nfoligno

LOL. You mean like Marinelli used his magic to fix the DL:)

OL - This was a very weak FA for OL, however, OT is considered one of the strongest and deepest positions in the draft. Further, we signed what essentially amounts to a 6th OL in Manu. WR - Opinions on WR vary, but I am with those who like who we have, and believe improvements in protection and playcalling will create the upgrade along WRs that you hope to see. That group of young WRs played well last year, despite lack of expereience, chemistry, no Ol and weak playcalling. I can't wait to see what Cutler does w/ these guys next year. Boldin would be great. Few would question that. But salary cap or no, there is only so much money that will be spread around, and for what Boldin cost, we got Manu, Taylor and may still have enough for a FS. I would argue the upgrade those players provide will effect the team far more than by simply adding Boldin. DB - Again, we got a tad lucky in that the draft this year is considered very strong at need positions like CB and FS. Further, I think we could still be looking at several FS' that are on the market. CB is still a big concern of mine as I have not heard even so much as talk about CB, but it was not a great FA crop and is a good draft group, so I assume this will simply be an area we focus on in the draft.

Agreed 100%. Remember what Angelo said last year, "its all about the QB." In one year, w/ poor playcalling and no protection, we saw more from out WRs than we have in a long time. Improve playcalling and the protection, and just wait to see what Cutler does with this talented young group of WRs.

I have said this for some time, but still believe today we lack leadership. You mention veterans, but that doesn't mean leaders. Urlacher is the face of the franchise (or has been). He will be remembered as one of the Bear LB Greats. But, with that said, he is a leader by example at best. I can't say I have ever seen him directing players or lining them up. He goes about his business, and his play is such that it carries over and affects others. I don't think he is a field general. I don't think he is the sort to light up the locker room and pump up the players. When the team is down, I don't see him giving a rah rah speech. He may be a team captain, but he is no general. I would say similar about most other solid veterans on the team. Brown, Briggs, Tillman and others are solid in all ways, but simply not really "leaders" as I describe above. In fact, something I think may be as telling as anything is this. Last year, Afalava was not even expected to start, being a later 2nd day draft pick and rookie. Yet he came in, did well, and earned a spot. But more important to this is, I read story after story about how this rookie instantly assumed a leadership role. He was barking at veterans on the field, calling out offensive alignments, switches, coverages, etc and telling our guys to shift this way or that way. Our team lacked leadership to the point that a rookie was able to come in an assume the role. I have argued for Atogwe, and still would love to add him. But as I think about it, maybe Sharper is the best candidate for us. He is a leader, and could bring some of what our team lacks.

1. Why does everyone assume Olsen won't fit with the Martz offense? We have 3 pretty good "receiving" TE's on the roster. The Martz offense typically calls for 3 WR sets. Doesn't Olsen or Dez Clark become the 3rd WR??? A typical offensive set would be QB, 5 o-linemen, RB, 2 TE's, 2 WR's. Seems like a no-brainer. Actually, Martz himself said shortly after being hired that if a TE can't block, he would just as soon have an extra WR out there. It was this interview that sent many running for the presses. The impression was, if Olsen can not block, and Martz prefers a WR to having two TEs, how does Olsen fit. Thing about Olsen is, as a TE, he is a big mis-match problem. LBs don't have the speed and safeties usually lack the size. If he is a WR though, much of the matchup issue goes out the window. Its one thing to use him as such on occasion, but we saw last year how CBs better matchup with him. For Olsen to be great, he needs to remain at TE. 2. Manumaleuna is such a unique player, who backs him up? When we drafted Lance Louis we speculated he might become a blocking TE. Is he the guy? I don't think so. From what I read, the staff actually loves his development thus far at OL, and actually talk about him more than most any other young OL in terms of position battles. I am not sure Manu is that unique. He is our best blocking TE, but I wouldn't say he is "that" unique. If he went down, Kellen Davis would be the most likely to step in. You lose some in blocking, though likely gain in receiving.

Then again, you have to wonder how watered down the info is by the time it gets to fans. $25m may have never been a hard number, but a ballpark range. Hell, $25m may have been what ownership was thinking for Peppers. Whatever the original number was, I think we have already gone over it, and frankly, I don't think it has so much to do w/ who we can cut as it does Peppers. I think it was all about Peppers. The number was more a measuring point of him. If Wash (for example) got involved and started jacking up the price such that $25m would have been 1/2 what was needed, then it would not happen. Point is, I don't think the $25m budget was ever a hard budget for FA, but more about peppers. By the start of the season, I can easily see us going over $40m. I mean, we are in the low $30s now, and I can still see FS and an OL added. You also see a group of cheap guys added, but those guys add up. Then there is the draft.

Yea, I just don't know that we want to make more of this than it is. Forte had a solid rookie year, but not 2nd year. Part of the problem was OL, few would question that, but part of the problem was also Forte. Injury talked about, and I think there is little question that was an issue. There may be some other stuff, but at the end of the day, we needed a RB, and added one. I think some may forget that Kevin Jones was expected to shoulder a fair bit of the burden this past year but injury prevented that from happening. We needed a player for depth, but who could also share the load. Taylor is a great fit in that regard. He can be a compliment, or step in to be more. Good fit for Martz, and while the money is more than some may have planned to spend at RB, it isn't that high, nor "off" for Taylor's value.

Just pointing out its different from the Tait situation. Hey, we all love the Godfather quote, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse", but gotta be real here. While they didn't want to tender him for a 1 year guaranteed $8m, I suspect they tagged him as they did w/ a strong plan of signing him. No, that doesn't mean they will match ANY offer presented, but similar with Rolle, gotta still consider the value of a player.

Have to say, what is done w/ Dez, and I mean in the short term, could be a "tell" as to what we want to do w/ Olsen. One thing Angelo has always been pretty consistent about is, when he plans to let a veteran go, he lets them go early. He doesn't screw around with them. He gets them on the market as soon as possible, allowing that veteran more time to pickup with a new team. If we hang on to Clark for a while, it could be a tell that we are in fact open, if not actively shopping Olsen. If we release Clark in the near future, then that is that, and most of the Olsen talk was likely just that, talk.

But there is no salary cap. When we stole Tait, we front loaded the deal, and KC couldn't match because they were up against the cap already and could not afford to add the front loaded contract w/o going over the cap. W/ no cap in place, Stl just doesn't have that issue. Some would say we could get trickly like Minny did w/ Hutchinson, but that I know of, that was the only time it happened and most in the league (owners) loathed that move. I don't think that sort of poison pill deal is really on the table, and w/o a cap, there really isn't such a thing as a poison pill deal anymore.

Think of it this way. I would say our window was closed shut, but it has been opened now. Maybe just a little, but it is open. Further, I would say if you can get 3 or so years of pro bowl play from someone, it gives you time to draft players to develop so they are ready when a veteran is done.

Actually, this is a good draft for many of our needs. I have heard this is a great draft for FS, OT, CB and DL. We just got Peppers, but still lack at DT, and the other three are big time needs. I still would rather get a veteran FS than a rookie, and further, I think there are better veteran options at FS than at OT or CB.

I think Wilson may be an option to consider, but otherwise agree. I agree w/ another poster who said Clark is a SS in most any other city, but does well as a FS when paired with Polamalu, who is the true free roaming safety in that scheme. To me, Clark is too similar from all the other SS' we have tried to play at FS. Maybe better, but still not a true FS. W/o question Atogwe is who I want, but my only concern is that Stl will match most any offer another team signs him too.

Some, including myself, have a different opinion of Rolle, but that aside, something I think should be considered is, even w/o a salary cap, the value of a player should be considered. Rolle is out to become the top paid S in the game, and if our personnel think he may be one of the better S' on the market, but not close to truly elite, then there is no reason to pay him that sort of deal, cap or no. Something else to consider. We may not be done yet. There still seems to be several safeties on the market (G.Wilson, Atogwe, Clark among others). Further, FS is supposed to be a great position in the draft. I do understand. I want upgrade/upgrades along the OL, but as much as I feel that is a need, if there is not a good player to sign, I would rather work on other holes, even if they are not as key of a need.

Excuse my ignorance, but who is Jason LaFonca?

Thank you. There is no cap, but also this year there is no floor. I think we will see quite a few owners who take advantage of the lack of a salary floor. Then here are the Bears making Snyder and Jerry Jones cheap as hell.

Awesome!

A friend mentioned that too, but I don't see it. Forst is cheap. We needed a RB, and signed one. Trade/move Forte, and we need to add another RB again. While Taylor is a great pickup, he will be 31 at the start of the season. He should have more air in the tired due to less than norm wear in previous seasons, but I don't think you look at Taylor as a 250-300 carry RB long term. Keep Forte and you have a solid 1-2 punch and/or depth. Get rid of Forte, and the RB situation becomes fairly iffy again.

Atogwe for safety. DL - I think will be a rookie/draft, as well as hopes that some of those we recently drafted develop. OL - Looks really weak in FA, but OT is considered one of the best positions in the draft. RB - We just signed one. He is a TE, but will play more like a FB in Martz system. I don't think Martz uses a lot of 2 back (FB/RB) sets, and thus a blocking TE acts more similar to the role of a FB.

IMHO, you almost have to think of this as an OL signing. From everything I have read, that is basically what he is. I read, in Martz system, there will be plays where he matches up solo w/ a DE. Our OL sucks, and the options to upgrade were not looking great, if he can improve our blocking, he is worth the coin.

You just can't look at his stats. That would be like trying to base an evaluation on a FB or OT based on carries or catches. He is basically a 6th OL. Argue away whether that is worth the roster spot or money, but you can't base an evaluation of him on stats like that. More important would be to look at the stats of the RB he blocked for, or maybe how well he protected a QB.

Clark is in trouble due to numbers, not money but roster spots. I would add his age is likely an issue. We just signed Manu, so I think it safe to say he is a lock. I doubt we keep 4 TEs, so one is likely to go. Maybe its Olsen, but I think it could also be Clark. If we are not going to trade/move Olsen, then Clark likely goes due to age.

May not be needed. While we paid peppers a boatload, it also sounds like we spread that guaranteed money over the first 3 years, rather than simply giving him a $30m SB, or something like that. Even w/ all three signings, the 2010 actual cash spent may not have reached the $25-30m space Angelo was promised.

But, he only has 8 seasons, and only once had more than 160 carries, so the tread likely isn't as worn as w/ most backs his age. Further, if we are looking to use him similar as Minny did, pairing him w/ Forte, age simply may not be the hard dropoff date it is w/ so many others.

I think the last time we saw something like this was around '97 or '98 when we signed Phillip Daniels and Thomas Smith, I think, on the same day. It may not seem like it today, but those were two of the top FAs on the market. I think Daniels was the 2nd best DE and Smith was the top CB available. Each signed a deal that looks like chump change today, but were record deals for the Bears back then.