Yet Another Bears Mock Offseason

[dawhizz]

The motto of the offseason is "Get Younger & Get Better."

 

Sign WR Reggie Williams - Still young with a great skill set, just hasn't lived up to the hype. Given the Bears desperate need for a big WR, I'm willing to give him a shot.

 

Sign WR David Patten - Still has good hands and knows how to get open, and he doesn't seem to be the kind of player to pout if he doesn't get PT at this point in his career. I think Hester could learn a ton from him, at the very least, and he could be a nice "go-to" guy on third down if he can stay healthy.

 

Sign OT Ray Willis - Player RG and RT in Seattle last year. Pencil him in at RT unless a stud we draft is clearly ready, in which case he can compete for a job inside.

 

Sign RB Correll Buckhalter - Not flashy anywhere, but knows his role as a backup and can do a bit of everything. I think the Bears would do well to rachet Forte's carries a little more next year and Buckhalter makes me feel better getting spot carries or starting if Forte gets hurt.

 

Sign DB Vincent Fuller - Not sure what his market is, but he was a nickel/safety on one of the best defenses in football, and I'm a big fan of getting backup players on really good units. I say sign him and hand him a starting safety spot.

 

DRAFT

1. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss - The other tackle of the future. He takes over either this year or next at RT for the next 10 years.

2. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers - Brings the deep threat size the Bears are lacking with good route running.

3. Pat White, QB, West Virginia - I'm a believer. He may need work, but he's a guy you can utilize this year no matter what on wildcat plays, or split him out. I think he can eventually develop into a starting QB in this league.

4. Mitch King, DE/DT, Iowa - Maybe not the fastest DL in the draft, but great at using his hands to get free and get into the backfield. He can step in at DT or DE in the Bears scheme.

5. Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn - Guards always seem to drop in the draft, so I have no problem taking Green here. He won't wow at the combine, but he gets the job done.

6. Domonique Johnson, CB, Jackson St. - He may not be ready to really contribute for a year or two, but he's got a lot of the kind of natural athleticism Rodgers-Cromartie had when he was coming out, and coult really break out at the next level (or be the next Roosevelt Williams, which is why he's being drafted here).

7. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri - Displayed good speed at the combine and had a productive season. He's worth a look to compete with Ervin Baldwin as a practice squad/rotation guy.

 

Thoughts?

[defiantgiant]

The motto of the offseason is "Get Younger & Get Better."

 

Sign WR Reggie Williams - Still young with a great skill set, just hasn't lived up to the hype. Given the Bears desperate need for a big WR, I'm willing to give him a shot.

 

Sign WR David Patten - Still has good hands and knows how to get open, and he doesn't seem to be the kind of player to pout if he doesn't get PT at this point in his career. I think Hester could learn a ton from him, at the very least, and he could be a nice "go-to" guy on third down if he can stay healthy.

 

Sign OT Ray Willis - Player RG and RT in Seattle last year. Pencil him in at RT unless a stud we draft is clearly ready, in which case he can compete for a job inside.

 

Sign RB Correll Buckhalter - Not flashy anywhere, but knows his role as a backup and can do a bit of everything. I think the Bears would do well to rachet Forte's carries a little more next year and Buckhalter makes me feel better getting spot carries or starting if Forte gets hurt.

 

Sign DB Vincent Fuller - Not sure what his market is, but he was a nickel/safety on one of the best defenses in football, and I'm a big fan of getting backup players on really good units. I say sign him and hand him a starting safety spot.

 

DRAFT

1. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss - The other tackle of the future. He takes over either this year or next at RT for the next 10 years.

2. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers - Brings the deep threat size the Bears are lacking with good route running.

3. Pat White, QB, West Virginia - I'm a believer. He may need work, but he's a guy you can utilize this year no matter what on wildcat plays, or split him out. I think he can eventually develop into a starting QB in this league.

4. Mitch King, DE/DT, Iowa - Maybe not the fastest DL in the draft, but great at using his hands to get free and get into the backfield. He can step in at DT or DE in the Bears scheme.

5. Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn - Guards always seem to drop in the draft, so I have no problem taking Green here. He won't wow at the combine, but he gets the job done.

6. Domonique Johnson, CB, Jackson St. - He may not be ready to really contribute for a year or two, but he's got a lot of the kind of natural athleticism Rodgers-Cromartie had when he was coming out, and coult really break out at the next level (or be the next Roosevelt Williams, which is why he's being drafted here).

7. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri - Displayed good speed at the combine and had a productive season. He's worth a look to compete with Ervin Baldwin as a practice squad/rotation guy.

 

Thoughts?

 

That's a pretty interesting mock. Very different from anything I've been seeing. Oher/Britt would be good, and I really liked what I saw from Green in the Senior Bowl practices. I'll cop to being intrigued by Pat White, too - maybe it's just an awful class of QBs, but he really did look the best out of anybody throwing at the Combine.

 

Mitch King, I don't know about. He's built like an under tackle in the 4-3, which is about the least-needed position on the Bears' roster. I've heard a lot of people talk about him as a potential 3-4 base end, but I don't know if he fits as an end in the 4-3. If he doesn't, then he's not really filling a need.

 

Ray Willis would be a solid pickup, and David Patten's an interesting call. I don't know if he's got anything left, but if he does, he'd add a lot by helping Hester develop. I'd stay a mile away from Reggie Williams, though. He's a big WR, but he's too slow to be anything but a red-zone target, and he doesn't have the hands for that. Buckhalter's could be a good pickup as a change of pace, but he can't stay healthy. If Forte gets injured and we're relying on Buckhalter to carry the load, that's a bad position to be in.

 

I'd worry that there's not enough help at the safety position in your scenario, though. Who do you see behind Fuller, Payne and Steltz?

[dawhizz]

I would disagree that tackle is one of the Bears' least needed positions. We have Tommie Harris, who is one of your franchise players, but who I'm still worried about stamina/health wise. You can't count on Dvoracek at all. Harrison showed flashes, and maybe he's starting caliber next year. Adams is a decent rotation tackle, but that's about it. I think King can plug in anywhere on the line and upgrade the entire unit.

 

I don't love Buckhalter either, but if you're looking for a guy who can back up your bell cow on a regular basis, step in and start a couple games and provide a modest amount of production, and will actually sign knowing he won't be the starter for a reasonable amount, I don't see anyone else out there who fits the bill better. You could certainly go RB in the draft, but I haven't been particularly impressed with the crop this year.

 

At S, you would have Fuller, Payne, Steltz, and Worrell/McGowan (resign one). Maybe Manning (who I still think theoretically works better as a safety than a CB if he can ever get his head out of his a$$). The FA veteran safeties don't really impress me, for the most part. I would be open to getting a safety in the draft (several have mentioned David Bruton, for instance), but I think no matter what you sign a FA safety like Fuller.

[nfoligno]

At DT, we have a stud in Harris. We have a young DT many thought very highly of in Harrison. We have Adams, who has been solid, though not special. And we have Idonije. Would it be nice to add another stud next to Harris? Sure. But that is a luxury at a postion we are looking pretty decent at, compared to other areas where we (a) have starters who would struggle to see playing time for most teams and ( have no depth. At OT, for example, we had Williams, who is unproven, and that is basically it. Not even going to discuss WR. FS? Sorry, but DM has had his opportunities and failed, and all other safeties are in the box safeties. QB, FB, SLB and even DE I would rate well ahead of DT.

 

DT situation may not be perfect, but it is FAR better than most any other position on the team.

 

I would disagree that tackle is one of the Bears' least needed positions. We have Tommie Harris, who is one of your franchise players, but who I'm still worried about stamina/health wise. You can't count on Dvoracek at all. Harrison showed flashes, and maybe he's starting caliber next year. Adams is a decent rotation tackle, but that's about it. I think King can plug in anywhere on the line and upgrade the entire unit.

 

I don't love Buckhalter either, but if you're looking for a guy who can back up your bell cow on a regular basis, step in and start a couple games and provide a modest amount of production, and will actually sign knowing he won't be the starter for a reasonable amount, I don't see anyone else out there who fits the bill better. You could certainly go RB in the draft, but I haven't been particularly impressed with the crop this year.

 

At S, you would have Fuller, Payne, Steltz, and Worrell/McGowan (resign one). Maybe Manning (who I still think theoretically works better as a safety than a CB if he can ever get his head out of his a$$). The FA veteran safeties don't really impress me, for the most part. I would be open to getting a safety in the draft (several have mentioned David Bruton, for instance), but I think no matter what you sign a FA safety like Fuller.