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Restricted free agent Hanie has value to Bear
Restricted free agent Hanie has value to Bears and himself
QB knows he can play after proving it under pressure in playoff loss
ARLINGTON, Texas — More than a week after throwing an interception on the Bears' last offensive play in their 21-14 loss to the Packers in the NFC championship game, Caleb Hanie can't count how many times he has second-guessed himself.
But Hanie can tell you exactly how far away the Bears were from a game-tying touchdown.
With a wince.
"Can you imagine if we got 29 more yards?'' Hanie said Wednesday during a stop at the Super Bowl Media Center
But the Bears didn't after Sam Shields picked off a fourth-down pass. More than a week later, Hanie still was dissecting that throw with every other play from a wild fourth quarter that potentially changed the arc of the backup quarterback's career.
"You think about fourth-and-4, if I had just pumped that ball into Earl (Bennett),'' Hanie said. "Or on (B.J.) Raji's (interception return for a touchdown) if I would have taken just three steps instead of five steps, would he have just missed it. Or if I had gotten reps on that play, I would have maybe progressed over to Devin (Hester). But that's how it goes sometimes.''
It didn't go the Bears way, in part, because Todd Collins replaced the injured Jay Cutler in the third quarter as he had passed Hanie on the depth chart. Hanie showed nifty footwork tiptoeing around controversy when asked how in the name of Jonathan Quinn that happened.
"It's a touchy subject to answer,'' Hanie said. "I was told (the demotion to No. 3) happened in practice during the (off) week. Not that I did bad but that Todd maybe ran things more efficiently. I think the experience factor had a lot to do with it.''
Given how the season ended, it will go down as one of the Bears' biggest miscalculations of 2010.
"I was obviously mad but you don't let that alter the way you go about your business,'' Hanie said.
Now Hanie's business includes being a restricted free-agent. Hanie hopes to stay with the Bears but the Packers game reinforced his belief that he can compete for an NFL starting job. He mentioned the Titans and 49ers as teams with quarterback uncertainty, but the list is longer, possibly including the Raiders, Cardinals, Dolphins, Redskins and Vikings.
The Bears retain the right to match any offer. They always could place a high tender on Hanie that would bring them a second-round pick if any team signed him. That was worth a $1.759 million salary in 2010. No wonder Hanie was sporting a Texas-sized grin.
"I want to progress my career and become a starter and I just have to figure out where the best opportunity is for me to do that,'' Hanie said. "But I love Chicago and I'd love to be quarterback of the Bears someday. Will it be next year? No. Jay's the planted guy there. If it means I have to stay around another year because the Bears put a high tender on me, hey, that'd be great too.''
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The Bears retain the right to match any offer. They always could place a high tender on Hanie that would bring them a second-round pick if any team signed him. That was worth a $1.759 million salary in 2010. No wonder Hanie was sporting a Texas-sized grin.
I'd def. tag him at $1.759 mill- that is if the new CB stll has the same ssytem and tag levels, which may or may not happen
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High Fives / Like - 2 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Bears face decision with Caleb Hanie
DALLAS -- Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo praised the play of backup quarterback Caleb Hanie the day after the NFC Championship Game.
With starter Jay Cutler injured on the sideline and No. 2 QB Todd Collins struggling, Hanie came in late in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers and nearly led the Bears to victory before falling 21-14.
"He showed poise," Angelo said. "You want to look for that at the quarterback position. We know he's got talent. He was thrown into the fire. I thought he did a good job, and it was good to see. The only way you really evaluate a quarterback is to see him in the line of fire. So his stock went up in our eyes, at least in mine anyhow."
The question now becomes whether Hanie, a restricted free agent, has a future in the Bears' organization.
"It's tough to tell because you never know what the organization is going to do," Hanie said Wednesday at the Super Bowl media center in Dallas. "I would have never thought two years ago they would have traded Kyle Orton and two first-rounders for Jay Cutler. That surprised me more than anything. So you never really know what they're going to do.
"I get a good sense they like me, and to hear Jerry say that is nice to hear. Jerry has always been good to me, especially coming out of college. So I hope I get interest from a lot of teams because I want to progress my career as much as anybody and become a starter. I just got to figure out where the best opportunity is for me to do that."
Since the Bears can match any offer sheet placed on restricted free agents, the odds of Hanie leaving the Bears in the offseason are slim. But that doesn't mean Hanie isn't keeping close tabs on potential quarterback battles throughout the league.
"I look at all the openings. There are a lot of teams out there that need quarterbacks," Hanie said. "There are a lot of veterans guys at the end of their careers in certain places. Those are all the factors you have to take into consideration when making a decision. Like seeing Tennessee, that job might be open, the San Francisco job [looks headed for] a competition. You definitely look at all that, but I like Chicago and would love to be the quarterback for the Bears someday.
"Will it be next year? No. Jay is the guy there. But if it means I have to stay around here for another year because the Bears put a high tender on you or something like that, that would be great, too."
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he should have been 2 from the get go; Martz F'd up by bringing in an shitty vet.
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High Fives / Like - 4 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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The Bears have an embarrassment of riches at QB.
I'd be okay with placing a very high tender on Hanie that would bring the Bears a first-round-pick. I think that highly of Hanie.
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Originally Posted by
Riczaj01 
he should have been 2 from the get go; Martz F'd up by bringing in an shitty vet.
agreed after the carolina game, unless Todd had incriminating pictures of martz, how he was able to stay as the #2 made no sense..
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High Fives / Like - 3 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
GeorgiaJeff The Bears have an embarrassment of riches at QB.
I'd be okay with placing a very high tender on Hanie that would bring the Bears a first-round-pick. I think that highly of Hanie.
Well with the salary cap back for 2011, doubt would place the top tag on him..and lose that cap psace for oline/Dt/WR
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Originally Posted by
dabears54 Well with the salary cap back for 2011, doubt would place the top tag on him..and lose that cap psace for oline/Dt/WR
What is the top tag (currently)?
A second-round tag is not too shabby.
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Originally Posted by
GeorgiaJeff What is the top tag (currently)?
A second-round tag is not too shabby.
be 2.79 mill the top RFA # which is then a first round and 3rd rounder
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I don't think we're gonna draft or sign a guy that's better than him. Unless we get a retarded offer (Fitz and a 1st or 2nd for him), I say keep him at all costs..
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High Fives / Like - 2 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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