Bears may be major player in free agency

[bradjock]

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2010/02/wh...viate_from.html

 

I keep hearing this but I haven't believed it. The one thing this article mentions is that Lovie & JA must win NOW.

 

Cap question: I'm assuming the Bears aren't going to spend more then they would normally. In other words, if the cap would have been around 120 million, we'll likely spend around 120 million. I can't see JA given an unlimited amount of money to spend.

 

That being said, how much do the Bears have to spend based on what the cap likely would have been?

[Guest TerraTor]

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2010/02/wh...viate_from.html

 

I keep hearing this but I haven't believed it. The one thing this article mentions is that Lovie & JA must win NOW.

 

Cap question: I'm assuming the Bears aren't going to spend more then they would normally. In other words, if the cap would have been around 120 million, we'll likely spend around 120 million. I can't see JA given an unlimited amount of money to spend.

 

That being said, how much do the Bears have to spend based on what the cap likely would have been?

 

50 bucks i'd say

[bradjock]

50 bucks i'd say

 

If that's meant to be a rip on the McKaskey's being cheap, that's unfair IMO. A while back PFT said we were in the top 10 when it came to already being committed to spending money in 2010. Everything would indicate we'll be an active player in free agency. That's good.

 

Look, ideally we'd be like Daniel Snyder and just go nuts. But we're a far cry from the other end of the spectrum. I'm guessing there will be a ton of teams dumping salaries. Tampa Bay is likely to become the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NFL.

[nfoligno]

I agree the perception of the ownership being cheap is false, but I have found that perception is too ingrained to change minds. There are times we do make decisions based more on financial reasons than purely football, but what I think fans fail to realize is most every team does the same thing. But before Lucky jumps into this discussion, that isn't the point of my post.

 

What will we spend this offseason. IMHO, it depends on what is out there. I imagine there are a couple players who we would be allowed to spend big on. Say Peppers or Kampman, to use a pair of examples. If we can not get one of those two though, I think we are more likely looking at a group of middle of the road FAs.

 

Here is a concern of mine. What if we do make a run at Peppers? What if ownership realizes the PR potential of adding Peppers, while Angelo and Phillips realize the football value. So, against all expectations, we sign him. IMHO, that would use up whatever allowance JA has to spend this offseason. For some, the response would be so what. We got Peppers, and the ripple effect will make us great. I however see a team filled with holes, and no one player is going to come in and rescue us. Look at Cutler last year. Simply adding a pro bowl QB isn't enough when you have too many other holes. Same w/ Peppers. He may help, but our DL as a whole sucks and so does the secondary.

 

We need multiple good players rather than one great player, especially when that great player comes w/ red flags. W/o a 1st or 2nd round pick, we honestly should not expect any rookie to start, much less be an imidiate upgrade to a current player. Thus, if we add Peppers and a bunch of veteran minimum players, I think we will see little improvement.

 

If that's meant to be a rip on the McKaskey's being cheap, that's unfair IMO. A while back PFT said we were in the top 10 when it came to already being committed to spending money in 2010. Everything would indicate we'll be an active player in free agency. That's good.

 

Look, ideally we'd be like Daniel Snyder and just go nuts. But we're a far cry from the other end of the spectrum. I'm guessing there will be a ton of teams dumping salaries. Tampa Bay is likely to become the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NFL.

 

[madlithuanian]

Rumor has it from PFT that WAS wants Peppers. So odds are they'll get him. There's no way CHI outbids WAS. And WAS probably feels like we stole Cutler from them.

 

I agree the perception of the ownership being cheap is false, but I have found that perception is too ingrained to change minds. There are times we do make decisions based more on financial reasons than purely football, but what I think fans fail to realize is most every team does the same thing. But before Lucky jumps into this discussion, that isn't the point of my post.

 

What will we spend this offseason. IMHO, it depends on what is out there. I imagine there are a couple players who we would be allowed to spend big on. Say Peppers or Kampman, to use a pair of examples. If we can not get one of those two though, I think we are more likely looking at a group of middle of the road FAs.

 

Here is a concern of mine. What if we do make a run at Peppers? What if ownership realizes the PR potential of adding Peppers, while Angelo and Phillips realize the football value. So, against all expectations, we sign him. IMHO, that would use up whatever allowance JA has to spend this offseason. For some, the response would be so what. We got Peppers, and the ripple effect will make us great. I however see a team filled with holes, and no one player is going to come in and rescue us. Look at Cutler last year. Simply adding a pro bowl QB isn't enough when you have too many other holes. Same w/ Peppers. He may help, but our DL as a whole sucks and so does the secondary.

 

We need multiple good players rather than one great player, especially when that great player comes w/ red flags. W/o a 1st or 2nd round pick, we honestly should not expect any rookie to start, much less be an imidiate upgrade to a current player. Thus, if we add Peppers and a bunch of veteran minimum players, I think we will see little improvement.

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Rumor has it from PFT that WAS wants Peppers. So odds are they'll get him. There's no way CHI outbids WAS. And WAS probably feels like we stole Cutler from them.

 

I thought WAS was working on a deal for Campbell to BUFF for Whitner and a draft pick but the Shannahan says he wants to keep Campbell (and Portis). I think regardless of what Snyder may want to do Shannahan isn't the type that appears to go in like gangbusters and spend spend spend. He's more calculated than that. Hence why I would hesitate in calling Peppers a Redskin just yet. You did say Cutler was "stolen" from WAS so who says it can't happen again?

 

And as far as CHI appearing cheap, I usually would tend to agree but I think it is mistaken for loyalty. The Bears staff (Angelo in particular) prides itself with resigning players before anything else. That would be one reason I disagree with signing one big name (Peppers) not necessarily being enough. I think they could do better than expected with what they have, and a few tweaks, on Defense. The attention needs to be on Offense.

[azbearsfan]

Rumor has it from PFT that WAS wants Peppers. So odds are they'll get him. There's no way CHI outbids WAS. And WAS probably feels like we stole Cutler from them.

 

 

Good. IMO, when Peppers gets paid this year, he wont play hard again. I dont want the Bears to sign him and he goes to sleep. We already have a guy like that.

[nfoligno]

Be careful about reading too much into anything.

 

Here is exactly what the article, which PFT quotes, said,

 

"and the Redskins are expected to pursue defensive end Julius Peppers"

 

That's it. It was on line from an entire story. The writer was not offering any insight on the Peppers situation. Hell, he was not even offering a true opinion of his own. All he did was say Wash was expected to pursue Peppers. Is that even newworthy.

 

Every year, Wash "is expected to" pursue every FA on the market. Just ask the agents. Every agent out there right now is starting a rumor that Washington is interested in their clients, hoping to up the initial offer of other teams.

 

Wash very well may want Peppers. My point here is only not to read too much into that one quote, as it really did say anything.

 

Rumor has it from PFT that WAS wants Peppers. So odds are they'll get him. There's no way CHI outbids WAS. And WAS probably feels like we stole Cutler from them.

 

[madlithuanian]

Good points....

 

I basically feel that:

 

1. WAS will do anything to make a splash. Danny S. now can spend to his heart's content. Shanny knew what he signed up for. The sky's the limit for what they want to spend on. It will probably backfire like it always has.

 

2. The Bears are perceived as cheap. Regardless of if you think they really are or are not, the peception is that they are cheap. So, anything "not" done to procure players will be viewed as being cheap. I think they havne't been as of late regarding players. But, they've made poor decisions on who to take and how much.

 

 

 

I thought WAS was working on a deal for Campbell to BUFF for Whitner and a draft pick but the Shannahan says he wants to keep Campbell (and Portis). I think regardless of what Snyder may want to do Shannahan isn't the type that appears to go in like gangbusters and spend spend spend. He's more calculated than that. Hence why I would hesitate in calling Peppers a Redskin just yet. You did say Cutler was "stolen" from WAS so who says it can't happen again?

 

And as far as CHI appearing cheap, I usually would tend to agree but I think it is mistaken for loyalty. The Bears staff (Angelo in particular) prides itself with resigning players before anything else. That would be one reason I disagree with signing one big name (Peppers) not necessarily being enough. I think they could do better than expected with what they have, and a few tweaks, on Defense. The attention needs to be on Offense.

 

[madlithuanian]

C'mon nfo...WAS usually gets the splash player of the year. Peppers is that guy this year. He's got megabucks written all over him, and WAS has shown they are willing to part w/ megabucks.

 

Of course they could pass, but until they do, any reasonable person would assume they are in the driver's seat to get him.

 

Be careful about reading too much into anything.

 

Here is exactly what the article, which PFT quotes, said,

 

"and the Redskins are expected to pursue defensive end Julius Peppers"

 

That's it. It was on line from an entire story. The writer was not offering any insight on the Peppers situation. Hell, he was not even offering a true opinion of his own. All he did was say Wash was expected to pursue Peppers. Is that even newworthy.

 

Every year, Wash "is expected to" pursue every FA on the market. Just ask the agents. Every agent out there right now is starting a rumor that Washington is interested in their clients, hoping to up the initial offer of other teams.

 

Wash very well may want Peppers. My point here is only not to read too much into that one quote, as it really did say anything.

 

[NAMEDSONPAYTON2]

C'mon nfo...WAS usually gets the splash player of the year. Peppers is that guy this year. He's got megabucks written all over him, and WAS has shown they are willing to part w/ megabucks.

 

Of course they could pass, but until they do, any reasonable person would assume they are in the driver's seat to get him.

But do they really want to tie up that much in their d line. Remember they got albert hansworth last year. How much did it cost them?

[madlithuanian]

They have seemed to get away with spending whatever they've wanted for what seems like over a decade. Why would this be an exception? Expecially with an uncapped year? You don't think Snyder would pull the trigger now to leapfrog Dallas, Philly and NY in one swoop if he felt that would do it and pay the piper later?

 

But do they really want to tie up that much in their d line. Remember they got albert hansworth last year. How much did it cost them?

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

A top flight safety, pro bowl DE, solid olineman and quality backup RB would be a dream come true. I don't know if we'll get all of those, but I'm quietly excited about what free agency might bring.