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Bear Big Free Agent Decisions; Kellen Davis
I thought I'd toss up a thread about the decisions the Bears need to make regarding the UFA's currently on the team. So let's use this as a thread to discuss our opinions as to whether these UFA's are keepers or not. Thumbs up of thumbs down and your reasons why.
This one has to do with TE Kellen Davis.
Big Decision: Bears and Kellen Davis
January, 26, 2012 Jan 26
3:00
PM ET
By Kevin Seifert
Previewing some of the big decisions facing NFC North teams early in the 2012 offseason:
Minutes after he was named the Minnesota Vikings' head coach in 2002, Mike Tice announced his first decision: Jim Kleinsasser would be moved from fullback to tight end. Some coaches discuss the quarterback while others focus on the defensive scheme. Stocking the tight end position ranked atop Tice's list of priorities, a revealing nugget about the kind of offense he planned to install.
[+] Enlarge
MRQ/Icon SMIIf Kellen Davis returns to Chicago, he could have an expanded role in the Bears' offense.
Times and circumstances have changed, but 10 years later, there is every reason to presume a continued focus on the tight end now that Tice has taken over as the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator. The Bears once boasted a strong tandem in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark, but they discarded both players when their offense veered away from the position under former offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
A tight end himself for 14 years in the NFL, Tice likes to use them extensively in the passing game as well as run blockers. In four seasons with the Vikings, tight ends caught a total of 308 passes. So the first order of business this offseason will be to determine whether the Bears' incumbent starter, Kellen Davis, is capable of blossoming in that role.
Davis is a pending free agent but his career total of 28 catches might not spur mass interest on the free-agent market. He did score touchdowns on five of his 18 receptions last season, however, and his 6-foot-7 build makes him a potential downfield mismatch for linebackers.
The Bears will probably be on the lookout for downfield threats in the passing game, but Tice's affinity for tight ends means that Davis could prove a crucial part of their offensive plan for 2012.
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 wouldn't mind at all seeing him come back. He hasn't been very productive, but I don't think he's had a great chance to be between being buried on the depth chart early in his career and having Martz as the OC the last couple years. Since he hasn't been productive we should be able to sign him at a reasonable deal. He probably doesn't have the hands that Olsen had, but I think he's a little tougher and a better blocker. 
"Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that." - Ron Swanson
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Thumbs up!
With the Martz experiment a thing of the past and the departures of quality hand TEs from the roster (Clark and Oslen) the team needs a TE that can catch to compliment Spaeth. Davis is a big body in the middle for Cutler to spot while checking down & his size has helped create some interesting mismatches while in the red zone. I believe all of his TDs, but one (first game vs GB) this season where from outside of the 10 yard line.
Papabear/Soulman bring up some good points on why Davis will be affordable which allows our beloved to spend the money saved where it needs to be like on a #1 receiver and the secondary.
None of my posts on this forum have been aided by the use of deer-antler spray...
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We absolutely need to re-sign Kellen. If for no other reason than to see what he can do in an offense that actually uses tight ends to, you know, catch the ball and make plays down the field. He was also a monster blocker in the ground game last year, much more so than Spaeth, IMHO.
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Gentlemen, I agree with all of y'un's. Kellen Davis is someone we MUST re-sign to a two-to-three year contract to see what he's capable of doing.
Also, and this is a bit off topic, I'm interested in seeing if Matt Spaeth is any good as a receiving TE. I saw him catch a touchdown or two last season, and he's 6'7", so he might be able to compliment Davis very well.
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Originally Posted by
Dagan81 
Gentlemen, I agree with all of y'un's. Kellen Davis is someone we MUST re-sign to a two-to-three year contract to see what he's capable of doing.
Also, and this is a bit off topic, I'm interested in seeing if Matt Spaeth is any good as a receiving TE. I saw him catch a touchdown or two last season, and he's 6'7", so he might be able to compliment Davis very well.
Well since you asked I think I can answer that from what little I saw of him. He's not. He moves like a glacier and he thinks a pass route is the far left lane on the Tri-State Tollway. He can run into the end zone from 2 yards out, turn around, catch a pass and that's about the extent of his receiving skills. 
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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Originally Posted by
soulman Well since you asked I think I can answer that from what little I saw of him. He's not. He moves like a glacier and he thinks a pass route is the far left lane on the Tri-State Tollway. He can run into the end zone from 2 yards out, turn around, catch a pass and that's about the extent of his receiving skills.
We could do like Martz would have done and use him as a fullback.
Oh, wait. THAT'S WHY we fired that pompous, arrogant fuck twig!
We need another tight end then.
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I'm not giving a thumbs up or down just indifferent. If he comes at a cap hit two mil or less why the hell not. 2.1 mil and higher a big hell no. I also think a two year deal at a favorable price is fair for both sides going forward. And if he is gone oh well there are plenty of options in the draft
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Originally Posted by
motownbear I'm not giving a thumbs up or down just indifferent. If he comes at a cap hit two mil or less why the hell not. 2.1 mil and higher a big hell no. I also think a two year deal at a favorable price is fair for both sides going forward. And if he is gone oh well there are plenty of options in the draft
Meh, not really. Take a relatively weak TE class and combine it with the the "en vogue" nature of the position right now, and I just don't see a whole lot of value out there. I'd prefer not to use an early pick on a position we just traded a pretty darn good one for a third. I sincerely doubt any of the properly valued guys are going to be able to make the impact in either aspect of the game that Kellen did in this season of one-dimensional use. Tell me TE is one of our pressing needs deserving of a top half pick, and I'll sell you a treasure map to Curly's gold.
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to re-signing Davis. He has the potential to be a good pass catcher and he should come pretty cheap. IMHO he hasn't been productive enough so far to attract much attention on the open market so I think he'll be anxious to remain a Bear.
