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Lach is one of my all-time fav Bears - but if he isn't TRULY healthy enough to play I doubt they re-sign him . They might sign him to an unguaranteed contract and let him compete in camp , but if he doesn't perform well enough they'll prob cut him .
Like to see him stay , but only if he's still good enough to hold his spot down .
Just to create a dissenting opinion....
1. Will Phil Emery re-sign, franchise, or allow to walk Henry Melton?
No. This is based on 1: Tucker preferring a different type of 3T and NT from the Lovie 3-4 currently run. 2: Keeping Melton will cost too much money. 3: The coaches believe (correct or not doesn't matter, it's the coaches say so) that Meltons' production is inflated by the presence of Peppers.
(Note: I'm NOT SAYING THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE, only that the franchise says uses these points as their justifications....Personally, I would like to see Melton stay a Bear. But then I wouldn't get the joy of playing devils' advocate.)
2. Will Phil Emery re-sign or allow to walk Brian Urlacher if he excepts a team friendly deal?
If the price is right and 'Lach is competitive, this deal gets done. If not, then the Bears let him go... (/cry, but knew this was coming)
3. Will Phil Emery invest heavily in the free agent market?
Having not spent the large cash keeping Melton, the Bears are able to use the cash to form the seed money for a starting quality Guard/Center. (I'll hunt a name down later)
4. Will Phil Emery invest in what we would consider a teir 1 free agent [ex. Albert, Levitre, Cook]?
Maybe
5. Who will be Phil Emery's biggest free agent signing?
see above (that would be the G/C that )
6. Will Phil Emery take BPA in the 1st round, draft the Bears most pressing need that offersd value or look to trade down?
The Bears, needing a starting G/C (OL) and a DLineman will be able to pick the best of whichever is still available. Depending on how many options are left, and who they are, a trade down is possible.
7. Will Phil Emery draft an interior OLmen in the 1st round or will he not see the value?
If the value is there, and the player fits the need(s) for the Bears OL, then yes. If not, the look for the Bears to pick DL.
8. Will Phil Emery address the LB position in the 1st or 2nd round?
No. Even if 'Lach is NOT re signed. This way of doing things works much better if he is re signed though.
9. Will Phil Emery draft multiple players on the OL?
Probably not this year.. (too few draft picks+ created DL need) unless there is a trade down, or something else.....
10. Will Phil Emery have any surprise cuts or players traded?
Maybe. If needed, the under used Bush might be cut/traded to increase cap space, or maybe to move up in the draft in some manner. Most likely to get the last "good" O or D Lineman (whichever was not picked in the 1st round) The Bears draft(late round) or udfa a "battering ram" type RB... (This is less about Bush as a RB and more about the cap cost. A needs of the team kind of thing)
NOTE: I am aware of this as something that is POSSIBLE, not that it is the MOST LIKELY way that the Bears off season will play out. It occurred to me that this draft class is very deep in both DL and OL, a drafted D Lineman is way less costly than Melton will be. It also keeps the Bears from being pigeonholed in the draft, and getting stuck with crappy/injury prone O Linemen due to there being no other choices and NEEDING to pick OL...
FWIW, I heard this on NFL radio this morning on the way into work:
The official salary cap was announced at ~ $123 million which is about $2 million more than teams had been assuming. So mentally add 2 mill to our cap space.
1. Will Phil Emery re-sign, franchise, or allow to walk Henry Melton?
Franchise, then later re-sign.
2. Will Phil Emery re-sign or allow to walk Brian Urlacher if he accepts a team friendly deal?
Urlacher's staying
3. Will Phil Emery invest heavily in the free agent market?
Friendly contracts, but he won't go as heavy as Angelo did into trades/free agency, because he doesn't need to save his job.
4. Will Phil Emery invest in what we would consider a teir 1 free agent [ex. Albert, Levitre, Cook]?
At most, one high quality FA
5. Who will be Phil Emery's biggest free agent signing?
Keller or the interior o-lineman from the Saints
6. Will Phil Emery take BPA in the 1st round, draft the Bears most pressing need that offersd value or look to trade down?
This is purely a guess since we've only had one season to see how he does things, but seeing how he was willing to trade up to get his guy in the 2nd last year, i see him going BPA, unless his 3-5 guys are gone, at which point he trades back.
7. Will Phil Emery draft an interior OLmen in the 1st round or will he not see the value?
Depends on who picks what ahead of us
8. Will Phil Emery address the LB position in the 1st or 2nd round?
Yes. If not first, then the second. The other LB's are too old, and although it's rumored they're going after Roach, no one has ever seriously considered him Urlacher's replacement.
9. Will Phil Emery draft multiple players on the OL?
Maybe. FA will be the deciding factor
10. Will Phil Emery have any surprise cuts or players traded?
Garza and Spaeth.
I'm amending my earlier predictions in light of two recent events:
A) KC's deal to acquire Alex Smith makes it very likely they will FT Bowe, draft Joekel with the #1 pick, and let Albert walk.
B) The official salary cap for '13 was announced today and it's $3 million or so more than expected.
Thus, I can now foresee Emery making a play for Albert in FA.