The Bears are in the midst of a civil war over team direction. Lovie Smith and GM Jerry Angelo aren't speaking to one another right now. Angelo is looking to bring in a QB (Aaron Brooks or Chad Pennington) but Lovie is all but refusing to play anyone but Rex Grossman. The whole Bears delegation is very tense.

 

This is from a reliable poster at RealGM who has media credentials and is at the combine.

 

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=4...der=asc&start=0 Last post

Haha Crazyman is now a god.

Oh man Id love to bring a guy like Aaron Brooks in.... have it open competition... I think Rex prob will win out since lovie will favor him but if he has another injury Id finally be happy with our backup...

I can see wanting to sign a QB but Pennington? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

I'm splitting this out, because that's just thread worthy for all the Bears fans on the site.

I can see wanting to sign a QB but Pennington?  Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

 

personally i'd prefer pennington over brooks, but that's obviously contingent on his health, or lack thereof.

I personally want an athletic QB. Rex and Orton are pretty much stiffs. I would like to see Omar Jacobs or Reggie McNeal. Both would be available in round 3 and would cost little. Brooks--who I prefer over Pennington--would cost some money and would prevent us from adressing other needs like safety and WR. But if Icness (realGM guy) is accurate, you gotta agree with Angelo. Rex and Kyle have proven nothing in the pros and the Bears are a TE, one WR steping up or signed from and a servicable QB from being super bowl contenders. That TE will come via the draft, the WR will be Randel-El or a draft pick/one of our guys picking it up and the QB is the question mark. Let Lovie coach, let Jerry sign guys.

Edited February 27, 200620 yr by maggsmaggs

Message board info is basically alot like reading tabloids. I love this gem:

 

3. I can't tell you who I got it from, but don't be surprised if you hear trade winds blowing about Mike Vick. And this person would definitely know. The Falcons are "disgusted" with his progress in throwing and they're not going to waste more money on WRs when they know he cannot hit them. If he's not completing 60% after 4 weeks, he's probably going to be benched and it will be the end of his Atlanta days.

Edited February 27, 200620 yr by RockRaines

Oh man Id love to bring a guy like Aaron Brooks in.... have it open competition... I think Rex prob will win out since lovie will favor him but if he has another injury Id finally be happy with our backup...

 

Aaron Brooks sucks. He hasn't had a good year since 03. He's an interception/fumble machine.

Edited February 28, 200620 yr by Jordan4life_2006

no brooks, no pennington.

 

just keep rex until he is injured again, then we can all panic.

Aaron Brooks sucks.  He hasn't had a good year since 03.  He's an interception/fumble machine.

 

Well look on the team he has been on too not much to play for... and while they always had weapons never really had much of an O-Line especially one like ours.

Well look on the team he has been on too not much to play for... and while they always had weapons never really had much of an O-Line especially one like ours.

I dispute that. They've got LeCharles Bentley who's one of the top 5 C/G's in the NFL without a doubt, and some solid other lineman in Mayberry, Gandy and Jacox.

 

Brooks has been put in an excellent position down there, with a great running back, and fairly good receivers and he hasn't suceeded.

Brooks is a mess. He's not worth the money it would cost to bring him in.

 

And as for those of you who want a scrambling quarterback for the Bears, why? Scrambling QBs are just more injury and turnover prone, and when your team wins with defense, its better that you don't turn the ball over.

Brooks makes non-stop stupid decisions with the ball. Pennington has a noodle-arm and can't stay healthy. I would take either as a backup but I don't want them starting.

Why isn't anyone fighting for Kyle Orton?

According to This SI piece the Bears are likely to have less than $10 million in cap room available this year, depending on if anyone gets cut or not. Given their needs at other positions and how close they wound up last year, this just doesn't seem like the time to waste cap room on a QB. You're just not going to find one who's going to be worth not filling gaps at other positions (Or did you enjoy Tillman on Steve Smith?).

According to This SI piece the Bears are likely to have less than $10 million in cap room available this year, depending on if anyone gets cut or not.  Given their needs at other positions and how close they wound up last year, this just doesn't seem like the time to waste cap room on a QB.  You're just not going to find one who's going to be worth not filling gaps at other positions (Or did you enjoy Tillman on Steve Smith?).

I think that is wrong, IIRC, the Bears have near $17 million not counting when they cut Mike Green.

I think that is wrong, IIRC, the Bears have near $17 million not counting when they cut Mike Green.

I was thinking 17 as well

I was thinking 17 as well

ESPN says the Bears are under by $7.8 million (John Clayton with a list.)

ESPN says the Bears are under by $7.8 million (John Clayton with a list.)

Clayton is dead wrong. Its minimum 17 million and you can take that to the bank. There is a good chance (depending on the new CBA) that it will be even higher.

I was under the impression that $17M figured was based on the assumption of a $10M cap boost, that can no longer be assumed. This falls in line with the figures from Clayton.

I was under the impression that $17M figured was based on the assumption of a $10M cap boost, that can no longer be assumed.  This falls in line with the figures from Clayton.

From what I heard if the cap is raised there salary will actually be more in the 25 million range. That would be pretty ridiculous.

Using this info as a gauge:

 

As it stands now, if there is no extension to the CBA, the NFL has notified teams that the 2006 salary cap will be approximately $94.5 M, which represents a nice increase over last year's $85.5 M figure. However, that figure is still significantly less than what the figure would be under a new CBA with an expanded Defined Gross Revenue (DGR).

 

The Bears will have $19.5 M of Cap space. If the new CBA is completed, it can easily jump into the mid 20's.

 

 

http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/numbers.asp

Using this info as a gauge:

The Bears will have $19.5 M of Cap space.  If the new CBA is completed, it can easily jump into the mid 20's.

http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/numbers.asp

 

Does the salary cap always go up? Like is there ever going to be a limit to how high it will go or will it ever go down?

This is from a reliable poster at RealGM who has media credentials and is at the combine.

 

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=4...der=asc&start=0  Last post

 

But he decides to post this little tid bit of information on an internet message board rather than print it in his newspaper or report it on his news program. Apparently the the GM and the head coach not talking over a QB controversey wouldn't sell newspapers of produce ratings.[/sarcasm]