Thread: Roach agrees to terms with Raiders

Originally Posted by bearsinhouston

The biggest plus I see with Emerys approach is that it is methodical. The biggest fault I see with Emerys approach is that it is methodical. It seems (from the outside) that while he is being methodical, we are losing people we need. In the scheme of things, Roach was not a superstar or irreplaceable, but when our star is at the end of his career and injury prone, another LB has left, I would have thought that we would have tried harder to keep Roach since we knew he could handle more than one position.

3-4 mil? Not worth it, but if we had made a decent offer prior to FA, we would not have had to pay that. Maybe even after Hayes left we could have signed him for less.

Of course, the definition of being methodical means that maybe Emery knew or wanted him to leave. At least had it in the calculations. But if he did, I don't see it. You can't "calculate" who you will get in the draft. It is a crapshoot. How they will perform is still another crapshoot.

So you can plan on losing someone, but the only real protection is a known commodity FA, and I don't see that. Seems to me that we will either have to pay more to replace him or pay less and not know if have a real replacement or not.

I know we are up against the cap, but methodical also means taking these things into consideration. I'm thinking that we will have to spend more resources than we saved here to fix it and think that we will not be able to effectively replace him quickly and cost effectively.

Emery is not going to do everything perfect, so I understand, but still don't like how this went.

While I can understand the emotions the reality of it is different. If $3-$4 mil was too much to offer what could Emery have offered him and how do we know that he didn't? I think before FA began he gave all of his FAs some indication of what he could afford to do and then let them test the market.

Roach's last deal paid him $2.25 mil per year for two years and he said before FA that agreed to that on short notice with very little leverage following the lockout. He as much as came right out and said I'm not playing that cheap this time without seeing what my market value is and as it turns out it was more than we could give or I'm sure Emery would have matched it.

It would have been nice to keep him because he's a very solid and versatile player but still nothing spectacular. He's exactly the kind of guy that you get to rent cheap for a few years and get some decent play from until somebody comes along and says he'll pay more than you will. I pretty much counted him gone weeks ago because I couldn't see where the Bears could afford to offer him more than he was getting and I figured somebody else would.

Good Luck to to him and going into that armpit in Oakland he'll need it. He left a 1st class organization for a 4th class one but when they offer you 50% to 75% more than you were making that helps soothe the pain of playing for them.

Originally Posted by weneedmorelinemen

Nice job by Roach's agent. I'm always glad to see supporting cast guys this get a decent payday. I never feel it is on them to give hometown discounts for their team. They have to make as they can by whatever team will sign them because their career can end in an instant.

Yes it was. Emery said go see what your market value is and then if we can match it we will but if not good luck, it's been nice having you, and it was. Roach was a decent and versatile player and worth what he's been paid but in our defense the SAM LB spot isn't currently worth $4 mil per year or even close to it. Roach was making $2.25 mil per year which is roughly twice what Pisa was getting when he played SAM before Roach. I'd say $2-$2.5 mil was the top of scale for that spot and Emery was only gonna go that high. There never was much chance of keeping him.

Originally Posted by Jimmors

I think this helps Lach's chances in coming back to the Bears.

Well it doesn't hurt since it takes away any option of having Roach still around to either replace him or sub for him if he misses a game or two because of another injury. But it's really somewhat of a blessing in disguise and I think that's what you're hitting at here to Jimmors.

Now Emery's choices are down to one good one and one speculative one. Either he gets a deal with Urlacher done or he takes his chances that he can draft a guy who can replace him immediately and that's risky, very risky considering the need to learn the defense and run it on the field as well as play it well.

I think it works out to bring about what should have happened all along. We bring back Urlacher for at least one more year and we use either the 1st or 2nd round pick on the guy who can eventually replace him. It's time to do that. In the meantime we know have an opening at SAM that guy can compete to fill now just as Roach did. It's not perfect but it makes sense.

Depending on others who we don't sign I wonder if that is an indication that perhaps a trade down is more likely.

Originally Posted by MPBears68

JA is long gone my friend so take a chill pill. Emery is going OL or maybe maybe Ogletree in the 1st. He's not touching Teo after those 4.8 40 times

Okay MP. I'm stepping back from the ledge now. Thanks. I needed that

Originally Posted by jackiejokeman

FUCK ROACH.

If he couldnt see what was going on here and went for the money ... fuck em.

At least he went to my other most beloved team ... I'll let you know how hes doing. : )

Oh for crap sake you're not an f'n Raider fan are you. You are insane.