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Bears Mock Offseason [Defensive Focus]
Free Agents
WR Marques Colston [New Orleans] 5 years 45 million/ 20 guaranteed
The Bears need a legit #1 WR with the size to be a red zone factor and to run the slant. Colston is in a unique situation as a 64 225lbs WR who will turn 29 before the season and may not be resigned by his current team. The Saints need to resign Carl Nicks and Brew Brees, which might leave Colston available. Colston is exactly what the Bears need as they dont have the time to develop a rookie WR.
CB Terrell Thomas [NY Giants] 2 years 6 million/3 guaranteed
Thomas is coming off an ACL injury and the Bears should be able to pick him up on the cheap and allow him to prove that he is healthy. Thomas has the size and speed the Bears need to eventually be a starter and provide valuable depth.
S Chris Hope [Tennessee] 3 years 7.5 million/4 guaranteed
The Bears have an exceptionally young S core and they need a veteran that can come in and support the youth. Hope has been a solid NFL starter and while his best years are behind him be provides more discipline off the bench while Conte, Wright and Allen develop.
Re-signings
RB Matt Forte [5 years 42.5 Million/21 guaranteed]
WR Earl Bennett [4 years 14 million/6 guaranteed]
CB D.J Moore [4 years 10 million/4 guaranteed]
DT Amobi Okoye [3 years 12 million/ 4 guaranteed]
DE Israel Idonije [2 years 5 million/ 3 guaranteed]
TE Kellen Davis [2 years 3 million/ 1 guaranteed]
CB Tim Jennings [4 years 12 million/ 4 guaranteed]
Release/Not Resigned
DT Anthony Adams
WR Roy Williams
S Brandon Merriweather
OT Frank Omiyale
Draft
1[25] DE Whitney Mercilus [Illinois] 64 265lbs.
The Bears have addressed the need at WR with Colston and I doubt they will look at OG as a possible 1st round option unless DeCastro falls to this pick. The Bears address an aging defence and the most important position on the defence. The Cover 2 is built on pass rush from the down lineman and the Bears starters are both over 30. Mercilus combines good size with solid speed and a motor to chase down plays. He reminds me of John Abraham as a sneaky athlete that does not waste movement on his way to the QB. Mercilus gets to learn from Julius Peppers and Rod Marinelli and move directly into the rotation before replacing Idonije down the road.
2[57] OG Brandon Washington [Miami] 64 320lbs.
The Bears need to continue to add young depth to the OL, which has become even more apparent with Carimi and Chris Williams hitting the I.R. Washington has played multiple positions for the Hurricanes and can spend his 1st year as a valuable back up. Washington is a big physical mauler similar to Davin Joseph of the Bucs and is athletic enough to be a pulling OG in the Bears run game. If Carimi is slow in coming back Washington can move into RG while Louis moves to RT.
3[71] S Antonio Allen [South Carolina] 62 202lbs.
The Bears have 0 depth at the safety position and Major Wright has not proven himself at the SS position. Allen will provide depth behind Conte and Wright and challenge to start at SS. At a minimum Allen provides special teams with another valuable player and waits till Major Wright gets hurt again.
3[89] LB Keenan Robinson [Texas] 62 240lbs
The Bears need to start planning for the future at LB and add depth that can learn from players like Urlacher and Briggs. Robinson has the speed and the pursuit that the Bears need at LB and has the size to stay on the outside or move into the middle. You know how much Lovie loves his guys from Texas.
4. OT Matt McCants [UAB] 6'7" 310lbs.
It appears that J'Marcus Webb is going to develop into the starting LT that the Bears have sold him as, but the Bears have little depth at OT with Carimi coming off an injury and Webb being inconsistent. This pick also allows the Bears to develop a talented young back up instead of having Frank Omiyale waste a roster sport for another year.
5. TE George Bryan [NC State] 65 265lbs.
Kellen Davis has underachieved and struggled to pass block and Matt Spaeth is a glorified OT. Ryan adds competition behind both men. Ryan also has the size to be an effective blocker, which is what this system calls for. Ryan also can bring a big body to the special teams.
6. CB Tashaun Gipson [Wyoming] 6' 190lbs.
A developmental CB with the size to start and lost of time to develop. Gipson has the physica style that the Bears need to develop behind Charles Tillman who is over 30.
7. WR Damarlo Belcher [Indiana] 6'5" 215lbs.
The Bears add a big, physical WR to the mix who will probably not make the team, but can develop on the practice roster while giving the defense a big target look for when they prepare for the Lions or other teams with big physical WRs.
Depth Chart
QB: Cutler, Hanie, Enderle
RB: Forte, Barber, Bell, Clutts
WR: Colston, Hester, Bennett, Knox, Hurd, Sanzenbacher
TE: Davis, Spaeth, Bryan
LT: Webb, McCants
LG: Williams, Washington
C: Garza, Spencer
RG: Louis
RT: Carimi, Horn
RE: Peppers, Mercilus
DT: Melton, Okoye
NT: Toenia, Paea
LE: Idonije, Wootton
SLB: Roach, Iwuh
MLB: Urlacher, Dicico,
WLB: Briggs, Robinson
CB: Tillman, Jennings, Thomas, Moore, Gipson, Graham
FS: Conte, Allen, Walters
SS: Wright, Hope
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We only have 13 mil in cap space right now how would we make all those moves and still re-sign some of our own?
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I'd have to agree w/Motown on that. Forget a safety in FA. A WR and CB we could afford. I also believe not only a WR FA is needed but draft high a wr as well. Then we need a OG in the second and use both 3rd round picks for LBs. JA can find DE's and safeties in the lower rounds. That's what he lives for.
Free Agency WR, CB
Draft
1-WR
2-OG
3-LB
3-LB
4-TE
5-DE
6-S
7-ST
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I love to get Colston if he's available but lacking that we need one high in the draft. Guys like Floyd or Toon are a good fit for the type of receiver we need to compliment Bennett. Speed we have it's size, hands and toughness we lack and those two have it if we can't get a guy like Colston.
I'd never waste FA $$$ on a Safety when we draft 'em by the half dozen every year or two. As it stands Conte and Wright are young and fast and if Meriweather adapts himself to the Bears style of play I'd keep him around. The guy has mad speed and he's an intimidator as long as he plays clean. Money will be the deciding factor with him. Can't pay him starters money like he's getting now and sit him. He's have to part of a three man rotation like we had last year with Manning, Wright and Harris.
CB is fine in FA if we don't spend big. We need size and tackling ability more than outright speed. Graham is a key ST guy and if we want to keep him around we should see that he gets some consideration at least as a backup which is what he'll be doing this weekend replacing DJ Moore. We'll learn alot about his skills as a defender from this.
The other thing we really need out of FA is a vet LT to compete with Webb. He's doing ok but he's still marginal as a pass blocker without help. OG may actually be in good shape if EWill shows he can handle the LG spot for CWill for the rest of the year. OG looks much better now than it did at the start of the season mainly due to the play of Spencer and Louis.
In the draft I'd be looking at a DE (like you suggested) or a hotshot LB in the first and a WR in the second if we don't fill that spot in FA and then a CB. Those would be my priorities for the first three rounds. We got some vets we need to start looking at replacing within a couple of years on defense. A lot of what we do will be governed by who we retain and who goes. You can't count on the fact that Briggs might not get traded for a high pick and then we'd have a key spot at WLB to fill.
For me it's tough enough to predict the what's let alone the whos since we don't even know what FA looks like yet but I do like your suggestion of Colston. Really doubt the Saints let him get away though which is why I still think we're gonna have to draft our guy. Nice work up though Windy.
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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Am i the only one who read the title as "Bears mock the offseason" to which i replied in my head: "yeah, they usually do..."
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 1 Dislikes
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Interesting and good ideas. I completely agree with the painfully obvious fact that we need to BOTH sign a true #1 WR (Colston? Bowe?) out of FA AND draft a prospect in the front half of the draft (Floyd? Toon?) to develop. I see no reason whatsoever to have either RW or Knox here in 2012 as psuedo "#1s" by committee.
It's also true that we really need a quality CB out of FA as well. Tillman and Jennings have both played great this year but they're aging. We should be able to manange our necessary re-signings and have room for these 2 needs as long as JA doesn't do any more stupid wasteful signings like Chester Taylor & Brandon Man-boobs.
The draft is impossible to forecast at this point for a bunch of reasons. But if Kuechley or T'eo were available by our 1st round pick, that would be hard to pass up. Our LB corps, as great as Url & Briggs are playing, is aging and the team needs to develop a MLB replacement...and something of that caliber isn't gonna be available later in the draft. The 2nd round could be reserved for the WR of the future we need (a la Randall Cobb of GB) and our 2 3rd-round picks could go for an OG (could Zeitler of Wisc. last till top-3rd?) and maybe a TE or a S (again).
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Great list, Windy. I'd take Falcons' CB Brent Grimes over Terrell Thomas, though.
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Originally Posted by
Jimmors 
Am i the only one who read the title as "Bears mock the offseason" to which i replied in my head: "yeah, they usually do..."
And and the same time it's so sad 
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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I don't think we sign a #1 WR. Resign Bennett and Knox, draft a WR with our 1st and search for OLine depth in the free agency. Maybe we need a new #2 QB - but we will find out soon enough if we can keep Hanie.
Overall I want more depth and a better LB than Roach.
I think it's OK to start the year with Bennett, Knox, Hester, Sanz, Hurd and the drafted guy.
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