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Combine workout schedule: » Saturday, Feb. 22: Tight ends, offensive linemen, special teams » Sunday, Feb. 23: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers » Monday, Feb. 24: Defensive linemen, linebackers » Tuesday, Feb. 25: Defensive backs

I updated the first post with the latest changes. Can't wait until the combine!

http://thesidelineview.com/columns/nfl/for...2013-nfl-season Interesting article written by Angelo on a site that I did not know of. He grouped him with Ryan, Stafford, and Romo, which seems pretty hard to argue with. I just wouldn't put Cutler behind Kaepernick or Smith. He has Cam Newton at the same level as Brees? ESPN adds a little to it here: http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/...nsistent-clutch This is what Angelo says about Cutler: I don't know how accurate this is because saying he can only read half the field or is not comfortable reading defenses seems a little extreme for someone who is experienced as Cutler. I just think he believes his arm can get the ball anywhere against any coverage. The poise part is odd to me because I didn't really see a lack of poise on Jay's part, and for inconsistency in the clutch, I swear he had a very high 4th Quarter QBR. I also think year 2 under Trestman will yield some huge improvements. I guess the scary part about this if Angelo is correct. We just paid a lot of money for a guy who is inconsistent in the clutch, lacks poise, and is not comfortable reading defenses. However, I thought that this was odd coming from a guy who traded a lot for him, and then surrounded him with absolutely nothing (outside of Forte). It almost seems like Angelo thought Cutler alone could come in and save the team with no one to throw to.

I really hope it is someone on the defensive side of the ball, SMC, Bostic, or Greene.

Hell, even final mock drafts for 1st round picks alone are less than 10% accurate. One pick derails the entire thing. Most just go off basic need and best available at that position, which is all you can really do.

Which makes the stat about the Bears only having one season in the last 10 over a +10 pretty amazing. So even though we were getting turnovers, the offense was making too many of their own to really take advantage of them. Based on all the other teams with high ratios, it does show a strong trend.

Updated 2-13-2014 Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St, ESPN (McShay), 2/6/2014, http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post...x-chicago-bears Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St, ESPN (Kiper), 2/6/2014, http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post...x-chicago-bears Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St, USA TODAY, 2/3/2014, http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/d...lowney/5182783/ Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St, CBS SPORTS (BRUGLER), 2/11/2014, http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt, SI.com (Farrar), 2/6/2014, http://nfl.si.com/2014/02/06/2014-nfl-mock...-bridgewater-3/ Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri, NFLMocks.com, 2/3/2014, http://nflmocks.com/2014/02/03/chicago-bea...nfl-mock-draft/ Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri, SB Nation, 2/3/2014, http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/201...ddy-bridgewater Darquee Dennard, CB, Michigan St, CBS SPORTS (RANG), 2/11/2014, http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota, DraftTek, 2/12/2014, http://www.drafttek.com/2014-NFL-Mock-Draft-Round1.asp Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama, WalterFootball, 2/4/2014, http://walterfootball.com/draft2014.php Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama, CBS SPORTS (PRISCO), 2/11/2014, http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft * Recent changes or additions underlined

We beat Dallas in Week 14.

Money would not be available until 2015, so I can see some restructured deals to save money this year, maybe Peppers post June 1 cut?

I saw a note that Seattle was the first team since TB (02-03) that won the Super Bowl and had the best turnover ratio (+20) on the year. I thought that was odd, so I looked back the last 10 years to see how teams finished based solely on turnover ratio. Now I know there are a million ways to skin a cat in terms of backwards compiling data, but I found this one stat alone very interesting to say the least. I don't know if you can draw the same conclusions from pts scored, pts allowed, ranked defense, ranked offense, top 10 QB, top 10 running game, etc, but this data seems to have a very solid correlation between turnover ratio and wins. Here is what I found from 2013-2004: - 50 teams since 2004 have had a turnover margin of +10 or greater - 43 (86%) of those teams finished with at least 10 wins, and only 1 team finished with a losing record (CAR 7-9 in 2004) - 11.4 was the average win total for teams with a +10 or higher - Teams with +10 in 2013 (SEA, KC, IND, SF, PHI, and CAR), all made the playoffs - 2004 was an odd year, as it had 3 of the 7 teams without 10 wins (BAL 9, BUF 9, CAR 7) Now obviously, teams can overcome turnovers, or lack of take-aways and still win games, but turnover margin seems like the strongest indicator of success over almost everything else (besides scoring more than the other team). So maybe it should come as no surprise that SEA (+20) crushed DEN (+0) and that any of those teams listed above would've made for a more competitive game against SEA. Finally, I looked at the Bears since 2004 and compared the same thing, wins to turnover ratio. The Bears have had 3 seasons worse than .500 since 2004, and in each of those years they finished with a losing record. Every other year, they finished at 8-8 or better and had a positive turnover ratio. The most amazing part about the Bears is we only had one season in the last 10 with a turnover ratio over +10, in 2012 when we had a +20, finished 10-6, and somehow missed the playoffs (Lovie's last year).

I know what you are saying, but the "minded" part is sometimes deceiving. Baltimore won against the #3 defense (SF) last year, and their defense was ranked 17th. In 2011, both defenses were bad, the 27th ranked defense beat the 31st ranked defense. For 2010, the Steelers lost to the Packers, and the Steelers had the #2 defense. Before that, it was NO beating the 18th ranked defense of Indy. Before this year, you have to go all the way back to 2008 to find a dominant defense who won the Super Bowl (Steelers). In 2007? The Giants beat the better defense (NE #4), and we all know what happened in 2006. So I agree with you that if we can get a top 15 defense, coupled with our offense, we will be very competitive.

March 8-9 -- NFL Regional Combine, Atlanta Falcons Training Facility, Flowery Branch, Georgia. March 8 -- Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2013 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11. March 11 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2014 on all players who have option clauses in their 2013 contracts. March 11 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit Qualifying Offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation. March 11 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2013 contracts and who have fewer than three Accrued Seasons of free agency credit. March 11 -- Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2014 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time. March 11 -- All 2013 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time. March 11 -- The 2014 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The first day of the 2014 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 11. clubs will receive a Personnel Notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 11. March 11 -- Trading period for 2014 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2013 contracts. March 15 -- NFL Regional Combine, Halas Hall, Lake Forest, Illinois. March 22 -- NFL Regional Combine, Doctors Hospital Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida. March 22-23 -- NFL Regional Combine, Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Renton, Washington. March 23-26 -- Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida. March 29 -- NFL Regional Combine, Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. March 29-30 -- NFL Regional Combine, Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Maryland. April 7 -- Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2013 regular season may begin offseason workout programs. April 12-13 -- Super Regional Combine, Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan. April 21 -- Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs. May 2 -- Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign Offer Sheets. May 7 -- Deadline for Prior Club to exercise Right of First Refusal to Restricted Free Agents. May 8-10 -- 2014 NFL Draft, New York City, New York.

Slauson - played every snap at LG for 815k, a FA steal, deserved the new contract; brings some nasty to line with Long Long - 1st round pick, 2 sacks in over 1,000 snaps Bushrod - big FA signing, played very solid Garza - Line leader, was consistent, but not great Mills - 5th round rookie, started all 16 games, needs to improve

I agree about most fans, but those two plays were pretty blatant. Why is a 10 point swing ridiculous on 2 game changing calls? For the punt, the 49ers retain possession of the ball, now at their own 35 and can get to the end of the quarter before Seattle even gets the ball back. Even if SF doesn't get another 1st Down, there is a good chance that Seattle starts with worse field position than the 38. The 10 points was with the assumption that based on field position alone, that would alter the rest of the game. I was figuring +3 pts for SF and -7 for SEA. So just say they only gain those 15 yards and punt anyway, but now Seattle starts at their own 23, there is a much greater chance they do not score. Even if they score a FG, they are up 19-17 as SF drives and can kick a FG with 55 seconds left to win the game instead of being forced to score a TD. That punt missed call easily was the difference. So if not a 10 pt swing, at least 7 (-4 SEA and +3 SF) but either way, it was the difference in the game which was my point. I just lumped the other bad call in about the fumble because it was an obvious missed call and something that needs to be reviewable.

That will depend if they need more money for this year or next year.

He was one of 7 inactives and doesn't suit for game. http://espn.go.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/p...eattle-seahawks They didn't even want him in uniform in case his drops would spread to the other players, lol.

Yeah, I still am pissed about that game. We should've won easily, but our defense was banged up.

How can Denver score the most pts in history and get shutout in the 1st half of the SuperBowl? Hard to call Manning the best QB ever with a loss here. He will still be top 5, but below Brady and Montana at least.

I have no issues bring Garza back for another year or two while we groom some other guys.

I would love to target a Safety, either Ward or Byrd. I just figure that is where we could see the biggest upgrade vs Conte, Wright, Steltz, etc. As much as we got gashed in the run game, I believe that was more due to injuries than personnel. However, our Safety play was abysmal and would seem to be the biggest single position upgrade we could have. Conte was the worst player of all the starters in all units besides maybe Podlesh. the #1 target should be the player that if we had no other additions would be the single biggest upgrade, and that has to be Ward or Byrd.

Thanks, not too much of a shocker.

I doubt we look at more LB's.

A bunch of Senior Bowl players go every year, and I believe we had 2-3 drafted last year from those rosters. So who are the potential targets this year?

Has any full-time Rugby player ever made an impact on an NFL roster?

I doubt he even makes the team.