chemistry is bad. There are other opportunities out there WR-wise without taking a step back with T.O.

His recievers were better than what we have now. To be honest I can't think of many teams that aren't worse. Even Detroit has better recievers. I don't count TE's as recievers.

As retreads go I would also prefer Jeff Garcia over Leftwich. Garcia did amazing things with Philidelphia, he did good with Tampa. He is gritty and can make plays happen with his feet. Leftwich can stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball down the field with accuracy (better than orton). So, in looking at both retreads they would more than likely beat out Orton. The problem will come with the stubborn nature of Lovie and his relative comfort level with his own job. He stayed with Grossman when he should have benched him. Look at Andy Reid. He sat a pro-bowler. It is obvious to me that Lovie doesn't fear losing his job. If Lovie felt the pressure/pain that sense of "get it done or get out" would filter down to the players. We wouldn't have players like Harris taking it easy while they found out if they really wanted to play. In the past we have had a killer defense and we could put a "Trent Dilfer" at quarterback and just ask him to not screw it for the defense. We are not that team anymore. Bottom line is we better have open competition next year or we are going to be average again.

Per CBS Sportline:Leftwich dreaming of ... Bears?: Although his Steelers are still alive in the playoff hunt following their win over San Diego on Sunday, backup QB Byron Leftwich told the Chicago Sun-Times that he'd strongly consider an offer from the Bears if they courted him this offseason. Leftwich thought he'd be a Bear back when he was drafted, but Chicago traded out of the Top 5 and settled for Rex Grossman later in Round 1. Leftwich went to Jacksonville, then Atlanta, then inked a "prove-it" deal with the Steelers this year and played well in limited work while Ben Roethlisberger was hurt. "We are in the playoff run right now, so I don't even want to go there, but tell them to look me up," Leftwich told the paper. "I'm a fan of Lovie Smith, I'll just say that. I thought that was where I was going to go in the beginning. I remember hoping that I would go there. I just wanted to be a part of the tradition, the history of the Bears. You're growing up, watching games at Soldier Field on TV, I wanted to be a part of that coming out. I thought there was a chance I would go there. I want a chance to go somewhere and play. I guess everybody wanted to see if I am healthy, and now they can see it. I'm ready to play again." In the spot work he had in Pittsburgh he did pretty well. I have always liked his size and arm. Hate his mobility. I still remember him marching his team down the field for Marshall. Well hobbling/carried more than marching. To me that looked like he was either a drama queen or tough as nails. I am still 40/60 on which one. But as a bear I think I would like it. He can put the ball down the field. It was painful this year to watch Orton fling the ball down field and I knew that as soon as the ball left his hands that I was hoping for pass interference because of Orton's deep ball being as accurate as my 3 year old spelling (not good). Hester has shown he can run and get the ball. Not to mention that teams figured out pretty quickly that they could cheat the safeties up knowing they wouldn't get beat deep.

I live in the intermountain west so I see games in the Mountain West so let me add some lesser knowns. Freddie Brown (Utah): 6'4 had just under a thousand yards and torched Alabama for 125 yards in the Sugar Bowl. Another is Austin Collie (BYU) 6'2 led the nation in recieving and had, if I remember right 11 straight 100 yard passing games. Both are expected to be around in the later rounds.

The question comes down to rolling the dice in free agency: Boldin, TJ, CJ and accept the loss of draft picks or other players. Or draft a reciever early. With each of the aforementioned prospects there are major "buts". Percy Harvin: Lack of size and durability. With the lack of size will he be able to get off the line against a physical corner. Or will we have to constantly put him in motion to get him in space. This limits him on offense. I heard Mel Kiper compare him to Reggie Bush who is great but.... Maclin has bigger size but Kiper, McShay and the like all agree that due to the style of offense he has played there will be some difficulty in transitioning to the pro game. Nicks is big, with good hands but he had games where he was hardly thrown to. Again style of offense. Bottom line, this is a deep receiver draft. I am not saying the next Larry Fitzgerald can be had in later rounds but unless we have a o-line that can protect and a quarterback that can do more than dink and dunk with accuracy. THen we are best served in taking o-line. Duke would be great. Not to mention that the bears haven't been good at evaluating 1st round wide recievers.

If I remember correctly the steelers have transition tagged him. Meaning they get first right of refusal to any contract offered. Now that they have thrown a truckload onto their quarterback it should be easier to pry Starks away. I think that Jerry shouldn't be in a hurry to do the steelers work for them. Quote: Now, the Steelers hope Starks does sign elsewhere for a pittance because it would be easy for them to match. If he signs for a lot, they can let him go. But what if he wants to come in and sign the one-year deal for nearly $7 million? It's likely they will pull the offer before he can find a pen. Sources say they have not even tried to negotiate a long-term deal with Starks. The reasoning is another old Steelers philosophy: They do not want to give him a starting point, so he can shop their deal around to other teams. There are two ways that Starks will remain with the Steelers next season -- if he receives little interest from other teams, or if he signs a contract with another team the Steelers believe is reasonable to match. http://post-gazette.com/pg/08060/861352-66.stm