DABEARSDABOMB

He is indicating they have more like 80 M committed. Not sure who is right but I know in years past the media reported one thing and he ended up being right. So he has a history of being pretty darn accurate. I read this week where the Saints media was indicating there payroll was at 110M or so. Than all of a sudden, it came out that they actually were about 10-12M less than that. So don't be 100% that the media does a better job than some of these guys that grab all the details. Basically one person in the media spouts something and everyone else latches to it. I don't know what is right but there have been a ton of people looking through this guys numbers and everything seems to be pretty vetted.

Moose was signed immediately after he became available and he was coming off a massively huge season. He was a #1 at the time the Bears signed him. And he was far more in demand than Moss and TO have been the past few years.

Huh. Most everything I have seen has indicated the cap will be set around 120M (a little higher actually) for the 2012 season.

Based on a figure around 120 iirc

Mike Adams from OSU is moving up a lot of draft boards. I know there is some question as to whether he is a RT or LT, but it seems like scouts are warming up on him as an LT. Clearly someone the Bears would consider with there 1st round pick (if he's available).

I was listening to Mike Mayock chat earlier. Mayock is someone who I think is one of the better NFL guys on the draft. And he was talking about the oline and indicated that this years interior lineman class is one of the best classes in years. He went on to talk about how there will be talented guys being taken in the 3rd and 4th rounds. It also appears to be a pretty deep wideout draft (not a lot of 1st round wideouts, but some real quality in the latter rounds). I know a lot of us here have talked a bit about Nicks, but with this being the case, I think it points more towards me (if the Bears can land a good wideout via FA), looking at drafting LT/de/cb (RD 1) and guard in this years draft and than looking at one of the project type wideout's out there in the late 2nd or with one of our 3rd's.

Despite various reports, the poster on ChicagoBears.com who is supposedly exceptional at figuring out cap space, indicates the Bears have $46.834 mill in cap room. This includes approximately $8M in rollover capspace. This figure differs significantly from the media reported 20M. In years past, the cap guy on the Bears site (forums) has been very accurate. The question would be whether he is missing something in the new CBA.

I'm pretty sure that Pace stunk with the Bears. I'm also pretty sure that Marvin Harrison almost immediately retired and Torri Holt never did anything (due to being old and past his prime). Ya, I'm not going to live in these wonderland scenarios that they would have been amazing with the Bears. If they would have been amazing with the Bears (or even good), they would have gotten plenty of offers. These aren't projects we are talking about, they are veteran wideouts that were some of the best in the game, and unfortunately past there prime. I'm not going to live in some dream world where had the Bears signed Holt, he would have still had a few 1000 yard seasons.

I liked him prior to him having that one catch. IF he gets overpaid because of it, so be it. He is a body catcher that will never be a #1. I would have lived with him had the Bears targeted a 1st rounder and went the route of signing two good but not great wideouts. Manningham is just that, good/solid. He is nothing more than that.

And had they made any of those moves (in fact they did with Pace), they wouldn't even have been better off.

I had actually thought Desean Jackson would have been the most realistic target. I'm still surprised Philly is spending the coin to franchise him despite the beef Desean and the Eagles had. I even started thinking about it and had came to the conclusion that you pair Desean with Floyd (or another 1st round wide-out) and Bennett and that is a pretty talented set of 3 wide-outs. Plus, they all provide different skill-sets. Bowe is the guy I want the most.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...,0,898839.story Chris Carter things Moss would be a good fit. I hadn't thought of the Tice/Moss connection but I guess I could get behind the signing if Tice was supportive.

Haynesworth isn't good and he's a lazy primadonna. Personally, I'm not very interested.

Unlike TO, I think Moss can still play. I don't think he's a #1 and i think he's an ass. As a result, I don't think I'd sign him. Over all the years back when he (& TO for that matter) were still legit #1's, I would have dealt with there shit. But when they aren't that anymore, I think you are taking an even bigger risk, especially with a guy like Moss who in one year left New England and Minny on terrible terms. Even his boy Chris Carter is throwing out some serious heat regarding how big of a quitter Moss is. Moss was a tremendous player and he can still help a team but I don't think I want his attitude around some of our young wideouts (especially if we are going to draft someone). I'd much rather invest in a guy like Reggie Wayne who could be a veteran leader and would be far less of a concern in the lockeroom. Oh, and he's still a decent receiver too.

That would be a serious mistake. Those guys are fast.

Completely agree. I think the Bears need 2, possibly 3 wide-receivers. In a worse case scenario (e.g, you strike out on the top 5 FA wideouts), I'd argue that you would be best off signing Royal (or Wayne), Garcon, and picking Floyd. The three guys should compliment each other well, add in Bennett, plus Hester, and while you don't have a true #1 (hopefully Floyd develops into that), you have a pretty darn deep corp's. Garcon is a sleeper. Dude has put up pretty good numbers each of the past 2 years (last year's were with a terrible QB). I don't think any of the above would cost significant money. Thus, you have money left-over to spend on a DE (Avrill), a CB, and olinemen. You might even be able to go after a safety (if you don't believe in Wright). There are a few solid safeties out there and safeties generally don't cost big money to sign.

Given he hasn't proven he can block at the TE level, I dont' think if I were a team I'd be picking him until at the earliest the late 2nd round. This is assuming this rumors are true. That said, you never know, someone could pick him as a TE. The problem to me is there are a lot of big TE's in this league that are pass catching threats that have size but far more speed than that reported 40 time. He's going to have a hell of a time creating seperation.

I'm very proud of the way the organization handles itself. I know we all have a lot of heated debates here about Lovie and the organization but one thing I think we can all agree on is that Lovie and our franchise are classy. And Tommie, thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Just to play devil's advocate, didn't we apply that same logic to the Roy Williams signing? Albeit, I think Royal's struggles have more to do with injuries and playing with mediocre QB's. And I fully endorse signing him, but I wouldn't sign him expecting 90 receptions. I'd sign him knowing he'd be a good depth guy, giving the Bears a nice weapon at the #3/#4 wideout spot.

Ok. That I could buy into and I'd be a huge fan of that move. I like Johnson quite a bit though. He has his flaws but I think he'd still excel with a QB like Cutler.

I'm pretty sure Stevie Johnson is going to get almost double what you are proposing. How its structured and how much real money is involved is whole nother story but I wouldn't expect an average salary of just $5M per year. In fact, I thought I had heard on the radio he was talking 9-10M per year (consistent with VJax/Bowe). Why would you cut Spaeth? He is a good blocking TE and solid depth player? Plus he's the only TE the Bears have under contract.

I hope so. As a Hawkeye fan I like McNutt a lot. I also completely agree with you that Williams has zero heart and it is pretty clear. If I were to play devil's advocate, I would still say that sadly if the Bears don't add at least 2 other quality receivers, it might make sense to bring Williams back. And it really kills me to say that but this receiving corps is terrible (especially with Knox, who I don't even like, having to face issues that are far bigger than football).

Absolutely. He was a bust as a top pick. However, if you look at his overall career numbers and say he was a 3rd round pick, well, you'd be pretty pleased with it.

Routt is a good guy to look at. He isn't a great corner but he would be an upgrade over Bowman/Jennings. The problem with Routt is he's about the only quality player who you could sign at this point in time so the demand will probably be high. He also isn't exactly known to be a physical corner or that great of a tackler which means he probably isn't a great fit for the cover 2. Still better than our current starters and we know the Bears need to address the cornerback position this off-season. Personally I think Finnegan would be a great pick-up. Guy is tough as nails and physical as hell and to me not only is he a good cover corner, I think he'd be a very good cover 2 corner. He's also, surprisingly, a very good person. I used to think the dude was an ass, but he's just that on the field. There is a lot of stuff out there about the type of person he is off the field and lets just say he helps out and does significant charity work.

Roy Williams will probably have a significantly better career than either of these guys.