Roach agrees to terms with Raiders

**little bear** · 03-15-2013, 07:02 AM

Jeff Dickerson ‏@ESPNChiBears Filed to ESPNChicago: Free agent linebacker Nick Roach agrees to terms with the Oakland Raiders, per a league source. The contract is believed to be for 3-4 years, at $3-$4 million per year.

Really disappointed, thought he could come back and help the defense. Well, it's not the end of the world but now we MUST draft BU's replacement and maybe even a second LB and we still have only five draft picks.

**Kaseem Sinceno** · 03-15-2013, 07:20 AM

Bummer man. That's a bummer.

We're THIN at LB.

**little bear** · 03-15-2013, 07:37 AM

Report: LB Nick Roach agrees to terms with Raiders - NFL.com

Report: LB Nick Roach agrees to terms with Raiders

The Chicago Bears have lost another linebacker.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago reports free-agent Nick Roach has agreed to terms with the Oakland Raiders, according to a league source.
Oakland has yet to confirm the deal, but Dickerson reports the Raiders offered Roach a contract in the neighborhood of $3 million to $4 million a year over three to four years.
Roach has started 29 games for the Bears over the past two seasons and 59 for the team since being signed by the Bears in 2007. Dickerson reports Chicago wanted Roach back in 2013 and planned for the six-year veteran to play a larger role in the defense, but general manager Phil Emery acknowledged Wednesday that cap issues would make re-signing him a chore.

Roach -- who reportedly drew interest from up to six teams -- is the second free-agent linebacker to leave the Bears after Geno Hayes landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Raiders, meanwhile, also added former Cleveland Browns linebacker Kaluka Maiava this week.
Roach was a valuable to the Bears because he plays strongside and middle linebacker. His exodus places heightened emphasis on the future of Brian Urlacher, whose agents reportedly were in talks with the rival Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.
Whether or not Urlacher returns, we're looking at a changed linebacker group in for the Bears in 2013.

**draw2anderson35** · 03-15-2013, 07:44 AM

It will be interesting to see how Emery, Trestman and Tucker fill the starting roles. Briggs might be the leader of a lot of youth around him at this position. Costanzo and DeCicco don't seem starter worthy and JT Thomas seems to be a better fit for a hybrid DE/LB position like Shea than an every down OLB.

**WindyCity** · 03-15-2013, 07:56 AM

@ESPNChiBears: #Raiders presented Roach with a strong offer late Thursday afternoon. Believed to be in range of 3-4 years at $3-$4 million a year. #Bears

@ESPNChiBears: Believed #Bears were given opportunity to match #Raiders offer.

I would not have paid him 3-4 million dollars, not even close.

**Riczaj01** · 03-15-2013, 08:00 AM

the bears are very close to full rebuild mode IF one of these backups isnt ready to start at sam lb. i think this more then anyother reason is why the bears want to move back. they need to fill multiple positions with quality starters, not a few poaitions with studs.

**Papa Bear** · 03-15-2013, 08:10 AM

So, does this give Urlacher some leverage in getting a little bigger deal from the Bears or do you guys think Emery is going to stand firm on his evaluation of Urlacher's worth?

**draw2anderson35** · 03-15-2013, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

the bears are very close to full rebuild mode IF one of these backups isnt ready to start at sam lb. i think this more then anyother reason is why the bears want to move back. they need to fill multiple positions with quality starters, not a few poaitions with studs.

I think we are foolish not to think we are in a bit of a rebuild mode. Even though Emery & Trestman do not want to admit it by calling it a "reevaluation phase" it makes complete sense since so many contracts are expiring within the next two years.

Moving down for more picks is the only logical way to fill out the depth the teams needs and at a cheaper price that doesn't adversely hurt the cap. I would not be totally surprised if a second round pick is our first pick in the draft in order to round up some more 3rd and 4th rounders.

**Riczaj01** · 03-15-2013, 08:14 AM

dont think the two have any relationship. i think they knew they would lose key pieses on the d anfd were redy to sacrifice them for the o and cuthead

**bearsinhouston** · 03-15-2013, 08:38 AM

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.

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