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Going into 2007 the Bears may not have a more pressing need than getting younger on the offensive line. Here's a breakdown of the group:
Olin Kreutz, 29
Roberto Garza, 27
Fred Miller, 34
John Tait, 32
Terrence Metcalf, 29
John St. Clair, 29
Ruben Brown, 34 (free agent)
What should the Bears do?
ERIC STEINBACH
Steinbach is going to elicit a great deal of interest from around the league as the Bengal is on the verge of being one of the best guards in football. He'll only be 27 when next season starts. For a team as far under the cap as the Bears, it's the best place for them to be spending money.
DRAFT, DRAFT, DRAFT
I haven't done the research yet but the Bears should take a significant look at offensive linemen in the first two rounds of this draft, especially with two tackles over 32 years old.
GET BETTER
We have a great center, very good guards and pretty good tackles. Too often this season in critical spots was the permiter of our offensive line exposed. The Bears need to seriously evaluate whether John Tait can continue to handle the left tackle spot and whether Fred Miller's still a starting lineman in the league.
Final Thoughts: I'm still pissed we lost the Super Bowl. I'd like to add a mean streak to this unit.
#2 jdawg said . . .How about another guy who hits his teammates with dumbbells?
February 11, 2007
#3 craig said . . .Move Miller to the bench. Move Tait back to where he was and draft a monster, if a monster is available. I don't believe one is.
It seems to me that the tackles are OK at pass blocking but mediocre at run blocking. Vice versa for the guards. Garza may still be learning but Brown is getting old. I agree with getting Steinbach. If its a question of paying an aging Brown or a young Steinbach I say go with the latter.
I don’t know that these guys aren’t mean. At least Olin is mean enough for the four others. But your right, I wish one of the tackles were Runyon-mean
February 11, 2007
#4 Midway Monster said . . .laughing @ Noah.
Yeah I like Steinbach too. Would be money well spent.
February 11, 2007
#5 jeff said . . .I agree with the "mean streak". I used to play center- everytime I snapped the ball it was like a shotgun start to a gang fight. You need to have a certian mental edge to play o-line. No one is gonna give you credit, you need to be smart, play as a unit, & you need to be ready to inflict pain.
--Midway--
(in rehab)February 11, 2007
#6 Bill said . . .i don't even like coming to this site right now and i write it. it's as if every day that goes by, i feel worse about the super bowl.
February 11, 2007
#7 Windyyy said . . .Jeff - hang in there! Every day I avtually feel better - the memory of the "snow globe" game is far fresher in my mind. I can't forget standing there with my son, SCREAMING the fight song for the tenth time and knowing that beat the team that the whole nation expected/wanted to win.
We weren't good enough to beat the AFC - but got there. Something we hadn't done for the past 20 Super Bowls. TWENTY!! A whole GENERATION!
The city was ONE during the weeks leading up to it. The decorations are STILL up; orange and blue is still in the air at night. I wish it wou;d stay that way - but it has to end. But all this was because of a football team that finally broke through.
I checked the records - every year since the SB started, one team has lost. (Light sarcasm.) And this year, 30 teams didn't get the chance. WE DID!
I will never forget this year. I hope there is better to come - but this was, overall, a HELL of a lot of fun!!
February 11, 2007
#8 Midway Monster said . . .ahhh don't worry Jeff....you can always take comfort in the fact that the Bears never had a chance going in when Lovie decided he wanted to put the game on Rex Grossman's shoulders. If the Bears made any attempt to shorten the game and eat some clock, I think this game would have been much closer, and given the Bears defense, possibly a win. The Bears can definitely repeat, and they can even win as long as Rex isn't taking the snaps.
February 11, 2007
#9 Pissed off said . . .Jeff - I hear ya. I think its gonna be this way for a spell. Sooner or later I'll rise up and 'sport my ole tude'. Till then I am muddling along. Maybe Draft Day will spark us up, or when they announce the 07 scheudles.
--Midway--
(in rehab)February 11, 2007
#10 Megan said . . .We should focus on finding some tighter pants for Rex to play in. I love those cute little buns. And maybe a shirt that shows his midriff a little more. Ooh, I have goosebumps!
February 11, 2007
#11 Bear Down said . . .Something tells me that wasn't the REAL PO'D.
Jeff, I like what Bill said. Read it again. He's right. I keep thinking about the snow, the cold, the dirt, the grime and the fight. That NFC championship game really stands out in my mind. Hang in there! (picture kitten hanging onto branch of tree with one claw)February 12, 2007
#12 Lazarz said . . .Screw it . . . don't draft anybody for the O-Line . . . hopefully early next year they will break down and allow some defense to put a career-ending injury on da' Grossman
February 12, 2007
#13 jdawg said . . .I just watched the NFL films super bowl XLI episode. I almost vomited.
February 12, 2007
#14 mikebdot said . . .Hey Jeff,
Maybe all your headlines should be subheaded:
"which will eventually get back to bitching about Grossman in the comments section"
February 12, 2007
#15 Anonymous said . . .Yes, draft/acquire/coach up O and D-line. 'nuff said. Am anxiously awaiting draft day even more than the day I get my bonus...
February 12, 2007
#16 Pissed off said . . .Some of you act like we are used to having superstar QBs. (war hammer, windyy, bear down, etc) Why is that? Funny how they are all fair weather fans that only post here when things are bad.
I boycotted the Pro Bowl this year, didnt watch a minute, didnt see any stats. I was to eat while the game was going on and as I was leaving I saw on a TV that Kaeding kicked the game winning FG. Other than that I know nothing about how the Bears players did. By the way how many Bears actually played? I know most of them dropped out.
Wow Hawks fans are still coming here after we beat them down....find something to do and quit whining about Hass, when he's healthy he sucks more than he did that day.
No #9 wasnt me but Im flattered by the fact that I offended some weakminded douche enough for him to post under my name.
February 12, 2007
#17 Pissed off said . . .Number #15 was me.
February 12, 2007
#18 Hoge said . . .I have things to do, and I would assume most of you do as well but if anyone gets time, mainly Jeff because of his post, could you go thru all the NFL teams and see how our average age compares to all the other teams average age of O-Lines? I'm quite curious and think we are not as old as dirt as you proclaim...but I could be wrong.
February 12, 2007
#19 Midway Monster said . . .It should be a relatively quiet offseason for the Bears since the only position that they need to address IMMEDIATELY is quarterback. I'm a Packer fan, but I have a ton of respect for the Bears. I think they are the most complete team in the NFL, aside from the QB. They really need to make a move so they have an insurance policy for Rex...or even just go with Griese because flat out, he's a better player.
February 12, 2007
#20 Bill said . . .Jeff, you do as Megan said in #10 'picture kitten hanging onto branch of tree with one claw' or just 'picture kitten hanging by a tree with one claw dangling'.
--Midway--
(yeah I know, I need to up my meds)February 12, 2007
#21 Pissed off said . . .I think Griese will be the starter this year, the more I think of it. We need to do all we can to get back to the SB and the harassment Rex is going to take from his next bad game will be even more brutal.
Obviously, Griese is no long term solution - but show me a team in the NFL, other than NE, who wins in the long term? IT seems like every team gets 3-4 years of opportunity and then it's back to rebuilding. I say we do all we can with Griese (no worse than Garcia and Garcia is going to get some huge FA contract), keep Rex as a backup, keep Orton as a backup, and wait to draft the next project QB when it's time to rebuild.
O-line and TE are immediate needs on offense. A replacement for Moose is a possible need as well, but maybe a year or two down the line. Your "go-to" receiver can't be a burner - the Sun-Times points that out in today's article.
February 12, 2007
#22 Kent DeCesare said . . .I dont know if it was the same article Bill, but I read something earlier today in the Trib or Times that Moose is bascially the worst #1 in NFL. He ranked #23rd in catches or something like that and that part of the problem is the WRs around Rex. I like Moose and think he's got a couple more good years but that being said I'm also a Rex guy.
We will just have to wait until the season starts but Im guessing there's about a 2% chance Griese starts over Rex opening day barring injury. In fact its probably less than that. Because if there is the so called open tryouts in training camp for the QB position Rex will beat out Griese in every category except age.
Hey Jeff, any movement on the O-Line project?
February 12, 2007
#23 Bill said . . .The four areas I think the Bears will need to fill are:
1. Sign or draft an impact safety, as I think our depth at safety is not good.
2. Sign a younger upcoming OL in free agency. Eric Steinbach fits the bill here.
3. Draft the best TE or FB/HB available (second round?)
4. Draft an OL with one of the first three picks.My dream draft for the Bears would be:
Round 1: OT Levi Brown, Penn St.
Round 2: FB Brian Leonard, Rutgers
Round 3: S Michael Griffin, TexasOR
Round 1: FB Brian Leonard (if he starts grading high after the NFL Combine)
Round 2: OL Justin Blalock, Texas or OL Ryan Kalil, USC
Round 3: S Michael Griffin, Texas or S Aaron Rouse, Virginia TechSign OL Eric Steinbach
February 12, 2007
#24 Bill said . . .I think Steinbach wants to come to Chicago - but obviously for the right money. He's from the area and has investments here as well , from what I've heard thrid hand.
February 12, 2007
#25 Max said . . .I read PEter King today (why I torture myself, I have no idea.) He bit on the Limbaugh thing (Limbaugh said everyone is picking on Rex because he's white - and then later said he only did that to pull the chain of the media.)
Anyway, King said if a black QB performed as bad as Rex , he'd get the same reaction.
But the real intersting thing was a clip from the NFL Films SB highlights - with a mike picking up Thomas Jones saying "c'mon Rex, make a play!". This happened purportedly righ before the first INT. (I say purportedly becuase I didn't see it; King said so, but it coudl have been edited to look like that.)
Anyway - here is the real probelm again; Rex was forcing things in an effort to win the game himself. Something a lot of young QBs do all the time (in realtively meaningless games with teams struggling to win any games, much less make the playoffs.)
So here's the worst case scenario -
Lovie sticks with Rex. Rex still has bad games. The whole nation jumps on him (people simply like to kick rich and / or famous people when they are down. It's a fact of life.) Rex is booed and the local media calls Smith unfit and selfish and not seeing the bigger picture. No matter how the season plays out, Rex is seen as the person that cost the Bears a Super Bowl two years in a row. He is cut or traded for a bag of balls becuase he needs a change of scenery. He is a backup for a couple of years and then gets a chance again somehoe. He concentrates this time because he knows it's his last chance - and with maturity, he succeeds. Maybe even wins a SB.Why? - because he has talent - but a certain immaturity. In hindsight- Lovie shoudl have pulled the trigger on the switch. He should have said "if it takes the threat of losing his job to make him concentrate, he's not ready to lead a team in the playoffs."
February 12, 2007
#26 Pissed off said . . .I haven't read the Sun Times article but i have to question the reasoning behind what the Sun Times, "your "go-to" receiver cant be a burner."
Maybe it causes for to many risky throws but I see several teams where their Number 1 receiver is a burner. Steve Smith, Marvin Harrison, and Torry Holt come to mind. I am not saying having a bigger, more consistent receiver isnt what we need, it very well might be the way Moose has done sometimes, I just dont think its so black and white.
February 12, 2007
#27 Pissed off said . . .To quote the great Billy Madison movie: "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room (blog) is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
February 12, 2007
#28 Max said . . .#26 is in response to #24
February 12, 2007
#29 Starbuck said . . .I agree more to the fact that I back Rex. He can be good, and he can be good for us. The sounds like the making of a cliche` movie more than it does an NFL story. Or a Tommy Maddox story and we all know how that turned out.
February 12, 2007
#30 Midway Monster said . . .In training camp and the pre-season, Lovie will open up the QB position to competition and as Pissed Off said in #21, Rex will end up being the starter at the beginning of the season. Why? Because he can throw any pass Griese can and Rex can make some plays that Griese can't. There is a reason that Griese never took a playoff snap.
However, if Angelo re-signs Rex in this offseason, he is a fool.
Angelo should evaluate Rex over the first half of next season. If he shows consistency through the first half, he should re-sign him. If he produces the same inconsistent garbage, I would let his ass loose at the end of the season.
The defense is not going to be great forever. The last thing we need is to have an erratic QB for the long term, who can't bail the defense out of some games when it really matters.
Oh, and draft/sign O linemen.
February 12, 2007
#31 jdawg said . . .Jeff, maybe you need to close the site down for a month or two? Come join me in rehab.
--Midway--
February 12, 2007
#32 Jokey said . . .Berrian doesn't belong in the same sentence with Holt, Smith or Harrison. The point was that Berrian is a speed guy and mainly a speed guy and those deep throws are hard to make on a consistent basis. Rex needed a better, high-percentage safety valve and their wasn't a dependable one.
Man, if we had Smith, Harrison or Holt on this team can you imagine what a difference that would make in our passing AND running game?
February 12, 2007
#33 jdawg said . . .So I've heard that Grossman doesn't know why he has bad games. Does the coaching staff?
I'm not sure if I'm a Rex supporter anymore. Sure he's still inexperienced, but is he learning? To my eyes he's not becoming any less inconsistent. Has anyone heard what the coaching staff's plan is for this, or is this something which is supposed to just happen on its own?
He has very poor pocket presence - the timer in his head doesn't go off fast enough, and when it does, he doesn't decisively tuck or throw the ball away - when sacked, he just barely avoids the fumble, and when he throws it away, his passes look like they're gonna be picked off half the time.
He's not a young Favre - young Favre was always a threat to run, in addition to his All-Time Arm.
Sorry for the dissociated questions - I'm just trying to sort some things out. It's going to be a long off season for me.
February 12, 2007
Rex Rex Rex
OK -- it was his first full season and he fell off in the second half of the season. Did he hit a wall? Did D coordinators figure him out? Does he really suck? Is he really awesome but green? Can he crack a walnut with his ass cheeks?
Who the fuck knows, but we should have a better idea about 4 out of 5 of those this August.
February 12, 2007
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