jason

I don't know about that. Even if he's available for 8 games next year, he'd be the best Safety on the Bears' roster for those 8 games.

Honestly, I'd take the Bears' trio Knox > Berrian Hester > Harvin Bennett The improvement from Berrian and Harvin to Knox and Hester is about the difference between Bennett and Rice, IMO. Factor in Harvin's migraines, and I'd rather have the Bears' WRs.

Basically what I've been saying for a while. The WRs are not bad. They are above average, a pretty good group. The OL is just so shitty that the team can't implement the proper offensive gameplan and run routes that take more than 2 seconds to develop. An offensive game plan is severely limited with an OL that can't run or pass block very well, and all pass routes are essentially limited to a 3-step drop if any semblance of success is desired.

He was a stud...and could be again if he could get past the injury bug. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6135553

Wow. I'm completely in shock.

Dead on accurate...and it speaks volumes in many ways. Tice took potentially the worst OL in NFL history, a verifiable flaming pile of shit, extinguished the flames, and sprayed enough perfume on it that at least it didn't smell as bad as it looked. That's why he's getting attention. In the hands of most OL coaches, this OL probably would have paralyzed Cutler instead of just allowing him to get concussed and a torn knee ligament.

I don't understand all the hype over Sidney Rice. He's had a single good year, and that was when Farv was playing out of his mind. He's only been a starter for a year and a half. And on top of that the guy wasn't nearly as good or explosive after coming off of his hip injury and the concussion. I'm definitely not in favor of that signing, because it would cost more in FA than he's worth.

HAHA! That's awesome. Others can use BS can call themselves "America's team," but the Bears are the "World's Team!"

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2011/1/24/1952...-nfl-soap-opera I especially liked the ending.

Yes, that's a whole lot of wasted picks. Which is why they could have been spread around and used on a few OFFENSIVE linemen. It's impossible to know what could have happened if that happened, and there is nowhere near enough data to show whether or not JA and crew have a keen eye for picking something other than disappointing defensive linemen. Right back to the original purpose of this thread. Why hasn't it been done?

Let me get this straight... 1] You note that the Bears draft DL every year 2] You note that the Bears have had success in 2, if not 3, out of 4 picks 3] You note that the Bears have done better in FA than in the draft 4] You say the same practice wouldn't have worked for the OL? Huh?

Loved this portion.

That's not a good enough reason for me. There should have been second rounders used on OL if the first rounders weren't available.

Drunk Bomber calls for a first round OL fenom hopes the Bears move UP in the first round for OL Connor says we should spend our first two picks on OL Everyone chimes in: Butkusrules declaring OL as the #1 priority, balta calls for 2 or 3 OL draft prospects, Pix says the other positions don't matter if the OL sucks, RME and Drunk Bomber make OL at least 1A or 1B Bearsox flat out rejects anything other than OL with the first pick And, finally (because I looked through a few pages and that's enough), a poll... 27 out of 36 votes believe that OL needs to be the #1 priority So, here's what I'm thinking... 1. If we all thought it then, and 2. The Bears thought it as well (drafted Chris Williams), and 3. Chris Williams has not turned into a quality OT much less the stud we were hoping for, WHY IN THE WORLD AREN'T THEY STILL DRAFTING OL?! It's truly baffling and infuriating. BTW - If you want to have some fun, go back in the beginning of these boards, just after the change, and look for some of the things people said. Stuff like the Cedric Benson or Mike Williams discussions are interesting.

I disagree. St. Claire is without a doubt better than Omiyale. He would make the Bears immediately better. How much better I can't say, mostly because St. Claire isn't exactly a stud, but he is definitely a step, or more, up from Omiyale.

It's nice to see a legit former star say something we've been saying all year. Knox is directly responsible for about 5 or 6 interceptions this year, but everyone seems to blame Cutler.

You mean like how Aromashodu deserved to sit on the bench all year? Let's face it, Lovie has a history of poor personnel moves...and the fact that Wolfe could never get a legit chance when the RBs in front of him weren't exactly tearing up the league says more about Lovie and staff than it does about Wolfe.

One has to actually conduct ample tests in order for an experiment to exist. The sample size for Wolfe's contributions is insufficient because he's never been given a shot. Odd then that he seems to break plays fairly frequently when he does get his chance. You're right...he'll probably be gone, but nobody in Chicago knows what they did or didn't have in Wolfe.

The system and teams play on a percentage of the equation. I know, FOR A FACT, that Taylor was met in the backfield more often percentage-wise than Forte was. I saw it with my own eyes; the guy got hit after getting the handoff an obscene amount of times. This leads me to one of a few possibilities: 1. The downs and distances in which Taylor was inserted were more likely to be running downs 2. The play calling during the downs were plays in which the OL did not excel 3. The play calling during the downs were incredibly predictable 4. The limited number of carries increased the likelihood of running into one of the horribly busted plays, while Forte's extensive carries decreased this risk (while also providing the possibility of infrequent longer runs) By no means did I crunch any numbers, but I know what my eyes saw. The man had no chance. Do I care what happens with him? No. Backup RBs grow on trees in today's NFL more than any other position with the possible exception of LB.

It has nothing to do with the system. It has to do with the OL. Far too often he got the ball and was hit in the backfield. I don't care if the dude leaves or stays, but let's be real. The number 1, 2, and 3 reasons why he didn't succeed is the OL.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! You crack me up balta! Good one!

I also thought it had more meaning. What I want to see is Hester lined up in the WR screen formation, with a quick pump fake, and then hit one of the "blocking" WRs who have snuck past a DB. Every time I see a team use that play, it works. Aside from that, the plays that Hester could excel in are slow-developing drag routes across the middle. Put him in motion, have him juke outside and then drag behind the LBs, using the Umpire and other defensive players as moving screens for the trailing DB. Ideally, this is a play that has Cutler rolling out in the same direction and a TE leaked out into the flats. Incidentally, this is the play that the Titans ran what seemed like 40 times a game for what seemed like a decade with McNair, Eddie George as the play-action decoy, Wycheck, and whatever bum they had at WR.

Especially the day after the F'ing Super Bowl. WTF.

I understand that. It's the reason I tried to arbitrarily hedge my bet by saying something about the previous teams selecting the same position. Over-reaching for a position is rarely a good thing. I just hate the following scenario: 1st Rd: "Well, the two or three OTs we had targeted are gone, so we'll look for value in the 2nd. Better grab a tall WR because he's tall." 2nd Rd: "Hmm...didn't see that happening. The few guys we thought would last, didn't. Guess we have to go elsewhere, maybe grab a SS who we'll put at FS." 3rd Rd: "Most of the OT talent left isn't really that good to begin with. It would be pointless to grab one here when there is so much potential in DB Joe Blow and LB John Doe." That's how it seems to happen with the Bears' drafting. Sometimes a slight "reach" is a bit necessary if you ever plan on getting the position filled outside of FA.

1. I don't think a rookie WR would start in the Bears offense, hence...disappointing stats 2. If WR goes in the first, it would signal that YET AGAIN the Bears don't pay attention to the OL 2a. The Bears will probably have a poor OL, yet again 2b. Cutler will be under ridiculous pressure, yet again 2c. It will be impossible to use the entire Martz offense, yet again 3. Speaking of the Martz offense, one of my favorite aspects is the "spread the ball around" philosophy. Hurting the opposition with the 3rd and 4th WR. As with #1, that's less stats for a single WR, especially a rookie who will have limited snaps. 4. Muhsin Muhammed will be proven "right" again ("where WRs go to die"), because the rookie WR will have incredibly underwhelming stats, and will only slightly improve over the course of his contract The thing that bugs me about this type of thought is your comment "with OT's being able to be grabbed in the 2nd." Aren't WRs also available in the draft? If they're "heavy" aren't there plenty of them with talent available later? It defies intelligence for the Bears to go WR in the first, unless there is a Randy Moss reincarnation available. I can't find it right now, but there is overwhelming statistical proof that as the rounds go on, the likelihood of finding a quality player significantly dwindles. Sure, talent can be found in other rounds, but the stats say 1st round has more talent. Common sense says that the first round has more talent. Unless 4 or 5 teams choose the targeted positions before the Bears, they should go for the positions with the most need. The BPA concept is not my favorite, because the BPA almost always seems to be someone other than OL.