A top 10 offense would be nice, but defense wins championships. Bears had about 150 less yards than the Broncos did last season and look what they did.

 

Give me an above average line with a great defense and I'll be a happy man. A great offensive line with just an above average defense probably gets you no where.

Pace has stated many times that he will go BPA and as much as I agree we need to go D with the first 3 rounds, I can see Stanley dropping to us and us taking him. I prefer Jack,Buckner, but not Smith as a injured first rounder. If you look at most ranking, the only other upper first rounder defensive players is Hargraves /CB and Jalin Ramsey/CB.

A top 10 offense would be nice, but defense wins championships. Bears had about 150 less yards than the Broncos did last season and look what they did.

 

Give me an above average line with a great defense and I'll be a happy man. A great offensive line with just an above average defense probably gets you no where.

 

I disagree somewhat. You're looking recent, and not necessarily historical. Even last year the offense trumped the defense when the Patriots beat the defensive stud Seahawks. Two years previous and the team with the better D lost again, when the Ravens beat the Niners. It wouldn't take much for me to go back and figure out

 

I like a team led by defense. As a Chicagoan, how could I not. But if the Bears have a great defense and a garbage offense, we'll see what we've already seen: the relatively wasted careers of defensive stalwarts.

 

I want a top 10 defense over a top 10 offense, but I believe a top 10 offense can be had at a relative discount if the OL is exemplary. I still say guys like Emmitt Smith aren't that great, and are the result of their OL rather than the opposite. Put that OL together in Chicago, and Langford likely goes for 1500yds and 15TDs next season.

Not sure where you got your info from but Osemele has played a full season at RT and I don't think he did too badly.

 

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/roster...eb-f8227de0cb25

2012: (16/16, 4/4) Started all 16 games at RT as a rookie and helped the Ravens score the second-most points (398) in franchise history (409 in 2014) and gain the third-most total yards (5,640) in team history, including a then-career-high 3,817 passing yards by QB Joe Flacco and 1,143 yards and 9 TDs rushing by RB Ray Rice

 

That versatility is one of the reasons I'd really like to sign him. Not only has he played RT but I would think that experience would aid him in transitioning to RG. He might not be starter quality at OT but on game days he could be the backup OT. At Iowa State he played LT and LG.

 

I meant in regards to the role he'd fill on this team. Slauson and Osemele have been LGs all but the one year Osemele played RT. Other than that, all LG. Further, if he did that well at RT, do you really think they'd have moved him inside? Last but not least, this is based on the concept that Long stays at RT.

I meant in regards to the role he'd fill on this team. Slauson and Osemele have been LGs all but the one year Osemele played RT. Other than that, all LG. Further, if he did that well at RT, do you really think they'd have moved him inside? Last but not least, this is based on the concept that Long stays at RT.

 

Sometimes I think your emotions get you typing before you finish reading:

 

I said: "He might not be starter quality at OT but on game days he could be the backup OT."

 

Or would you not even consider him as an emergency backup at RT if there is an injury to Long in a game? The game day active roster is fairly limited so you need some Olinemen who can fill in at a couple spots, even if for half a game.

 

Further, they moved him over to LG but, much like how we moved Long outside, it might have been a case of having better depth at RT and moving him inside gave them the best 5 Oline combination. I simply don't follow the Ravens close enough to know what motivated the move. It is fair to say he's probably more comfortable on the left side because that's where he's most of his career.

 

In any case we'll just agree to disagree because I think a full season at RT indicates Osemele could handle the switch to RG. I like the idea of having him and Long side by side and that Langford would find plenty of daylight running behind those two.

Sometimes I think your emotions get you typing before you finish reading:

 

I said: "He might not be starter quality at OT but on game days he could be the backup OT."

 

Or would you not even consider him as an emergency backup at RT if there is an injury to Long in a game? The game day active roster is fairly limited so you need some Olinemen who can fill in at a couple spots, even if for half a game.

 

Further, they moved him over to LG but, much like how we moved Long outside, it might have been a case of having better depth at RT and moving him inside gave them the best 5 Oline combination. I simply don't follow the Ravens close enough to know what motivated the move. It is fair to say he's probably more comfortable on the left side because that's where he's most of his career.

 

In any case we'll just agree to disagree because I think a full season at RT indicates Osemele could handle the switch to RG. I like the idea of having him and Long side by side and that Langford would find plenty of daylight running behind those two.

 

I understood you, but I can't see signing a FA vet like him unless he's going to start. I read the comment about backup OT, but it's not really a big part of the conversation to me. I'd rather have single-position dominance than above average versatility.

 

Either way it happens, if signed in Chicago either he or Slausson has to move to RG. That's all I was referring to. One has to move and I don't know which one would be best there. Maybe the RT to LG to RG transition would be easier for Osemele because of the RT experience. You may be correct.

My question to the group is this: how many starters need to be added in free agency to upgrade our team to playoff status? My thoughts are 6. 4 on D, 2 on offense.

 

Good question. Although, isn't a better question how many big $$$ starters do we need to sign?

 

My thought is DE and ILB. Then we'll try to sign a bunch of low end guys to fill out the secondary and o-line.