Windy City Gridiron

The Bears Den: 3/15/10

2010-03-15T12:29:34Z

...bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the new week ahead of us!

Brad Biggs reminds us that Julius Peppers could be a weapon in more places than just defense.

From NC to Chicago... big leap won't change Peppers' inner circle.

Could two of the brightest young Bears attract interest elsewhere in the league?

As pointed out by SackMan in the FanPosts, Quinn is headed to Denver.

As pointed out by JerBear50, LT chose NY over Minny.

Are you following WCG on Twitter? Don't miss out!

Anthony Adams blogs about his trip to the beach; talks about his wife parasailing.

Hunter Hillenmeyer is involved in the labor talks with the NFL, and offers his insights in this article.

A good basic viewpoint of what exactly is going on with the labor dispute.

Urlacher: "If you listen to coach Marinelli talk, you want to run through a frickin' wall for him''

For those who missed it: Taylor to wear Peterson's old number; end in sight for Peterson.

Dan Pompei answers some questions about Greg Olsen, Pisa Tinoisamoa, O.J. Otogwe, and more.

Bring Back Willie Gault?

2010-03-12T22:05:15Z

More photos » Frank Franklin II - AP

Yes, he's nearly 50 years old, but he can run a 4.4 forty! (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Browse more photos »

Jeff Pealrman of Sports Illustrated has a fun story about former Bear and Super Bowl XX Champion, Willie Gault, who is still running fast at nearly 50 years old. He holds two 45-49 age group world records (in the 100 and 200) and can run a 4.4 forty yard dash. And believe it or not, he says he'd give football another go if a team were to call.

He hasn't played since 1993, but who knows with the limited options in free agency maybe a team will take him up on his offer. I know the Bears would never call him up, and I doubt any team would, but it'd be interesting if a team did.

What's the key to his great health? From the SI article;

He refuses to eat chicken or red meat, sticking to a diet of fish (twice per week), vegetables and soy. "I might have an oatmeal raisin cookie once in a while," he says. "But I don't live to eat. I eat to live." He can be found four or five days per week at the Gold's Gym on Venice Beach, completing an exhaustive circuit of upper- and lower-body weight workouts. Afterward, he usually retreats to a nearby track, where he completes a dizzying buffet of 200s, 300s and 400s. "I treat my body like a temple," he says, "because it's the only one I have, and I want to use it as long as possible."

And I'll leave you with this little nugget of nostalgia.

This is Speedy Willie, and I'm world class.
I like runnin' but i love to get the pass.
I practice all day and dance all night,
I got to get ready for the Sunday fight.
Now I'm as smooth as a chocolate swirl,
I dance a little funky, so watch me girl.
There's not one here that does it like me,
My Super Bowl Shuffle will set you free.

The Bears Den: 3/12/10

2010-03-12T13:01:07Z

...remembering to set our clocks forward an hour this weekend.

Brad Biggs sheds some light on Peppers' contract; things aren't always the way they seem.

Contract details for Taylor and Manumaleuna.

Izzy Idonije preparing for his third trip to Nigeria; we don't see this side of pro sports enough.

Bell has been behind Taylor before, and is still eager to learn from him now.

Make sure you are following WCG on Twitter!

Life is a beach for a few members of our squad.

One of our favorite team reports on the internet, straight from USA Today.

Another pass rushing DT that the team will bring in for a pre-draft visit.

Taking a look at injuries on artificial turf.

Some people put stock into it, and some people don't. Tebow flunked the Wonderlic.

Could D.J. Moore be a Free Safety?

2010-03-12T01:05:11Z

Before we get started, I think we should go out and get a free safety in free agency as much as the next guy, but while the Bears front office has definitely made a 180 this off season as far as the FA market goes, it remains to be seen if that was a philosophical change or a one shot deal. So while we wait with baited breath to see if we make a legitimate play for Atogwe I decided to take a quick look at the talent we have at the CB/S positions and see if we have anyone that might have the talent to be a FS. After taking a good long look at it and pushed to the brink of insanity after seeing that we had signed Bullocks to another contract I had a strange though, what about D.J. Moore? Follow me below the fold where we'll take a look at what Moore brings to the table, and why he might be just what the doctor ordered.

So let's start things off with what the difference is between the FS and the SS, because while they are similar positions and in some defensive sets almost exactly the same there are a few key differences that really explain why most of our current safeties aren't suited to the job.

1. The strong safety plays to the side with the TE

I know, I know. That seems completely obvious, but it actually means a lot more than you think. While a lot of TE have changed into more a receiver, they are still usually one of the bigger receivers for the other team and harder to bring down, so it makes sense to have a bigger guy covering the TE on those plays. Also, as the TE is also used as a blocker for the run the SS is usually the first DB to be called up in run support, making his larger size an asset in breaking that block to get to the runner.

2. The free safety rarely has a man coverage assignment.

There is a saying that goes that the Free Safety is the "deepest of the deep, and the widest of the wide", meaning he often gets the job of covering everything behind the linebackers, and inside the CB. This is a fairly large piece of real estate which means a lot of the FS play is all about reaction to what is going on, to the QB's eyes, and to the players movements and routes. It really is all about reaction as more often than not you're the last line of defense if the FS is being called on to make a play.

3. The free safety is sometimes referred to as the QB of the defense.

I know what you might be thinking, I thought that was the MLB who got the plays to the defense. That's not exactly what they are talking about, although the FS does relay play calls to the other DB in some situations. What they are trying to say is, in the way that the QB surveys the field and looks for opportunities, the free safety has the same kind of role where he is looking for what the QB might think is an opportunity and preparing to snatch that away at the last moment. For this reason you often see the FS being a ball-hawking type of player who comes up with INT/Deflection in clutch moments, this is also why quickness, fast reaction time, and all around good coverage abilities are of the utmost importance to the FS. If you're out of position to make the play, then it's very possible that you could be looking at a TD instead of an INT.

---

Alright, with that small bit of information out of the way let's get back to the crazy wild-eyed statement at hand, which I'll repeat for the sake of those who thought they misread it the first time. I think D.J. Moore could be a great free safety. Now, before you instantly throw this away as nonsense, make remarks about his size, or his ability to hold up to the position just sit on your hands for a second and look at the positives he brings to the table first.

1. Moore was a very high quality CB at Vanderbilt.

Moore was originally pegged as a first round talent at corner back who was mostly hampered by his "poor" 40 time of 4.56 which slid him all the way to the 4th round where the Bears picked him up. Coming in at 5,9 192 in college, his small stature was seen as barely adequate for the CB position which also hurt his draft stock, but it never seemed to hinder him at Vandy. Moore was an All-SEC first teamer both his Sophmore and Junior years, as well as an All American in his junior and final year at Vanderbilt. Moore regularly shut down the opposing team's best receiver.

2. Moore is known for having great instincts when it comes to the ball.

Now when I say he has great instincts, what I'm really saying is he often seems to know the opponents routes better than they do. Some of that comes from his receiving playing time at receiver off and on throughout his carreer, but it's this kind of instinct that makes a decent FS good, and a good FS great. One of the biggest disadvantages a FS has is that the receiver knows where his cuts are, so having a mind capable of predicting those cuts goes a long way towards evening up the playing field.

3. Moore has very good closing speed, recovery speed, and all around drive.

One of the things you'll find watching Moore, or reading his scouting reports is that he's on you in a flash, closing that final distance extremely quickly. Another facet of the same skill is that on the rare instances where his aggressiveness lead to the wrong call he recovers from the mistake and makes the tackle with very little hesitation. In fact, his drive to bring down the ball carrier can be seen on more than a few plays when he was at Vanderbilt where a receiver on the other side of the field had the ball, and D.J. Moore comes across the field like a bat out of hell to track down the receiver. This kind of drive to end the play even when it's not "your man" is exactly what the FS position requires.

---

Now, Moore definitely had some knocks coming out of Vanderbilt, but luckily most of them are less applicable to the FS position then they are the CB position.

1. Moore was at times dominated at the line of scrimmage/blocking receivers.

Rarely called on to enter press coverage, when he was there was a few instances where he got manhandled, and a few more where he was blocked out very badly by large receivers on running plays. For what it's worth, despite his small stature his upper body build is quite large so he never really had any problems making the tackle, and in fact seemed to relish the opportunity to hit receivers on the short and crossing routes. By taking Moore off the line, you'd be removing him from the press coverage(although I'm not sure we've actually used any in a few years).

2. Moore was at times fooled by double moves, and the occasional stutter.

While definitely not an every down type issue, it did happen a couple of times a year almost always due to his aggressive coverage style. It's really quite a toss up on how much an impact this would have at free safety, as he'd be watching the move from afar allowing him a lot more time to recover if fooled, but it could take a bit away from his play as he'd have to temper his aggressive streak a tad while sitting back in the zone.

---

So what does everyone else think? In a worse case scenario where we don't pick up a new FS, could D.J. Moore be our guy?

Uncapped Year: Bears make an Early Splash, but Much Ado About Nothing?

2010-03-11T19:00:31Z

You guys may not remember this, but my very first contribution to this wonderful site was this guy, "What could an uncapped 2010 season mean for the Bears?"

In it, we took a look at some of the various implications an uncapped year had on rookies, free agents, teams, and the Bears. It finished up with this:

This part is completely open to debate. In a time like this, it could be the time the Bears step to the forefront and try to fix some problems. It could be the time they try to improve the bottom line. I'd put more hypotheses here, but honestly, every time I think I know what this franchise does, it does something that either confuses me to the point of anger, or puts some kind of false hope in me.

Three months later, Free Agency has started and the Bears did some stuff, but the big spending some predicted isn't there, leading us to wonder...was it much ado about nothing?

So the Bears did indeed make a big splash with their signings of Peppers, Taylor, and Manumaleuna. (Spell check will never forgive that one.) It begs the question, though, Why aren't we seeing the big spending many expected in an uncapped year?

Barry Wilner of the Associated Press wrote a great article about this very subject yesterday. He mentions how, while a few teams made big moves early, overall the league is still sort of working like it always has. Even injured veterans are still getting big deals. (See: Kampman, Aaron)

He also spoke with some player-agents, and what they're saying is that teams are still acting largely as if there's still a cap:

"I see contracts being done as if there is a cap," says player agent Peter Schaffer.

"I see two things at work here. Instead of signing bonuses, teams are giving a roster bonus and when they kick in those bonuses under a salary cap, there will be no proration and their cap number won't be threatened. And I see teams preparing for a cap in the next CBA."

So teams are acting as if there's a cap, either for their own financial interests, their interests in the future, or because that's just sort of the way that they've operated for a while. Schaffer then goes on to make another valid point, one that hints at the PR motivations of Free Agency in addition to the on-the field benefit.

"Free agency gives a team a chance to go to their fans and say, `We stockpiled players and we're doing all we can to put a winning team on the field. Come support us, we might go to the playoffs.' Every team can legitimately say that," Schaffer said. "But the reality in terms of the cap and contract negotiations is teams are spending to a budget whether there's a cap or not."

So that's it, right? Teams are just sort of working off of a budget, regardless of whether they can spend what ever they want. No, not really, there is another factor, one that I wrote about last December. My words:

Otherwise, free agents will be restricted, allowing teams right of first refusal for many players. This still causes the lingering problem--teams can offer the restricted free agent whatever they want, and if a team wants to retain it's top talent, it may have to pay to match, which isn't something a lot of teams will want to do.

And that is largely what's keeping this Free Agency from being as big. Many players who would be available right now, and would be pretty attractive candidates for a lot of teams, have tender offers requiring compensation that teams just don't want to match. Specifically:

That left 212 players who would require compensation if they signed with another team, a market that has been virtually untapped so far.

212. That's four full rosters worth of guys. Now, this market may get tapped into a little bit more here in the next few weeks. With the draft coming up, teams will start to more heavily weigh the costs and benefits of acquiring these guys. Do you give up a second round pick to get an average to above average talent, or do you roll the dice in April and bring in someone out of an exceptionally deep draft class? It's these decisions that will make mock drafts even more fun than normal this year, as a zero hour compensation pick may go to a team that upsets the entire system. Or not.

As it stands, it doesn't look like there will be a ton of movement in Free Agency. Does that mean that the teams who are making some strides have the best chance to improve in 2010? Let's hope so. We know the other moves we'd like to see the Bears make...let's hope they don't think they're ship-shape.

Bears Draft Weekend Possibilities: Wide Receiver

2010-03-11T16:00:24Z

More photos » Marco Garcia - AP

2 months ago: SMU wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders makes a catch during the first quarter of the Hawaii Bowl NCAA college football game against Nevada, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

Browse more photos »

The Bears will be just spectators on Thursday, April 22nd when the NFL begins their first ever three day Draft. The first round will get going at 6:30p.m. CT, with the second and third rounds taking place Friday, April 23rd starting at 5:00p.m. CT. What an idiotic start time? If maximizing viewership is the goal, why start at a time when three quarters of the country is either just getting off work, or still at work? Anyway... not the point of this post. But when the Bears finally get around to making their initial selection in the 2010 draft (I'm hoping to be home in time to see it), with the recent free agent signings, and the swirling free agent rumors out there, the direction the Bears will take is really up in the air.

If a free safety and offensive lineman end up being signed it'll really open up the possibilities. Jerry Angelo can truly go with best player available then. He may even go that route if his free agent spending is over. Really the only sure bet from JA is that he'll draft at least one defensive lineman.

This will be just the first in a series looking at potential players the Bears could draft. I'll go round by round looking at a player I think would be available at that time. Even though wide receiver isn't a pressing need, it's a position you can never have enough of. Especially in an Mike Martz offense. If a highly rated player on the Bears big board is sitting there for them, I can see them pulling the trigger.

And FYI... I'm not just searching the first mock draft site I come across. I hit up a number of sites looking for position rankings to see where these players are suspected to fall and try and take a consensus. And in regards to highlight videos posted around the web; be wary because any knucklehead can splice some film to make a fringe prospect look All-World.

Third Round - Jacoby Ford, Clemson 5'9" 186 - He ran the fastest forty at the combine (4.28) and his stock is on the rise. He's still listed as a 3rd or 4th round prospect on most boards, but I think scouts will overrate him based on his speed, and he may sneak into the 2nd round. While at Clemson he played all over the offense, WR, RB, QB, and he returned kicks. Like most speed guys he gets the "poor route running" knock, but some scouts aren't as down on that part of his game.

Fourth Round - Andre Roberts, Citadel 5'11" 195 - We all know JA likes to find those small school players, and after Roberts looked good at the Senior Bowl his stock is on the rise. He's also listed in the 3rd-4th round range, but he may last to the 4th as a lot of receivers are seeing their stock rise after the combine. He's known for his hands, and his speed was a question until he popped off a 4.46 forty.

Fifth Round - Riley Cooper, Florida 6'3" 222 - Cooper is a guy rated anywhere between the 2nd to 5th rounds. I tend to think he'll fall closer to the 5th as he didn't test exceptionally well at the combine, and he has other options if football doesn't work out for him. He gave up a contract with the Texas Rangers to prep for the Draft. Some scouts call his catching inconsistent, but every time I saw him play he would make the big catch.

Sixth Round - Emmanuel Sanders, Southern Methodist 5'11" 186 - He had a productive combine placing top 5 in 5 different tests, and posting the best broad jump of the receivers at 10'6", which is good as it shows lower body explosion and balance. I've seen him going as high as the 6th round, where others think he'll go undrafted. He was suspended the last 2 game of the '09 season for a few academic and football violations. But most scouts agree he's not a character risk.

Seventh Round - Scott Long, Louisville 6'2" 216 - Before his combine he was looked at as borderline draftable, but after 4.46 seconds in the forty, the best wide-out vertical leap with 41.5", the top 60-yard shuttle of the wide-outs, tied for most bench reps among the receivers, the second-fastest WR 20-yard shuttle run, and the fastest 3-cone drill of all the athletes at the combine, Long is making teams rethink his status. If he has a solid pro day he'll shoot up draft boards again.

* And please realize, for those that just "skim" an article, this is not my mock draft, I'm not predicting the Bears will select a WR with every pick. This is just to spotlight a wide-out that may be available in each round the Bears pick, if they were to decide to pick a receiver.

Ridiculously Early Look Mock Draft

2010-03-11T01:00:39Z

It is hard enought to predict who a team will take in the first round, but to guess who they will take in the 3rd-7th and this early is insane . These sites took a shot, so I'll give them some face time. See anybody you like?

NE Patriots Draft

Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas

Sunday Kickoff

Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cinncinati

The New NFL Draft

Thomas Austin, G, Clemson

DeAngelo Smith, CB, Cincy

Will Davis, ILL

Andrew Gardner, OT, GT

Draft Tek

T.J Ward, FS, Oregon

Jeremy Willians, WR, Tulane

Jeff Byers, OG, USC

Brian Jackson, CB, Oklahoma

Nathan Overbay, OT, Eastern Washington

Chicago Bears Tradition; Catch It!

2010-03-11T01:00:39Z

View full size photo »

"It’s one thing to play football in this league and make a living. But it’s a totally different thing to come to a place with a great tradition and rich football culture like the Bears."

Quote by new Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, when asked what helped him decide to come and play in Chicago.

Chicago Bears tradition; the gift that keeps on giving.

Being one of the first franchises to start playing professional football, the Bears have a deep history rooted by their founder George S. Halas. Not only did Halas establish the Bears way back in 1920, originally named the Staleys, he also helped establish the original American Professional Football Association, which would later become the National Football League.

Along the way, the Bears have sent an NFL record 26 players to the Hall of Fame. Players such as Red Grange, George Blanda, Gayle Sayers and Mike Singletary have all walked through the halls of Halas. Names synonymous with football.

We may not be "America’s Team", but we are "Football’s Team". When you think of the sport of football, the image of a gritty Dick Butkus with bloody knuckles comes to mind. The pure joy, coupled with toughness that Sweetness brought to the game is what football is all about.

Winning seven NFL Championships and a Super Bowl is only part of the Bears story. From the days of Sid Luckman and the Monsters of the Midway to ‘The Refrigerator’ and the Super Bowl Shuffle, the Bears will forever be known for their larger than life characters and memorable teams.

The orange ‘C’ on the sides of the navy helmets represents more than just the great city of Chicago; Classy, Classic, Champion, Character, Consummate, Cool, Cream of the Crop! OK, I’ll stop.

Being a player for the Bears, means giving the sport of football the respect it deserves.

So here we are, some 90 years after Papa Bear started our beloved franchise and today’s players are still speaking on the tradition that we in Chicago know oh so well.

So let’s thank the Bears players of yore. Thank you for respecting the sport of football and the city of Chicago. Thank you for leaving behind the legacy that you do.

And, in a way, thanks for bringing us Julius Peppers.

Welcome to Chicago, Mr. Peppers. Nice to have you as a part of our great tradition.

OSS: Bears of War ('10 FA Edition)

2010-03-10T19:00:27Z

View/Download Larger Version >> | More OSS >>

Jump with me to see previous entries in the Bears of War series...

The Bears Den: 3/10/10

2010-03-10T12:51:06Z

...where we remind folks that DST begins this weekend.

Nice article from TUP... calls Peppers one of the best athletes alive.

Pep Hamilton replaces Ron Turner. Small world...

Is Sharper's age working against him, despite his recent success?

Roberto Garza gives an interview, and offers his opinions of FA, Martz, and other things.

Follow WCG on Twitter and never miss out!

Martz says Taylor and Forte will split duties. That's a valuable luxury to have in the NFL.

Special teams scoring system used by Dave Toub highlights ST top contributors.

More quotes from Mike Martz about his offense.

Tomlinson to visit Vikes on Thursday.

Former Bear TJones is now a Chief.

Something about NFL and cell phones, I think.

NightLink: Bears looking to tweak the roster?

2010-03-10T01:43:06Z

Here are a few evening links to satisify your Bears fix...

Do the Bears have Lito Shepard on their mind - POP!

Didn't the Bears just pay Desmond Clark a roster bonus or something? Now he might be on the move?

Hank Baskett??? Really??? I'll leave the Kendra pics to you all...

And here's the official statement from the Bears in regards to Kevin Jones. We hardly knew ya!

Chicago Bears release Running Back Kevin Jones

2010-03-10T00:49:59Z

Chicago Bears release Running Back Kevin Jones

Not surprising, but unfortunate for Jones all the same.

Peppers Contract: Actually, Not That Bad!

2010-03-09T21:32:50Z

This past weekend, I posted my best guesstimates of what Julius Peppers contract might actually look like with the numbers that I had seen floating around the web. The purpose behind that article (and this one) was to take a look at what potential implications this deal might have on years going forward.

While I was somewhat close on the total amount per year, I was way off on how the deal was structured. One of the reasons that I was so off-based, is that I was still under the impression that a signing bonus (while paid upfront) would be prorated over the life of a contract. As was the case under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Since a new one has yet to be agreed upon, the league is operating under the Final League Year of the current CBA. Besides the lack of Salary Cap and Floor this year, it also appears that signing bonuses can be paid upfront, without being prorated over the life of the contract (link). This is what the Bears have done with the contract of our new defensive end.

Jump with me to take a revised look at Peppers ACTUAL contract and what implications it might have on the future of the Chicago Bears...

First, let's look at how Peppers contract is actually broken down:

2010: $900,000 base salary, $6.5m signing bonus, $12.5m roster bonus, and $100,000 workout bonus ($20m total)
2011: $900,000 base salary, $10.5m roster bonus, and $100,000 workout bonus ($11.5m total)
2012: $8.9m base salary, and $100,000 workout bonus ($9m total)
---- these first three years, our $40.5m, are guaranteed ----

2013: $12.9m base salary, and $100,000 workout bonus ($13m total)
2014: $13.9m base salary, and $100,000 workout bonus ($14m total)
2015: $16.5m base salary ($16.5m total)

The total of all the figures above equal out to $84m. Leaving a remainder $7m, of the potential $91.5m, for other bonuses - such as sacks, Pro Bowls and Defensive Player of the Years awards.

So, what implications might this beefy contract have on the Bears, should the deal go awry?

Not much. While the first three years are "guaranteed" (we'll get into this in a minute), it's really not that bad if you look at it from an aerial view. It's actually quite good. Here are the key points of why I applaud the Bears for their work on this contract:

1.) $20m out the total $84m (approximately 24%) of the six year contract will be paid in the un-Capped year of 2010. Thus, eliminating larger hits in future, possibly Capped, seasons.

2.) On average, Peppers will be making $12.8m per year over the last five years of his contract. In comparison, Albert Haynesworth averages $14.28m per year from the deal he signed last year. And Jared Allen (who the Vikings had to give up a 1st round pick for) averages $12.21m from the deal that he signed back in '08. And both Haynesworth and Allen have signing bonuses that have to be prorated over the course of the contract. Meaning, cutting them has future cap implications.

3.) Peppers is currently 30 years old. However, the Bears protected themselves by giving Peppers an escalating base salary. If his play deteriorates as his body does, then cutting him outright (post 2012) will have ZERO Cap implications since only guaranteed money, such as a "signing bonus," counts against Cap charges. That is, of course, going under the assumption that a new CBA is agreed upon that's on par with the previous one.

Also, according to this article, the Bears have protected themselves even further:

Mike Florio of PFT did a nice job of ferreting out the details as he followed up on some work by Peter King, revealing that Peppers gets $20 MM up front and guaranteed. The "guaranteed" dollars for the next two years — totalling $22 MM — are guaranteed for injury only up to a certain date each off-season, allowing the Bears to cut Peppers if they feel his skills are not worthy.

The Angelo/Smith management or the new group can decide on Peppers’s future after 2010 and each year thereafter, and Peppers also has reason to bust his butt, rather than rest on a pile of cash.

I said in my write-up after the signing, that some of the numbers put me on edge. However, this deal looks extremely favorable for both Peppers and the Bears.

Great job by the Lovie and Jerry for landing the premier defensive end on the market. Even better job by Cliff Stein for his work on the contract.

OK Jerry, What's Next?

2010-03-09T16:00:25Z

More photos » Jim Prisching - AP

Browse more photos »

The Bears just didn't dive into the free agent pool, they pulled off the Mother of all dives with the near impossible Triple Lindy. But like most fans, I want to know, what's next? We are a short attention span society, and on the same day the Bears held the presser announcing what was the biggest free agent haul in the history of the franchise, Chicago sports radio was fielding calls asking about other upgrades they need to make. The ink wasn't even dry on the three contracts doled out to Brandon Manumaleuna, Julius Peppers, and Chester Taylor before I'm hearing fans worried about the free safety position, or the offensive line, or finding a #1 receiver.

I guess the glass half empty thinking is better than the knuckleheads already making their travel arrangements to Dallas, Texas for Super Bowl XLV. But what are the next logical steps for Chicago? There are still options in free agency, there are still options via trade, and there is still the NFL Draft coming up next month.

Sklz711 already broke down the free safety possibilities, and I agree, O.J. Atogwe makes the most sense. And PolishSausage.Ditka.Bears. (congrats on the front page bump btw) already touched on The Poison Pill Strategy the Bears should use to make an offer for Atogwe. But maybe the Bears are thinking the improved pass rush will be enough to offset any secondary concerns. Rumors have been floating since last week about the Bears actively pursuing a FS, but so far nothing. If they don't make a splash should we assume they are ready to usher in the Craig Steltz era at FS or will FS be their #1 priority in the draft?

As far as free agency goes, I think it's Atogwe or nothing. If they can't pull off a deal for him, I think free safety then has to be their top target in the draft. This is a deep draft at the safety position, and that bodes well for Chicago. They could find a player that is capable of starting at FS from day one with their 3rd round pick.

Sticking with the draft, I think it's fair to say that the Bears won't be targeting any running backs, tight ends, or defensive ends come April, (well, that 3rd one JA still may wind up targeting). I'd like to see the Bears target offensive line with that 3rd round pick. The unrestricted free agent offensive line men aren't very exciting, and finding a quality guard or right tackle is a possibility in the 3rd round.

A popular debate here on WCG is the future of Greg Olsen. Should they or shouldn't they trade him? Is he or isn't he a fit in the Mike Martz offense? The only non-debatable aspect to the discussion is that there isvalue around the league for Olsen. In fact he may be the only player on the roster where trading him makes sense. I'm still not sure if Angelo would pull the trigger on a deal. I'd be ok either way as long as they can at least pick up a high 2nd rounder. In regards to the perceived lack of balls being thrown the tight ends way in the offense, I loved what Manumaleuna had to say about that; from chicagobears.com:

"When I was in St. Louis, you have to understand the people that were outside of me," Manumaleuna said. "So when people say I was being ignored, it wasn't really being ignored. It was more throwing to two Pro Bowl receivers and a Pro Bowl running back coming out of the backfield. It wasn't a lack of using the tight ends but more so using your Hall of Fame players."

Good point. Greg Olsen may be the best receiving threat in Chicago, so why wouldn't Martz find a way to get him involved. When looking over the 2000 St. Louis Rams playbook, I came across plenty of times the tight end is running a route. I think the Bears will still utilize plenty of double TE sets, only with Manumaleuna lining up off the line so he can motion and play more of the H-Back role. If anyone is wary of losing playing time, it should be fullback Jason McKie. I regards to a trade, I think the Bears stand pat unless a team really blows them away with an offer, and a chance to select a player they deem "special".

The plan of attack I'd like to see Jerry Angelo take is; Sign Atogwe, then draft offensive line, either in the 3rd round or by trading Greg Olsen to move up for a 1st round talent like Mike Iupati or Maurkice Pouncey.

A few other thoughts I have...

With Anquan Boldin getting moved and Brandon Marshall looking like an unlikely option, I think the Bears ride with the group of receivers they have. Drafting a project guy late wouldn't surprise me.

If Pisa Tinoisamoa wants to resign, and the Bears want to resign him, why hasn't he officially resigned? He's still listed on the roster after all, according to their website.

Nathan Vasher is still a Bear why? He's still due a total of $10.1 million over the next three years ($2.95 million in 2010), and all that for a corner that won't start, that can't play safety, can't play nickle, and won't be on special teams?

Do you think the Bears would even bother to match any of the offers they may get on their restricted free agents? I can see them happy to pick up a few draft picks.

If Danieal Manning is really gonna get a crack at strong safety, then who'll play nickle?

Julius Peppers: The Bears' New Beast - @ChrisHarrisNFL

2010-03-09T13:53:28Z

Hey... What's goin' with my good-old Chicago Family? I thought I'd drop by, say "hi," and take a minute to share a few thoughts about my good friend, Julius Peppers.

Quite simply… Julius is one of the most dominant players in the league. He'll get double and triple-teamed, and still be able to brush everyone off him. But, even with that being true, he still tends to get a bad rap from people who say he's sometimes out there half-ass'n things, and I promise you that's not true. Sure... Julius doesn't get to the quarterback aaaaaaaaaall the time (Who does?), but that doesn't mean he's slackin'. Some fans and analysts need to understand that you shouldn't equate being a hard-worker by the number of sacks you get - that's simply not a fair way to gauge a player's efforts.

Here's the truth of the matter...

Julius is a FREAKISH talent. The reason someone might watch him play and think he's not giving it his all is because he makes playing the game of football look so damn easy. The last thing he's doing is slacking - he's just out there being the beast that he is in such a graceful way that he makes his gig look effortless. So don't confuse things - the man is definitely getting the job done. ...And with authority, might I add.

When I put in a good word for Julius as he was scouting the marketplace, I told anyone who wanted to know my opinion about him everything I just ran by you. And even though I hated that he might not be a Panther anymore, I had to be honest and say that Julius would most certainly boost the defense of whichever team brought him on. It's not everyday a player of his caliber comes along, and the Bears are going to be a better team for being the lucky ones who landed him.

Good luck next year!

Chris

P.S. Thanks for having me, over here on Windy City Gridiron. Letting me do this is too cool of you. Oh, and it would be cool if we could reconnect, so look me up on my Google Profile …alright? The link to it is on my Facebook page.

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The Bears Den: 3/09/10

2010-03-09T12:11:21Z

...where we are wondering who the starters on our OL will be.

Early winners and losers of Free Agency. Which side did the Bears fall on?

How Peppers' contract breaks down year by year.

Very good interview with the NFLPA and Matt Forte.

Bears are looking closely at Safety from Utah.

Video: Chester Taylor can be an every down back.

Follow WCG on Twitter!

Nice article by Brad Biggs on how the Bears were able to land three deals in one day.

First round draft projection... think it's close?

Tommie Harris: You can't double-team everyone. So pick your poison.

John Fox talks about the type of player Julius Peppers is.

Not only have the UCONN women won 71 straight games, they've won them all by double-digits.

"In the twilight of my life, do I want to be running around in my underwear trying to injure people? Absolutely not"

Monday Night Musings: Are the Bears still 3rd best?

2010-03-09T01:00:29Z

Hey all--I think I'm currently dying of the flu, but I wanted to tell you/ask you guys about an article I read earlier today.

It's no secret at this point that the Bears did what no one expected, nailing their free agent signings in rapid succession on Friday.

But after all that, are they still only 3rd best in the division? Gene Wojciechowski from espn.com seems to thinks so(warning--there's a giant auto-play video):

OK, so they're better, but are they the best in their own division? And the answer to that question wasn't buying pricey champagne Saturday night in Chicago. Instead, the answer was happily doing nothing in Hattiesburg, Miss.

OH MY! They tied it all to Favre! So weird of ESPN to do that...

That said, he make a legitimate point. The Vikings tend to have youth and skill at many of the positions that the Bears do, but it all seems to be better developed.

So are the Bears still not better than their two biggest rivals (Sorry, Lions!) Can you even tell it this early? No, you really can't, but let's talk about it anyways.

Stack up our guys against the other teams, and we'll make cases for everyone (yes, some of will have to defend Jared Allen. *shudder*) Either way, let's keep it a civil, fun, and engaging system where we step back from the euphoria of Fantastic Friday and begin to be the best analysis fan base in the game.

Poll

As of now, where do the Bears rank in the NFC North?

How 'Bout Those Moves the Bears Made!?! - @Kevin_Payne

2010-03-08T18:53:17Z

So yeah... How 'bout them moves the Bears made? Personally, I couldn't be more excited.

We got us a tight end in Brandon Manumaleuna. The dude's real physical and is, without a doubt, gonna be able to take our offense to another level.

Chester Taylor did nothing but good things when he was backing up Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. And before Adrian stepped in, he rushed for well over a thousand yards when he was the Viking's starting running back. With him and Forte sharing the workload, our offense is going to be much more explosive.

Finally, you have our new beast of a teammate: Julius Peppers. I'm sorry, but I just can't say enough about this guy - he deserves a post dedicated to him, alone. I mean, look at him... He's 6' 7", 280 pounds, and can run a 4.4 forty - that's just amazing and, honestly, a little bit scary (HA!). I'm certain he's gonna make our defense, as well as the entire city of Chicago, very, very happy.

As I skim through the words on the web, I can sense that Chicago Bears fans are excited about the new acquisitions, just as much as I am. It's offseason moves like these that REALLY make me excited to get back to practice and work out with everyone. We're taking all the right steps in improving our team, and I honestly believe we're gonna have a good chance doing it this year (and I think you know what I mean by "doing it").

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Peppers Buys Night Club Patrons 25 Bottles of Champagne

2010-03-08T16:51:08Z

Peppers Buys Night Club Patrons 25 Bottles of Champagne

It's good to be the king...or sign a $91.5 million contract.

The Chicago Bears' Oscars: 2011 Edition

2010-03-08T13:44:29Z

Oscar Statue

View full size photo »

As I sit here watching my wife's "Super Bowl", I decided to think toward next year (because I only saw 1 of the nominated movies and it was...meh). One year from now, what will the 2010 season look like? So, without further ado, the Chicago Bears Oscars: 2011 Edition.

The categories are Best Movie, Director, Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, & Special Effects. And the winners are:

Special Effects:

Devin Hester, of course, for his renewed excellence on Special Teams. Hester moved from "#1 WR" to slot receiver and focused on being an all-world returner again after disappointing 2008 and 2009 seasons. In the 2010 season, Hester scored 5 return touchdowns during the season and also gave Chicago the best starting field position of any team in the NFL. He capped off his incredible 2010 season with a punt return for a touchdown in Chicago's 2nd Super Bowl victory. Other nominees included Robbie Gould and Tim Shaw.

Supporting Actor:

Chris Williams, the 3rd year tackle, started all 16 games at left tackle in 2010. He is the winner for Best Supporting Actor for the Bears. Overshadowed by bigger stars on the Bears, he was instrumental nonetheless in keeping Jay Cutler's jersey clean for most of the season. Cutler was only sacked 20 times, a huge improvement over the previous season. Chris Williams, the best of the Bears' offensive line, deserves a lot of the credit for that. His best outing occurred in the NFC Divisional Round Game, where he limited Jared Allen to no sacks, no tackles, and goaded him into an ejection after back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Allen was seen crying like a little school girl in the locker room after the game.

Screenplay:

The writer and architect of the Bears potent offense is Mike Martz. He's the obvious winner for Best Screenplay. All season long, the offense was always 2 steps ahead of the opposing defenses. Martz's game plans, in-game play-calling and adjustments set the Bears apart from every team in the league. Martz called plays for the league's #2 rated passing offense, and #1 scoring team, while working with pro-bowlers Devin Aromashodu & Jay Cutler.

Best Director:

A reluctant coach, who was not even sure he wanted the job last year, Rod Marinelli coordinated a surprising ferocious defense in 2010. His direction of this veteran group deserves this award. The Bears' defense, with pro-bowlers Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, OJ Atogwe, and Defensive Player of the Year Julius Peppers, was the #1 scoring defense in the NFL. They also led the NFL in turnovers & sacks. Peppers, in his 1st season with the Bears, had 16 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, & 1 interception during the season. He also had 1 fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in the Bears defeat of New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game. Marinelli was cited by every player for his tenacity, motivation, and inspiration.

Best Actor:

Jay Cutler followed his disappointing 2009 season with a blockbuster 2010 campaign. He threw for over 4,300 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only 13 interceptions. His stunning season was capped off with a 3 touchdown MVP performance in Super Bowl XLV.

Best Movie:

Super Bowl XLV was a complete destruction of the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts were in their 2nd straight Super Bowl, and suffered their 2nd straight defeat. Unlike last years' game, this one was never close. The Bears debacled the Colts to the tune of 44-0, the first shutout in Super Bowl history. Peyton Manning was knocked out of the game in the 1st quarter after being sandwiched by Tommie Harris & Israel Idonije. The Colts were never in it after that. Hester scored on a punt return, Jay Cutler threw 3 touchdowns, Matt Forte and Chester Taylor had one TD each. Julius Peppers had a safety in the game. Lovie Smith was actually seen smiling after the game. His only post game comment after receiving an 8-year contract extension was, "you like me, you really like me!"

Wow, that's some strong kool-aid, isn't it?