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Bears sign DT Jimmy Kennedy


DrunkBomber

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Our problems are solved!!

 

The Bears signed former St. Louis defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy today. Kennedy has had an injury-plagued career and weight issues, but he appears to be in much better shape.

 

Kennedy was traded to Denver but was cut in training camp and hasn't played this season.

 

He was the Rams' top draft pick — No. 12 overall — in 2003. The Bears would have selected him if he were still on the board.

 

He played one season for Bears coach Lovie Smith while Smith was the defensive coordinator with the Rams.

 

Kennedy is practicing with the Bears today.

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Interesting. I remember at the time of the draft that Kennedy was thought of in a similar light to that of Tommie Harris. I remember Harris being more explosive with Kennedy being the bigger body that would be a so called sure fire run stuffer.

 

Things definitely didn't pan out for Kennedy but maybe, just somehow, a change of scenery will do him good and he'll turn into a quality depth guy on the Bears line for next season (behind Dusty/Tommie/Adams). I fully expect Darwin Walker to be long gone.

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Anthony Adams was a teammate of Kennedy's and he has been surprisingly solid for the Bears (I really like the way he defends the run). Too bad Adams has had some injury issues all season.

 

Darwin Walker has been fighting injuries all year too...not that I really like the guy on the team, but we defend Tommie and want Adams back, and almost to a man we want Walker gone. He was good in Philly. Maybe we should give him another year here.

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Darwin Walker has been fighting injuries all year too...not that I really like the guy on the team, but we defend Tommie and want Adams back, and almost to a man we want Walker gone. He was good in Philly. Maybe we should give him another year here.

You are probably right. I think we all had super high expectations and since none of us have seen him play good in a Bears uniform we've kind of written him off. He would have to renegotiate his contract though since he's due like a $5M bonus or something this off-season.

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well, if we have the money to spend in the offseason, which I think we will, I'd love to see Corey Williams, DT Packers, brought in. He'll cost some doe, but won't break the bank, and getting him weakens the Pack. Plus, he can get pressure from the NT position, as evident with his 7 sacks this season, and that is also something we have been looking for. I really like Dvoracek, but he can't be counted on, and Adams is our run stuffer.

 

I hope Kennedy does good, as well as Baba (who I really liked a 2 years ago in the draft, was considered a 1st day prospect but fell to the 6th), but I ain't holding me breath.

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Darwin Walker has been fighting injuries all year too...not that I really like the guy on the team, but we defend Tommie and want Adams back, and almost to a man we want Walker gone. He was good in Philly. Maybe we should give him another year here.

Tommie Harris has 7 sacks this season and he hasn't been near 100% all season. Walker is no Harris, but Walker ain't worth the money he will be receiving, injuries or no injuries. He has lost a lot of burst.

 

And as for Adams, he has played extremely well. He is stuffing the run, and is pretty much the only guy we have that can on the line.

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Tommie Harris has 7 sacks this season and he hasn't been near 100% all season. Walker is no Harris, but Walker ain't worth the money he will be receiving, injuries or no injuries. He has lost a lot of burst.

 

And as for Adams, he has played extremely well. He is stuffing the run, and is pretty much the only guy we have that can on the line.

 

I agree on Adams, he was solid this year and Tommie is just a beast, even at 80%. While Walker may not be worth the bonus due him based on his play this year, I can see the Bear's keeping him because DT's are terribly expensive in FA and if we release him we will have to replace him. It will be interesting to see what the Bears do concerning him because I can see it go either way.

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Could be a good signing. You never know. Rusty can wo9rk with this guy and Lovie & Babich are both familiar with him so maybe he can return to his original status coming out of college as an elite DT. Sure like the fact that the Bears are looking for options already to improve for next season!

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well, hopefully Kennedy can do some good stuff for us and be brought back next season to compete in camp. It'd help us with the offseason.

 

I think if he does well enough this year to warrant a look, it could spell the end of Darwin Walker. With his bonus due, the Bears will probably want to restructure him, but Kennedy stepping up and playing well in his tryout this year will give the Bears the leverage they need to force him to restructure or cut him. Because they need the depth, and a good FA DT will be more expensive than Walker's Bonus in the offseason.

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IIRC Lovie hated it when the Rams drafted Kennedy. Not sure why that would change now other than the fact that Kennedy might finally have gotten himself in decent shape. However, we have the luxury (or desperation) of needing any help at all and giving him a 3 game tryout certainly beats watching him in training camp to make a decision. It also lets us keep Harris off the field which I'm more concerned about. Harris can't rush the passer very well right now so we might as well get a big guy to stop the run up the middle.

 

This Vikings game would be a good time to go to a 5man Dline with 2 LBs and 4 DBs.

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IIRC Lovie hated it when the Rams drafted Kennedy. Not sure why that would change now other than the fact that Kennedy might finally have gotten himself in decent shape. However, we have the luxury (or desperation) of needing any help at all and giving him a 3 game tryout certainly beats watching him in training camp to make a decision. It also lets us keep Harris off the field which I'm more concerned about. Harris can't rush the passer very well right now so we might as well get a big guy to stop the run up the middle.

 

This Vikings game would be a good time to go to a 5man Dline with 2 LBs and 4 DBs.

 

 

 

Under a similar vein, I thought I heard on the radio today that Lovie went so far as to call Kennedy a bust when he was still coaching in STL. I can't imagine much has changed other than desperate times call for desperate measures.. I'm thinking we just need warm bodies to run out there.

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Under a similar vein, I thought I heard on the radio today that Lovie went so far as to call Kennedy a bust when he was still coaching in STL. I can't imagine much has changed other than desperate times call for desperate measures.. I'm thinking we just need warm bodies to run out there.

I wouldn't think Lovie would be much of a fan of Kennedy. Kennedy was a big run stuffing DT. Lovie prefers smaller, quicker, defensive tackles (ie Dusty/Tommie/Tank) and Kennedy didn't really fit as the ideal guy in Lovie's system. Still,of all his seasons I think he was best when Lovie was the coach.

 

I'm not expecting much but he is a good athlete for a big guy so you never know what might happen.

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