Thread: Bears latest problem? Money

Originally Posted by matsellah

Despite the dread the OP article gives off, the Bears aren't the first team to invest a ton of money in bad players. And they won't be the last. But we absolutely DO NOT need to fan the flames of despair in the woeful Bear faithful. So, FU Mulligan. Hope you had fun writing this dreck.

Everyone knows the line is the problem. Everyone with an ounce of football knowledge knows the game is won in the trenches. If you're going to build an offense to last, you have to start with the line. Without it, all the skill position players you acquire aren't going to be able to do squat.

Having said that, it's common knowlege that free agency have been devoid of top-tier talent for a couple of seasons now. And the Bears haven't been in a position to draft a blue chip OL in a long time. And when they were, Angelo traded out because he didn't deem the talent worthy of the pick.

Which is why he's still looking for a job.

Oh, don't you dare put the blame on Jerry Angelo, mats. He got us to the Super Bowl and three other division titles, remember? lol.

On a more serious note, the talent at left tackle this coming offseason appears to be promising. Jake Long, Jermon Bushrod, and Ryan Clady are all up for free agency. I would surmise that our wonderful GM will go out and at least attempt to procure the services of one of these gentlemen to play left tackle and to once and for all get Webb out of the starting lineup. Then in the draft, he'll draft someone to play either guard or center in the first round. Walter Football.com is projecting this week that we'll get Jonathan Cooper, who can play both positions, out of the University of North Carolina.

Looking at the league as a whole speaks volumes about the overall lack of quality "O" linemen. We are not the only team that is handicapped by bad line play. The problem is that all the really talented players go to the "D" line leaving the leftovers to play "O".
It's a league wide issue but what can you do when there is nobody out there to get as a upgrade. There is NO magic wand to wave and cause improvement. Emery has no choice this season but I expect him to go after at least one of the good FA's in the off season and draft wisely. We need upgrade at the TE position as well and I expect him to address that issue too. The Bears have possibly the best salary cap expert in the NFL so I don't see that as a issue at all. Things will work themselves out but it will take a little time and patience. Can't fix JA's fuck ups overnight but I do believe that the team IS headed in the right direction overall. JMHO though for what it's worth.

Emery is a smart, practical man. His strength is in scouting the best players to fit our needs, and in one offseason, he's done a marvelous job. He procured the services of Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Michael Bush, Kelvin Hayden, and re-signed Forte to a mega-million dollar deal. However, I think his best work lies ahead of him. I think he will hit the free agency wire hard and heavy in search of that elusive elite left tackle and once and for all secure the left side of the line as a strength rather than a weakness. I think he will draft someone like a Barrett Jones or a Jonathan Cooper in the first round to play OG or OC. I think he'll go after another wide receiver to continue to build depth at the skill positions that we have a nice start on. I think he will begin looking for an LOLB to replace Nick Roach, one who can potentially make a trip to the Pro Bowl in the future should he pan out. And lastly, I think he will do something about the tight end position to provide us with a security net over the middle in terms of receiving the ball and also insuring that this tight end can not only catch passes and run clean routes, but also be able to block as well.

Emery does not do things that are not within the realm of his expertise. He is not a bean counter like Jerry Angelo, and as such, is not afraid to go out and spend money on the appropriate players to upgrade our player personnel. This has been proven. I think the biggest reason he didn't address the offensive line this season was because he knew he didn't have anyone out on the free agent market or in the draft aside from DeCastro who could do the Bears much good. We didn't draft DeCastro because Shea McClellin was the best player available on his big board. So far, McClellin has played well in a limited capacity. He will get better as time progresses. I think he would make a wonderful LOLB for the Bears.

Originally Posted by bearsinhouston

I am thinking that Emery may just be giving Lovie and Tice the rope they need. Until the season ends and Emery announces what he is going to do, I am not going to put him in the same category as Tice and Lovie. If he keeps them, then I think there will be a backlash if the season implodes.

Yeah, I've been thinking this as well. If Emery meddles he could be blamed but if he doesn't do anything he's not doing his job. I think he gave Lovie and co. everything they asked for and didn't flinch when Tice said he was "ok" for the O line.

If I were betting I would say he's just going to ride it out.

Originally Posted by short faced bear

Yeah, I've been thinking this as well. If Emery meddles he could be blamed but if he doesn't do anything he's not doing his job. I think he gave Lovie and co. everything they asked for and didn't flinch when Tice said he was "ok" for the O line.

If I were betting I would say he's just going to ride it out.

While I do believe that it is not outside the realm of possibility that this team could finish 8-8 or 9-7, I do think that our record will be more accurately defined with about four to six more wins. Yes, you heard me right, I think this team could run the table the rest of the way. Just a few years ago, it wasn't uncommon for championship contenders to only score 19-23 points per game on average. Nowadays with the high-flying, high-falutin' offenses around the league led in innovation by the likes of the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers, we're starting to see the average team's score increase dramatically. However, the Bears remain about eight to ten years behind the learning curve. It is high past time to upgrade that part of our team's game plan once and for all.

What I don't get, though, is why in the hell everybody on this board thinks this season is over due to losing back to back games against top-notch competition. This team has a good chance of finishing 11-5, 12-4, or even 13-3 if we play our best ball. I would imagine the last two weeks have put a bitter taste in the mouths of the Bears, and I would imagine that it will be enough to energize them so that they can go out and put their best foot forward and win as many games as is humanly possible. Green Bay is not infallible. They still have to play the Giants, Vikings, and the Lions one more time before all is said and done with their schedule, and frankly, I think they're going to lose at least one to two more games because they aren't as good this year as they were last. Minnesota is so reliant on Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen that everyone else is basically an afterthought. Detroit has no defense, and we know that we can guard Calvin Johnson all day long if we have to. Seattle is good, but they have no offense, which means we can shut them down from being able to score. Arizona has a worse offensive line than the Bears have, at least from a pass protection perspective. I think it's entirely doable that we can go undefeated the rest of the way and wind up with that divisional championship we so covet.