Here's One More Nail in the Coffin of Angelo's Demise............

This is certainly not the biggest mistake that came from the forced marriage of Jerry Angelo and Mike Martz but it's a great example of just how badly those two worked together.

You would have thought after the fiasco signining of Manu, Taylor, and Collins last year that Angelo would have told Martz to "go whistle" when he came to his office begging for another blocking TE and RWill as a WR. Maybe if Angelo would have learned to say no he'd still have his job. These weren't the only nails in his coffin but undoubtedly they were among the last.

I think this article pretty much points out the fact that Jerry Angelo had already lost sight of the future and was only looking to the here and now. A high 3rd round pick isn't like we gave Olsen away but you have to wonder whether or not it made more sense to keep him and ditch an OC who was bent on bucking successful offensive trends from around the NFL.

From what little we saw of Kellen Davis as a receiver this year it's tough to draw any real conclusions but from my perspective he has the tools to be a good all around TE if used properly. I think Matt Speath was a wasted signing and that the FA we picked up, Andre Smith, may well be a guy who can easily take his place and be coached up into the passing game. Whatever the solution Martz refusal to throw to his TE's even after we were successful doing it was one of the most frustrating things about watching him play call. Our redzone efficiency could have easily doubled if we used Davis like the Packers use Finley.

I'm so glad the gruesome twosome is gone that I can even forgive Lovie for his constant game day faux paux. To me he's earned one more shot at bringing home a championship season without the likes of Martz and Angelo fouling things up.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/blog/nfc.pngNFC North Blog

How bad does the Greg Olsen trade look?

January, 4, 2012Jan 4
4:00
PM ET

• Email
• Print
• Comments42

By Kevin Seifert


Here's one way to think about Tuesday's news from the Chicago Bears: It all goes back to Greg Olsen.

Bear with me for a moment.

[+] Enlargehttp://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1001..._olsen_300.jpgStreeter Lecka/Getty ImagesThe Bears received a third-round pick from the Panthers for Greg Olsen, who signed a four-year contract extension with Carolina.


(Sorry.)

General manager Jerry Angelo was fired because he ran a front office that was willing to trade Olsen because the Bears' current scheme placed low priority on tight ends. And offensive coordinator Mike Martz was sent away because he ran a scheme that, among other things, couldn't adequately incorporate a player of Olsen's unique skills.

Obviously, last summer's trade of Olsen is one of many flash points that led to what happened Tuesday. But now more than ever, I find his late-July departure from Chicago to be a tight illustration of what should never, ever, ever, never, ever happen in an NFL franchise.

Olsen was the Bears' first-round draft choice in 2007. He had the size of a tight end, but was faster than most, and had receiver-like ball skills that are heavily valued by most NFL teams. His career peaked in 2009, when he caught 60 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns, but his impact was limited in a Martz offense that mostly asked tight ends to block and excluded them from the kind of matchups Olsen had already shown he could beat.

His production dropped to 41 receptions in 2010, and with Martz set to return, Angelo couldn't justify extending Olsen's contract when he was destined to be a supplemental contributor. So Angelo traded Olsen to the Carolina Panthers, who promptly signed him to a four-year contract extension worth about $23 million and watched as he caught 45 passes for 540 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bears, meanwhile, had only one player catch more than 37 passes, and that was running back Matt Forte (52 receptions).

Martz committed the first cardinal sin in this episode by not building his scheme around the skills of his players. And Angelo committed the second, not only by presiding over that mistake but compounding it by taking his eye off the horizon.

Martz had turned down a contract extension entering the season, starting the clock on his eventual departure. As the general manager, Angelo needed to hedge on Martz's future and protect an asset that would be of value beyond the potential end of Martz's tenure. Every other coordinator in the NFL, including whoever takes the Bears' job, has a scheme that would use Olsen more than Martz did.

Coach Lovie Smith apparently believes that Kellen Davis could be a similar player, but after catching 28 passes in four seasons, Davis represents hope rather than serious projection. In the end, the Bears traded away one of their best players because he didn't fit a scheme that they summarily dumped five months later. That should never happen

Yeah, he is right, but for what its worth, Seifert is a bit of a Packer fan... even tho he is the ESPN NFCN guy. so a lot of his articles are harsh on the Bears.

Martz committed the first cardinal sin in this episode by not building his scheme around the skills of his players. And Angelo committed the second, not only by presiding over that mistake but compounding it by taking his eye off the horizon.

Martz had turned down a contract extension entering the season, starting the clock on his eventual departure. As the general manager, Angelo needed to hedge on Martz's future and protect an asset that would be of value beyond the potential end of Martz's tenure. Every other coordinator in the NFL, including whoever takes the Bears' job, has a scheme that would use Olsen more than Martz did.

That says it all. I would also point out that Olsen was fighting for TE touches w/Shockey who got another 30+ catches and another handfull of TD's. It was dumb to dump him and keep Martz who had no intention of staying next year.

oooooh those 500 yards for 7 mil a year killed us lol

angelo demise was drafting this overhyped player over a 40time instead of blalock a franchise LG

500 yards splitting time w/another TE at 400 yds. He would have been huge fo rus this year if we had a OC that knew how to use him. Again look at the TE in SF and how huge he's been since Martz left. And he said it was one nail in the coffin, not THE nail.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by motownbear

oooooh those 500 yards for 7 mil a year killed us lol

angelo demise was drafting this overhyped player over a 40time instead of blalock a franchise LG

---

Whether you admit it or not, we already have one and his name is Chris Williams. He was nothing short of beastly this year and I look forward to seeing him grow as he finally gets to spend extended time at one position. I feel the need to mention that the Bears averaged an entire yard more running through the left side 4+3 gaps than Atlanta. It should also be mentioned that before Chris went down, it was nearly 1.2 yards more.

His swing and miss on Bushrod, a Franchise LT, looms large, though.

There were several colossal errors made by Jerry Angelo and Mike Martz. Obviously, you have the failure to procure the services of guys like Blalock and Bushrod, but Angelo's dumpster diving for talent for players such as Roy Williams, Sam Hurd, and now maybe even Marian Barber were big. Angelo wasted the Bears' and everyone else's time on signing Vernon Gholston, who hadn't done jack shit with the Jets as a five-technique OLB. I can understand thinking that he might be better coming off the ball in a three point stance as a DE like he play at Ohio State, but he was a colossal bust, and we wasted our time fooling with him.

Basically, this whole offseason was a waste of time. Angelo listened to that idiot Martz and got him nearly every player he ever wanted for his system except for good OLmen. I don't know what their working relationship was nor do I care, but I think it is awfully funny how draft picks and even free agent signings seemed to always go Martz's way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AtomicTommy

Yeah, he is right, but for what its worth, Seifert is a bit of a Packer fan... even tho he is the ESPN NFCN guy. so a lot of his articles are harsh on the Bears.

---

Tommy I agree with you to a certain extent but at least in this case he points out the ridiculously poor way Angelo went about managing personnel and this one is just the tip of the iceberg.

When one of your obvious problems was, and still is, the lack of capable pass receivers with whom your franchise QB has a rapport why would you trade one of the best targets he had because your lame duck OC wanted to go a different way. It's awfully plain to see now that the trade off of Olsen for Roy Williams wasn't a very good one and although Matt Spaeth surely helped the running game he was of zero help as a pass catcher.

The bottom line is we never replaced Olsen's contributions to the passing game let alone bettered them as Martz claimed would happen. Fortunately we at least got something of value from the trade rather than losing Olsen as a FA if the new guy doesn't blow the pick.

All I can see is just one more instance where Jerry Angelo listened to the "idiot savant" Martz who will always be outsmarting himself far more than he outsmarts other teams and as it turns out this was just a part of the downfall for both. This is the first time I've been able to breathe a sigh of relief all season.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Martz committed the first cardinal sin in this episode by not building his scheme around the skills of his players. And Angelo committed the second, not only by presiding over that mistake but compounding it by taking his eye off the horizon.

Martz had turned down a contract extension entering the season, starting the clock on his eventual departure. As the general manager, Angelo needed to hedge on Martz's future and protect an asset that would be of value beyond the potential end of Martz's tenure. Every other coordinator in the NFL, including whoever takes the Bears' job, has a scheme that would use Olsen more than Martz did.

That says it all. I would also point out that Olsen was fighting for TE touches w/Shockey who got another 30+ catches and another handfull of TD's. It was dumb to dump him and keep Martz who had no intention of staying next year.

---

Ric I think this, the poor way the Kruetz deal was handled, the ongoing battle with Forte over his extension and Angelo's failure to secure a playoff spot by assuring he had a capable backup QB eventually sealed his fate. Although I'll blame Martz as much as anyone for Hanie's failures. He did nothing to help and about as much as one man could do to hurt Hanies chances for success.

When you're team is 7-3 and facing the easiest part of it's schedule and virtual shoe in for the playoffs and you crumble as they did exposing the lack of talent at key positions there's only a few people you can hold responsible. It's pretty plain to see that Ted Phillips and George McCaskey were in full agreement that it wasn't due to Lovies coaching when it was very obvious the reason we failed came from the offensive side of the ball.

Martz deserved to be fired because despite constant encouragement to do so by everyone from the other coaches to his QB he failed to do so. Furthermore he put Caleb Hanie in a no win situation and may have easily destroyed his pro career. Hanie lacks the talent to be a top notch backup right now but I surely think Martz could have done far more to bring him along than he did. Afterall developing QB's out of bag boys is how he earned his rep. Martz didn't like Hanie from the get go and when Martz doesn't like something he does all that he can to get his way regardless of whether that's what's best for the team. He thinks about what's best for Mike Martz first, last and always.

Let's just be glad these two thorns are no longer stuck in our side.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by soulman

Tommy I agree with you to a certain extent but at least in this case he points out the ridiculously poor way Angelo went about managing personnel and this one is just the tip of the iceberg.

When one of your obvious problems was, and still is, the lack of capable pass receivers with whom your franchise QB has a rapport why would you trade one of the best targets he had because your lame duck OC wanted to go a different way. It's awfully plain to see now that the trade off of Olsen for Roy Williams wasn't a very good one and although Matt Spaeth surely helped the running game he was of zero help as a pass catcher.

The bottom line is we never replaced Olsen's contributions to the passing game let alone bettered them as Martz claimed would happen. Fortunately we at least got something of value from the trade rather than losing Olsen as a FA if the new guy doesn't blow the pick.

All I can see is just one more instance where Jerry Angelo listened to the "idiot savant" Martz who will always be outsmarting himself far more than he outsmarts other teams and as it turns out this was just a part of the downfall for both. This is the first time I've been able to breathe a sigh of relief all season.

---

I feel like some hot girl just gave me a hummer, and I don't mean the SUV variety.

But all kidding aside, it just seemed like Jerry Angelo and Martz were always in bed together, like they left Lovie Smith completely out of the loop when it came to how they wanted the offense to look. True, we had a good draft, but the one offensive area that we addressed, the drafting of Gabe Carimi, wound up on IR after Week 2. Lovie and Tice might have had something to do with the drafting of Carimi, but Martz was in all the way on Nathan Enderle.

The wave of this league is going towards offense. Teams that give up more than three touchdowns per game in each of the past two seasons (Green Bay, New England, and New Orlreans) are winning big because they have big time offenses with big time quarterbacks, receivers, and decent to very good offensive lines. The Bears have a great QB along with the most complete RB in the NFL, but what we don't have are, as we all know, an offensive line and a big WR. This needs to change in the draft this year and in free agency. Hopefully, the GM that will be signed by the Bears will proactive enough to procure the players at these needed positions who are proficient at what they do so we can go about the business of competing for a championship.