AZ54

Maybe that just proves that Mariana can't get open 1/3 of the time?

I sure hope QB-needy teams are thinking like you are. Once you get past the elite prospects in the top 10, and none fall to us then the talent at 20 is just as good as what we'll get at 11. Make the trade down so someone can come on up and take Paxton Lynch. He's the last of the 3 likely starting QBs in this draft. Nobody will want to trade into the top 10 to get him as the price is too high but at 11, it's a reach to pick him but it's not crazy, and the cost to move up a few spots to take him isn't exorbitant.

He'd be a nice addition and give us some security at CB but with the money we spent on Porter I'm not sure we'll continue to go after Robinson. Bears were reportedly talking with Robinson early but when things didn't progress its because the terms each side wanted were too far apart. I think we offered him something similar to what Porter got, maybe a bit more, and when he didn't bite we felt we should just stick with the devil we know and signed Porter. Of course the longer he's on the market the more his price drops. Bringing back McMannis, who will sort of hold the last CB roster spot affirms this in my mind. Also see Callahan as a keeper at NB. Fuller, Porter, Callahan, rookie, McManis, and then we'll bring in some other bodies, mix of vet FA and UDFA, to compete for the bottom spots on the roster.

I'm not advocating for an OLB with our first pick but if we were to go that route I much prefer Leonard Floyd. He's quicker, faster, and more bendy around the corner than Spence. He's also more boom/bust than Spence.

If they can pull this off we will have done very well in FA.

I'd say it puts ILB into a take BPA slot. We no longer have to get one in the Rd 1/2 but we still need to add a rookie to the mix. I also think this means goodbye to SMC but I could see him coming back on a short term deal if he doesn't get much interest elsewhere.

This I like. Good guy to have at the bottom of the Dline rotation. Not sure if we gave him any bonus but he got 2yrs on his deal.

I don't mind the signing at all as this is how you fill out the bottom end of the roster but I put him in the same group I put Ducasse last year. I hope he gets cut because it will mean we have someone better on the roster. Mariani said WR is what he wants to be so with some other teams interested in him my guess is that the Bears agreed to keep him there to compete for the last spot. There is always the chance another year in the system helps him play better.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0311-story.html "The Bears also are being proactive on the pre-draft front. A source said they put Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland through a private workout on Friday. " Seems like we have some serious interest. Now the question is who from the team attended that workout?

Bruton's best chance to be a starter is likely in Chicago. I could see him coming here on a 1 or maybe 2yr deal with a small bonus. Gives him a shot to prove it, and if he's holds his ground as a starter, in 1-2 years he'd be 29/30 FA and still able to get a decent contract.

No. Not even if we trade down in the 1st Rd. He's too small and doesn't fit the scheme that well. In the 2nd Rd perhaps but I don't have to go far to find other prospects at other positions I like and we need more than Floyd at OLB.

This list of team visits looks more like what an agent would do when there isn't much interest in his client: Have him visit many teams to show he's healthy and so they can get to know him personally. When you think of all the day 1 and day 2 FA signings most of those players never left their home to make the deal, and some went to 1 or perhaps 2 visits with a team. Laurinitis is visiting 8 teams. There is no reason we shouldn't visit with him. I'm sure we have some interest but probably far below early FA prices. It is also unknown if he wants a starting job guaranteed or if he's willing to come in and compete with SMC or a rookie. Trevathan has the guaranteed starting job but I view Laurinitis as player that should compete to earn it. That should be reflected in a much lower salary. I think the Bears prefer SMC if they can agree on a terms but I'd doubt we sign both SMC and Laurinitis. Makes more sense to get one or the other and then add a good rookie. to develop. Let the others (Jones, Timu, etc.) compete for the last spot.

My work schedule doesn't allow me time to watch Cardinals games as much as I used to, mostly because to watch a Bears game means not sleeping after work. I was curious about Massie and what he brings to the table. I remember him from his rookie year and the struggles he had and eventually corrected. I found this video of him working out in Arizona last month with LeCharles Bentley, the same place where Kyle Long works out. This doesn't tell me much other than he takes his offseason training seriously, and perhaps that he's a bit more nimble in his lower body and movement skills than I remember him being. From reading a bit it seems Jeff Allen, Massie, and Boone all worked out at this place. I suspect Pace asked Kyle for some input on the players the Bears went after. It can't hurt to have some input from a player you trust on a how hard a guy trains on his own in the offseason.

Dan Vitale SB = Super Back?

We have a winner!

I expected we'd move on. He wasn't that good on special teams last year and he wasn't any good on defense. The transition to the new scheme didn't fit him well. Maybe he'll improve on that but he's going to see some competition in case he doesn't.

I always felt that, given the heavy guaranteed money, Cutler's deal was $1-2 mil too high. Lower the guaranteed money and it fit better because the club could have had a way out. Emery didn't seem to get that point plus he kept over-selling his QB as a franchise guy when there still remained some questions. There's no reason to negotiate against yourself.

I think Forte falls into the category where it's better to get rid of a player one year too early than one year too late.

So far we know that if Pace gives you a big multi-year contract there is about a 75% probability, or more, that you are 26 years old.

Not quite all of us. Although I wasn't certain he'd make the roster either, I just said he's a tough competitor and we shouldn't count him out.

Given the crazy CB FA market this is decent value. I'm not that enamored with Porter but he's ok as a starter. There will be a good rookie added to the mix soon.

I feel like that contract is good value in this market. I expected we'd pay $8mil/yr.

A few weeks back Pace said he'd go best available (in his price range of course) and pickup Oline help at either RG or RT. He said the decision on who they picked up (FA RG or RT) would likely permanently decide where Kyle Long will be. While they were happy with Kyle's performance at RT, he didn't want to keep moving Long around to different spots every year. If Long goes back to RG that's his home. Doesn't mean he won't be our emergency RT in a game or even get kicked out there if we get serious injury issues across the Oline but his main focus from now on should be at RG. Massie struggled a lot early in his career but I think his play improved quite a bit. Not enough though because the Cardinals drafted a RT DJ Humphries in the 1st Rd last year. A quick look back at draft profiles indicates Humphries is probably the better pass protector and Massie the better run blocker. Guess we know what each team's priorities are.

I think roster bonuses (or something like that) count only in the year they are given. Teams do it because they have huge cap space and prefer to a) get their player and save cap space for a year or two down the road. In the right situation for a rebuilding team I think it's smart because you can get a a few key players and you are leaving room for when you want to re-sign your own players to 2nd contracts a year or two down the road. If the veteran FA doesn't pan out you cut your losses in a couple years and don't have a lot of dead cap space.

and sign who?