jason

I'm so sick of hearing this shit over and over and over. The player and the team negotiate for a non-guaranteed contract. The player wants: 1-Lots of money 2-Lots of front-end money (i.e. bonus, higher salaried initial years) 3-Lots of guaranteed money 4-The security of a long-term contract The team wants nearly the opposite. So what happens? 1,2,3, AND 4 get agreed upon, but once 1-3 are satisfied, and the contract is finally to the team's advantage, suddenly the player is not happy with the contract. If players were being honest and forthcoming, they would either A]Offer to have their contracts restructured when they don't play up to previous standards, and/or B] Exclusively seek 1-year deals that yield the highest salary. Until their is one year left on his contract (a common timeline for negotiation and restructuring), Briggs needs to get his ass on the field and shut his mouth. I know what the opposite says, "But the team can cut him!" And they do. Which is the main reason why it's not guaranteed and why the player negotiated for the front end money and bonus.

Is that indicative of the board, the team, or both? Seems to me the traits of the team drive the actions of the board. And if we're all still singing the same tunes, then it probably means the team hasn't addressed the variety of issues that the collective at talkbears finds paramount.

You've clearly been lurking.

Sarcasm or not, my friend who is a diehard Seahawks fan thought it was hilarious that the Bears picked up Spencer. He mentioned that Spencer had a hard enough getting starts on the Seahawks, and asked if we were up for another Rick Mirer trade. I don't view that as a very good sign.

HILARIOUS that you mention those three. I was with my Dad at the Bears v. Titans game and he noted how many players were on the sideline. I told him they hadn't reached final cuts yet, and said, "For intsance, that guy Antle? He's gone. Vittatoe? Not a prayer of being on anything higher than the practice squad. Brignone...too bad it's not Briggsnone and the front office gets confused, because his chances of making the team are slim and Brig-none."

FYI - Okoye came back in after that sack/chest combo. He even had a few tackles. In my opinion, he was the most impressive Bear yesterday.

Agreed. I had a few friends with me at the game (various locations in the stadium) and I got multiple texts making fun of Hanie's throw. It was just a horrible throw. No miscommunication at all. Just a peewee league throw by Hanie.

I was at the game and thought the DB was draped on Roy early. Not to mention the fact that the other defensive player cut right in front of the pass and obscured the view. That was a very difficult catch to say the least.

Agreed. And then most of the Martz flaws would be forgotten because Cutler would have 4000+ yards and DBs all over the NFC North would have nightmares about covering guys like Hester and Knox for more than 2 second routes.

You know that wasn't me, Pix. I thought the WRs were just fine before Roy Williams. It's just a matter of having a system and complimentary pieces that allow for the skill position players to actually, ya know, use their skills.

Not only would it take 1/4 of a second for JA to say yes, he'd have to throw away his underwear after simultaneously jizzing and shitting himself at how great a deal it was. Look, I like Forte too. A lot. But he is not Chris Johnson. CJ is better than Forte. This is not even up for debate. Every front office guy in the NFL would make that trade in a heartbeat if they were on the receiving end of CJ. To argue otherwise is ignorant. Who cares if he knows the system? How hard can it be for a RB? Besides, if CJ missed a block or two it would be offseat by the multiple 50 yarders that he'd break off...runs that Forte can't make. The only possible reason the Bears wouldn't make this trade is money. Period.

Much appreciated. That's the kind of stuff I like to do when I have time. But, who has time?

Been calling for TO or Moss for years and years and years. They've been available. Either would have solved this problem* years ago. Like most of you, however, I'm not holding my breath in anticipation that Roy will be solving the "problem" this year. *I still don't think the "tall WR" is the problem. The WRs the Bears have can perform adequately enough if the OL provides a solid pocket and the running game is solid.

The OL did play better, but I'm still not impressed. Keeping Cutler relatively clean is an improvement, but there were very few pockets that didn't get collapsed. The window to throw the ball is small, and probably will be all year. I was also very disappointed by the stuff job on Barber. The OL has to get a better push than that.

Yes, you're right. That one did work well. Otherwise, it got stuffed or screwed up all night.

I can't remember the last time a Bears team has looked this bad in the preseason. Wow. That being said, there are two points to be made regarding comments in this thread. 1 - There is a difference between being negative and being realistic. The team has played like shit, and it's worrying. All the "just relax" talk is BS. These guys have, for the most part, looked somewhat incompetent. I could see if the team was just missing the breaks, had a few unlucky turnovers, or something like that...but the Bears have looked ATROCIOUS in just about ever phase. 2 - We may not like the current installation of the Martz offense, but I still don't understand what dude is supposed to do. He's essentially installing a neutered version of his offense. That being said, Cutler went 12/21 for 171 yards. That's pretty damn good considering Williams had two important drops and the OL still isn't exactly killing it in the pass or run blocking area. Even though I'll admit the OL looked better this game...despite the fact that the QB appears to be pressured nearly every play. Add in that last 95+ yard TD, and it's yet another game in the long line of bad MNF performances...but just because it's preseason doesn't mean we can't glean anything from the performances.

So, apparently Sanzenbacher is slow AND stupid? Who the hell didn't know he needed to get out of bounds on the sideline catch with 10 seconds left?

Big surprise...the Bears still run a RB screen like shit. Is that ten years in a row now...or more?

My goodness...now the ST domination is worse. I can't remember the last time Maynard got stuffed like that. Horrible blocking.

In what phase of the game have the Bears looked good? I can't think of a single one. Even the Special Teams, usually owned by the Bears, is being won by the Giants.

freakin atrocious hold not called on that last Jacobs run. How in the world was that missed?!

As predicted... Good start by D. Bad (false) start by O.

I'll admit that despite how much I dislike it, and no matter how much it endangers and potentially shortens the career lifespan of the Bears' #1 talent on offense, the blueprint has been established for teams to win with dominating defenses and less formidable offenses. 2008: Pittsburgh, 20th O, 1st D 2005: Pittsburgh, 9th O, 4th D 2002: Tampa Bay, 18th O, 1st D 2000: Baltimore, 14th O, 1st D But it certainly benefits a team not to have all or most of their eggs in one basket.

Not that I'm against Mays - dude can hit - but I love that the brilliant minds in the FO are pursuing yet another defensive player for positions (e.g. SS, OLB) that a relatively steady while virtually ignoring positions of greater need.