Thread: Do you think we'd trade Bush if there was a team interested?

Pretty much my take on it too MP. The problem Clutts is facing is that Tice really wants H/Backs like Kleinsasser who could line up in the slot as a receiver or downfield blocker or in a two back set as a FB. Rodriguez has already made the team by virtue of his draft status and his play in camp. So the other two he's up against are Unga and Adams.

I may be wrong but I thought that Adams could long snap too. Can't recall. But anyway I don't see them keeping any of these guys just for that reason if one of the others is far superior at other things. Mannelly is a great asset but if he was to go down again we can bring in a LS off the street just like we did last year when Clutts showed less than a pro level talent for it.

Still, I'd actually like to see all three of them around. Based on the rules it would appear that both Unga and Adams would be eligible for the PS if they cleared waiver but that's where the risk comes in. Suppose they don't. Then you lose them. So whenever a team makes a decision to put a guy on their PS they need to face that fact.

FWIW here's an explanation of the NFL PS Rules.

Explaining the NFL Practice Squad Rules


For many late-round and undrafted free agents, the practice squad is going to be their best chance at hanging in there if they get cut in training camp, so here's an run through of how it works.

It's a little complicated but what NFL rule governing it's player isn't. Try reading and understanding the entire CBA or figuring out all of the nuances of the salary cap. Mental hospitals are jammed with those who have tried and failed.

Eligibility Requirements to be Placed on Practice Squad

Each team’s practice squad consists of eight players, although they don’t have to have all eight practice squad spots filed. They can actually have nine, if the ninth player is an “international player.”

To be eligible to be on a teams practice squad, you have to meet one of the following two criteria:

1. If you haven’t been on a practice squad for more than two seasons prior, you can be on a team’s practice squad if:

A. You’ve never accrued an Accrued Season of NFL experience, or

B. If you’re a free agent who was on the Active List for an NFL team for less than nine regular season games during your Accrued Season.

If you’re a free agent, to be eligible, you have to clear waivers first. If you clear waivers, you can be placed on the practice squad for the team that waived you.
(note: an Accrued Season is counted if you’re on a team’s active or inactive listfor six or more games during the season.)

2. You can be on a practice squad for a third year only if the team you’re with during that third season maintains at least 53 players on their Active/Inactive Lists (combined) during your time with the team.
(note: The “active list” is the game day roster of 45 players. The "inactive list" are players that are made inactive on game day so the team can get down to 46 players.)

Practice Squad Players are Basically Free Agents

Players on the practice squad can be signed to other teams in the league, as long as they sign them to their 53 player rosters. (No stealing a guy from anothers teams PS just to put him on your PS)

A player signed from another team’s practice squad has to remain on their new team’s active roster for at least three weeks, including bye weeks, even if they release the player.

In other words, if a team signed a player from another team’s practice squad, even if the new team released him after just one week, he counts as a player on their active roster for two more weeks before they’d be able to use that spot on the active roster for another player.

If a team signs a player from another team’s practice squad, and the teams are about to play one another, there must be at least one week of time left between when they signed the player off the other team’s practice squad, and the date of the game. (No temporary spies)

They have to sign the player before 4PM Eastern time at least six days before the upcoming game. If there’s a bye week coming up before the two teams play, the new team has to sign the player at least 10 days before the game, instead of six.

Compensation

Players on the practice squad make at least $5,700 a week in the 2012 NFL season.

They can be paid more, if the team chooses to pay them more than that.
The money teams use to pay practice squad players counts against their salary cap.

Rules for Promoting a Player to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

If a team promotes a player to the active roster from their practice squad, they have to keep the player on the active roster for at least three weeks, and they have to pay him the miminum rookie or veteran salary.

If they release you anytime before three weeks have passed, the player is to still get compensated for the remaining two or three weeks.

Unless it's an overpayment, I'm against it.

I'm just sad we won't be able to keep our promising young talent. If we're going to continue to buy FA talent as Forte's backup then why even bother bringing in guys like Unga and Allen?

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

In that regard I agree JABF. It's one of the reasons I didn't understand the MBIII and Bush pickups. But all in all it was a smart move Bush is lightyears better then Bell/Unga.

I agree regarding Bell. With Unga, I don't know. Yes, Bush is more experienced, and a veteran, and yes, this is huge. I'm not convinced he's better than Unga. Unga is a lot like Bush in size and speed. Unga looks a bit quicker (not faster but a bit more agile/quicker). Unga is going to be a decent pickup for an NFL team. But we're so loaded at RB now that he'll not last. No way he stays protected on the PS. He'll be signed by someone.

And it looks like Bush doesn't like being here as a backup to Forte. Unga would kill to be Forte's backup. And I do agree with you that Bell is "ok" but not great. Unga looks like he could be special.

You keep them by hiding them the same way they held Melton a few years back on the injured list. But I can't see hiding a Clutts, Sanz, or Unga as they are bubble players-but then again who knew about Melton.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

And it looks like Bush doesn't like being here as a backup to Forte.

Kind of curious where you got this idea. Bush signed with the Bears knowing he would be the backup (or at least #2 in a two back rotation). So why would he not want to be here now?