Thread: Free Agent News/Rumors

I think what's amusing to me is that everyone and his grandmother has the Bears signing WR talent and drafting WR talent before anything else. VJax in FA and Floyd in the first round of the draft and yet none of these talking heads have the faintest idea of how to build a football team from the ground up.

Have you guys seen John Clayton, NFL football guru and expert on the minds of 32 GM's and HC's. The guy is a geeky little nerd who looks like the closest he ever got to football at any level was being an equipment manger in charge of inflating footballs. He's the Wally Cox of ESPN sports reporters.

I just hope Emery goes out and does some things that really end up with people scratching their heads saying "we sure didn't see that coming". I'm not saying we won't pursue VJax but maybe it's the contrarian in me that loves to do exactly the opposite of what everyone believes I'll do. If everyone is lining up to bid on a top WR I'd like to be signing a LB or DE or CB or anywhere where the bidding won't go. Or I come in with a bid so good it just chases to competition away. VJax may be the popular choice but I'm still not convinced that as long as MWill remains unsigned that it's the best choice.

Originally Posted by Jimmors

huh? WR is one of our weakest positions, our DL is one of our strongest. Why bolster an already strong DL, when we could get a bona-fide #1 WR?

Because the Dline isn't that strong and it's gets even weaker if we don't re-sign Izzy and Okoye. Neither of them is under contract yet and all we have at DE besides Pep is Chauncey Davis and Thaddeus Gibson. Not exactly household names are they. The NYG also just got through proving that their pass rush could trump two of the best passing teams in football. Ain't it funny how everyone suddenly wants on the TE bandwagon yet Gronkowski, Hernandez and Finley didn't make the difference. It was Tuck and Osi, and Pierre-Paul and Kiwanuka and Canty who where the difference makers. Now THAT is a strong defensive line.

The only place our Oline is unacceptably weak is at LT so why do we want to sign a $60 mil lineman who doesn't play LT? Carl Nicks will not provide more impact that either MWill or Vjax. I prefer both of them and with a little Cliff Stein creativity we could afford both this year but it would also change how we structure our roster and with Emery on board maybe that's the way we do it.

I talked about this in a different post but essentially we have to released more expensive vet journeymen players like Izzy, Spencer, OMG, AA, Barber as examples and replace then with less experienced but less expensive younger talent. Guys who will force our coaching staff to earn their money. The only way you can afford a lot of top tier talent is to be better buyers and/or drafters of less expensive second tier talent.


Vincent Jackson and Mario Williams avoid franchise tags

By Sean Jensen on March 5, 2012 5:31 PM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks



A pair of two-time Pro Bowl players in their prime will become free agents, and they could fill huge needs for the Bears. But will the Bears make another big splash, like they did with Julius Peppers two years ago?


One thing is clear: the Bears could do just that, with more than $30 million in space, if the salary cap doesn't change from the 2011 season. New Bears general manager Phil Emery has been on record as saying he wants to build through the draft, but he didn't exclude a foray into free agency. And this year, it's a buyer's market.

While the Bears didn't make the playoffs, they could be an appealing team to prospective free agents for a number of reasons.


Typically, teams don't let players like Jackson and Williams become free agents. But, with whopping one-year salaries ($13.7 million for Jackson and $22 million for Williams), the San Diego Chargers and Houston Texans just couldn't place the franchise tag on them. "We did not like the franchise number; never did," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said, according to the team's website. "Vincent will enter the market, and we will see what happens. We would like to have him continue on with us, but other teams now will enter the picture."


Jackson has had some off the field issues. But he started all 16 games last season, catching 60 passes for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns. He not only possesses excellent speed, the 6 foot 5 receiver also knows how to use his size to his advantage. If the price tag gets above $10 million per year, will the Bears want to invest that much in Jackson? Williams, meanwhile, has 53 sacks in six NFL seasons.


The thought of pairing Williams and Julius Peppers together would be downright scary. Like Peppers, he's an asset as a rusher and run defender. Throw in Henry Melton and Stephen Paea, and the Bears would have quite a fearsome foursome up front.

While they could afford both, the Bears probably would only land one, then bargain shop in a free-agent pool that has plenty of quality players.