AZ54

Yes, and I remember how Frank Omiyale was described before we signed him. I remain very cautious about any backup player that has only seen the field for a few games.

Calling Lance Louis a Tackle tells me they don't do much research. They also cite Bennett's numbers late in the season but fail to mention the horrible backup QB play we had. Same goes for sacks allowed with Hanie under center. Again, I don't think we had the worst Oline in the league and the fact Forte made the Pro Bowl despite missing 4 games means someone was blocking for him. Fixing LT is clearly the top Oline need but given that Tice stated last year Carimi would be the RT where he felt he could develop into a Pro Bowl player why do they think that will change now that Tice is our OC? Add in that Tice has already stated he wants the backs to help out the OTs with chip blocks and it seems to me he was largely talking about helping Webb. I just don't put much stock in these reports and personally I trust the analysis from the members of this board far more.

It is one thing for players to be in agreement on doing this on their own (not that I condone it) and entirely different when the coaches are involved. It is just flat out disrespectful of the game and the athletes who play it. This obviously goes for the defense side of the ball but the players union represents both sides so I'll be very anxious to hear what the union says about this.

I'd take their entire draft (they don't have a first round pick) and some heavy fines for coaches including the head coach. That would be a clear enough message to all teams and coaches in the future.

What makes you want Burfict at all even as a UDFA? Aside from some big hits, I haven't seen anything in his game the last two college seasons to make me says he can handle the NFL game.

Drafting Carimi was not a mistake at all. You just can't take a short term perspective on things when drafting and having Carimi as our RT for the next decade looks pretty good to me. IMO the Bears were wise to just put him at the best position for him, even though he'd have been better at LT than Webb. Had Carimi stayed healthy I think the Bears would have had one major weakness in blocking and that was Webb and it would have been relatively easy to shift the help (TE/RB) to that side of the line. Instead when Carimi went down we had trouble covering speed from both edges and plus Martz didn't like keeping his RB in to block or at least chip and he was allergic to 3-step drops. We hear talk of Chris Williams being moved back to LT. Tice got a good look at Spencer who I thought played well at OG, and Edwin Williams who did ok (for a backup) at OG. There is some depth in there now and if we can just solve the edge rush problem from the left side we'll be alright. I remain unconvinced Chris Williams is our answer at LT but I can see why Tice might consider it. He has to know he can't rely on Webb again.

It is more like watching the hole in the dam get fixed and the whole town celebrating.

Yes

The Bears had him as their top target last year until he re-signed with Oakland. If he is let go there is no doubt we go after him even with a new GM (the need hasn't changed). He should be a lot cheaper since he only had 7 sacks last year. I think he'll perform better as the secondary pass rush threat opposite Peppers than he did as the primary threat.

I like Aaron Ross at CB. Laurent Robinson at WR. possibly Mathis at DE but I prefer to get some more speed off the edge than he has that may have to come through the draft.

I tend to agree with this assessment and would probably put more stock in how much a player can squat than bench press. However, I view the upper body strength as a factor is how hard a player would have work throughout the game and less strength can lead to more fatigue late in the game. Even so, I feel better about drafting a LT if his one weakness is lack of strength versus poor technique. In both cases if a guy is lazy and doesn't want to work you won't be fixing his deficiencies but the weight room would seem to be more straightforward in fixing. It's routine for teams to grab LTs in rd 1 acknowledging they need to add strength. New England agreed when they drafted Nate Solder last year and there was talk about the Bears drafting him. I really want to know if Adams has the quick feet needed to play LT.

Just because he ran well at the combine teams have not forgotten Floyd's past misdeeds. Also, many have said he does not play as fast as he ran and in fact the word is that was the case during the receiving drills at the combine. I expect he'll still be around in the middle of the first round. While Floyd moved up with respect to the other WRs, with many DT and DE players performing well, and pass rushers are considered at a higher premium than WR, I think the chances of Floyd falling to us improved overall.

Even when WRs were open Hanie was so hesitant to throw the ball it didn't matter.

We cannot count on Knox this season for the simple reason that he can't workout. Being in that body cast means he has atrophied quite a bit and if he is able to return to football getting his core strength back will be key to preventing a similar injury in the future. IIRC he starts working out sometime in April. I just can't see him getting it all back together in a four months. At best he ends up one of our reserve WRs and he sits inactive for the first half of the season as he gets back in shape.

Take Burfict off the draft board at least until the late rounds: He ran a Rich Eisen-like forty at 5.09. Then there's this: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/moving_.../140613323.html Meanwhile, Burfict didn't help himself, clocking the worst time of the 29 linebackers who ran today. "He's a guy that flashes two or three times a game with big hits, but his run-pass instincts, ability to get to the football on an every-snap basis, to me, are below average," Mayock said of Burfict. For the record I agree with Mayock after watching Burfict the last 3 seasons. and this: http://bruce-feldman.blogs.cbssports.com/m...626208/35006810 He still has a lot of growing up to do.

We made the top article of CBS Sports draft coverage: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/1...ir-no-1-wideout

I give him his props for the athletic ability but I agree his production should match the ability so you have to wonder what's missing upstairs....desire, heart?

Agreed, Hill and Wright both need to be on our list. The question on Hill is can he be a #1 WR but even if he ends up a #2 WR that's better than where we are today. Regarding Wright, I don't want another shorter WR but if we add a big target in FA (becoming harder to do) then he'd be a solid addition. We can't ignore his playmaking ability and the fact he ran slow at the combine doesn't correlate to what I've seen and heard about him on the field. He will likely run faster at his pro day. The way things are shaping up now at WR I agree with DBDB that a trade down in Rd 1 is the right thing to do unless someone like Jonathan Martin is sitting there. There are a lot of WRs stacking up in the second half of the first round to early second round. IMO Cutler has already proven he can tear up a defense with a below average WR corps. That's even without a good Oline blocking for him. Just give him time to set his feet and read a defense and we'd be hard to stop with a solid group of #2/3 WRs. NE has had lots of success with that plan for years.

I'm pretty sure we can find someone that tall who can't catch for less money. More than that, what is the point in having a WR who can't catch at any price? Use the roster spot for someone with upside.

I agree, he was a good player for us but it's time to move on with Melton and Paea and likely one more guy added to the mix this offseason.

Cliff Avril is still out there. Lions said they don't want to tag him but that doesn't mean they won't. I think his speed off the edge is exactly what we need but he's not a 3-down DE IMO. No doubt the Lions see it the same way. http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/02/2...g-franchise-tag Posted Feb. 25, 2012 @ 2:14 p.m. ET By Mike Wilkening The Lions and DE Cliff Avril have something in common: Neither likes the idea of the franchise tag. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said the club wants to sign Avril to a multiyear contract and to avoid giving him the franchise tag. "I think it's the best thing for him and the best thing for us," Mayhew told reporters.

I think Colston will see this and realize he heads to the top of the FA class and that means $$$. I'd be very surprised if he didn't test the FA waters.

Finally some good news about our Oline.

Seems to me Ruben Randle should be on our short list of WR in the draft. He ran well and has posted solid numbers at LSU. His college QB wasn't that good either.

I can see it if that's the way the draft unfolds (i.e. all the LTs are gone when we pick). I don't think there is anything wrong with having the vet WR anchor the corps now with the young guy developed to be that anchor in the future. Todays 40 times of Floyd and Wright may shake things up a bit.