Stinger226

Another name I am hearing is Tanner Gentry, Fox will play anybody that is successful, so I think he makes the final cut down.

I think the surprise will be Sims playing very well and gets Miller cut from squad. I think the disappointment will be Long maintaining injury problems and doesnt play until the 4th game of the season. Kush takes his place and plays well.

actually I think he will be one reason we will get there. Yes there is depth problem at OT but ILB is only a problem if Trevathan does not come back from injury. He is expected to miss some of the preseason but still make it back at the start of the season. There are many reasons they can fail to make the playoffs, but for now, we're healthy and have a great upside. No reason to be negative at this point. I see things falling in place, but it is subject to change.

There is a lot of gloom and doom suggested for this team this year. Here is why that changes this year. #1 They will be healthier this year. Last year the were the worst team in the league for injuries. They lost their starting QB early and as much as we put down Cutler, it would have had much better results with him at QB. #2 We have one of the best RBs in the league. If he had started from day one, he would have led the league in rushing. Do not sleep on 5.2 YPC. thats awesome. He has worked extremely hard this off season to get stronger and faster. The one thing that separates the studs from the average is work ethic. He has that. #3 Kyle will be back and maturity in Leno, and the step forward by Whitehair will give us one of the top OLs in the league. This is huge. #4 The TE spot was a weakness last year with Miller hurt a lot. Paulson with the next in live and he sucked. Now we have Sims, Shaheen, and an emerging Brown. I doubt if Miller even makes the cut. Huge upgrade. #5 Everybody looks at this WR group as very average, but keep in mind. Merideth is an emerging star, something Jeffery didnt show the last two years. We have a best WR available in his draft class, that is healthy now. His talent will show through this year. Between Cruz, Wright, and Wheaton, one of them will emerge as a star, they all have been successful in the league before. I think who ever starts in the slot will have great numbers this year. #6 I think we have one of the best front 7s in the league. Hicks has arrived as a stud 7T. If Goldman is healthy, probably the best DLman. Howard,Bullard and RR-H will give this group much needed support. McPhee is finally heathy and lose weight to aid his quickness. Floyd will emerge as a star 15lbs heavier and smarter. Houston and Young are more than adequate backups.Freeman, Trevathan, Kwiat are the best ILB group in the league. I think this group could challenge for sack leaders in the league. #7 The whole back-end of the defense will have all new starters. People that fit Fangio's defense.With the pressure from the front 7, this group will shine and actually contribute with TOs this year. #8 I dont care for Fox, but he has always been successful in his career. Last year was a blimp because of all the injuries, so this is his year to show his stuff. #9 Loggins takes a lot of crap but look what he did with two more than mediocre QBs, he will shine with a better group. Gleenon and Trubisky is so much of a ungrade over last year. #10 Im an optimist, top 10 defense, top 5 OL, one of the top 5 RBs. You add weapons like Shaheen and Cohen to this group and we will look like a top offense in the NFL.

5th best OL

I think most gambling sites dont necessarily take the national view that we are so shitty. every year there is a surprise team and we all get to watch it this year.

My optimism may have cost me a 100.00 but I made the bet.

This is my positive side to the season, I also will add Cohen on there as an impactful player this year. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718148...r-chicago-bears

PFF came out with there projects of OLines and have us ranked 5th. PFF is just one of many ways to look at NFL players but if we just do the eye test, we have a top10 Oline. This helps our offense become more consistent. Howard will be one of the top 5 RBs in the league this year. The short passing game will be stellar with many TE prospects, Cohen out of the backfield, and Wright or Cruz out of the slot. Glennon is a accurate passer when given time making our down field threats viable. Wheaton, White, and Meridith. All good good. winning record this year, I PREDICT

Whites injuries were bone issues and not joints, which should mean his speed wont be compromised. He had a fracture his first year and last year someone feel on his leg. I think that is reason to have optimism.

your funny

its no big deal, if he wants to look like an idiot , let him.

another player with not much of expectations is Tanner Gentry, UDFA WR from Wyoming I think he makes the roster, he will be more of a possession type of WR, I think Meridith is that type of player and with an injured thumb, I think they keep Gentry. White and Wheaton will be more of a deep threat type. Cruz and Wright will be slot WRs. Meridith and Gentry will be more of a possession WRs. He does not have the same drop rate as Bellamy and will contribute on special teams, I think he takes Bellamys spot on roster.

He is having many people say good things about him. Work ethic, attitude, athletic ability. He sounds like a potential stud and will show up this year.

This is a boring time of the year so I was looking at the roster and seen some names that could come out and surprise us. Johnathan Banks/CB he was a second round pick, and was very productive his first two seasons in the NFL. 7 interceptions and 15 PBUs. He is 6-2 185, has decent speed and quickness to the ball. Has 34" arms, and was compaed to Aqib Tileb coming out.He seemed to got lost when their was a regime change in Tampa and then after being traded to the Lions got lost in transition. At 27 he is in his prime time of playing, he fits the scheme and probably feels he needs to prove something for being bounced around. I suspect a productive player that all of sudden gets ousted on a team his confidence takes a hit. Then after being traded, gets lost in transition. Now with some time to put everything in prospective, I think he gets his shit together on a team starved for CBs. I not only thinks he survives the final roster but I think Prince gets the nod, and is a decent NFL CB but just doesnt have play making ability , Banks does and becomes the starter later in the year. I think sometimes circumstances and maturity plays an important part in the success of a player in the NFL, I think Banks is one of those that is ascending and turns out to be a good player. Paces strengths is in player personal, not necessarily the draft, and think he has did well to find inexpensive players on the rise. Hicks McPhee (injury pitfall) Miller (injury pitfall) Freeman ( a stud) Sitton ( not a suprise) but he went after it this year, we have Cooper, Demps, Howard, Wheaton, Sims, Banks that will all prove to be good pickups.

last year , they were the worst team in the league as far as missed time for players. The injuries derailed us from being close to 8-8. They revieved everything they did with injuries last year to see how they could improve the situation. They are bringing guys along slow as to make sure they are healthy when they hit the field. It does not look good yet, but it will be by September

Every year there is a surprise team that makes the playoffs. One you have no clue will overcome the unknown and surprise everyone. Last year, Oakland went from 7-9 to 12-4. They were in a division with Denver, KC and no one had a clue they would clear all hurdles and make it. They season was washed away when Carr went down. The year before you could argue, the Panthers went from 7-8-1 to 15-1, the Vikings went from 7-9 to 11-5. Both teams had many unknowns but the things went the right way that propelled them in the playoffs, when not expected. My contention is this is our year to have all the unknowns prove positive and push us to a winning record. Everybody was excited after the first year, when Foxy, traditionally goes from poor to good in his second year. I think injuries limited us from that season happening. We had a large roster turn over in one year, our roster was arguably one of the worst in the league, but needed to get younger. We maybe had 5 players from the Emery years that turned out positive. Most teams, those 3-4-5 year players are the core of our team , in our case, it was a disaster.I think we should have been that team that went 7-9 8-8 to hope for the next year, it didnt happen. The positives: Our defense is ready to explode. McPhee is finally to a point to be on the field for the whole year. Floyd had enough good things happen to expect double digit sacks this year. Goldman along with Hicks will contribute the upfront pressure that is expected of the DL. You add Howard, ( with something to prove) and Bullard that upside should show its face this year. Better depth with RRH and Jenkins, and our front line should explode with consistent play. With a healthy McPhee, Floyd, Young and the added health of Houston, and I think we lead the league is sacks this year. The back of the defense was a mess, Pace did not grab the cream of free agency but added 3 new starters.With the drafting of Jackson, possibly 4. Demps will be a leader in the back of the defense, will lead the team with interceptions. We have many young players with a chance to step up, and think with the added pressure from up front will surprise. When Pace went mainly offense in the draft, it got everybody in an uproar, but I think he knows, he has the defense side of the ball, stable enough to do that. To complete a rebuild you have to have a QB in place to at least give you the hope of better times. Pace takes heat for the way he did it, but he rolled the dice twice on the premise, it works out. I think he did the right thing when the rest of the NFL laughs at him. Time will tell if he was right, but he has two shots at the board to score a bulleye, and I think he nailed it. With the surprising success of Howard, we now have something to build around, so adding 2 TEs with upside, a Tyeek Hill type of player, and a bunch of WRs to take up the slake of Jeffery being gone. We need to remember the great Jeffery had two mediocre seasons, it will not take much to replace him. I think this year, Meridith becomes a star, and White finally shows why he was drafted so high. What makes me optimistic on White, is his injuries were not knee injuries but a couple of broken bones, they will not slow him down, it just hasnt happened yet. I think the addition of Cruz and Wheaton, plus the undrafted suprise in Tanner, that our WR corp is in good hands, it just doesnt have history. I think the one key to the offense is the OLine , we arguably have 3 pro bowlers up front. I think Massie is adequate, and Leno in his contract year will prove to be better. He will never be a top 10 LT but if he takes the leap to average, I can live with that. Pace hedged his bet with bringing in Sims to not only be a target on the verge of a breakout, help with the blocking on the edge. I think with moving Long to LG, we put a better athlete to help that side of the ball to. Put seem to forget, Long started his career on the left side of the ball. I think everything is put in place for our weaknesses to not be major problems in protecting our new QBs. I think we have a sleeping giant ready to take a leap forward. I know with all the unknowns, it is hard to imagine a winning record but I think we have the players to take that next step. Of course another year of heavy injuries will derail that prospect, but until it happens, I am taking the positive side of its going to happen this year. For all the naysayers, its going to happen this year, I may look stupid now, but at the end of the season, you may remember my predictions or not, but as long as we are winning, who cares.

If you consider being negative all the time as being sensible, Mariota was a spread QB, so does that means he isnt any good? When people always look to criticize and find fault all the time, I would call that a sad life, but then you think that is pragmatic.

Then if you were a betting man, you may be able to make some money this year. Our worst case will be 8-8, I think we surprise the shit out of everybody this year.

It doesnt mean anything. It only matters by how it turns out. You can find 85% of everybody that would say they dont like it. I dont think Pace is going to resign because his peers dont agree with his choices. No one cares.

Read where Harris play has dropped off enough and that is why they did this. At 33 not worth grabbing.

I think we only go after Harris if we know Tevathan will start the season on the PUP list. Otherwise, I think his presence will prohibit Kwit from moving forward.

We keep having vets become available. I think Decker is on the downhill slide. His injury last year is not fully recovered. I think we have thrown enough darts at the board in Cruz, Wheaton and Wright. Cruz is the only one 30 or older, so lets see how it plays out. Decker is still dealing with healing where as Cruz is one year removed from his injury. We have White and Meridith they are young and with upside so if we continue to bring in retreads it will lose snaps for the guys we need to keep moving forward. So for Decker, no.

I also think with teams stacking the box to stop Howard, we may have more passing stats than we think

Last year we had 347 completions and 559 attempts and you could say our passing game was broke being down to our 3rd QB. As much as Howard will be real good this year, we still will have to have a balanced attack to be successful. We will be closer to 400 than 347.