Thread: Matt Bowen; Time To Start The Michael Floyd Debate................

Originally Posted by Henry Burris

With the way of the NFL lately, rookie QBs and WRs have a better chance than ever to contribute NOW. Still not to say they will, but it's a little less of a roll of the dice than had been previous.

I hear ya, but from what I hear, the defenses coverage schemes, the speed of the game, and the timing issues with a qb are what take time to develope, although I can see that the rules favor passing, etc.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

Bowen makes a great point and the Bears HAVE to get into the free agent market at WR and I would like to see them at a high potentional rookie to go with the additions.

Meachem
Royal
Quick [3rd round]

This would make me happy.


The real question goes if we do not want a WR in round 1 where do we go?

I could live with that or with Wayne in place of Meachem and Toon or McNutt in place of Quick in the 2nd. I just have this feeling about hooking Eddie Royal up with Cutler again. The guy was a true rookie phenom here in Denver and then when Cutler left he sunk in stature mainly because first Orton had Marhshall-itis and then it was Lloyd who got the attention and Royal was targeted less. Then Tebow comes along and really sinks him into oblivion.

Right now I think he's a bit under the radar for many teams but he matches up so well with Cutler he should jump at the chance to come to Chicago. It also matched him up with Bates again and those three were quite a combo here. Eddie Royal won't be a high cost guy but we'll get more than our money's worth from him IMO.

Originally Posted by motownbear

my main thing is I dont want to just add a bunch of bodies that was JA method of shit that resulted in shit output. Im sick of the offense being second fiddle to the defense......hell second fiddle to frickin special teams. Im hopeful with a new gm we are going for gold on offense or once

Yeah, last year they just threw as much shit at the wall as they could and saw what stuck (by picking up every old first round pick and trying them out).

From what I read I don't think Emery is that type of guy and he has the ability to make a few key moves to fill in the gaps... at least im holding out hope...

Originally Posted by Henry Burris

With the way of the NFL lately, rookie QBs and WRs have a better chance than ever to contribute NOW. Still not to say they will, but it's a little less of a roll of the dice than had been previous.

Originally Posted by blinddeafmute

I hear ya, but from what I hear, the defenses coverage schemes, the speed of the game, and the timing issues with a qb are what take time to develope, although I can see that the rules favor passing, etc.

Henry these three things that BDM points out are where rookies struggle to be immediately productive.

To get open they have to know how to run a route against a certain type of coverage. If the QB reads a certain coverage and expects the WR to see it and adjust his route if the guy doesn't read it the same the pass goes elsewhere.

These guy aren't consistently facing fast physical CB's in college like they will be in the NFL. The whole game just moves faster than their brains have caught up with and you can see that pretty clearly in their first years stats.

Timing with the QB is everything today. If you watch old videos of games from year ago receivers broke open and the QB delivered. Now that throw has to come in advance of a guys break in many cases and if he's not where he needs to be it's a pick. Look at the struggle Cutler had with RWill to begin with. Even a small miss can have a bad outcome.

The last thing is what Matt Bowen points out. In college these guys can't be manhandled at the line the way the are in the pros. They aren't used to that and many have no experience in beating press coverage. When you can't do that you end up being kind of useless especially when you're a bigger receiver without much top end speed to begin with. The smaller guys can somtimes slip by with quickness and elusiveness but the guy who has little or no burst off the line needs different techniques and he probably hasn't learned them in college.

Henry you're right, there are guys who can come in and do it which is why Atlanta sold the farm to get Julio Jones last year but the only guy who even comes close to Jones and Green, last years top guys, is Blackmon. The rest are far behind that level. As good as Kendall Wright is even he is gonna have to learn how to do more than just run fast.

Originally Posted by blinddeafmute

I agree with you on the Wayne thing. In the other thread that you posted that in, I saw someone say it was an angelo move (think it was Mo). The only thing I have to say about that is... yeah, it is, but angelo sucked at the second part, which is to draft someone to fill in after that aging vet's one to two years is up. You can go back through NE's draft/FA pickups and see that this is exactly what they do (and it works well with them continually drafting near the back of the pack). For their needed positions they constantly pick up an over the hill vet that can produce for a year or two or three and then back that up with drafting someone to step up at some point. Rinse and repeat.

More and more i'm leaning towards picking up wayne with royal or meachum and drafting someone to develop in a year or two. The WR position is rarely a first year producer.

What you saying is exactly what I'm pulling for brother. Get a crafty vet who can get open and catch so that Cutler doesn't have to keep getting frustrated. With Bates here now his play will elevate dramatically and he needs guys to throw to.

Personally I'd take Royal over Meachem only because Royal is more of and underneath the coverage guy and he has a phenomenal history with Cutler. Kind of a poor man's Wes Welker yet he still has the jets to get deep. The guy is a born slot receiver and I think he can help Sanz get better. Hester is just about a lost cause as a WR. In the slot with some stuff specifically designed around him he can be effective but he's not so young anymore either so how much longer his speed and elusiveness last is up in the air.

If we signed Meachem instead of Wayne I'd guess that Emery sees a lot of potential there for making him an all around receiver. I just have my own issues with believing in Darryl Drake. Sometimes I think he could have screwed up Jerry Rice so I don't have any confidence in him turning Meachem into something he's currently not.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

Robert Meachem has #1 potential where Royal is a complimentary piece.

I would take Meachem over Wayne and Royal because he has a long term answer for the Bears and Cutler can grow with him.

Any way you slice it, It is hard to escape two key facts:

A) WR is our 1a 2012 starting need and the only realistic way to meet it is via FA.
B) LT is our 1b 2012 starting need and the only realistic way to meet it is in round 1 of the draft.

DE is a secondary rotational need (just below the above 2 in priority) and there are potential options there in both FA and the draft.

DB help is a secondary need (one starter + depth) and it can be met by signing a vet starter in FA and drafting developmental player(s) in the draft.

LB depth is a tertiary need and can be easily met in the mid/late draft and/or by picking up a FA.

QB backup is a tertiary need with multiple FA options available. Sign Campbell or Garrard or Hill...whoever fits economically.

RB, TE, OG, C, & DT are not needs at all. They are luxuries we should waste no attention on unless some completely unforseen "BPA-by-a-mile" falls into our lap.

I know this is exceedingly preliminary and the combine/pro-days are going to move some prospects up the board and some down. The results of FA are also going to affect draft priorities as well so if, for example by some miracle, we sign Avril there's no need to spend a high draft pick on another DE. With those caveats, and playing the draft straight up, w/o trades, and sticking to where players are realistically likely to be available, this would be an "A+" 1st offseason by Emery IMHO:

Free Agency
[WR]: Colston OR Meacham + Royal
[CB]: Carr > Marshall > TThomas
[QB]: Hill > Garrard > Campbell
Notes: If money/opportunity permits another pickup, Tyvon Branch (S) or Rocky McIntosh (LB) would be good veteran upgrades over Wright or Roach respectively. I doubt we could afford Mario Williams or Cliff Avril so I left that out, but Mathis is a cheaper DE option who might be possible. I'm discounting the possibility of us signing a DE or an OT.

Draft
[1-19]: Mike Adams (OT)
[2-50]: Vinny Curry or Andre Branch or Cam Johnson (bpa DE)
[3a]: Marvin McNutt or Brian Quick (bpa WR)
[3b]: Josh Norman or Trumaine Johnson or Donnie Fletcher (bpa CB)
[4]: Audie Cole or Nigel Bradham or Bobby Wagner or Keenan Robinson (bpa OLB/ST depth)
[5-7]: BPAs
Notes: Assuming we don't sign a safety in FA, I'd love to get Mark Barron but that looks all but impossible. Winston Guy is a SS prospect that might hang around long enough to consider in the back half. I don't trade Lance Briggs for anything less than a pick that has Zach Brown still available for immediate Bears selection (high-2nd minimum). The guy is the best 4-3/Cover-2 WLB prospect out there, has blazing speed and good tackling/rush ability, and is the only player I'm willing to risk replacing Briggs with.