Thread: Bears ready to size up offensive tackles

Originally Posted by inchibearfan

I just don't think Albert will hit the market. It is just my guess also that Bushrod will more than likely stay in New Orleans, especially when you factor in hometown discount, weather, and taxes on the contract. I think our only chance to get a good LT will be Long, even though I would rather have Albert at this point in time.

You give me your reasoning for that and I'll give you mine.

Here ya' go. KC has the #1 pick in the draft and as it stands Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews rate as the two best OTs in the draft and #2 and #3 best players overall. Two defensive players rank just as high. A DE Werner and a NT Lotulelei. If Crennel was still there I'd be more inclined to say they'd go defense but with Andy Reid I'd say it's less likely and that they either take one the the OTs #1 or they trade back a spot or two and still get one when others want a shot at the two defensive stars.

From a monetary standpoint either of those guys will cost them less than Albert who's probably gonna be looking for a deal in the range of $35 to $40 mil over 5 years. They franchised Bowe last year and if they expect to keep him they need to either pony up or franchise him again for about $11.5 mil and they also have Dorsey to re-sign and he could command a deal in the $10 mil per year range too. So can they afford to keep them all? I don't think so.

I guess they could let anyone of them go and sign the other two but to my way of thinking Albert is the most easily replaceable of the three. I may be wrong and maybe they let Dorsey go and take Werner or Lotulelei but Albert isn't an all pro LT. He's steady and he'd be an improvement for us but if KC can get a rookie stud LT they could easily let him go FA.

Originally Posted by inchibearfan

I think with Reid as the new coach he wants to be able to select his own quarterback (either Smith or Barkley). That makes it the necessity to keep Albert at LT since they likely aren't going to find a LT in the 2nd round. Its not that I believe Smith or Barkley are going to be great, but the quarterback position puts them at the front of the draft. Who else is Reid going to go with at quarterback if he doesn't draft one, Cassel?

Sorry inchi but neither of those two QBs rate the first pick in the draft or even anywhere near it. Not even top ten unless somebody gets real nervous about needing one. If they go that way then they'd be trading down quite a bit. It's possible but I don't think so.

You have these other players at the top of the draft with solid first round grades vs a group of QBs carrying second round grades. They'll go higher due to their position but none of them even come close to rating the top pick. There are no Lucks or Mannings in this draft.

Who will Reid go with? Hard to say just yet but Jason Campbell will be looking to start somewhere and he's played in the AFCW and now that Wilson has locked up the staring spot in Seattle might be looking to off load some salary and might listen to a trade offer for Matt Flynn. Either would cost them less than Cassel but Reid may stick with him and hope he can turn him around.

Even if he does want a new QB to work with KC won't spend the #1 overall pick on any of those guys. They just don't rate that high.

Originally Posted by Grizzblue

We have the luxury of not having one guy who's all or nothing in FA but we absolutely need a LT.

Then via draft we go c/g in 1 and maybe again in 2 pending who's avail

Grizz as I see it it's gonna be hard to improve LT anywhere but from FA. The chances of getting a day one starting LT with the #20 pick isn't good at all and we don't need another RT. That's all we've got now.

Originally Posted by motownbear

clady refused a 50 mil deal and wanted more then 60 mil so you are probably right the price tag for long will be way up there. What you think Albert and Bushrod will command? I think you look at what Cowboys LT got last season I think was around 42 mil. Not exactly a small contract but definitely a discount

Hard to say what they'll command mo but my guess is all Emery is good for is in that $35-$40 mil range over 5 years. What they can squeeze out of someone more desperate than I believe Emery will be is something else entirely.

But going by what Jack Bechta wrote there won't be as much cap excess chasing players this year and there are more of them. The front end of the draft is stronger too from what I can tell and if there are rookies who can come in and play these vets may not be as well off as their agents are telling them they are. I don't know that these guys are gonna get those $60-$70 mil deals this time around.

I'm not in anyway advocating we stick with Webb but when you consider that all he makes this year is $575k and maybe a few Taco Bell gift certificates vs guys who are asking 20x that much I think ya' gotta shop pretty hard to get a good deal. By seasons end Jake Long wasn't 20x better than Webb.