I say, OL(1st round if there is a 1st rd LT out there, move Tait back to RT), Safety(high only if there is a mike brown type leader out there) Linebackers(Middle/Strong even if we resign briggs. I am concerned Urlacher will never be Urlacher again. ), DT/RB take your pick.

I would love a big time LT that could hold down the Oline for years to come. So we can get back to running the ball like Bears football is all about.

Both this draft and this FA Crop seem strong in the O-Line category. I think the Bears must use either a first or a 2nd on an O-Lineman, and need to draft at least 2 guys. I want at least 3 new bodies in the O-Line rotation next year; either draft 3 or draft 2 and sign 1. It will not help this team to draft a QB, RB, or WR if the O-Line can't create holes for any running back or if the QB is on the ground. Tom Brady would look terrible behind the Bears line right now.

I agree, as I said in the Flacco thread, it does not matter what QB, RB, or WRs we have on the "O" if we do not have a good OL to protect the QB, give the receivers time to get open, and to open a few holes for the RB. I do not think CB is as bad as many think, he was met in the backfield more often than not before having a chance to get to the line of scrimmage. Our QB had been sanked/hit/hurried so much it is a miracle all are not on the IR. If the QB never has a chance to get his feet set before getting killed it kind of makes it a bit difficult to evaluate him. If he can not get time to throw then it obviously effects the numbers for the WRs as well.

 

Then the BIG QUESTION in my mind....

 

DOES ANGELO & SMITH FIRE TURNER? IF SO, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AS OUR NEW OC?

 

I am sure there will be some HCs fired soon and there will be a few good OC prospects out there. Anyone got some ideas as to who might be available if the powers to be with the Bears chose to make a change?

I agree, as I said in the Flacco thread, it does not matter what QB, RB, or WRs we have on the "O" if we do not have a good OL to protect the QB, give the receivers time to get open, and to open a few holes for the RB. I do not think CB is as bad as many think, he was met in the backfield more often than not before having a chance to get to the line of scrimmage. Our QB had been sanked/hit/hurried so much it is a miracle all are not on the IR. If the QB never has a chance to get his feet set before getting killed it kind of makes it a bit difficult to evaluate him. If he can not get time to throw then it obviously effects the numbers for the WRs as well.

 

Then the BIG QUESTION in my mind....

 

DOES ANGELO & SMITH FIRE TURNER? IF SO, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AS OUR NEW OC?

 

I am sure there will be some HCs fired soon and there will be a few good OC prospects out there. Anyone got some ideas as to who might be available if the powers to be with the Bears chose to make a change?

Tony Sporado - Dallas Cowboys

 

Sporado was there offensive line coach and he also has been very involved and I think became an asst. head coach. He's well respected and he could be inline to take the OC job when Garret gets a head coaching gig this off-season. He did a fantastic job on the oline and seems to be well respected in terms of general offensive knowledge so I think he would make a very good OC. I also think it would cost the Bears a lot.

I would say the order should be best available from (OL, S, QB) in the first three rounds.

 

For DL and LBs, the Bears have several players like Bazuin and Okwo that are injured, so their health will steer the direction of the draft somewhat.

 

Also, what does everyone think about Grossman. Is he completely done in Chicago? or do the Bears sign him to some sort of incentive laden contract in case they don't get someone in FA or thru the draft?

 

Also, the free agent signings will be huge this offseason for the Bears. If they can get a good mix of veteran FA's and solid draft picks, they will be right back in the thick of the NFC race next year - as long as Turner is not the OC.

The biggest needs are safety and oline. As of right now, you take Long if he's there (very unlikely); if not, you take Phillips if he's there; if he's not there either, try to trade down in the first and take an ot. Right now, I just don't see a huge difference between the group of tackles after Long. If you get Phillips, there's a good chance you can still grab a good tackle in the second. But a small trade-up could also help.

 

Though I wouldn't be angry if we grabbed a qb in the first, or someone who slips (a McFadden or Dorsey -- obviously not likely), even if it isn't a position of need.

Also, what does everyone think about Grossman. Is he completely done in Chicago? or do the Bears sign him to some sort of incentive laden contract in case they don't get someone in FA or thru the draft?

 

Also, the free agent signings will be huge this offseason for the Bears. If they can get a good mix of veteran FA's and solid draft picks, they will be right back in the thick of the NFC race next year - as long as Turner is not the OC.

Unless Kyle Orton pulls a Derek Anderson here in these next few games, the choice for the Bears is simple. It is virtually impossible to draft a QB these days and have him come in right away and contribute. Therefore, I see 2 choices. 1: the Bears blow everything up and completely rebuild. Because if the Bears let Grossman walk and draft a QB high...then the Bears are committing to give that QB at least 1-2 years to learn the NFL game and to build around him. And with the situation the Bears are in Re: the cap and in particular re: it's key vets (read: Urlacher), I think committing to lose for 2 years is just wrong.

 

The other alternative is to 1. Hold onto Grossman unless you really believe in Orton, because you will not win next year with a rookie QB barring a huge defensive performance, and 2. Put an O-Line in front of him and see what happens. An O-Line can be fixed rapidly through the draft and through FA, as teams like Cleveland and Minnesota have shown. Even a mediocre QB can look good if he's in front of a solid O-Line that is good enough to create a good running game.

 

Unless Orton does something remarkable or a really nice trade becomes available for cheap (i.e. like Mcnabb for a pick or something like that), the Bears dumping Grossman is equivalent to the Bears deciding to completely rebuild, and at that point, they ought to consider moving Harris and Urlacher, because there's no reason to keep guys close to FA or with big cap numbers in that case.

Tony Sporado - Dallas Cowboys

 

Sporado was there offensive line coach and he also has been very involved and I think became an asst. head coach. He's well respected and he could be inline to take the OC job when Garret gets a head coaching gig this off-season. He did a fantastic job on the oline and seems to be well respected in terms of general offensive knowledge so I think he would make a very good OC. I also think it would cost the Bears a lot.

 

I might be on board with that!

The biggest needs are safety and oline. As of right now, you take Long if he's there (very unlikely); if not, you take Phillips if he's there; if he's not there either, try to trade down in the first and take an ot. Right now, I just don't see a huge difference between the group of tackles after Long. If you get Phillips, there's a good chance you can still grab a good tackle in the second. But a small trade-up could also help.

 

Though I wouldn't be angry if we grabbed a qb in the first, or someone who slips (a McFadden or Dorsey -- obviously not likely), even if it isn't a position of need.

I agree about O line and safety. I just dont see any real reason to take a qb. There arent even any high profile QBs that are supposed to be sure fire first rounders that would need to be taken if they dropped to us. Assuming we pick mid teens, which QB would have to be taken at that pick? There arent any qbs that are worth abandoning our needs because they slip to us.

 

McFadden is a different story but theres no way hes available unless were the team that tries to deal with New England which is very unlikely. O line and safety have to be the main priorities in the draft unless we make a major splash in FA. Guys like Anderson or Turner are never gonna happen. Wed be better suited looking at a RB like Jamal Lewis or Julious Jones and there isnt much at QB out there thats worth overpaying for. In FA, Faneca should be the number one target, followed by Bob Sanders if Indy lets him get away.

Then the BIG QUESTION in my mind....

 

DOES ANGELO & SMITH FIRE TURNER? IF SO, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AS OUR NEW OC?

 

Jim Harbaugh

I agree about O line and safety. I just dont see any real reason to take a qb. There arent even any high profile QBs that are supposed to be sure fire first rounders that would need to be taken if they dropped to us. Assuming we pick mid teens, which QB would have to be taken at that pick? There arent any qbs that are worth abandoning our needs because they slip to us.

 

McFadden is a different story but theres no way hes available unless were the team that tries to deal with New England which is very unlikely. O line and safety have to be the main priorities in the draft unless we make a major splash in FA. Guys like Anderson or Turner are never gonna happen. Wed be better suited looking at a RB like Jamal Lewis or Julious Jones and there isnt much at QB out there thats worth overpaying for. In FA, Faneca should be the number one target, followed by Bob Sanders if Indy lets him get away.

I think as of now we're set to pick closer to ten than mid-teens. Iirc, the rivals.com mock had us at 11. So figure we could conceivably pick anywhere from 6 or so to high-teens. I can imagine a situation where McFadden drops to 6, say. Still VERY unlikely, but that's the kind of thing I was thinking about.

 

As for qb -- I'm intentionally not taking a strong position on this. I just don't trust my judgement on college qbs much, especially this bunch. So if after the combine and workouts and interviews and wunderlics and &c, the opinion of Ryan or Brohm or Woodson is so high that the Bears decide they can't pass on this guy...well, okay, I'll trust them. Obviously the qb situation we've had isn't acceptable.

 

Overall, I think I just have much less definite opinions about what the Bears should do in the draft than most posters seem to. I've become pretty patient after I was really, really, REALLY wrong about taking Hester. I'm not advocating taking a qb, but I won't get pissed about it.

The positions where we will need some work are tackle, guard, safety, and wide receiver.

 

I think our first day picks should be 1 o-lineman, 1 safety, and then either an o-lineman or a WR, depending what we do in free agency.

 

I today's NFL it's very possible to field a competitive team with decent skill positions players, if your o-line is very good. I think adding 1-2 new WRs and 2 new o-linemen to our current crop of QBs/RBs/TEs, we could be right back in the NFC hunt in 2008.

 

On D, we need a new strong safety, and everyone else to get healthy. WLB should also be a priority, and at this point I think Angelo should go for broke in trying to re-sign Briggs.

Ryan Clady OT Boise State

Ryan Clady OT Boise State

I really like Clady and I could see him jumping ahead of Long...

 

With that being said, Safety is probably our biggest need, but when you don't have either a franchise QB or LT... your hosed.

I am curious just what will be available in FA for OL. If we can get a veteran OL to upgrade it might be safer than drafting a player and breaking him in. I was so disappointed with M Columbo. He was actually, I believe, an excellent draft pick by Angelo but eventually we had to cut him because of his health problems. Now he is starting for Dallas.

 

If you could draft a LOT you were certain had the skills to start and contribute in his first year, I would invest a 1st rounder in him, if not, wait until later for a project. FA will be the key to our needs on the OL come draft time.

Free agent O lineman ranked

center

1 Jeff Faine OC New Orleans Saints

2 Seth McKinney OC Cleveland Browns

3 Andy McCollum OC St. Louis Rams

4 John Wade OC Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5 Jeremy Newberry OC Oakland Raiders

 

guard

1 Alan Faneca OG Pittsburgh Steelers

2 Chris Snee OG New York Giants

3 Ruben Brown OG Chicago Bears

4 Ryan Lija OG Indianpolis Colts

5 Jake Scott OG Indianapolis Colts

6 Justin Smiley OG San Francisco 49ers

7 Claude Terrell OG St. Louis Rams

8 Larry Allen OG San Francisco 49ers

9 Keydrick Vincent OG Arizona Cardinals

10 Brian Rimpf OG Baltimore Ravens

11 Fred Weary OG Houston Texans

 

tackle

1 Max Starks OT Pittsburgh Steelers

2 Floyd Womack OT Seattle Seahawks

3 Sean Locklear OT Seattle Seahawks

4 Kwame Harris OT San Francisco 49ers

5 Trai Essex OT Pittsburgh Steelers

6 Todd Steussie OT St. Louis Rams

7 Nat Dorsey OT Cleveland Browns

8 Travelle Wharton OT Carolina Panthers

9 Flozell Adams OT Dallas Cowboys

10 George Foster OT Detroit Lions

Thanks for the lists.....

 

Not a bad group, void of big time Pro Bowlers that would demand BIG $$$ but the lists has many players that could be an upgrade at a reasonable cost while we draft a player to groom.

Thanks for the lists.....

 

Not a bad group, void of big time Pro Bowlers that would demand BIG $$$ but the lists has many players that could be an upgrade at a reasonable cost while we draft a player to groom.

Faneca is all we need!!!

Faneca is all we need!!!

no thanks to overpaying for the 32 year old...

 

We'd be wise to resign Brown on the cheap, draft a franchise LT, and add competition at RG for Garza. We would possibly upgrade 4 spots on the OL...

 

Franchise LT who doesn't bust and makes an impact > Tait (I know, this is the biggest if)

Healthy Brown > Injured Brown/Metcalf

Tait at RT > Miller... Tait was originally a RT and will probably perform at a high level at RT

Garza with competition/rookie > Garza (second biggest if)

no thanks to overpaying for the 32 year old...

 

We'd be wise to resign Brown on the cheap, draft a franchise LT, and add competition at RG for Garza. We would possibly upgrade 4 spots on the OL...

 

Franchise LT who doesn't bust and makes an impact > Tait (I know, this is the biggest if)

Healthy Brown > Injured Brown/Metcalf

Tait at RT > Miller... Tait was originally a RT and will probably perform at a high level at RT

Garza with competition/rookie > Garza (second biggest if)

Lol at Faneca being too old and resigning Brown

Lol at Faneca being too old and resigning Brown

I don't know if you realized this or not, but I said no thanks to overpaying for Faneca. If he was at least 2 years younger I'd have little-no problem with it, but he aint... However, with Brown who might be old as King Tut, we'd be able to sign him cheap.

I don't know if you realized this or not, but I said no thanks to overpaying for Faneca. If he was at least 2 years younger I'd have little-no problem with it, but he aint... However, with Brown who might be old as King Tut, we'd be able to sign him cheap.

I know, Ive just always wanted to use LOL in that context. I actually didnt realize Faneca was that old, but still LOL at Brown