Thread: Preparing for Free Agent Disappointment

Here's a few comments made an hour ago by Michael Wright on today's chat, regarding the Bears FA:

LINK to the article

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Matt (Houston)Michael-does the Bears franchising Melton effectively mean they are out of the Jake Long/Brandon Albert race? Thanks

Michael (2:05 PM)
No, Matt. I look at the franchise tag for Melton as nothing more than a placeholder for cap space until they can work out a long term deal. Still, even if the Bears work out the long-term deal with Melton, it won't represent a huge cap savings. You've got to figure that he'll still command a salary in the $5 million-per-year range. If the Bears want to create cap space, they'll have to look at more than just Melton.

likely be his last year because any restructuring just adds to his cap number in the future.

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Chris (Chicago)
With Melton tying up so much of the Bears' salary cap with the franchise tag, how will Chicago manage to be aggressive during the upcoming first days of Free Agency?It's especially difficult to imagine any early FA activity, when you recall that the front office could not come to a long-term deal with Matt Forte's camp until June of last year?

Michael (2:16 PM)
Chris, maybe they won't be aggressive in free agency. Did you see how that worked out for the Philadelphia Eagles a while back? I've said this somewhere else, but how we on the outside perceive a team is often different than how the team views itself internally. So all the needs we constantly talk about may not be needs in the team's mind. Maybe the Bears think all they've got to do is fill a couple of holes inexpensively and use the draft to supplement. All I'm saying is that big-time free agency moves don't necessarily equate to victories. Look at the addition of Brandon Marshall. The Bears finished their first season with him with just two more wins than they had in 2011. The Bears are going to need a ton of contributions from guys already on the roster under contract moving forward. It's time for a bunch of folks to step up and play.

that offensive line; especially with a new coaching staff.

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Jermon Bushrod (New Orleans)
Where are the nice neighborhoods to live in Chicago? Are they a close commute to Halas Hall?

Michael (2:22 PM)
Doesn't matter. A prominent decision maker in the Saints organization told me the plan was to bring you back "at the right price." That right price is probably more than what the Bears will be able to pay.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

This is what I could see happening,

OT King Dunlap 4 years 14 million/5 guaranteed

OG Geoff Schwartz 4 years 12 million/5 guaranteed

LB Jonathan Casillas 3 years 7.5 million/3 guaranteed

Omfg, I think I'll need a couple of those before I start thinking about this scenario.

Sorry Windy, but I think this would be horrible for us Bears fans.

One dynamic that is an unknown at this point, is what the new coaches think about our existing talent. This is a HUGE unknown as far as fans trying to guess what Emery will do in FA. Guys that looked bad under Lovie's regime, may be viewed by the new coaching staff as good players. And the coaches could be correct here.

So we're just taking stabs in the dark right now. We look at the existing OL players and think most if not all of them are not very good. The new coaches, however, may feel like Tice didn't know his butt from a hole in the ground and mismanaged his talent. Same could be true all over the team.

Sure, they'll see players that need to go, and be replaced. But we really don't have a clue (as fans) as to who is good and who THEY think should go. Wouldn't it be wild if they look at a guy like K.Davis, and believe he's part of their plan moving forward? Not because of what he did with Tice in charge, but maybe THEY see him as a real talent to be developed. What if they feel like Hester was mishandled, and actually could be a weapon for us? I know it sounds crazy, but in some cases it could be true.

I don't know what to think. I'm just watching the Emery/Trestman parade go by. By the end of the parade I hope we're all ecstatic, happy campers.

I guess this is where the coaches have to coach the existing team, and win with what we have.

Not having that 3rd round pick hurts. I guess this is a reality check for fans as to just how important (vitally important) it is to not miss with those top draft picks. Those advocating "taking a chance" on long shot character issue players are not thinking this through. We simply CANNOT MISS with these two top picks. Can't pull a Jerry Angelo here or we're really hurting the team.

Santa is going to leave 2 high round picks under our tree. Maybe an upper/middle-tier FA in our stocking & some dirt cheap training camp fodder guys too.

That's probably "it" for this year.

We'll have 4 lower round picks that could have "development" worthy players for the future. Other than that, it looks like we have to dance with the Webb guy another year & Carimi.