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Bears face uncertainty on special teams
Bears face uncertainty on special teams
By Jeff Dickerson
CHICAGO -- It's shaping up to be an interesting offseason for Bears special teams coach Dave Toub. After overseeing one of the NFL's top outfits for the past seven seasons, Toub may be forced to enter 2011 without several key special teams contributors.
Moving on without certain special teams standouts is nothing new to Toub -- the Bears lost Brendon Ayanbadejo to free agency in 2008 and released Tim Shaw prior to the 2010 season -- but the sheer amount of potential losses gives reason for concern.
The top six special teams tacklers from last season (Corey Graham, Garrett Wolfe, Brian Iwuh, Rashied Davis, Rod Wilson and Josh Bullocks), punter Brad Maynard, kickoff return specialist Danieal Manning and versatile linebacker Nick Roach (three special teams tackles in the 2010 playoffs) all have expiring contracts.
While the Bears did tender Roach (four accrued seasons), Manning (5) and Graham (4) restricted-free-agent qualifying offers, all three could end up being unrestricted free agents once the owners and NFLPA finalize a new collective bargaining agreement.
Perhaps the biggest loss would be Graham, who played at a Pro Bowl level in 2010 and led the Bears with 25 regular-season special-teams tackles, plus a team-high six in the postseason. The Bears best chance to retain Graham would be as a restricted free agent, because, according to several NFL sources, the former fifth-round draft pick is likely to leave Chicago if he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Graham recorded 93 tackles in nine starts at cornerback in 2008, but he failed to win over head coach Lovie Smith and consistently crack the starting lineup either at cornerback or nickelback the past two years. Smith opted to use the combination of Zack Bowman and Tim Jennings opposite Charles Tillman at cornerback, while D.J. Moore beat out Graham for the nickelback spot last summer. With the writing clearly on the wall, the defensive back knows his best chance to be a full-time starter on defense is to sign elsewhere in the offseason, according to NFL sources.
Manning is also expected to leave the Bears if he qualifies for unrestricted free agency -- ESPNChicago.com reported last week Manning rejected a three-year, $6 million contract extension during the regular season -- but the Bears are stocked in the return game with Devin Hester and Johnny Knox.
The Bears failed to tender Wolfe, who doesn't appear to be in the Bears' future plans, especially since the team gave up a seventh-round pick to select running back Harvey Unga in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. However, despite standing only 5-7, Wolfe carved out a solid niche on kickoff coverage and also served as the all-important personal protect on the punt team -- Wolfe made 48 special teams tackles the last three years.
Meanwhile, Maynard's situation remains up in the air. Certain members of the Bears organization were unhappy with Maynard's average yards per punt (40.1) and net average (35.2) in 2010, but the veteran remains one the best direction kickers in the NFL (24 punts were placed inside the 20-yard line). Plus, some of Maynard's struggles can certainly attributed to a hip injury that forced the punter to miss much of his offseason work prior to last season, not to mention kicking the ball in inclement weather.
The Bears did sign Richmond McGee to a futures/reserve contract, but McGee hasn't attempted a single punt in an NFL game. Maynard, on the other hand, has punted the ball more than 1,200 times, in every pressure-packed situation imaginable for the New York Giants and the Bears.
Maynard, kicker Robbie Gould and long snapper Patrick Mannelly are considered the most consistent trio of specialists in the league.
Citing NFL sources, ESPNChicago.com reported the Bears are attempting to re-sign Iwuh to a two-year contract.
With so many moving parts, it should be an interesting offseason for the Bears' third phase.
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I'd guess unga takes over for wolf,, think graham and iwuh will be back and then down to just manning, who depending on offer's may or may not be back, if he receives low offer's we will match,imo,but if somone paysalot we will let him go,
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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I am sure Jerry will draft a few new replacement players this year.
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
4th and 26 
I am sure Jerry will draft a few new replacement players this year.
Get that "War Room Jerry" dart board I sent you yet? 
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Originally Posted by
dabears54 I'd guess unga takes over for wolf,, think graham and iwuh will be back and then down to just manning, who depending on offer's may or may not be back, if he receives low offer's we will match,imo,but if somone paysalot we will let him go,
Graham and Iwuh are both keepers in my opinion. Good ST guys who also provide good depth as position players. I'd like them to give Graham his shot at a starting CB spot though. When he was given a chance a couple of years ago he didn't do that bad but somehow he ended up in Lovie's doghouse. He's earned the right to compete at CB again through his ST play.
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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I'm w/Soul, signing Graham and Iwuh should be primary to signing. JA's forte is finding ST guys anyway, plus we can sign guys off the street like Shaw so I don't think it's going to be devastating. We will probably lose either Wolfe or R.Davis. Hell, if we really want to upgrade maybe there's a FA we can sign that could make a good impact. Cut Manu for the spot while were at it lol.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Originally Posted by
soulman Graham and Iwuh are both keepers in my opinion. Good ST guys who also provide good depth as position players. I'd like them to give Graham his shot at a starting CB spot though. When he was given a chance a couple of years ago he didn't do that bad but somehow he ended up in Lovie's doghouse. He's earned the right to compete at CB again through his ST play.
well graham legitimately lost his playing time to bowman when bowman made the plays and graham didn't-that Bowman than himself took a step backward the mystery..
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Originally Posted by
short faced bear I'm w/Soul, signing Graham and Iwuh should be primary to signing. JA's forte is finding ST guys anyway, plus we can sign guys off the street like Shaw so I don't think it's going to be devastating. We will probably lose either Wolfe or R.Davis. Hell, if we really want to upgrade maybe there's a FA we can sign that could make a good impact. Cut Manu for the spot while were at it lol.
Given Toub's ability to raise ST stars I think we could lose both. Wolfe will never play RB for us and Davis's days as a WR may be over too plus his age is a factor. Both probably go the way of AP. Good guys to have but maybe not needed anymore.
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Originally Posted by
soulman Given Toub's ability to raise ST stars I think we could lose both. Wolfe will never play RB for us and Davis's days as a WR may be over too plus his age is a factor. Both probably go the way of AP. Good guys to have but maybe not needed anymore.
Yes I think both Wolfe and R.Davis should both be gone but I don't want Toub to have to scurry to find players and think his side of the ball is getting slighted and leave-he's too damn important. I'd love for us to find players who can block a punt or two as well.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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In need of a punter, how much would Bears pay?
brad biggs
When the NFL owners and the players come to an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and there's no reason to believe something is imminent, free agency will get started.
Most believe the shopping season will start shortly after a new CBA is finalized, and that's when the Chicago Bears need to go to work filling some needs before they start thinking about wants, to borrow from general manager Jerry Angelo.
Their first needs are going to start in the trenches with offensive and defensive linemen. Somewhere lower down on the list of needs will be a punter. They're not going to hand the job to Richmond McGee, who was signed to a reserve/futures contract and will be with the team for the third consecutive offseason. No one has ruled out bringing back veteran free agent Brad Maynard at this point, but they also haven't given him any indication he's in their plans.
Photo: Former Illinois punter Steve Weatherfor will hit the free-agent market this year. (Mel Evans/AP)
One name to keep in mind is Steve Weatherford, the former Illinois punter. If the Bears, who promote their special teams as being among the best in the league, want to invest, he could be at the top of their list. Weatherford set an NFL record last season with the New York Jets by dropping 42 punts inside the 20-yard line, two more than Maynard had in 2008. Weatherford also had 27 fair catches, but what jumps out is half of the punts he made landed inside the 20.
What's the going rate for a punter? That depends on how much competition there is for his services. Sam Koch just signed a five-year, $12.5 million contract in Baltimore. The Ravens gave him $3 million to sign and the deal averages $2.5 million per year. Oakland's Shane Lechler sets the bar. He got $4 million to sign a $16 million, four-year deal. Weatherford won't match Lechler's deal.
Weatherford, 28, was not tendered by the Jets as a potential restricted free agent. He didn't perform well in the postseason, but the regular-season numbers speak for themselves. The Bears could get a full scouting report on him from new special teams assistant Kevin O'Dea, who was with the Jets in 2009, Weatherford's first season with the team. What other teams could be in the market for a punter? The New York Giants and Houston Texans come to mind.
Of course, if the Bears were to sign Weatherford, that would probably make McGee a camp leg once again. If the team really wants McGee to compete for the job, they won't spend any significant money in bringing in a player with experience to challenge McGee, who has yet to perform in a regular-season game.
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