Thread: Chicago Bears 2013 Free Agency Thread

Originally Posted by Grizzblue

I agree about carimi completely when Tice was doing his usual schuffle it really just screamed mark Colombo, he should get a RT shot again next year and I expect much improved play after his knee has a full off season to recover and he can fully participate in off season activities

But I still think we'd be crazy not to make a run at long

Agree completely, Grizz, on Carimi. Its a year too early to think about moving on from him at RT just because he struggled in his (in effect) rookie year coming off injury/surgery without a full offseason of recovery/OTA time. If he isn't a whole lot better a year from now, then that's something very different to consider, but not right now.

Everyone has their FA "wish list", but I can't see any way that a vet LT isn't the #1 priority by far if there's a player or two (Long, Albert, etc) who hit the open market. Its very very unlikely that we will be able to draft an immediate Webb-replacement at #20, so failing to "make a serious run" at an LT in FA basically means Webb will be the starter and we all know what compromises that entails.

Not saying these other positions aren't "needs", but we can draft interior OLs, a WR, a LB, and maybe even a TE if the FA market doesn't pan out precisely to Emery's liking. We simply can't draft a starting LT at #20...or it is exceedingly unlikely anyway. Those type guys almost never fall out of the top-10. Pushing Webb down the OT depth chart has to be Emery's #1 priority this offseason in terms of player acquisitions, if at all possible.

Getting a decent receiving TE to upgrade Davis (not exactly a stretch there) should be doable in FA too and shouldn't cost all that much, considering $3.5 mil/yr is currently being wasted on him and he should be a forgone conclusion to be cut. We can get a stud interior OL--hello, Barrett Jones, OC for the next decade--in the late 1st, a SLB/MLB prospect in round 2, and a speedy slot WR guy in round 4-5. And that assumes no trades or trade-downs to net another mid-round pick. Frankly, I'd dangle Hester +/- a late round pick and see if someone will offer us a 4th or so. If we get a bite, that frees some additional cap space and could allow a QB or OG prospect to also enter the draft mix. That's how I see it, very preliminary as it is now.

I am not disagreeing with you, but too many times in the NFL you hear this guy is too tall, too short, too small, too big and then they go out and show us all we were wrong.Remember Robert Gallery he was a RT, LT and a bust at both, played his best at gurad he was also 6'7"

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Carimi is 6' 7" tall. Not too many successful OGs that tall. Too easy for shorter DTs o get under their pads. Carimi is a tackle not a guard. He struggled at RT this year because of insufficient injury/rehab recovery time. What many of us suspected all season has now been leaking out...that Carimi was basically playing hurt and physically unprepared all year.

He now has a full offseason program to get back his strength and confidence. He should be a much better RT next year. As good as Vollmer is, we don't need him. We need an LT to push Webb down to the swing tackle spot and another starter on the interior (my preference being a franchise center for then next decade).

Carimi is not a gaurd and unless we are shooting for another Colombo disaster then he should be at RT next year and hopefully start to show the ability he had in college/last year Pre injury

But as far as FA we need a LT above all (long) and then a TE

After that maybe we add a speedy WR, and some other depth at various places

Now if we were to hire a 3-4 coach we would need a 0 or 1 nose gaurd also

Add in a first round stud (Barret) and we have a real competitive oline

It would be nice if we had say B.Berrian or Devin Aromashadu and G.Olsen to add w/ what we have minus Hester! Put Hester permantely back on ST w/ Weems man.....just my opinion

Biggest goal of FA will be a LT if we can land one, we will be in a great position to draft a center or gaurd (Barret jones please) and have a real workable and effective line

If we miss on a Lt in FA chances are Webb is the guy again this year as a starting LT is quite hard to find outside of top 8 or so