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New CBA will put some Bears on the market
New CBA will put some Bears on the market
By Jeff Dickerson
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter's report Tuesday regarding the expected changes to free agency was music to the ears of three Bears in particular.
Safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach and cornerback Corey Graham received restricted free agent tenders prior to the lockout, but if the requirement for reaching unrestricted free agency reverts back to four accrued seasons (it was six seasons in the uncapped year of 2010) in the new CBA, then all three will hit the open market once free agency technically begins.
Will any of the three re-sign with the Bears? Here is a quick look at each of the three players' individual situations and likelihood of staying in Chicago.
Danieal Manning - Five years of NFL service - The Bears made a half-hearted attempt to re-sign Manning during the 2010 season by offering the versatile defender an extension worth just $6 million over three years. There mere fact the offer was so low proves the Bears aren't interested in paying serious money to retain Manning, a 2006 second round draft choice who finished fifth on the team in tackles last year with 85. It's unclear exactly what kind of money Manning will command as an unrestricted free agent, but teams should be interested in a starting caliber defensive back (56 career regular season starts), capable of playing both safety positions, nickel back and cornerback, who also moonlights as one of the most productive kickoff return men in the league. Bears head coach Lovie Smith seems content to move forward with second-year safety Major Wright, which means Manning is expected to find a new home and hopefully a better situation in 2011.
Odds of staying: Slim
Corey Graham - Four years of NFL service - Graham wants to be in a situation where he has a legitimate chance to play cornerback. That will not happen in Chicago under Smith. Even though Graham played well when he made nine starts at cornerback in 2008, the former fifth round pick out of New Hampshire has been lost in the secondary shuffle the past two years. Instead of sulking after being slighted multiple times the last two years, Graham turned himself into arguably one of the best special teams players in the league and led the Bears with 25 special teams tackles in 2010. Unlike Manning, the Bears certainly want to keep Graham on the roster, but it might be too late. Graham wants to be more than a special teams ace, he wants to compete for a starting job on defense. The odds of that happening in Chicago don't look promising.
Odds of staying: Slim
Nick Roach - Four years of NFL service - Here's a major difference between Roach and Manning/Graham: Roach wants to keep playing for the Bears. The Northwestern product, who just turned 26, has already made 30 combined career starts at strong side and middle linebacker, and tied for the team lead with 10 tackles for a loss in 2009. When you consider the Bears only have two veteran linebackers currently under contract -- (Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs) -- bringing back Roach seems like a prudent move. Obviously, Roach, who's also a valuable special teams contributor, has dealt with a variety of minor injuries during his career and staying healthy is key, but at that age, with all that experience and athletic ability, the Bears are better off spending a little extra cash to keep Roach in the fold.
Odds of staying: Good
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High Fives / Like - 2 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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this is a big credit to angelo/stein that bears will not lose any big players or will Free agency even at 4 years hurt bears as all players potentially losing not that big a deal.
Can you imagine being the falcons and losing 3/5th's of your starting O-line??.. or a team like vikes losing their star WR Rice And rising star DE edwards? that is painful.
Think adams and roach will come back and mannng and graham, only if can't find a better deal, and right now hard to know how this will work out.. my guess is will be a big frenzy for the top guys to sign them quick and then teams because so mnay lower guys the prices will drop real quick, and unfort for players like manning and graham they "may" get lsot in eh quick F/A shuffle, and have to come back to bears, which is a good thing for bears.
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I think he's got a good handle on it. Manning has enough value to someone to attract a better offer than what the Bears would give him. He's gone.
I don't think Graham will be happy unless he's at least given a chance at a starting CB role with somone since Lovie will never give him the chance. If he fails he knows he can play ST with them just as well as he can with the Bears and probably for more money. 50-50 he stays at best and only if virtually ignored by everyone which I doubt will happen.
To me Roach is almost certain to return. With the injuries to Pisa and no one else on the roster with MLB experience he's pretty much assured of playing time on defense as well as ST. He's not in the same league as Urls and Biggs but he's good enough and experienced enough to play with them. 90% chance he returns.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Manning possesses the genuine fearlessness that great kick returners have to have, and that's more rare than most think. Unless the Bears reduce Hester's role as a WR to keep him effective on kick returns, the loss of Manning might wind up hurting more than we realise. Or maybe the stupid new rule change makes this a moot point. I remember a few years ago when it looked like Briggs was going to walk. Didn't happen . Maybe the same will happen with Daniele. I hope so. The other two have been ok but losing them wouldn't bother me as much.
Last edited by Blue Horse-shoe; 06-23-2011 at 06:00 PM.
What should you call any : Fumble , Hold , Interception , Three and out , or Sack ?
A " F.H.I.T.S " ? or a J'Marcus ?
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Junior Member
Manning is a hard one because with the new KO rule he has been effectively neutered in that area so I don't see teams jumping all up and down to give him mega bucks for his return skills. As a safety he proved to be durable last year which is a huge bonus albeit he was taken out in a rotation with Major Wright at times. I think it will be hard for him to be offered big money as his overall body of work just isn't that great, up until last season he was a very average at best safety/nickelback. He may end up somewhere else but not for the money he is probably hoping to get.
Corey Graham is another interesting case as again great ST'er but not a whole lot to go on for a team to evaluate as a CB so I doubt he gets offered much more than the Bears will offer him, however in his case he will probably leave just based on the opportunity to compete for a starting job on another ballclub. I don't know why he would not be offered that same opportunity in Chicago. He showed promise when he did play as much as I saw from Bowman so I don't understand that one. If it has to do with the supposed I don't want to play safety thing then Lovie is an ass to hold that against a players development and opportunity and I wouldn't blame Graham one iota for wanting out if that's the case.
Roach I believe will be probably the third FA priority signing behind Kreutz and Adams followed by a offer to Tinoisamoa depending on how his knee is doing and if he passes the physical. I'm sure they will probably also make a splash for Iwuh as he was very good on ST's and looked good in place of Briggs a few times last season.
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Originally Posted by
soulman 
I think he's got a good handle on it. Manning has enough value to someone to attract a better offer than what the Bears would give him. He's gone.
I don't think Graham will be happy unless he's at least given a chance at a starting CB role with somone since Lovie will never give him the chance. If he fails he knows he can play ST with them just as well as he can with the Bears and probably for more money. 50-50 he stays at best and only if virtually ignored by everyone which I doubt will happen.
To me Roach is almost certain to return. With the injuries to Pisa and no one else on the roster with MLB experience he's pretty much assured of playing time on defense as well as ST. He's not in the same league as Urls and Biggs but he's good enough and experienced enough to play with them. 90% chance he returns.
yep and just IMO, do think there is a "roll of the dice" mentality on manning and graham, that from an objective standpoint, because will be 400+ free agents and probably only a 10-15 day period to sign them all, very likely could fall through the cracks, as teams scramble for the bigger players/names and these 2 may not get the calls they would have in a "normal free agent 6 week period" or only 100-200 players.So can see them back in March making the concious decision to risk they will not get offers.
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Originally Posted by
thekmann Manning is a hard one because with the new KO rule he has been effectively neutered in that area so I don't see teams jumping all up and down to give him mega bucks for his return skills. As a safety he proved to be durable last year which is a huge bonus albeit he was taken out in a rotation with Major Wright at times. I think it will be hard for him to be offered big money as his overall body of work just isn't that great, up until last season he was a very average at best safety/nickelback. He may end up somewhere else but not for the money he is probably hoping to get.
Corey Graham is another interesting case as again great ST'er but not a whole lot to go on for a team to evaluate as a CB so I doubt he gets offered much more than the Bears will offer him, however in his case he will probably leave just based on the opportunity to compete for a starting job on another ballclub. I don't know why he would not be offered that same opportunity in Chicago. He showed promise when he did play as much as I saw from Bowman so I don't understand that one. If it has to do with the supposed I don't want to play safety thing then Lovie is an ass to hold that against a players development and opportunity and I wouldn't blame Graham one iota for wanting out if that's the case.
Roach I believe will be probably the third FA priority signing behind Kreutz and Adams followed by a offer to Tinoisamoa depending on how his knee is doing and if he passes the physical. I'm sure they will probably also make a splash for Iwuh as he was very good on ST's and looked good in place of Briggs a few times last season.
I'd say the difference between graham and bowman was "playmaking", his 6 INT's in 12 starts in 2009, vs graham's 1 Int in 9 starts in 2008, showed the upside ability you want..but bowman needs to rebound strong in 2011 to stay around
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Graham might not be a pick machine but he was a hell of allot better then Bowman in coverage. Its not all about picks. Teams were picking on Bowman cause how loose he was in coverage. Its too bad cause Bowman has great size and speed. What really sucks without a real offseason guys like him cant get the necessary attention in camp that could be a world of difference in helping him be more then size and speed
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Originally Posted by
motownbear Graham might not be a pick machine but he was a hell of allot better then Bowman in coverage. Its not all about picks. Teams were picking on Bowman cause how loose he was in coverage. Its too bad cause Bowman has great size and speed. What really sucks without a real offseason guys like him cant get the necessary attention in camp that could be a world of difference in helping him be more then size and speed
agreed, his lack of tight coverage is why lost his starting job in 2010- just saying the "playmaking" is why do think he willnot another shot in 2011, and agree 100% he's one of the players really hurt by the lockout, as can really use the ota's to work on the physical side and tighter coverage, he's going to have to really come on in camp now
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Originally Posted by
motownbear Graham might not be a pick machine but he was a hell of allot better then Bowman in coverage. Its not all about picks. Teams were picking on Bowman cause how loose he was in coverage. Its too bad cause Bowman has great size and speed. What really sucks without a real offseason guys like him cant get the necessary attention in camp that could be a world of difference in helping him be more then size and speed
Bowman still needs work learning to be a zone style CB. In college he was a man to man cover guy and I still think he struggles with the change. When he can use his size and speed to run with a guy he does well but when asked to sit back in the zone he doesn't seem to have very good instincts and plays not to get beat by the deep ball. Maybe another injury free year and the light buld will finally get lit.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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