Alaskan Grizzly

I'm going to stick my snoot in here and suggest one additional thought. Remember when Long was being considered during the draft and how most analysts weren't sure what to think of Long as an olineman? And that our taking him in the 1st round was risky? Well that's due to his only playing Oline since 2011 with the Ducks. Two years before the Bears drafted him. As someone else suggested here I'm in agreement that Kyle could just about play most positions on the team as he's a true athlete. (I mean it's odd that both his dad and brother play(ed) defense with great success and he's on O). Something tells me the team may in fact feel they're legitimate in considering him at OT and after a full offseason with a chance to practice and learn; who knows maybe they're right?

Yeah even in the movie I wished they could have switched Ben for Bruce on who stayed or went. Jason: This causes me great discomfort. Think its time we get back to disagreeing. And for what its worth; I'm heading out to a get-away weekend here in the mountains with a group of people. One of the folks in the group and works with my wife is a huge Packers fan. She told my wife that I could watch the game with her (which they plan on having on) as long as I promised to behave myself. Otherwise I'd have to go outside. All I can say is its a good thing I'll have my alcohol to keep me warm. GO CARDINALS!!!

Speaking of...heard someone on Mike and Mike the other day mention Blaine Gabbert is pretty solid in the short/intermediate game. Don't have stats in front of me and not sure how he is on the 'long ball' but he must have some redeemable quality being a former #1. Anyhow with the unfortunate announcement (for them) of Chip Kelly becoming the new coach in SF and the possibility (or rumor) that Kaepernick could be more fitting to Kelly's style of offense one would think Gabbert could become expendable. SF got him a few years ago for a #6 (which the Bears have an excess of this coming year) and he's on the hook for about $2.2 million next year (chump change). Given his age (26) and the aforementioned #1 status why not take a look? His pre-draft analysis reads similar to Mariotta (mostly that he wasn't accustomed to a pro-style offense) and might need a little time to develop into a starter. Given his stops so far were in Jax and SF (chosen by Harbaugh but played for Tomsula) I might be willing to give him a pass on his past record, or at least take it into consideration. If Gase were still in Chicago I'd really like to see what he could do with him but with the assumption that Loggains is similar in process I'm still at least curious. And before anyone suggests I'm trying to find the new franchise QB, I'm not. Just that given the relatively poor draft class and our probably not drafting one this year we could entertain a young option on the cheap and let him at least prove himself. If it doesn't work out, no real harm or foul.

And again the planets must be out of whack because I almost completely agree with you.

Haha. I saw that. Looks like I had a stroke at the end of my writing. Anyhow I'd agree with you on the fact that most of the guys in this upcoming QB class aren't probably worthy of a 1st round pick. I still think it should be somewhere in the defense. But I do think "we" need to start looking for the next QB for our team. Probably and hopefully not (*knocking on wood*) this next season but very soon thereafter.

Normal people try to sell or rid themselves of it. Not spend more on ridiculous premiums hoping the disaster will bypass them. You shoulda never bought the house in the first place and spent all that money. With all those potential flaws, you shoulda gotten a newer, younger and better house in a different location. ?

I actually agreed he was probably 15th... THIS YEAR. And comparing him to the M*A*S*H units that are QBs for some teams. Half of the players that were listed under Cutler in some categories hardly played half the year. So yeah, 15th is very probable. Especially for this year. Career wise... Not so much.

First to Jason's illusion that Cutler is a 'top 15' QB. You show me top 15 (THIS YEAR- certainly not career) and I'll show you other starting QBs this year of Hoyer, Romo-Weeden-Romo-Cassel-Moore, just about anyone besides Manziel in a Browns uniform, Matt Hasselbeck, Kaepernick or what's his name in SF (I can't remember which was their starter) and about 2-3 others in Philly. On that level perhaps I'll give you 'top 15' this year. On that note and with all due respect to Gabriel perhaps one of these two guys do figure into the equation...but in later rounds. As much as it pains me to agree with Jason I think our team needs to address some other positions, especially on defense and especially if we're going to give Fangio a shot at making our defense elite again. Besides that I'm still of the opinion that I'd like to see what Fales has to offer. They do have some tape to review for certain.

Marc Trestman.

Who are you kidding ..."probably not as good to begin with..."? He's almost as bad and has an equally bad contract. I was more saying it ... Just because. Good luck to Gase. I'm with TD and a few others I have concerns with how effective he'll be there. I get a Trestman like vibe from him.

Maybe if we're lucky they'll work a deal of Tannehill - Cutler straight up? See how much Gase and he really do get along? ?

I'm glad you at least qualify your response (not once but twice) as your "opinion". Something Jason doesn't comprehend the definition of. So you believe others are to "blame" for his success where his failures are his own? Interesting. Let's take a look at Rivera. First it should be mentioned that he came at the same time as Lovie in 04 (Lovie staff hire?) As the DC in '04-05 did pretty good but then things dropped off in 06 (which was the year of the SB). Would I assume they made their Super Bowl run because of how the defense did by itself? Probably not. Eventually as we know Rivera was let go, wrong or right. (I might add I'm actually a fan of Riveras). Anyhow, one might ask that for those two previous years (05-06) Rivera was a candidate for many HC vacancies but hired for none. Why is that? In fact when he was finally hired by Carolina in 2011 he was nearly canned (or at least expected to be) just two seasons later. What would have happened if they'd have done that? After Rivera left Lovie still managed (somehow) to compile a record of 45-34 and another NFC championship appearance on 2010. You remember that game right? That one where Caleb Hanie, not Cutler, very nearly won. Had he managed to pull it off, Lovie would have made his second Super Bowl appearance. One could make the argument (I would) that Cutler may have been the reason they didn't make the Super Bowl that year. Since you're a fan of 'what ifs'. What if Hanie had played more of the game than did Cutler? Speaking of the players making the coach angle. I can't really argue the point other than to say is it really a point? To believe one player, Tillma, somehow single handedly carried the team is ludicrous. Would it not be fair to suggest that Tillman maybe benefitted more from the system he was in than the other way around? Ever ask Peanut what he thought of Lovie? Here's an except from in 2012 just before Lovie was let go: "Because he is a great coach," Tillman said. "He's been here nine years, I believe, the only coach I really know. I don't want to play for another coach. I think he's done some great things for this city, for this organization. Great guy, great leader. "(If) you got to bring in a new coach, they got to start all the way over, they got to rebuild the team. Naw, you don't want to do that. Coach Smith is the guy."". Man was he right. Anyhow despite your theory on one player making a coach and if it held true then would you not ask; where would Belichick be without Brady, Tomlin without Roethlisberger or Shula without Griese? I mean in some cases it may apply but not here.

I thought I made it clear why I made the comparison. But you're right I did it out of convenience because I was "discussing" with Jason his rationale for his opinion. It was lazy of me and I apologize if I hurt your feelings. For what it's worth the QBR is very controversial and proprietary to ESPN so it too is not the "end all" to rating a player. And how one interprets it.

And that's your opinion. Not fact just what you think ...comma... I considered posting this elsewhere but since there is some relation. The discussion above would be very similar to how I feel (opinion) that Cutler is an AVERAGE (at best) QB. Here's evidence to correlate that and using that QBR that so many of you hold in high regard: http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago-bears/post...espns-total-qbr In fact his rating places him smack dab (or one below depending how you read the numbers) in the middle at 17th. And again, this is AN IMPROVEMENT from what he has done throughout his career. And I'm still confused how you can consider a coach with a winning record as only average where you think a QB like Cutler is any better than... So, as you say, Cutler is an "average"* QB. Period.

Nice response. And on your point about FA issues being a fault of Lovie. Have to agree and that I have seen a few others (presumably TB fans) say that same thing. I've always thought that to be a weakness of Lovies. He tries too hard to appease 'his guys'. Archuleta, Martz(?), Orlando Pace, Manumaluena (examples for the Bears) and Conte, Major Wright, Tim Jennings and Melton in TB. Although admirable not always the best course in this business.

Is that right? ? Interesting perspective. Your "evaluation" process is no more than personal bias and conjecture. His "inadequacies" again are your personal feelings, not the standard. I know you may find this hard to accept but it's reality. Just as biased as my belief that Lovie is a good coach. My opinion is not the end all. I just am basing it on what I see and "hear". And from what I hear, players who actually have logged some time in the NFL like him...as a coach.

Intersting. So the same should be applied to coach Fox?

This coming from a guy who says Lovie isn't an effective coach. All he did while in Chicago for nine years was compile 6 winning seasons (in regards to W-L) *and two of which were while Cutler was there. 3x NFC North champ, 1 NFC Champion, a SB appearance ( all without the GREAT Cutler as QB) and Coach of the Year. Seems all pretty "decent" to me. . If his name Cutler it would mean he made it to the Super Bowl. Which he hasn't.

Well you'd be wrong in that he's not a bad coach, as has been evidenced by the comments of some of the players on the Bucs and others with the Bears. But since you base your success rate on how many championships you garner then it's a wasted discussion...again. Now to figure out why you don't have that same philosophy with QBs.

Dumbest thing you say? I was actually thinking you'd use Eli Manning as his passer rating is similar to Cutlers. Difference is Eli's won two SBs. And I'm going to take a guess at what Favres is. Problem is he has at least one championship to his name too. So perhaps all these guys' ratings are similar. But when it comes down to it and the games matter (playoffs and championships) they win. What did Cutler do when he was in ONE playoff game for the Bears? He sat down. Hell Grossman did better than that. And to literally take your words of "comparing" the two and your comment about how Orton "didn't win us any games, didn't lose us any games", you know what Cutlers overall W/L record is? 68-68. A perfect .500. The epitome of average. The part you're missing in my comparison is that Cutler IMPROVED to get to where he's at vs Orton who maintained his rating.

Yes Mr Busybody there was. And it was settled already. To aid your memory it was a comparison between Trestman and Lovie and who would fare better. Seems it was nearly a draw. Only difference was one was improving their lot, the other was not.

I saw some rumors that their OC Koetter is a HC candidate (like Gase) and TB ownership didn't want to risk losing him. Some speculate he'll be the next HC.

Yeah, seems odd. Especially given their offense ranked #5 overall last year. Not the trademark normally associated to Lovie coached teams. http://m.buccaneers.com/s/33201/376?itemUr...150668146141072 Saw that Lavonte David tweeted out his thoughts: EDIT (David has since deleted his tweets): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000061...surprise-firing

Not if Miami beats them to it. It would appear Gase is as good as gone. http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2016/01...try_to_hir.html