adam

This is just not true. Based on actual stats, Cooper was far superior than any CB on our roster. He led the Cardinals in INT's and Passes Defended, had a defensive TD, and was 3rd in tackles (first among CB's). Player A - 63 tackles, 4 INT, 11 PD Player B - 44 tackles, 3 INT, 6 PD Who would you want without knowing the names? A is Cooper and B is Patrick Peterson. PFF can't be used in a vacuum. It has to be taken into context. Cooper had 4 INT's and Demps had 6 (the league lead was 7), so it is clear the Bears were going after actual performance and not subjective analysis. Also, if we use PFF, then Amukamara was a steal coming in as the #25 CB. I think CB's are the hardest to grade because you don't know the coverage, and how do the grades differ when you are guarding the #1 and the other Corner is guarding the #2? Do you get a weighted grade for guarding a better WR or to the side of the field that favors the QB? Did you have top cover, shaded coverage, etc? You get a higher grade for passes defended or an incomplete (even if you did nothing to cause it) and a lower grade for a reception, TD, etc, regardless of how good your coverage was. PFF seems to be the best for QB, RB, TE, and WR, and possibly pass rusher, but beyond that, their grades can be a little off.

Here is who we picked up in free agency so far: QB - 1. Mike Glennon, signed a three year, $45 million contract. Glennon received $18.5 million fully guaranteed, including a $3 million signing bonus. CAP HIT: $14 mil OT - 2. Tom Compton, signed a one-year, $1.85 million contract with $850,000 guaranteed. CAP HIT: $1.85 mil WR - 3. Markus Wheaton, signed a two-year, $11 million contract with $5 million guaranteed. CAP HIT: $5.25 mil 4. Kendall Wright, signed a one year, $2 million contract.(updated - this is a great deal) CAP HIT: $1,845,750 TE - 5. Dion Sims, signed a three year, $18 million contract, with $10 million guaranteed. (I still think this was a little high for a TE2) CAP HIT: $5.33 mil CB - 6. Prince Amukamara, signed a one year, $7 million contract CAP HIT: $7 mil 7. Marcus Cooper, signed a three year, $16 million contract. The contract has $8 million guaranteed, $6 million of which is guaranteed at signing including a $1.5 million signing bonus. CAP HIT: $5 mil S - 8. Quintin Demps, signed a three year, $13.5 million contract with $4.5 million guaranteed. CAP HIT: $4.2 mil Total CAP HIT $44.5 mil CAP SPACE: $22.2MIL (as of 3/19) Potential savings if cut: Houston - $5 mil in savings, $2 mil dead money Massie - $5 mil in savings, $1 mil dead money Royal - $5 mil in savings, no dead money - Most likely cut Porter - $3.6 mil in savings, 600k dead money Miller - $2.1 mil in savings, 500k dead money Sutton - $1.8 in savings, 150k dead money Leno - $1.8 in savings, 11k dead money Ferguson - $980k in savings, 300k dead money Unrein - $1 mil in savings, 150k dead money

Yeah, but Sims, a blocking TE is now the 10th biggest cap hit on the roster. Hard to believe we couldn't have gotten him for half that. Sims is now the 18th highest paid TE in the league (APY). That is insane.

#Bears agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $4m with WR Kendall Wright, source said. https://twitter.com/caplannfl/status/840715982100414465 Nice, had big year in 2013 with Dowell Loggains in TEN.

Also: Pretty cool

After Amukamara and Cooper, I can't see us going after Butler, even though I would not be opposed to it. I just don't think that is Pace's MO.

I don't know if we draft 2, or even 1 high. Probably 1 for sure, but we now have: 1. Tracy Porter - 30 yrs old, signed thru 2018, cap hit: $4mil 2. Prince Amukamara - 27, signed thru 2017, cap hit: $7mil 3. Marcus Cooper - 27, just signed a 3 year deal 4. Kyle Fuller - 25, signed thru 2017, cap hit: $3mil (coming off injury) 5. Johnthan Banks - 27, just re-signed 6. Cre’Von LeBlanc - 22, signed thru 2018, cap hit: 540k 7. Bryce Callahan - 25, signed thru 2017, cap hit: 615k 8. Deiondre’ Hall - 22, signed thru 2019, cap hit: 667k 9. DeVante Bausby - 24, signed thru 2017, cap hit: 540k 10. Jacoby Glenn - 23, signed thru 2017, cap hit: 540k 11. Sherrick McManis - 29, signed thru 2017, cap hit: 1.4mil (Special Teams) The Bears had 7 CB's, including McManis, on the opening day roster. Based on his declining play, I can see Porter being traded or cut. If you take Porter out, and figure the acquisitions and signings make it, Glenn, Bausby, and possibly LeBlanc or Hall are the odd guys out with the following 7 making the opening day roster: Amukamara, Cooper, Callahan, Banks, Fuller, McManis, and one of (Glenn/Bausby/LeBlanc/Hall). If Fuller's injury recovery takes him out, keep two (Hall and LeBlanc/Bausby). I can't see drafting more than one, and when we do, that is one less name from the 7 above bumped off.

Dan Wiederer‏ @danwiederer 5m5 minutes ago The Bears have signed CB Marcus Cooper to a three-year contract. https://twitter.com/danwiederer/status/840690122442043392 A very under-the-radar type signing with huge upside.

I am just saying that some say we are not paying a premium, when based on what Glennon got and what Sims got, I think we are. We are just not totally breaking the bank and overpaying for guys looking for max contracts.

CB Darius Butler is visiting the Bears today, the first of several scheduled trips https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/840563064000921601 Article about Butler: http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/...n-house-signing

Day 2 was a little less productive than Day 1, but still addressed some need areas. CB - Prince Amukamara - The first acquisition was Prince Amukamara, which filled a huge need. He was not one of the top 1-2 CB's, but was definitely top 5 and better than anyone we currently have on the roster. We also signed Marcus Cooper, CB in from Arizona, who was a PB Alternate. CB Position - a clear upgrade with Amukamara and Cooper OT - Tom Compton - A Swing Tackle who played in the SB, will probably challenge Massie or Leno for a starting spot, but at worst is a top end Swing Tackle. OT Position - a marginal upgrade if only a backup, but bigger if he pushes to start on either side WR - Kendall Wright - We lost AJ, but got Wheaton and Wright, Wheaton has speed to stretch field and Wright had big year with Dowell Loggains in TEN, so there is potential here. WR Position - almost a wash, less top end skill, but more speed So after 2 days, we have addressed QB, S, TE, WR, CB, at OT. I would say we are now at a B- overall. I think we move to a solid B/B+ for free agency with the potential to move higher if someone like Wheaton or Wright explodes. I still think we need help at DL. I would be happy with Hankins for DL.

I thought he was getting 3/21? Supposedly they offered Cook more than that and he declined. Remember Bennett was a TE2 in NE, very rarely do you pay a TE2 that type of money. We paid Sims 3/$18. We signed Miller for 2/$5.5, so Sims, a blocking TE is getting more in one year that we gave to Miller for his entire contract. So if anything we overpaid significantly for Sims.

Also, if Brown is our TE3, we are doing pretty good. Though I am still not happy with the lack of top end FA's, Pace is quietly improving the entire 53-man roster.

Compton is a swing tackle who played in the Super Bowl. So at worst he is our new swing tackle but could push for a starting gig in TC. Cooper is an upgrade over Porter, is a converted WR, who will continue to improve as he gets more reps at CB. He was only in for a visit, so hopefully he signs. I have no issues with either, even if they don't start, we are making our 53-man roster better with less drop off from starter to sub.

Update to this story, Jeffery did not sign for $14mil. He signed for $9.5 million with $4.5 in incentives (like Pro Bowl, etc). So technically we let him walk for $9.5, which is way worse than originally thought. I can see letting him walk for over $12mil, but not for under $10, then missing on Pryor for $8. Something is wrong here unless they believe that we can win with White, Meredith, Royal, and Wheaton.

Pace must be on Sprint, because he is seriously whiffing or not even attempting any of these signings. I guess we are happy with our OLine.

Yeah, GB just got a lot better on offense.

BREAKING: Super Bowl 51 champion TE @MartysaurusRex is headed to the @Packers. Seriously, next is AP or Charles to Packers.

He signed for $6mil less than Alshon, and even less than Britt who signed for $32.5 for 4 years. We couldn't offer $9?

Breaking: Washington signs WR Terrelle Pryor to a one-year, $8 million contract. (via @AdamSchefter) Did we even attempt to sign Pryor? Was $8mil on a one-year deal too rich for us?

I would say you start paying a premium when you at least have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. Right now, we are probably further away from the playoffs than we ever have been in my lifetime. We just completed Year 2 of a complete overhaul of the entire organization that takes about 3 years to complete (which will be after this year). I think you need 3-4 solid years of drafting to really start to see a foundation in the organization. So unless Kevin White becomes a perennial #1 WR, and Grasu eventually returns to the starting lineup, the only valuable player from 2015 will be Goldman, so you would have to start with the 2016 draft as Year #1, so we are still 2-3 years away at this point from true SB contention. Look at Seattle, they had that epic draft in 2010 (Okung, Thomas, Tate, Thurmond, and Chancellor), but it took 2 more solid years of drafts and a 3rd year together to win/make it to the SB. However, they have drafted like crap since 2012 and it will eventually catch up to them as well. If we consider our 2016 draft with Floyd, Whitehair, and Howard as our equivalent to Seattle's 2010 draft, we have a couple of more years to go. So why overpay for someone who won't even be part of the long-term plan? Right now, most of these free agent pickups are to at least field a competitive team and maybe get lucky with a free agent acquisition (Hicks). If you can do that every year with one or two guys under 30, you can speed up the process.

#Bears are signing K Connor Barth back on a 1-year contract. He's getting $155K guaranteed. https://twitter.com/BradBiggs/status/840263479110053889 Scratch Kicker off the list for the draft, unless maybe a UDFA.

It was an ACL.

A biceps, pectoral, and hamstring injuries. At least they are not reoccurring injuries.

I agree to an extent. We had all those guys on the field at the same time and what did we get? The first year we had the 2nd best offense in the league. The second year with the same group, we dropped to 23rd. Same guys, completely different result. Cutler was actually released with a failed physical designation, so his health is questionable. The Bears replaced Cutler with Glennon, who, at worst will be similar to a Kyle Orton clone with a littler more arm strength. There is a reason Marshall is on his 5th team (and 3rd in 4 years), and has never played in the postseason. Bennett is a head-case, and coincidentally is also going to be playing for his 5th team in the last 7 years. Alshon has been babied and was offended when Marshall was traded. He was never the same after that and seemed destined to leave when given the opportunity. His last good year was 2014 and his PED suspension last year raises concerns that he will either be not as good w/o PEDs, or using them and get caught again. I think it would've been better if we re-signed him to a one-year deal, but if we can pickup Pryor, I won't have any complaints. In the end, this was the final step to the house cleaning for the organization.