Thread: List of Bears Free Agents; Who Stays, Who Goes? ..................

In...
Forte <-- Everyone knows retaining this kid is the #1 priority of the off-season
Graham <-- Rather give him the money over Jennings
Bell <-- Let him & Barber battle it out for a roster spot in Bourbonnais
Davis <-- His size created some interesting match-ups
Idonije <-- Coming off his most productive year as a Bear

Depending On Other Available UFA...
McCown <-- Showed some potential to be a backup to Cutty
Steltz <-- Depends on how much we can improve the safety position
Jennings <-- He wants the $$, but dropped as many INTs as Roy did potential first downs
Okoye

Out...
Massey <-- Depends on Mannelly's rehab progress
Bowman
Hanie
Meriweather
Williams

Here's my list of the keepers and rejects;

Bell - Definitely a keeper. I've been a Bell fan since he was a rookie and thought he should have been the backup in 2010 rather than Taylor. He's got quick feet which allows him to change direction in a hurry and he gets to and through the right holes. He's got better power inside than Forte and always finishes his runs. Needs to learn to hold on to the ball.

Bowman - Bye, Bye. I agree with Dickerson's assessment that he'd make a better cover corner in a man to man defense which is what he excelled at in college. The guy has everything else you'd look for in a CB including ball hawking skills but he just gets lost in zone coverage and Lovie isn't gonna change his defense to suit Bowman. He's been given his chances to earn a starting spot but can't hold it. Too many mental errors for a vet as well.

Davis - I probably like him better than some others. I see some of Olsen in him but with a little less athlecticism maybe. When he was used a reciever he did pretty well and it's not his fault Martz failed to include him in the passing game enough. He's made some great catches a few of them going for scores over the past two years and still Martz left him out in the cold most of the time. He's a good enough two way player to keep around until someone beats him out of the spot.

Forte - This is a no brainer. I just hope once the new GM gets here both side can sit down an work out a realistic deal.

Graham - Absolutely a keeper. Based on his play in subbing for DJ Moore he's also earned the right to get more playing time with the defense. He's valuable ST guy who can double as a CB or NB. Where I believe the Bears might be able to use him best is at SS in place of Wright. Graham is a proven open field tackler, he's got decent speed and proved he can cover in a zone, he's opportunistic and a ball hawk (3 picks in 3 games, that alone should get him a shot) and he's smart player who seldom makes mistakes. About the only drawback I can find is you'd like him a little heavier than 190lbs.

Hanie - As much as I'd like to see how well he pulls out of his failures under Tice I think he'd blown his chances in Chicago. That failure wasn't 100% his fault, Martz shares in the blame, but Hanie will forever be associated with those losses and costing us the playoffs. I hate to see him leave because I think he has the goods to be a decent #2 QB but I think it will have to be elsewhere. I don't see the Bears making him an offer.

Idonije - Izzy is too good a team player and too smart a vet to let go. We need someone to pass rush and rotate with him at LDE but he plays smart, always give max effort, and stays in good shape. He's also a guy who could play DT or rush from a DT spot in a pinch. Like Garza, he deserves another two or three year deal and he won't be all that expensive to re-sign.

Jennings - Despite a couple of bad games I'd re-sign him. He's a sure tackler, plays bigger than his size, and is typically more dependable than Bowman was. It would help his cause a lot is he could get some picks to go along with his PBU's. He's also a good backup to DJ Moore at NB but we should be drafting someone to upgrade the position. I'd offer a 3 year deal for a little more than he made in 2011 but he may not take it.

Okoye - I think he showed enough to deserve a longer term deal. He dropped some weight from his Houston days and looked good in rotation with Melton at UT. Much like Melton he has to learn to play the run better but he's pretty good pass rusher and I don't think 4 sacks playing in rotation is all that bad. Tommie Harris only had two his last year and so did AA. If you combine Okoye's 4 sacks with Melton's 7 that's 11 sacks out of the UT position this year and that's a hell of a lot more than we've been getting. I think Okoye and Melton are guys who can cement that UT spot for quite a while if they stay healthy.

Massey - I think offer a minimum deal to him and take him to camp but Mannelly gets his spot back if he's 100% ready to go which he should be. Like Dickerson points out though it might be a good idea to stay in touch with him. Mannelly is getting up their in age and may become more injury prone.

McCown - I agree with Dickerson. He's a cheap alternative who deserves a shot at a backup spot based on what he did in the last two games. We need to keep at least one of the two, him or Hanie, and it sure doesn't look like it will be Hanie unless Tice has a much better perspective on him than Martz did.

Meriweather - Bye, Bye. Another of JA expensive free agent mistakes. This guy had a rep as an uncoachable free lancer and Belichick never cuts useful players. What we got was a player that proved why he didn't last in NE even though he was a former 1st round pick with Pro Bowl credentials. If the guy was million dollar a year guy and would play ST I'd keep him around because he can hit, but he won't play for that or play ST so he's gone. Give Graham his money, shift him to Safety to replace Meriweather and we'd be a lot better off.

Steltz - Another guy like Graham. Valuable ST guy and underrated Safety. Like Graham he's a great open field tackler and did a good job replacing Wright when given a chance. Very instinctive and from a great college progam. Always around the ball but usually just a step slow getting there so struggles with coverage. Strictly an "in the box" kind of guy due to his lack of speed. Can get burned on deep passes and seam routes. Still, a valuable ST guy and a well prepared backup. Good and much needed DB depth.

Williams - Did good enough, made enough plays???? LMFAO! Just like his inglorious past he drops as many of more than he catches and I doubt Jay trusts him much. Bye, Bye time. He's another reason why Angelo is out of a job and the main reason a #1 WR needs to be our biggest splash in FA. Think Jackson, Bowe or Colston or anyone but this arrogant asshat. Let him take his first down signals and join T.O. in the indoor league. His days in the NFL should be over.

Well there you have my picks. Bell, Davis, Forte, Graham, Izzy, Jennings, Okoye, McCown and Steltz should get offers. The rest get bus fare out of two.

I like your list, soulman. However, I think I might reconsider the offer to Tim Jennings simply because of his lack of size and tendency to drop easy interceptions. This is why, if we don't get a LT in the first round via a trade up, we should draft a CB with the 19th pick. Jennings could stick around, but then he would be an awfully expensive backup.

Cut Rwill and OMG and I'll be happy. Must signs to me besides Forte are Graham and Okoye, Bell, and Izzy. I wouldn't fret the rest either way.

Keep

Forte
Bell
Graham
Davis
Okoye
Izzy
McCown

Originally Posted by Dagan81

I like your list, soulman. However, I think I might reconsider the offer to Tim Jennings simply because of his lack of size and tendency to drop easy interceptions. This is why, if we don't get a LT in the first round via a trade up, we should draft a CB with the 19th pick. Jennings could stick around, but then he would be an awfully expensive backup.

There are two CB's on this list of free agents; Jennings our LCB and Bowman the #1 backup. It's gonna be tough to lose both of these guys as thin as we are at CB. I think we almost have to keep one of them unless they're gonna play Graham at CB next season. We could probably pick up another CB in the draft and we'd pretty much have to if both Bowman and Jennings are gone. Personally I'd make Jennings an offer in an attempt to keep him.

Originally Posted by soulman

There are two CB's on this list of free agents; Jennings our LCB and Bowman the #1 backup. It's gonna be tough to lose both of these guys as thin as we are at CB. I think we almost have to keep one of them unless they're gonna play Graham at CB next season. We could probably pick up another CB in the draft and we'd pretty much have to if both Bowman and Jennings are gone. Personally I'd make Jennings an offer in an attempt to keep him.

My only question is whether it would be wise to drop Jennings to second string to back up a Kirkpatrick (who Mel Kiper, Jr., is now projecting to go as late as #22 on the Big Board and is ranked the #3 CB), or what? Jennings has the heart of a lion and plays with more piss and vinegar running through his veins than anyone on that defense, but he lacks a lot of the tools and thus talent it takes to really be a super effective Cover Two corner. Most of the passing yards that are given up are on his side of the field from what I've seen because of his lack of height, and his inability to hold on to potential interceptions is well chronicled. The more I think about this, the more I'm willing to give in and say that if we don't get a LT in the first round, we should pick up a CB. I think we can take care of getting a DE in free agency.