Thread: Preparing for Free Agent Disappointment

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

It's beginning to sound a bit disappointing.

1. Webb is marginal, but it sounds like we're stuck with him at LT. We'd move him to RT, but we don't want to spend money on a decent LT, so we keep him at LT.

2. We're probably not going to have serious money to spend on the oline for FA's. So what does this mean? Do we roll with some of the same crap we've had? Dig out the old bag of pixie dust Tice left behind?

3. I don't think we need a RT. We need a better LT.......unless Webb is our ceiling at LT and we're fine with that. But if Carimi doesn't pan out, then we do need a RT too.

4. Garza is done, and Louis is a question mark due to the injury. OK, this means we need a center and maybe we're looking at RG too.

5. But wait, our real need is LG. So, let's see. LT, RT, RG, C, and LG. But we have no real $$ to do much in FA. And we can't get Cooper (so they say) and we may spend our #1 pick on a LB anyway.

:-(

....but I guess the good news is that Webb is touring the South in his pickup truck, and tearing up the McDonalds circuit this off-season. He'll probably balloon up to 400 pounds by training camp. At least they dropped the pot charge.

You're being far too pessimistic my brother. You need to go out and hang a good one on. Then things either don't look as bad or you care a whole lot less. One way or the other.

This was a 10-6 team in 2012 who with a halfway decent offense should have 12-4. Overall we're not in that bad of shape. Fix the OLine through a combination of some new blood and getting better play out of who we have and couple that with Trestman building his offense around both the teams strong points and weak points and we could easily be a 12-4 team this year.

We could use some better play at TE but if you recall what Trestman said it was that not having an all star pass catcher there is something he can scheme around with other players. I think we can upgrade the position this year but IMHO the idea that we just have to have a Gronkowski or a Finley is more in the dreams of the sportswriters and bloggers that it is in the minds of the guys calling the shots. We can win big without a great TE but not without a great OLine.

Defensively we're vulnerable at a few spots and what we have to hope for is that we stay healthy and don't age too quickly before Emery can turn his attention back to adding some youth in some key spots like LB and CB. Provided we stay healthy we should still be good for another year or two before age catches up with us big time.

Re-stocking a team is a process not an event. It can't be done all at once. And right now that's what were doing re-stocking through FA upgrades and the draft. Three years from now this team is gonna look a whole lot different than it does today but this year we're gonna have to be content with replacing just a few spots and getting better play out of some of the guys we have.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

I agree with Soul that we don't need 3 5th round guys competing on the OL we need some frontline potential star talent.

I would not trade down unless the top OLmen are gone or we do t get anything in free agency.

We need an OG and OT of some talent level in free agency that can compete and then I draft am OLmen at 20 and in the 4th round and we go from there.

LT: Webb
LG: Schwartz (FA)
C: Garza/4th round pick
RG: Louis
RT: Fluker (1st)

I could live with that.

I could too. I don't love it but its a bare minimum approach. Garza sucked last year. He's not gonna "get better" at age 33. It wouldn't bother me one bit if Phil went OL-OL with the first two rounds. Especially if we don't get starting OL help in FA. I know everyone's hot on getting a LB in there but we could live another year with waiting on a LB till 4 (assuming we retain Urlacher and Roach). Yes, the LB corps is aging and needs some new blood, I know I know I know. But the OL is worse off IMO. Wouldn't you love to see...

1: Cooper/Warmack (LG)
2: Jones/Schwencke (C)

yeah, I know it might be rough at the start with two rookies in there but at least we'd have upside and improvement with time rather than decline like we have now in Garza. If Carimi is truly a lost cause at RT per the staff, then draft Fluker or sign Vollmer and try to make something out of GC as a RG depth guy. God, I hope that's not what it comes to.

Originally Posted by short faced bear

At this point I'll be happy if we just draft Barrett Jones and maybe eek out one more season with Garza at LG. Seems like some dice rolling is in order hoping Louis and Carimi will both bounce back.

If Jones keeps falling you may be able to get your wish shorty. As it stands a lot of guys have him being taken in the 3rd round or even early in the 4th. I don't buy that but he's not going in round one that's for sure.

Everyone was overly hyped about our FA prospects last year, while I found myself much less tempered in my expectations. Now I kind of feel the exact opposite, everyone is seemingly down on our prospects and I feel like Emery is going to leave his mark on this one.

OT

1. Sebastian Vollmer
2. Phil Loadholt
3. Jake Long
4. Andre Smith
5. Jermon Bushrod
6. Gosder Cherilus
7. King Dunlap
8. Sam Baker
9. Bryant McKinnie
10. Ryan Harris

OG/C

1. Andy Levitre
2. Louis Vasquez
3. Brandon Moore
4. Geoff Schwartz
5. Donald Thomas
6. Matt Slauson
7. Ramon Foster
8. Tyrone Greene
9. Fernando Velasco
10. Antoine Caldwell

TE

1. Jared Cook
2. Martellus Bennett
3. Dustin Keller
4. Fred Davis
5. Delanie Walker
6. Anthony Fasano
7. Brandon Myers
8. Ben Watson

I want 1 of the packages... not expecting it, but think we would need this.

Vollmer + Foster + Walker
or
Harris + Levitre + Keller

Originally Posted by soulman

If Jones keeps falling you may be able to get your wish shorty. As it stands a lot of guys have him being taken in the 3rd round or even early in the 4th. I don't buy that but he's not going in round one that's for sure.

I would like to see us pick either Jones or Travis in the 2th round with Cooper/Warmack in the first round. That would most likely give us two starters on the Oline.

Kromer and Trestman will hopefully adapt their playcalls and blocking scheme after the players they have, and Webb/Carimi should in that case certain look better. Bushrod is a probowler, Webb isn't yet many on this board says Bushrod isn't that much better than Webb so with the right scheme and playcalls Webb might be a probowler.

Webb-Cooper/Warmack-Jones/Travis-Louis-Carimi/Scott
I think that could work out and it certainly will be a milestone better than what we had last year, atleast if Kromer and Trestman adapts as mention earlier.

Originally Posted by soulman

If Jones keeps falling you may be able to get your wish shorty. As it stands a lot of guys have him being taken in the 3rd round or even early in the 4th. I don't buy that but he's not going in round one that's for sure.

I'd be shocked if he reached the 3rd round with his résumé and versatility UNLESS there was a bigger medical issue than we know about at this point. I agree, Soul, he looks be a 2nd round pick and if he's there at 50 I hope Emery thinks hard about taking him (over say a LB who won't see the field on D this year). If Frederick or Schwencke are considered equivalent OC prospects, they could be considerations in the 2nd as well. Doubt they'll reach the mid-4th.