Bears in contract negotiations with Matt Slauson

[GakMan23]

By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter

 

8:50 a.m. CST, December 30, 2013

Ten thoughts after the Chicago Bears’ season-ending 33-28 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

 

1. It will not be easy to move past missed opportunities in this Bears season. There were plenty of chances to finish better than 8-8 and just one game’s difference would have meant a division title ahead of the Packers (8-7-1), who clinched the NFC North for the third straight year. The Bears lost on the final two weekends of the season when they knew before kickoff of the Dec. 22 game at Philadelphia that a victory locked up the division. There were losses in four of the final six games, including the overtime loss at Minnesota on Dec. 1 that was a blown opportunity in several different ways.

 

But through it all, the Bears have forged a new identity. They have a heavy-duty offense in place. And when the ways in which the season fell short of expectations are finally tabulated, one question will come to the forefront as general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman plot an offseason ahead: What would the Bears look like with an average defense? Middle of the road? That question is going to drive the machine at Halas Hall in the months ahead.

 

Could the Bears use some fine-tuning on offense? Sure. The quarterback situation needs to be resolved but Jay Cutler seemed to be hinting at something soon to come when asked about his contract situation after the game. Center Roberto Garza will be a free agent. Ditto left guard Matt Slauson, who indicated the Bears already have begun contract talks with his agent.

 

Otherwise, you can borrow from ex-Bears coach Dave Wannstedt and easily make the statement that the “pieces are in place.” The Bears this season set a franchise record for net yards with 6,109, eclipsing the previous mark of 5,837 from 1985. Here are some other franchise highs:

 

First downs: 344 (previous high 343 in 1985).

 

Passing first downs: 215 (previous high 203 in 1999).

 

Net yards passing: 4,281 (previous high 4,136 in 1999).

 

Also consider the 445 points scored was second only to the 1985 Bears, who scored 456 points. The offense converted 42.1 percent of third downs and the Bears have not been better than that since 1995.

 

Matt Forte established career numbers rushing for 1,339 yards (only Walter Payton has had a better season) wile catching 74 passes for 594 yards. Alshon Jeffery finished with 1,421 receiving yards and Brandon Marshall had 1,295. Tight end Martellus Bennett made 65 receptions for 759 yards.

 

Do the Bears have issues? They need to address all three levels of the defense and that isn’t going to be easily done. They need to find young, impact players in the draft. But in a passing league, they’re equipped even if they couldn’t get over the top in this loss to the Packers. Trestman has advanced the offense considerably, maybe more than some thought possible, in one season. But as the head coach, the defense is ultimately his and he’ll need to keep a better watch over that side of the ball in 2014. The Bears finished second in the league in scoring and a team that can do that – and have say the 16th ranked defense in the league – that team can win a lot of games. You’re talking about a perennial contender.

 

2. General manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman are scheduled to meet the media later in the week. In the past, Lovie Smith met with reporters the day after the season concluded and then the GM usually would talk later in the week. It will be interesting to see if there is any fallout and potential changes to Trestman’s coaching staff as the week moves on. Trestman remained very supportive of defensive coordinator Mel Tucker throughout the season. He used three defensive coordinator in five seasons with the Montreal Alouettes.

 

The Bears performed poorly on defense, especially during the stretch without linebacker Lance Briggs. Let’s not ignore the storyline that has been in place for at least two years: The defense was getting old. Eventually, things were going to crumble. They did. Injuries made it worse. The questions Trestman will have to answer for himself (and the club) is were the Bears making the right moves (as they could given the injuries) to be as good as possible?

 

I recall a play during the Dec. 1 loss at Minnesota when Adrian Peterson broke off a long run on fourth down. Defensive end Julius Peppers would have bottled up that running play if tackle Christian Tupou didn’t accidentally trip his teammate because he was spread out on the turf. With a veteran tackle in there, he probably remains on his feet. If the player next to Peppers is on his feet, Peppers makes the play, or forces Peterson back to help. It’s really hard to evaluate some of the situations the Bears were put in. But allowing 5.35 yards per rush is unacceptable. The loss of defensive tackle Henry Melton was a huge blow to the run defense and D.J. Williams was starting to play fine football when he was lost to a torn pectoral muscle injury.

 

Is there a move in the making? We’ll have to wait to see what Trestman says but there were a host of factors that added up against the Bears on defense this season. It’s certainly provided a thorough to-do list for the offseason.

 

3. Of the 58 players the on the Bears’ roster (including players in injured reserve), 29 are coming out of contract. That number was 31 before kicker Robbie Gould and fullback Tony Fiammetta got new deals. So, the heavy lifting for the offseason ahead has started, and all eyes are on quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“You’d love to predict the future. I’m not really going to get into what’s going to happen,” Cutler said. “It always works out how it’s supposed to.

 

“I think we’ll deal with that later in the week. Right now, (I’m) kind of living in the moment. I’m a little upset about the game and how it went. This locker room is never going to be the same. Miss some guys. Some guys are going to leave. Some guys are going to stay. It’s part of the business.”

 

The Bears also could look to re-sign backup Josh McCown, who would like to return.

 

“I have every intention of playing next season,” McCown told the Tribune.

 

In fact, McCown has talked about the possibility of moving his family to the area to ease concerns about missing time with his wife and four children. While he cannot sign a contract with the Bears until free agency opens March 11, he can negotiate fully with the club until that point and he’s made it clear his first option is to come back.

 

“These guys? I am loyal,” McCown said. “I love this locker room and these guys. For me, I am going to make sure we talk to the Bears before we do anything else. We want to make sure this door is closed before we consider anything else because I have too much appreciation for the McCaskeys and Phil (Emery) and Marc (Trestman) too.”

 

If the Bears bring back Cutler and McCown, it could decrease the chances of the team drafting a quarterback. If Cutler comes back on a multi-year contract, it’s not a situation where they’ll be seeking to draft and develop a guy right away. Spending another pick on a defensive player or maybe adding an interior offensive lineman might make more sense.

 

4. Usually I wouldn’t go to the long snapper in the fourth item, but when Pat Mannelly is done playing – and this might have been his final game – he’ll retire as the longest-tenured Bears player of all time. Mannelly said he has offseason surgery ahead of him but declined to specify exactly what kind of work he needs to have done.

 

“I am going to take some time (to consider his future),” he said. “I’ve got to get some work done, it’s nothing major, and we’ll see how I come back from that. We’ll make that decision later on in the offseason.”

 

Mannelly reiterated he doesn’t have serious surgery ahead but he will turn 39 in April and there are no guarantees.

 

“It’s been fun,” he said. “I’ve had 245 good games. It has been great. I calculated my record. I think I am 128-128, if you count the 11 games I missed. I’m .500.”

 

Wouldn’t he like to come back for another season and ensure his record ends up over .500?

 

“I plan on it,” h said. “We’ll see what happens. I’ve thought about it all year long. There is just stuff I have to do and then we’ll figure it out.”

 

5. There was one common theme among the players coming out of contract that I was able to chat with after the game (no, I couldn’t track all 29 down) and that is they seem to genuinely want to be a part of the mix moving forward. Sometimes you will get players who are driven to reach the open market to see what is available and that certainly could be the case with some of the players coming up. There’s nothing wrong with that and you can’t hold it against a player trying to maximize his earning potential.

 

*Left guard Matt Slauson said the Bears already have engaged in some contract discussions with his agent.

 

“I hope I have laid a foundation here for myself,” Slauson said. “I feel like I have done all I could this year to set myself up. We’ll just have to wait and see. There have been talks but nothing I can hang my hat on. I love it here.”

 

*Middle linebacker D.J. Williams expressed a desire to return.

 

“Of course,” Williams said. “This is where I want to be. The group of guys we have here, I like the scheme of the defense. I like the head coach and I like his philosophy. His philosophy is very similar to (Mike) Shanahan, who drafted me.”

 

Williams has one month remaining in rehabilitation from a torn pectoral muscle so he will be fully cleared well before any offseason program begins.

 

*Defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff would like to stick with the Bears.

 

“I already stated how I felt,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. It’s all business. When you sign your name on the dotted line, you’ve got to accept that, that it’s a business. I do. I felt better and stronger and stronger every week. This right here (losing to the Packers) is tough. I want the playoffs, man. That’s all I want before I leave. Just get deep into the playoffs, a Super Bowl. You can do what you want with me after that.”

 

6. The question of what will happen with defensive end Julius Peppers has been at the forefront since the beginning of the season. I am most interested to hear what general manager Phil Emery will say about the veteran. Peppers led the defense with 7 1/2 sacks and was great at times but hard to find too often. Those out there who suggest the Bears cut Peppers as quickly as possible have yet to answer the question that matters: How will he be replaced? Peppers is going to count $8,366,668 against the Bears cap in 2014 (the amount could potentially be spread over 2014 and 2015) even if he is released. It’s possible the team could seek a pay reduction from Peppers, who is due to earn $14 million in 2014 but that $8.36 million figure can’t be reduced or eliminated. The pass rush needs an upgrade because as bad as the run defense was, the pass rush wasn’t what it needed to be.

 

7. Free safety Chris Conte looked shaken in the locker room after the game. Conte had blown the coverage in a confused secondary on the 48-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb in the final minute of the game. Conte declined to answer questions.

 

Conte is the only starting member of the secondary who remains under contract. Cornerbacks Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Zack Bowman and Kelvin Hayden will be unrestricted free agents. Strong safety Major Wright, who should have drawn a flag for illegal contact for holding on Jordy Nelson on that Cobb touchdown, is also going to be a free agent.

 

I asked Tillman, who earned $8 million this season, if he thought the Bears would treat him like former teammate Brian Urlacher. In my opinion, the $2 million offer the club made Urlacher was done with the knowledge that he would likely reject it. Maybe the Bears will make a token offer to Tillman as well? He said he didn’t think that would happen.

 

Jennings had a good season. He played very well against some elite wide receivers after Tillman was injured. Somewhere in the mix needs to be a draft pick. We’ll see what direction the team takes with the veterans. If the Bears do approach Tillman, I’d expect it to be with a one-year offer. Jennings has made it clear he’d like more security than a two-year contract, which is what he has just completed. Stay tuned here.

 

Back to the Cobb touchdown, I like the call of the zero blitz here. The Packers were facing fourth-and-8 and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker got aggressive.

 

“I wasn’t expecting empty pressure,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, admitting Green Bay was caught off guard. “But they went for it.”

 

Problem is the defense has to get home when it doesn’t have any help on the back end. Allowing Cobb to escape free behind all the defenders was a dagger but as much time as Rodgers had, he was probably going to move the chains there when he escaped contain.

 

8. It might not have been the best season for Devin Hester but with the season on the line, he put the Bears in good position. Hester had a 49-yard punt return and a 39-yard kickoff return. His average of 14.2 yards on punt returns was second in the NFL. The special teams unit had difficulties throughout the season but things looked like they were on the upswing, especially in the return game.

 

“I think special teams really started to pick up throughout the year,” safety Craig Steltz said. “We started to understand how Coach Joe D (DeCamillis) wanted us to play.”

 

Said Packers coach Mike McCarthy: “What can you say about Devin Hester? You try to control him with ball placement but he causes you fits every time you play him. He obviously did a good job today.”

 

Hester could be a long shot to return to the Bears. There is one option already on the roster to replace him. Wide receiver Chris Williams was signed off the practice squad of the Saints last week. He’s intriguing and for more than just his return ability. Williams was the special teams player of the year in the CFL last season and one of his five punt return touchdowns came against Marc Trestman and the Alouettes. The 5-foot-8, 175-pounder was also a dynamic wide receiver and he has great speed. He made 83 catches for 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The Bears tried to lure him in after Williams won a court battle with the Hamilton Ti-Cats to be allowed to return to the NFL, but he signed in New Orleans before they could get him to Halas Hall. Now, he’s in the mix moving forward.

 

“I am just here to help however I can,” Williams said. “However they need me to help, I’ll do it.”

 

9. The second-place finish in the NFC North for the Bears means they will have a home game against the Cowboys, the corresponding finisher in the NFC East, and a road game against the 49ers, the corresponding finisher in the NFC West. That means a game at San Francisco’s new stadium in 2014, a building that is being constructed in Santa Clara. Is it too early to wonder if the Bears could be the season-opening opponent?

 

The schedule will look different in the spring and even more different come Labor Day but it’s a challenging road slate as the Bears have games at the Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots, Jets, Lions, Packers and Vikings. There are four playoff teams in that mix and most would expect the Falcons to be improved in 2014. The home opponents are the Saints, Bucs, Cowboys, Bills, Dolphins, Lions, Packers and Vikings. The NFL typically releases the exact schedule at some point in mid-April.

 

10. Based on strength of schedule the Bears will have the 14th pick in the draft. That is the highest the Bears will have drafted since getting offensive lineman Chris Williams No. 14 in 2008. Defensive lineman Tommie Harris and Michael Haynes were also selected 14th overall by the Bears, so you can say the team is 1 for 3 with that slot.

 

10 a. Fullback Tony Fiammetta on his two-year contract to return: “After being in this locker room for a year it is almost a no-brainer. This is the place where I want to be. Just being in an offense where you are appreciated and in a locker room with great guys, there is no place I would rather be. It came together quickly and it makes me feel good going into the offseason because I know where I am going to be and I know the things I need to work on within this offense to help us.”

 

10 b. I would expect the Bears to work to sign some or most of the players on the eight-man practice squad to futures contracts beginning today.

 

10 c. There wasn’t a more selfless player in the locker room this season than defensive lineman Corey Wootton. He needed a season with big sack totals after posting seven a year ago to cash in as a free agent at defensive end. The slew of injuries at tackle forced him to play inside where he isn’t ideally suited. Wootton did it and he performed with a smile. The experience isn’t going to help his bottom line like a nine-sack season would have. But he showed what kind of teammate he is.

 

10 d. There were some poor kicks by Adam Podlesh during the game. He remains under contract for two more seasons at $1.425 million next season and $1.475 million in 2015. Those are bargain rates for veteran punters but I would expect the club to, at the minimum, seek out serious competition for him. We’ll see what happens.

 

10 e. Has the NFL reached a new level of impatience with the Browns firing head coach Rob Chudzinski on Sunday night after one season? It is a terrible mess in Cleveland.

 

10 f. Some credit should go to wide receivers coach Mike Groh for the work he did this season. Alshon Jeffery’s breakout campaign was a highlight. The Bears are also quietly confident about seventh-round pick Marquess Wilson moving forward. He stepped into a larger role in Sunday’s game and made one nice catch in traffic. Wilson was a project who looks like he might contribute next season.

 

10 g. Something was off with linebacker Lance Briggs down the stretch run. It wasn’t like him to not be accountable and stand up and answer questions about a defense that had problems. Briggs didn’t talk after the Eagles scored 54 points, leaving rookies like Jon Bostic to stand up and answer questions. That’s a place for a veteran to stand up and take some questions. Similarly, Briggs left Sunday night without stopping to talk.

 

10 h. Happy New Year and thanks for reading along this season.

 

bmbiggs@tribune.com

 

Twitter @BradBiggs

[Connorbear]

My takeaway from this article is I want the Bears to lock up McCown for the next 2 years as backup. I love his loyalty. I would give whatever is reasonable to keep him. He needs to stay.

 

Peace

[ASHKUM BEAR]

My takeaway from this article is I want the Bears to lock up McCown for the next 2 years as backup. I love his loyalty. I would give whatever is reasonable to keep him. He needs to stay. Peace

 

 

 

 

Agree, I think if we can lock him down for 2 years and Jay for 4, then we can concentrate on bringing the defense back to respectability.

 

 

[Lucky Luciano]

*Middle linebacker D.J. Williams expressed a desire to return.

 

“Of course,” Williams said. “This is where I want to be. The group of guys we have here, I like the scheme of the defense. I like the head coach and I like his philosophy. His philosophy is very similar to (Mike) Shanahan, who drafted me.”

 

Williams has one month remaining in rehabilitation from a torn pectoral muscle so he will be fully cleared well before any offseason program begins.

 

a freudian slip? hmmmmm..... no mention of mel tucker his DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR?

 

 

Back to the Cobb touchdown, I like the call of the zero blitz here. The Packers were facing fourth-and-8 and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker got aggressive.

 

“I wasn’t expecting empty pressure,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, admitting Green Bay was caught off guard. “But they went for it.”

 

Problem is the defense has to get home when it doesn’t have any help on the back end. Allowing Cobb to escape free behind all the defenders was a dagger but as much time as Rodgers had, he was probably going to move the chains there when he escaped contain.

 

i did NOT like the all-out blitz many have no problem with. although we had three sacks during this game we had nearly no pressure on him 98% of the time. he had all day to stand in the pocket prior to this play and to expect OUR safeties to cover green bays wide outs is ludicrous.

 

our blitzes are telegraphed on nearly every occasion and to send everyone up the middle to clog up the center is poor scheming. if they wanted to blitz the moon why in the hell not send someone from the outside in and pinch rogers behind the middle of his offensive line where his vision is at least limited somewhat? it was such a mess in the middle with no heavy pressure that kuhn actually could chip peppers coming in off the corner and allow rogers the edge.

 

these blitzes remind me of the babich/lovie blitzes of the past. NO imagination or concept how your opponent will react.

 

[Lucky Luciano]

have just heard on the score (jim miller) that our defensive players were possibly confused as to the type of coverage. also that the way it was set up they had jennings covering the freaking tight end while our safeties were covering the receiver.

 

just one more log on the fire to FIRE tucker. what a joke.

[jason]

2. General manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman are scheduled to meet the media later in the week. In the past, Lovie Smith met with reporters the day after the season concluded and then the GM usually would talk later in the week. It will be interesting to see if there is any fallout and potential changes to Trestman’s coaching staff as the week moves on. Trestman remained very supportive of defensive coordinator Mel Tucker throughout the season. He used three defensive coordinator in five seasons with the Montreal Alouettes.

 

Let's hope that type of turnover continues.

 

3. Of the 58 players the on the Bears’ roster (including players in injured reserve), 29 are coming out of contract. That number was 31 before kicker Robbie Gould and fullback Tony Fiammetta got new deals. So, the heavy lifting for the offseason ahead has started, and all eyes are on quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

“I have every intention of playing next season,” McCown told the Tribune.

 

Sign both. That's that.

 

6. The question of what will happen with defensive end Julius Peppers has been at the forefront since the beginning of the season. I am most interested to hear what general manager Phil Emery will say about the veteran. Peppers led the defense with 7 1/2 sacks and was great at times but hard to find too often. Those out there who suggest the Bears cut Peppers as quickly as possible have yet to answer the question that matters: How will he be replaced?

 

7.5 sacks? He'll be replaced fairly easily, and cheaper to boot.

 

7. Free safety Chris Conte looked shaken in the locker room after the game. Conte had blown the coverage in a confused secondary on the 48-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb in the final minute of the game. Conte declined to answer questions.

 

Conte is the only starting member of the secondary who remains under contract. Cornerbacks Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Zack Bowman and Kelvin Hayden will be unrestricted free agents. Strong safety Major Wright, who should have drawn a flag for illegal contact for holding on Jordy Nelson on that Cobb touchdown, is also going to be a free agent.

 

Good. He sucks. Cut him now.

 

I asked Tillman, who earned $8 million this season, if he thought the Bears would treat him like former teammate Brian Urlacher. In my opinion, the $2 million offer the club made Urlacher was done with the knowledge that he would likely reject it. Maybe the Bears will make a token offer to Tillman as well? He said he didn’t think that would happen.

 

I'm sure Urlacher thought that same thing. No way a defense with Urlacher, even though one of his weaknesses was getting off blocks, has the problems this defense had. It was a bad move then, and it'll be a bad move if they do the same thing to Peanut.

 

 

[madlithuanian]

100%

 

My takeaway from this article is I want the Bears to lock up McCown for the next 2 years as backup. I love his loyalty. I would give whatever is reasonable to keep him. He needs to stay.

 

Peace