well there goes a guard,

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true

well there goes a guard,

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true

 

Damn . . . I was hoping we'd sign him. Assuming he doesn't suck.

There goes the running game.

There goes the running game.

 

All along I've thought one of two things:

1. We're going to acquire another player. I know it's easy to say "who" but it's not like anybody predicted Alan Faneca would be cut or that we'd trade for Chris Harris.

2. We think Lance Louis is the shiz-nit and can start. If we don't acquire a player, soon we'll begin hearing "we love Louis."

 

My guess is we'll try to find a guy and talk-up Louis as plan "B".

If they signed Al Faneca, I could have had some hope for the season.

 

Last year the offensive line got pushed backwards on almost every 3rd and short. Was I the only one hoping they would just pass in those situations? It was bad. Those are drive sustainers, they can rest your defense, and they can be game deciders. Faneca wouldn't have moved backwards. Taylor and Forte would have actual holes the rest of the game, instead tiny cracks like last year.

 

I honestly felt for an immediate impact, his signing would have been bigger than Peppers. Giving a team a better pass rush and 5 more plays for a negative/sacks a year is great, but giving a team a running game is immeasurable. The Bears might get lucky and some one gets cut, but I don't think it will be anyone as game changing as Faneca. Those 3rd and short, 4th and short, type plays come up multiple times in a game. His addition would have been huge, and I'm not sure anyone could be cut short of Hutchinson that could have the same impact as Faneca.

Faneca might have helped. He might also have been no better than Pace.

I don't think he would have chosen the Bears over the Cards. In Arizona he will be joining his former oline coach from his Steeler days.

He's also joining his former OC in Whisenhunt. If they haven't done so the Cards will now be actively working to trade Deuce Lutui. We could sign him and have him practice everyday against Harris just to see if Harris is "stable". I don't see a reason for us to trade for Deuce, he's limited in his pass blocking but is a decent run blocker. If he were a FA and we needed help he's worth a look. Right now it seems to me that Tice likes what we have or we'd have made a bigger push for Faneca. $2.5 mil isn't all that much.

He's also joining his former OC in Whisenhunt. If they haven't done so the Cards will now be actively working to trade Deuce Lutui. We could sign him and have him practice everyday against Harris just to see if Harris is "stable". I don't see a reason for us to trade for Deuce, he's limited in his pass blocking but is a decent run blocker. If he were a FA and we needed help he's worth a look. Right now it seems to me that Tice likes what we have or we'd have made a bigger push for Faneca. $2.5 mil isn't all that much.

Given all the connections between him and the org there and the fact that they are 1 year removed from a super bowl, I think that even if the Bears had come in with more money, he'd probably have gone to Arizona.

All along I've thought one of two things:

1. We're going to acquire another player. I know it's easy to say "who" but it's not like anybody predicted Alan Faneca would be cut or that we'd trade for Chris Harris.

2. We think Lance Louis is the shiz-nit and can start. If we don't acquire a player, soon we'll begin hearing "we love Louis."

 

My guess is we'll try to find a guy and talk-up Louis as plan "B".

Yeah, here's one thing: our old running game involved a fair amount of pulling and second-level blocking from the guards and center. Kreutz and Garza, in particular, were used on pulls and traps a lot. If Tice continues to ask the o-linemen to do a lot of that, Louis' mobility could help him win the job.

Personally, I like the idea of living in a world where people care about all the other stuff, but I think history has shown us what really matters to the players is money. There are some exceptions, but the majority of players would take a job w/ Oakland over NE for an extra million. Its pretty sad.

 

Given all the connections between him and the org there and the fact that they are 1 year removed from a super bowl, I think that even if the Bears had come in with more money, he'd probably have gone to Arizona.