jason

For all the talk of continuity I've seen on this board, I'm surprised everyone isn't all in favor of remaining status quo. As conventional wisdom goes, shouldn't they be better the next year if Garza, Long, and Mills play together?

LOL. How's that crow taste?

The timing of it is great. You're right on that aspect.

I said "damn near" the same. The math is not off at all. Numerous media reports are saying he got an average of $18M per year. According to spotrac - a site many here have mentioned in the past - that's basically Peyton Manning money. Where did I say it would kill the Bears financially? Try reading my post. I'm talking about the value of one player vs. his production. I knew the Bears had tons of cap space and could make this deal, but that doesn't automatically make it a good deal. Just because a millionaire can pay $1000 for a candy bar doesn't make it a smart financial decision. If you spent half as much time getting your head out of your ass as you do trying to take digs at me, maybe you'd realize what I posted was accurate.

Happy to get the contract crap out of the way really quick, to cement the starter, and move on, but am I the only one who feels like the price was too steep? It's almost exactly what we've been talking about for months. It's damn near Peyton Manning money. I sure hope Cutler stays on the upswing and tears the league a new A-hole, but his history suggests he won't change too much, and the money spent might be a bit much.

I'd LOVE to see that. And it'd be OUTSTANDING to see Urlacher do well.

As long as the current Bears offense is on the field, I'm not worried. Lovie Smith coached teams stop trying to score on offense after getting about 21.

Where have I ever come out against Cutler? I've stated the following: -Cutler Production + Cutler money I like Cutler. I love having a franchise QB after all these years. What I don't like is overpaying for a QB who has not proven himself elite. Also, please stop with the tired insults and insinuation that executives can do no wrong. It's been disproven time and time again. This board would do just as good of a job drafting players and paying them within the confines of the salary cap. Probably a better job than what we've seen the last decade or so.

Kind of a rehash of some of what has been on this board. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1904984...ator-mel-tucker

Agreed! At first I was meh about the signing, but knowing it's Butthead's kid?! I love the move!!

I could get behind Nix or HHCD at that spot. I've read many places where Denard falls into the second. And, to be quite honest, I think CB is a luxury this year when there is a good chance one, if not both, of the Bears' CBs will return. If one doesn't, however, then Gilbert is a worthy first rounder, but I'd rather see Nix or HHCD if they're there.

All of the above in a quick summary: The elite guys you mentioned - glad you excluded Cutler - were/are elite because they do make those throws regularly, at least more regularly than Cutler, and don't force their receivers to make significant adjustments where the defender can make a play on the ball, regardless of field conditions or single game anomalies (comparing Rogers to Cutler for one game? After Rogers has been out half the season? Really?). What I think is odd is that you find my disagreement petty, even though it's pretty clear you didn't remember the play well. Because it hit Alshon's hands people will remember it as a great throw. It wasn't really a good throw either; I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I watched it with two Packer fans and they both said Cutler should have led Alshon more. I've admittedly been a fence-rider in terms of Jay Cutler, and could live with or without, but it's pretty clear which side of the fence someone is on if that's considered a great or good pass. The only way this is wrong is if we find out, as DBDB has suggested, that it was a purposeful underthrow. And I apologize if I view this board more fluidly than you do. I barely pay attention to which person is posting, and go instead with the flow of conversation over a period of time. It's the reason for the "revisionist history"-comment; it's happened before. BTW - After watching the play for about the 20th time, I noticed something subtle. Alshon pulls the DB's arm forward. Very small, difficult to detect, and a clear indication that he has learned from the push-off stuff he did last year. Much better coaching this year, that's for damn sure.

For the record, this is the kind of throw I would have liked to see on that play. If Cutler is an elite QB, he should make elite throws (play starts at 0:27).

Precisely. Although, I do think a certain amount of injuries is a valid excuse up to a point. Not an excuse for the abysmal performance the Bears had, but if they had been let's say, 24th in rush defense, then maybe.

You're the one with the magic screen. - Jeffery with the step - Jeffery slows just before the 15 - I'm pretty sure that he's touching it just past the 15 (i.e. the 14 like I said) Agreed. That's why I said it wasn't a great throw like others have contended. It was an underthrow when the WR had a step on the defender. A world-class, franchise QB throw would have led him enough so that the defender couldn't defend the play in any way whatsoever. Speaking of that... You didn't say it. I did. And, yes, I've seen the intentional underthrow. In this case Cutler should have recognized the fact that Alshon had the step, the advantage, and led him. It's the kind of pinpoint throw elite QBs make (i.e. Rogers dropping footballs in nets from 50 yards) That wasn't meant specifically for you. It was meant as an indication of how this board tends to twist things when memory isn't fresh. Too many times we've had to rehash old issues because someone's memory is poor and they start to rewrite history. One I can remember vividly was the "Chris Williams couldn't cut it at LT and had to be moved inside"-discussion. Regardless of how he eventually turned out, that's been disproven time and time again, but it was still brought up numerous times. My only issue is the word "good." Everything else is correct. But saying it was a good throw makes it seem like he absolutely nailed the spot where he wanted to put it, and the incompletion was all on Alshon. I don't view that to be true because, as I said above, if Alshon is led it's a much more indefensible pass, regardless of the jump-ball success he's had this year.

The ball does not go to the ten. And it wasn't "right on target." Watch the play again. The only reason Alshon has position to make the attempt is because the defender keeps going and Alshon puts on the breaks. That is not leading the receiver by any means. Alshon DID have position, but he had to slow down for it. Does he normally catch it? Yes. Should he have? Yes. Is Cracker right about the trust? Yes. But all that is because he's a stud WR, not because Cutler tried on purpose to throw it five yards short where the defender had a chance to make a play on the ball. I don't mind the play, but I do dislike the revisionism that says it was a good throw, because in a year people will act as if Cutler led him perfectly with a rocket like in the Drew Brees commercial.

When Alshon is at the 21 he's already slowing up and he has a 1/2 step lead. Pause the video if you have to. That tells me, even though it's not on that replay, that he had a step prior to that.

Let's hope that type of turnover continues. Sign both. That's that. 7.5 sacks? He'll be replaced fairly easily, and cheaper to boot. Good. He sucks. Cut him now. I'm sure Urlacher thought that same thing. No way a defense with Urlacher, even though one of his weaknesses was getting off blocks, has the problems this defense had. It was a bad move then, and it'll be a bad move if they do the same thing to Peanut.

The mustache gave him away. Has nothing to do with football. If I'm the GM and the Bears could swap him for Jay Cutler, not only would I do it immediately, I'd hire his boyfriend to ease the transition. Besides, we all knew Farv was gay all those years. How else do you explain the rampant love affair with John Madden?

See my post with the link. It was not a well thrown ball to Alshon. As for the rest, yep. Cutler had a pretty good game, and the majority of the blame is definitely on the D.

I guess we'll just agree to disagree. I don't see it as a particularly difficult throw. That's a backyard throw that all of us are capable of because it's not pinpoint, it's lofted, and it's severely underthrown. It's throwing to a guy who is covered and it's put in a position that the defender can get to. It just so happens that it's just a great effort by Alshon, and the fact that we expected him to catch it is only a testament to how well he's done this year. Cutler didn't do anything other than throw it up for grabs to a taller, more athletic player. A great throw would have led him since Alshon had a step or so on the defender at about the 20 and had to stop and jump for it at the 14. A ball out in front (about the 8-10 yard line) would have been indefensible. http://www.nfl.com/videos/green-bay-packer...ears-highlights (about the 4:00 mark) Watch it a few times. You'll see that memory of the play is not reality.

No disagreement here. There should be a very small amount of attention paid to who threw the ball, regardless of who threw it. But most of the credit goes to the receiver making the catch on that type of play. It's not like we're talking about one of those back shoulder lasers that require pin-point accuracy. This is a "guess I'll throw it up and see if Alshon can make the play"-throw. But it's certainly not a great throw.

Conte.

I've read several different reports that place him anywhere from 1-3. I contemplated moving him to rd 2 and going DB in the 3rd.

Move to 3-4. Cut Peppers, Melton walks, Peanut stays for one more year, SMC stays on contract but gets transferred to turf maintenance, Jennings gets his $, Melton stays for a lessened contract, Conte is tarred and feathered. All defense since Tucker will probably get a second chance. 1. HaHa Clinton-Dix, FS, Bama - An absolute stud who starts day one 2. Darqueze Denard, CB, Michigan St - Mr. No fly zone learns for one year under Peanut. 3. Daniel McCullers, NT, Tennessee - Mountain of a man. Prototype zero technique. Perfect fit. 4. Dominique Easley, DE, Florida - He probably doesn't last this long, but maybe the ACL (two tears) scares teams off? 5. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas - Pedigree. Good 3-4 DE. Great value here and lots of potential. 6. Hakeem Smith, SS, Louisville - Older draft pick, maturity and solid tackling go hand in hand. Tough defender. 6. Tom Hornsey, P, Memphis - Punters are defensive, and it's time for a punter that doesn't suck.