Mongo3451

I posted this to equate to the Hester situation. It may belong in the Hester thread. Both are 3rd year players that have way outdone their rookie deals. Maybe JA and Parker will look at that as a reference. Hester should make no less than Colston, but not a lot more - IMO.

All told, we all know Hester has outplayed his contract. JA has a policy of NOT re-negotiating with 2 plus years remaining, but has shown a willingness to compromise to reward the elite of team. (Urlacher and potentially Hester) Here's what I think Hester should have done through his agent: Have Parker contact Angelo to come up with a PR spin as to why Devin is not in camp, with the agreement that he would not return until a deal was hammered out. Maybe this happened and Angelo hung up the phone. Anyway, we all know how JA likes to lowball to start negotiations off. Maybe that was enough to send Hester off the deep end. I'm really stuck in the middle of this issue. We've all talked about how unique Devins contract would have to be. I really don't want hear any crap about him being paid special team money. Regardless of position, he was aguably our MVP the last two seasons and an elite player. I don't believe for a second that the scheme or support personnel is what makes him great. He is naturally great. He is the best I've ever seen.(Including Dieon) If he's going into camp as a #1 reciever and the best return man ever, I have no problem paying him as a top reciever. That's how I'm on Devin's side. On the other hand, If I'm JA; I've been called to task by a 3rd year player being represented by an agent that I've always gotten good work done with. I'm hot as hell and have to make a stand and save face. So I tell him we'll get you a fair deal after you get your ass back in camp. Hester needs to accept the scolding and apologize to get his payday.

It's always good to hear good news, but I have a hard time believing anything Lovie says. I'm not calling Lovie out, because it's part of the game to be a BS artist. Just sayin...

I actually think this is a good move. Think of it this way: If I were another team, I would on-side kick to the Bears on a more prequent basis. 1) to keep the ball away from Hester, while trying to steal a possession and, 2) feel comfortable with the odds that the offense won't make them pay. Imagine Wolfe squirting through a hole and dissappearing to the endzone.

I love the job JA has done the last couple of years. I don’t think any GM has done a better job keeping his core players and signing picks than Angelo has. Even though we lost Berrian, I do agree with that move, as he was way over priced for his production. Minny will suffer the pain of watching Berrian grow alligator arms when Jackson throws a ball he has to fight for. I still really wish JA would have brought in a quality OG. Faneca would have been my choice to mentor Williams. IMO – Overpaying at that position would have improved the greater good, as Faneca would have upgraded 3 positions with one contract. I would have also liked to see JA package 2 to 3 picks in the draft to get another 2nd rounder to grab Henne or Brohm. Again, aside from those two things JA has really impressed me this year. He may yet have a couple of tricks up his sleeve. I still look for Rueben Brown to sign, if healthy. Or better yet, a younger cap cut from another team. I also look for him to get a good value pick for RMJ in the next couple of weeks. My hat is certainly off to him.

I'm going to say Brandon Lloyd and Garrett Wolfe on offense. Both are playing for roster spots and are explosive talents'. On defense, I like Craig Steltz and Corey Graham. The easy choice is Hester in his 2nd year at WR. I just don't think they are going to give him a huge amount of reps to save his legs

I hope you are right bro. I hope you get some cooler weather soon. Keep your head down and stay safe!

I wish it were that simple. Calling the plays and executing them are different sides of the coin. If your QB doesn't have the instincts to hit the right target or call the right audible, you are screwed. If your WR's drop crucial chain moving passes, screwed again. If your OL is consistently being overpowered by a better opposition, screwed again. Don't get me wrong, I love your offensive philosophy, but it is simply flawed by the variables within the game. I'd say it's about 50% execution, 25% talent and 25% play calling.

The old saying goes, "Defense Wins Championships." But, D can't do it alone. I think we can surprise some critics this year with a playoff appearance, but Superbowl is lofty given our question marks.

I think you may have read that Metcalf turned the corner in an article by Larry Mayer. The only thing I took from that article is that he realizes he has an opportunity and is working hard to improve. My contention is that a professional athlete should be doing that regardless. The coach did not provide a glowing endorsement of his effort to date. He was bad, but I'm not sure to that extent. A broken hand on a punch style blocker like Metcalf is, means everything. You may have to take your entire body out of position to avoid greater pain than what you are experiencing. All said, Metcalf was/is bad. With a healthy hand and improved work ethic, he can become a low-tier starter at best -IMO. Is that good enough? Yes, if Walter Jones is your left tackle. (But we have an unproven rookie.) Metcalf should be relegated to backup or cut. Experience is what we need next to Williams with a focus on next years draft to find a stud OG, as we don't have that player on the roster.

The reason I like this pickup is that Forte and Jones have similar talents as all purpose backs. This means we won't have to adapt any packages or dummy down the playbook, thus making substitutions seamless. Great pick up! Now let's get a left guard in here by camp time and I'll feel much more comfortable. My choice still remains Rueben Brown, if healthy.

I hope he plays. I work in Indy and if they beat us without Manning, it will be over for me. If we beat them, they will have the biggest of excuses and the win will also not benefit me. I'm sure all Bears fans want to see the beloved bury Manning in the new turf of Lucas Oil Stadium!!

No to Simms. I'm not interested in signing another QB, unless they can develop into a franchise QB. There are none out there at this point, so our UDFA's have a better shot at being what we are looking for.

We can only hope. Then we can look for an OG.

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4858 I read the above story and picked out a few tidbits. I know coach-speak is simply fluff this time of year, but tell me what you think. A ROOKIE DOESN'T NEED A LOT OF REPS TO BE GOOD... Looks like we have another spoon fed starter. If you are his coach, you better know he's capable. AP's been on the team how long? I have issues with the lack of savvy on this coaching staff. It seems like everytime our coaching staff is interviewed, some jackass staements are made. I'm still spinning over the WR coach saying Hester corrects him when he makes mistakes. Do good coaches function this way? Or am I being overly critical? My opinion is that he over talking on Forte to erase bad PR on Benson. He is giving the positives of AP to off-set his lack of talent. Most telling, he is calling Wolfe out. When you mention that someone needs to step it up twicewhile answering the same question. Point made. To what extent do you think Wolfe is getting called out.

The only time, I agree with restructuring a rookie out of the gate, is when a running back proves to be the real deal. If Forte shows he is a stud, I would re-structure after year one to get him in a longer contract to provide security for himself and the team. Odds are, for a running back, that they won’t make it past a 4 year deal, but if he does, it’s a whopper of a contract. Lock him in for 6 yrs after his rookie season and you’ve both paid him and harvested his best years.

I think Forte's situation is complex. For one, we really don't have a good barometer to gauge any projected stats. If Benson was truly out of shape and NOT hitting the hole with authority that may leave yards out there for Forte in two different ways. 1) Is the short plays where Benson was stacked up at the LOS. If Forte is quicker to the hole, he may be able to hit a few that Cedric didn't. It seemed AP was doing this a little more frequently, but couldn't out run anyone. 2) If Forte can hit the 2nd level, he has 4.4 speed. I'll assume that the box will be stacked again this year, which means there are opportunities to hit a big gainer now and then, but we'll have to struggle through a bunch of 2 yarders. We also need to factor in a re-dedication of our OL. They are a prideful group and will want to rebound from a season of blame and shame. I can foresee a real fighting instinct in them this year. (sort of like a cornered animal) On the flip side: We have no clue who Forte is. He has less odds of making than Benson did. We also have no clue who Chris Williams is either. It could be a jailbreak in our backfield this season. With all said, I'm going to jump out on a limb and say Forte is my candadate for leading all rookies in rushing this year.

Why trade when you can get him for half the price via free agency? Add to that, if we trade RMJ, we lose his salary and get a draft pick or player with a better value dollar wise. FA backs are not drawing interest right now and their value will be low unless backs start going down to injury. With the amount of backs that we have already speculated, I don't see paying that much for someone who was unseated by Justin Fargas. Also, RMJ may draw more than he's worth in trade as some teams out there are really weak at CB and we seem flush with them.

Count me in on that. I respect Favre for all he has done. But getting Favre now, would be like bragging about nailing Pam Anderson after Tommie Lee got done with her. One, she's washed up at that point. Two, she gave her best years to the competition. If she were in her prime you give a testicle to hit that. AMEN! There are just some things that are instinctually wrong. Plus, think of how Packer fans would feel about that? Not that I give a crap, but they would burn Thompson's house down. It's ridiculous to think they would ever let him go to a divisional rival.

I have to pile on here, as well, with some stats. Let me 1st give my stat disclaimer: Stats can be used in many arguments, but it's hard to determine skill level through passing stats, as the variables going into them can make them look better or worse to untrained eyes. Stats can also be mis-leading when it comes to effectiveness and leadership. Rex gets sacked 1 out 9 pass attempts to Kyle's 1 in 40. Rex throws a pick 1 in 32 times, while Kyle throws 1 in 40. Also, add in that Rex had 6 fumbles to Kyle's 2. The sacks go to pocket presence, which a lot of people confuse with mobility. Marino was one of the most immobile QB's in NFL history but had an obscene pass attempt to sack ratio.(to the good) The picks go to judgement and accuracy. Rex was 0.4% more accurate than Kyle last year, but how much does that percentage matter when the pick ratio is greater? The fumbles come down to genetics, because you just can't overcome tiny hands. Another skill Kyle has over Rex is savvy. You really can't measure IT, but you know what IT is when you see IT. Not saying Kyle has IT like the big boys, but he definately looks a lot cooler than Rex does out there. All told, I don't think Rex's skills outweigh Kyle's at all. It's close, but I give Orton the nod on intangibles.

If alive, Helen Keller would get it.

As we all know, different players make different impacts on the team. Whether it is being in position to make a play or putting someone else in position to make a play, Mike Brown is the man. I truly feel he is the straw that stirs the drink.(kool-aid of course) If you look at overall excellence and proven consistency, Brian Urlacher is the man. But, if you look at an unstoppable force that creates havoc and disrupts the timing of the offense, look no further than Tommie. Which player is the key and we can least do without? Tough question. If you look at what happens when we lose any one of these players the result is similar. (The defense suffers) I would like to see a W/L and defensive stats in relation to these players respective health. Our defense will still be good if we lose one of these players, will be hamstrung if we lose two and devastated if we lose all three. IMO - the most irreplaceable player is Urlacher. I just seem to notice more of a difference when he is not in the game. But, in playing the odds game, with Harris and Urlacher being more physically dependable, Brown is the key. If he stays healthy, odds are all three will have a season together.

I agree, he's not a naturally greedy person. I think he's coming to terms with feeling like a mere mortal and is wanting to maximize his earnings. I don't think he should push management too hard on a new contract, as you don't want to bite the hand that feeds you.

I really like Rex. In the same breath, I'll say I'm sick of hearing about him doing something to improve himself. It's just been a slow long tease that I have grown weary of. He has been the best of professionals six days out of the week.

Nice work! I live in Indy and we are building our 2nd stadium for the Colts. The 1st was when we lured them out of Baltimore in 83' the 2nd will christened when the beloved destroy them openeing weekend. We pay extra taxes as a result. Lucas Oil did come out of pocket for a large portion, but that was for naming rights. As a result, we get to keep the Colts and host a SuperBowl. Hopefully, that will repay the tax payers.