All 9 Now signed

[GrizzlyBear]

Yepper Bears did it again with signing all of thier draft picks, Gilbert and Iglesias signed 4 year deals today.

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5876

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Beautiful

[ChileBear]

Yepper Bears did it again with signing all of thier draft picks, Gilbert and Iglesias signed 4 year deals today.

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5876

JA and the Bears have had quite the offseason. Now, Lovie needs to put the pieces together and win the Super Bowl!

[Connorbear]

JA and the Bears have had quite the offseason. Now, Lovie needs to put the pieces together and win the Super Bowl!

Exactly. The ball is in Lovie's court now.

 

Peace

[CrackerDog]

Exactly. The ball is in Lovie's court now.

 

Peace

 

Agree. But we need a few of those draft picks to pan out and we could still use help at WR and in the defensive backfield. If injuries aren't a big problem this season, we should be in there at the end. A huge key is production from the defensive line. If the coaching changes help there, we could have a dramatically better team than last year. Teams won't be able to play the Bears assuming 17 points will win the game. They'll need to score more and if we're getting pressure up front on D, that'll lead to turnovers. Getting Tommy healthy is critical.

[defiantgiant]

Agree. But we need a few of those draft picks to pan out and we could still use help at WR and in the defensive backfield. If injuries aren't a big problem this season, we should be in there at the end. A huge key is production from the defensive line. If the coaching changes help there, we could have a dramatically better team than last year. Teams won't be able to play the Bears assuming 17 points will win the game. They'll need to score more and if we're getting pressure up front on D, that'll lead to turnovers. Getting Tommy healthy is critical.

 

I totally agree - we need the defensive line to get pressure like they did in '05 and '06. I think the rotation is going to be key this year: we might not have one guy at any spot who puts up numbers like the front 4 in 05-06, but each position has at least two quality guys who should be able to rotate, so hopefully each position will perform up to the level that it used to.

 

Marcus Harrison and Anthony Adams should probably be able to combine to equal Tank Johnson's production in 05-06. Tommie Harris and Jarron Gilbert should be able to match Harris' production from those years, even if we have to spell Tommie a lot for the sake of his knee. Ditto for Ogunleye and Idonije at left end. Right end, though, is a question mark. That position accounted for 19 sacks in 2006, with 7 for Alex Brown and 12 for Mark Anderson. That same two-man rotation didn't get it done in '07 or '08, and that's the same rotation we've got going into '09.

 

At least as critical as getting Harris back to form is whether Mark Anderson can bounce back under Marinelli. Brown, I think, is a lock for at least 6-7 sacks: he's been good for that basically every season. But Anderson's got to get back to his rookie year as a situational rusher. I understand that he flopped as an every-down end in '07: he's just not that kind of player. But if he has another year like '08, where he's put in his natural position and just can't get it done, then we're in trouble. Between Brown and Anderson, they've got to rack up somewhere north of 15 sacks. If Marinelli can make that happen, then I think he's done his job as a d-line coach.

[nfoligno]

By position

 

LDE - This is an area I think is too quickly dismissed, as so many are so sour on Wale, but where I think we may see a big increase in pressure. Wale only had 6.5 sacks in '06, but many forget he actually had 9 the following season, before dropping to 5 this past season. I think few expect much from him this year, but I personally disagree. Frankly, I see Wale as being very capable still. Also, you talk about the Brown/Anderson combo, but his rookie year, he actually played more LDE I believe than RDE. On passing downs, he replaced Wale as often, and maybe more, than he replaced Brown. That was partially why Wale didn't have as many sacks that season. I think we will move around Anderson, like his rookie year, and we can see in the 15 sack range from LDE. I think Wale gets 8-10 sacks, and Anderson gets another 5-6 from the left side.

 

LDT - Tank actually only had 3.5 sacks that season. He was just not the pass rusher so many seem to think, but he was solid, and his play helped others rush the passer. Personally, I think we may have more potential this year from the LDT position than when Tank was here. I think Marinelli can really work w/ Harrison, and even think we will see Gilbert lining up here on passing downs. I think 7 sacks from this spot is very possible this year, split between Harrison and Gilbert.

 

RDT - Harris is the key. There are so many questions surrounding this player w/ so much upside. Potentially more than w/ any other, you just have to love the potential Marinelli brings teaching Harris. Marinelli just gushes about him. When you look at how Marinelli helped develop Sapp, you just have to love the potential. Harris could really take off this year, and I think 8-10 sacks for him is VERY doable.

 

RDE - Split between Brown and Anderson. I have never been the biggest Brown fan. To me, he is simply inconsistent. He is consistent in that he gets about 6 sacks every year, but its how he gets those sacks. It just seems like he always has a couple great games, but disappears (pass rush) in the rest. This year though, w/ Marinelli's help and better support from the rest of the DL, I think he could become a more consistent player. I still don't think he will have many more sacks than normal, but I do think he will be better applying pressure. Further, he will split time w/ Anderson, who I just see as having a big come back season. I think Brown will have 6 or 7 sacks, w/ Anderson adding another 4 or 5 from the right side.

 

If the above plays out, we will have around 40 sacks, give or take a couple. Further, beyond the numbers, I think we will simply be better applying pressure on QBs, which should in turn lead to more hurried throws, and thus turnovers.

 

I totally agree - we need the defensive line to get pressure like they did in '05 and '06. I think the rotation is going to be key this year: we might not have one guy at any spot who puts up numbers like the front 4 in 05-06, but each position has at least two quality guys who should be able to rotate, so hopefully each position will perform up to the level that it used to.

 

Marcus Harrison and Anthony Adams should probably be able to combine to equal Tank Johnson's production in 05-06. Tommie Harris and Jarron Gilbert should be able to match Harris' production from those years, even if we have to spell Tommie a lot for the sake of his knee. Ditto for Ogunleye and Idonije at left end. Right end, though, is a question mark. That position accounted for 19 sacks in 2006, with 7 for Alex Brown and 12 for Mark Anderson. That same two-man rotation didn't get it done in '07 or '08, and that's the same rotation we've got going into '09.

 

At least as critical as getting Harris back to form is whether Mark Anderson can bounce back under Marinelli. Brown, I think, is a lock for at least 6-7 sacks: he's been good for that basically every season. But Anderson's got to get back to his rookie year as a situational rusher. I understand that he flopped as an every-down end in '07: he's just not that kind of player. But if he has another year like '08, where he's put in his natural position and just can't get it done, then we're in trouble. Between Brown and Anderson, they've got to rack up somewhere north of 15 sacks. If Marinelli can make that happen, then I think he's done his job as a d-line coach.