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Bears 'taking a breath,' mulling more signings
Bears 'taking a breath,' mulling more signings - chicagotribune.com
Bears 'taking a breath,' mulling more signings
Brandon Marshall has been getting most of the headlines, but the Chicago Bears have been focused on more than just the controversial wide receiver.
Marshall has been one of seven players the team has signed since the start of the league year Tuesday, and more free-agent acquisitions could be coming. In a conference call with reporters, Bears general manager Phil Emery said the team was “taking a breath and reevaluating,” but still is considering re-signing some of their own free agents as well as free agents from other teams.
"Don’t be surprised if we add a few more players here in the next few days, and don’t be surprised if we don’t,” he said. “After we take that breath we may decide it’s best to focus on the draft to meet our needs.”
The Bears still have holes at defensive end, safety and cornerback. Coach Lovie Smith said there still is time to fill them.
The Bears flew in running back Michael Bush, cornerback Kelvin Hayden and guard Anthony Herrera for visits Wednesday.
It does not sound as if the team is intent on finding a new starter for the offensive line, however. Smith indicated he was excited about Gabe Carimi and Chris Williams returning from injuries.
“I like the look of our offensive line with the guys with have signed up right now,” he said.
Asked about adding a lineman, Emery said the Bears always are searching for depth. He said they could look at other free-agent linemen, and the team will look “very hard” at offensive linemen in the draft.
One position the Bears are set at is quarterback after the signings of Jason Campbell and Josh McCown. Emery pointed out that between the two, the team has 103 starts among its backups.
“It’s difficult to see anybody in the league topping that,” he said.
Emery also said he was drawn to Campbell because of his size and arm strength.
“Arm strength is very important because of our weather and the teams we play,” Emery said. “That to me was a prerequisite moving forward.”
The team likely will be off the tight end market after the signing of Kellen Davis. Smith indicated he envisions a bigger role for Davis.
“I think Kellen can do anything you ask the good tight ends to do, from being an in line blocker to being a part of the passing game,” he said. “Talking to Kellen earlier today, he let me know he is definitely capable of catching more balls.”
The Bears believe they are a better team now than they were Monday.
“I’m really excited about the progress we’ve made in the last few days in adding productive, big, dynamic playmaking players to our football team,” Emery said.
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See this is where the 24 hour news F'd everything up. We went from being "major" players in FA to 1 big trade and some scrubs. There is more pontificating going on by the "experts" then actual sources and reporting. If anyone had looked aroundn and saw our cap # was fairly small compared to 2-4 other teams that pretty much knocks us out of the FA major player role.
Which i don't know is actually a bad thing, Wash/Dall/Oak are normally "major players" and they rarely have found themselves in a SB. I'll be happy w/a few signings here and there in FA and a knockout draft.
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Originally Posted by
Riczaj01 
See this is where the 24 hour news F'd everything up. We went from being "major" players in FA to 1 big trade and some scrubs. There is more pontificating going on by the "experts" then actual sources and reporting. If anyone had looked aroundn and saw our cap # was fairly small compared to 2-4 other teams that pretty much knocks us out of the FA major player role.
Which i don't know is actually a bad thing, Wash/Dall/Oak are normally "major players" and they rarely have found themselves in a SB. I'll be happy w/a few signings here and there in FA and a knockout draft.
Indeed. Quality > Quantity.
Last year, the Eagles went on a spending spree, and everyone predicted them as SB champs!!! and look how it turned out for them.
I much rather have a GM who makes smart, calculated moves, then splurging in FA blindly. Now that Mario is gone, the FA market should be calming down, and im thinking its perfect time to get some solid, but undervalued FAs to the Bears. There's still plenty out there to be had.
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I like what I see in our minimalist FA so far. P.E is being very efficient, shoring up needs, building depth, resigning players, solidifying the qb position, and a contingency plan for Knox/Graham. Plus I think there is at least a surprise or two left.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Originally Posted by
Jimmors Indeed. Quality > Quantity.
Last year, the Eagles went on a spending spree, and everyone predicted them as SB champs!!! and look how it turned out for them.
I much rather have a GM who makes smart, calculated moves, then splurging in FA blindly. Now that Mario is gone, the FA market should be calming down, and im thinking its perfect time to get some solid, but undervalued FAs to the Bears. There's still plenty out there to be had.
I'm down with that. We needed two major splashes. A top guy in each category. We got the WR base covered but the DE slipped away. We took a shot and if we'd have scored both they'd have been delivering the Lombardi trophy tomorrow. Well OK, maybe not quite that fast. I can say I'm disappointed in the results but not the effort. Even plan B (Mincey) failed us.
With the exception of taking advantage of the opportunity to get a guy like MWill who would be a major boost to our pass rush I'm usually more content to find good solid football players who don't cost 10% or more of your cap. These are the guys I would like to see us signing now including some guys of our own I feel we should keep from signing elsewhere.
We added one super star and lost out on another but that leaves us with $$$ to add some upgrades at several more spots and we could use that to our advantage. It was the quality of their depth that allowed GB to win the 2011 SB with any number of key players on IR. We failed to make it because our depth was not as good as it should have been. We solved the major issue at QB but there are other areas where we're desperately thin and this is where I think we need to add players.
With a lot weaker team then we'll be this coming year we made it to the NFCC Game in 2010 and may welll have challenged for it again last year had we not lost Cutler and Forte and with that about 80% of our offensive firepower. We got a WR that gives CB's nightmares and cold sweats and this year we don't have to worry about an asshole claiming he needed time with Cutler to get on the same page. If he's interested in working now he should be reading the unemployment page.
Upgrade some spots, add some depth, get two guys at the front end of the draft who van start and make a difference and if we stay healthy we're right back in it.
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
little bear "I like the look of our offensive line with the guys with have signed up right now"
Yeah, he sings that tune a lot. And he also used to love our Wr's - until Emery changed that. I'm more interested in hearing how much Emery likes the guys they have signed up right now.
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Plus, its not all about FA players...Emery has already made smart moves by cutting fat from the team (OMIYALE!!), and something as simple as locking up Forte long term is going to be huge.
Simply focusing on FAs is counter-productive, just ask Dan Snyder
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Originally Posted by
bearsinhouston Yeah, he sings that tune a lot. And he also used to love our Wr's - until Emery changed that. I'm more interested in hearing how much Emery likes the guys they have signed up right now.
That's because Lovie hugged Jerry Angelo's nuts. I haven't heard as much love talk coming out of Lovie since Emery took over. Oh, that's not to say that he's been totally obstinate and irreverent, but he hasn't been as outgoing in the only way Lovie knows how to be since Emery took over. All this, of course, is true despite the fact that he actually had a hand in the interviewing process that landed Emery the job.
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