I'm preparing to write a Super Bowl gambling extravaganza on Friday, where I'll provide my thoughts on essentially every prop bet on the board (including insider information regarding the coin toss). Today a last Chicago Bears rodeo of the 2008 NFL Season...
The Wrong Quarterback Concern
Think about the great defenses in the NFL today and in NFL yesteryear and you'll understand what the Bears are missing: a leader. There's no Ray Lewis. No Mike Singletary. No Jack Lambert. Tommie is too inconsistent. Lance is too quiet. 54 is too polished. Mike Brown is too never on the field. Alex Brown has the temperament but does he have the game? Where's the soul of this unit?
I'd Warner But She Won't Listen
Apparently the Kurt Warner-to-Chicago rumors have now reached the mainstream press and thus must be addressed. Okay, here I go. It's really stupid. Signing Kurt Warner would have one significantly positive effect for the Bears: it'd keep him out of Minnesota. Remember Minnesota? They won the division without a starting quarterback?
Get a McClue
Vaughn McClure's article in the Tribune has about five things I don't understand in it. (1) "Trading for a star receiver such as Anquan Boldin might be unrealistic for the Bears." WHY? Could we have at least one reason in this piece for a trade to be so casually discarded? (2) Penn State's Derrick Williams? Really? Isn't he just Diet Devin? And are kick and punt return capabilities really a pressing matter? (3) Wide receiver, according to McClure, doesn't seem to be a top priority. Since when? (4) Brandon Lloyd is unlikely to return to the Bears next season. Now I hadn't heard or read this anywhere but I'll say it'd be an awful mistake. Lloyd is the proto-typical number three, possession receiver and he catches everything - a rarity with this receiving corps. (5) The central thesis is incorrect. If trading some draft picks and acquiring Anquan Boldin solves a major issue with the team, why not do it instead of taking a chance on an unproven commodity? If the Bears are going to target wide receiver with any of their first three picks, trading for Boldin makes infinitely more sense.
#2 Urlacher FTW said . . .I dont see why Warner would leave. I dont think Arizona would push him out and there cant be a better situation anywhere. If they were that worried about Leinart they would have started him this year. The oldest team in the league and they finally get to a Superbowl, I think theyll pay him.
January 28, 2009
#3 Urlacher FTW said . . .Cleveland says they will deal Braylon Edwards 6'3 215 lb ass for a no1 pick point blank.
January 28, 2009
#4 Urlacher FTW said . . .and yes I know he led the NFL in dropped passes this year but he had 4 QBs throwing to him, but he is a proven possesion receiver in the past and if people are so worried about a draft bust here's a perfect solution.
January 28, 2009
#5 Rancid said . . .jeff or anyone who knows.. how long could the Bears wait to decide to trade thier pick or not? Like, could they sit until their pick is up and if Maclin and Bey are both gone, say here Cleveland well take Braylon as our pick?
January 28, 2009
#6 jeremy34 said . . .Urlacher- what's your source on the Edwards info? post a link if you can. thx
January 28, 2009
#7 Phil from SATX said . . .I will take Braylon Edwards all day. So tired of not having a good wr on this team.
On another note, the comment we are not good at drafting wide receivers is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard. It's a fallalcy.
January 28, 2009
#8 Phil from SATX said . . .I say hell yes to Braylon Edwards. Trading a #1 pick "maybe" for a bona fide #1 receiver, and that's all they want? They used the third pick in the draft for him 3 years ago, he was a Pro Bowler last year, fell off this year amidst all the QB turmoil but still managed 873 yards and 55 catches. 6' 3", 215 lbs, I don't care about 16 dropped passes, that's a bona fide #1.
Rather have Boldin, but he'll be more expensive than that, plus everybody grabbing at him.
HELL YES!!!!!
January 28, 2009
#9 jeff said . . .Jeremy, you're probably right - what we ARE terrible at is USING the WRs we draft!
@#$@*&#*& COACHES!!!!!
January 28, 2009
#10 Urlacher FTW said . . .ftw, they can trade that pick even after their pick has passed, assuming they don't make it.
January 28, 2009
#11 Phil from SATX said . . .Rancid
My original source was the Larry Maher question on the bears site, I then found a short article on NFL Netwok . I then came here and posted.I just looked for it and it is no longer posted and all I can find are posts on other Blogs. May have been a rumor that slipped I dunno. I did find that they have a new GM and HC and are only getting 4 picks in the Draft so that all coupled with his bad year last year make it pretty beleivable. But as of now I can't find evidence that it is true :(
January 28, 2009
#12 animal said . . .I looked too, couldn't find, except that it seems clear that the Browns have soured a little bit on BE - thought to have had a HORRIBLE year last year (which of course would have been a FANTASTIC year on the Chicago Bears) - and they think he's a little of a bad actor. Plus they DO need picks, and seem to be in somewhat of rebuilding mode with new coach etc...
I think the rumor is probably based in reality. I don't think anyone with a high first round draft pick would trade it for Edwards, but with our 18th, that sounds very doable. I would not be surprised to see this happen. And then I would be really psyched to have a real receiver that Idiot RT would actually let play.
January 28, 2009
#13 big rob said . . .Urlacher- really? That dude is fucking awesome. I dont care that he had a bad year- wow. JA, go get him???
January 28, 2009
#14 BDG said . . .Heart...
Dare I suggest soon the be Free Agent....
Ray Lewis......
hmmmmmm.......
January 29, 2009
#15 Z said . . .I would take the Edwards for 18th in a heart beat. They still need to re=sign Lloyd. Let Davis and Booker go. Give the kid (Bennett) some chances mixed in with Lloyd with Edwards and Hester being the primary wr targets to go with Olsen, Dez and Forte. If the line can play even as well as this year it would be hard to screw that potential up
Oh and give Rideau a shot I don't care if it's 15 balls this year he's earned it damn itJanuary 29, 2009
#16 Willie from Chicago said . . .What BDG said
A sure thing versus a prospect with no 1-3 years of development necessary. Ya! No Brainer.
January 29, 2009
#17 Urlacher FTW said . . .I agree that Warner would help us out next year, but what happens after that? Wanrer isnt a long term soluti0n, so if you bring him in then you are saying that you will win a superbowl this year. The problem is this team doesnt only need a quarterback. There are much more important parts of the team that need to be fixed such as OL, DL, DB and WR. I say pass on Warner.
BEAR DOWN
January 29, 2009
#18 Willie from Chicago said . . .Willie jeff is saying Warner wouldn't help us. To be perfectly honest he is kinda like KO with a weaker arm. Did you watch the philly-ari playoff game. Warner severely underthrew Fitz when he was wide open and the announcers even said they had to tell Fitz not to run his hardest on that play because Warner can't throw very far. The only real pretty pass to Fitz for a TD was a 8 yd fade route and even HS QBs can make that throw. Jeff is being sarcastic and saying the only way Warner would help this team is by proxy of being here he couldn't be on the 'queens or kittys.
January 29, 2009
#19 Urlacher FTW said . . .Oh shit, I said would instead of wouldn't my bad. Braylon Edwards would fit in nicely with this team. A big WR you can catch the damn ball,
January 29, 2009
#20 jdawg said . . .I mean I think Kurt is a good QB but let's be honest, being in a cozy warm climate throwing to a couple of Pro bowl WRs one of which is arguably the best in the NFL currently is a pretty sweet set-up that about any QB would take. Coming to a town like Chicago without even a single true #1 WR, no WR that can even smell the Pro-bowl, playing in the frigid cold half the season, a peacemill Oline, yah Kurt wouldn't come clse to turning this team around.
I mean Kurt did throw 30 TDs but Fitz had 12 and Boldin had 11 of those, I mean you give those two decent numbers like 6 each and you take him down to 19 TDs thrown. We definately have bigger fish to fry than worrying about the QB derby all over again.January 29, 2009
#21 BearDown1982 said . . .did anyone watch Warner when he was with the Giants?
January 29, 2009
#22 NittyGritty34 said . . .No on Warner. First off, he will be coming off of a Super Bowl, which means we would have to pay more for him that your average upper 30s QB. Second, although he has had some nice accomplishments in the league, I don't see him excelling with the Bears and our terrible receivers. Stick with Orton and bring in another, cheaper veteran QB.
Also, someone explain to me why the Bears don't bring back both Brandon Lloyd and Mike Brown? Sure, they have both had injury problems in the past...but they would come cheap and we don't have anyone right now to plug in for either of them. Apparently, the draft is always going to solve all of our problems in JAs world.
January 29, 2009
#23 Urlacher FTW said . . .I'll keep reading, but frankly, I'm sick of the conjecture. I'll chime in when something actually happens.
January 29, 2009
#24 big ten speed said . . .Are there definate reports that Brown or Lloyd are gone? Maybe their agents are playing the field before talking with the Bears, I would think Brown returns; Lloyd I dunno I'd like to see him back but I dunno.
Nitty - conjecture is about all we have for the next couple of months.
big rob - if we are signing a Ravens FA I'd take Suggs before Lewis. Lewis is an above average MLB now and at his age the dial certainly isn't pointing up. We already have an overpaid MLB who may have his best years behind him, I don't want 2 of em especially since he has like stabbed people and got into some pretty shady situations.
January 29, 2009
#25 Bill from SATX said . . .Warner will break and/or fumble a lot without a clean pocket, which the Bears have struggled to provide to KO. His success has always been with two elite wideouts. Bears have no elite wideouts.
Edwards for a 1st rounder is way too cheap a price.
Boldin might be a smart decision, but the Bears haven't brought in any elite FAs recently, so history is against us.
Jeremy is right- the Bears can't recognize or coach talent at WR: Bradley suddenly blossoms with the Chiefs, Gage, while still not very good, has been at least okay with the Titans. And so on.
January 29, 2009
#26 Pennsylvania Bear Fan said . . .I agree with BDG (14) on what he sees as a line up. I liked what Lloyd brought to the table, until he got hurt. I say bring a FA rather than draft a WR that the staff cannot develop one (Gage, Bradley, Wade, and the list goes on). Kurt would have helped us if he was able to try out when he was supposed to until the issue on his honeymoon. He could have helped us out again when he left the Giants and wanted to compete for the job, but the organization was wanting Rex to play instead. I have been a fan of Kurt Warner, but he needs to stay there with proven talent. What can we give him? For this team, I like KO and if we can get the WR situation handled, he could have an even better year. I know I did not expect much from KO this year in the beginning, but I was surprised with how he played and became a fan. He is smart, plays to his abilities, and will not quit. What more can we ask for?
January 29, 2009
Why i am i not hearing any talk about Jeff Garcia? I thought there is a good chance the bucs were going to let him go. We need a man that could move around and throw the deep ball. I like Orton but he doesnt have an arm.
January 30, 2009
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