ChrisDeLuca Chris De Luca

#Bears signed G/C Edwin Williams to a two-year contract extension.

 

No reason not to do that, competent backup.

No reason not to do that, competent backup.

 

Agreed. I think this season should illustrate the value of depth at key positions.

I read a tweet a few days ago that the Saints only have 1 offensive starter who was a 1st round pick (Mark Ingram - and he splits touches). That's pretty amazing to me.

Lance Briggs being in the Pro Bowl this year is a travesty. He's been terrible. And slow. Slow as s***.

Huh? Briggs has been his normal studly self. The dude is an absolute rock. If I were the Bears, I would think long and hard about trading Forte (if you could get a 1st and a 2nd) and Briggs (for a 2nd). Than I'd use the money they supposedly have to sign two of Mario Williams, a top wide-out, and a LB (or LT or CB). You'd also have the ability to add some draft picks in (plus the Greg Olsen pick) and as a result of those picks (hopefully some talented youth).

 

I'm sure some would disagree with me on Forte but I really have no problem with Bell (to my eye, he looks really good, outside of the fact he needs to learn how to hold the football) and I'm okay with Barber backing him up (plus a draft pick or something).

The Bears still have need of a WR and Williams can be effective...but the drops simply kill him. Even if the Bears bring in an extra WR and just want to move Williams to the 3rd WR role, he just doesn't do anything in particular well enough to overcome the fact that he can't hold onto the ball.

I'm okay with Williams as long as he's okay trying to prove himself again. He'll have another year with the Bears and if he worked with Cutler they could develop a better rapport. Bears have major needs at wideout and in this league you need plenty of them. I'm okay with Knox, Bennett, Hester, Williams, and a major FA acquisition (or 1st round draft pick).

Huh? Briggs has been his normal studly self. The dude is an absolute rock. If I were the Bears, I would think long and hard about trading Forte (if you could get a 1st and a 2nd) and Briggs (for a 2nd). Than I'd use the money they supposedly have to sign two of Mario Williams, a top wide-out, and a LB (or LT or CB). You'd also have the ability to add some draft picks in (plus the Greg Olsen pick) and as a result of those picks (hopefully some talented youth).

 

I'm sure some would disagree with me on Forte but I really have no problem with Bell (to my eye, he looks really good, outside of the fact he needs to learn how to hold the football) and I'm okay with Barber backing him up (plus a draft pick or something).

I wouldn't trade Briggs but I am in complete agreement with you on everything else. I think Forte is vastly overrated, and I think people here underrate Briggs...but last time I brought that up I got torn a new one, so I chose to keep my mouth shut this time...

I think our discussion here is "would you really feel that bad if Williams were the #3 WR going into next year, behind Bennett and some major addition".

 

I'd tentatively be OK with that, especially if Knox is expected to be back to normal.

I still don't understand why the Bears don't use Hester more in the slot on short, quick passes, which would utilize his quick acceleration and cutting abilities.

I still don't understand why the Bears don't use Hester more in the slot on short, quick passes, which would utilize his quick acceleration and cutting abilities.

Because he doesn't ever accelerate. He dances. Even on his punt returns, he usually opens up his holes by simply outrunning all the pursuit laterally. He doesn't seem to be able to do this on regular offensive plays because there is not enough space.

Edited December 29, 201114 yr by iamshack

Because he doesn't ever accelerate. He dances. Even on his punt returns, he usually opens up his holes by simply outrunning all the pursuit. He doesn't seem to be able to do this on regular offensive plays because there is not enough space.

I've long said and gotten ripped for saying it, that while Hester is a special return men, Toub and the blocking schemes help make him. The Bears have had a lot of successful returners under Toub. And it was why I was always willing to deal Hester for a quality pick. The problem is the superfans in Chicago would all die of heartattacks when the trade was announced.

 

I should add that I hate judging most of this year on Hester but at times he looked awfully slow and non-athletic. But I think that probably had a lot to do with his ankle. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself. I haven't seen the explosiveness out of D Hester in a while.

I've long said and gotten ripped for saying it, that while Hester is a special return men, Toub and the blocking schemes help make him. The Bears have had a lot of successful returners under Toub. And it was why I was always willing to deal Hester for a quality pick. The problem is the superfans in Chicago would all die of heartattacks when the trade was announced.

 

I should add that I hate judging most of this year on Hester but at times he looked awfully slow and non-athletic. But I think that probably had a lot to do with his ankle. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself. I haven't seen the explosiveness out of D Hester in a while.

 

The ankle injury has really hurt him the last few weeks.

I've long said and gotten ripped for saying it, that while Hester is a special return men, Toub and the blocking schemes help make him. The Bears have had a lot of successful returners under Toub. And it was why I was always willing to deal Hester for a quality pick. The problem is the superfans in Chicago would all die of heartattacks when the trade was announced.

 

I should add that I hate judging most of this year on Hester but at times he looked awfully slow and non-athletic. But I think that probably had a lot to do with his ankle. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself. I haven't seen the explosiveness out of D Hester in a while.

 

The Bears special teams definitely deserve come credit for Devin's "best-ever" label, but he does make some cuts & moves that very little players can.

 

That ankle definitely cost him the 2nd half of this season., he wasn't the same player.

Huh? Briggs has been his normal studly self. The dude is an absolute rock. If I were the Bears, I would think long and hard about trading Forte (if you could get a 1st and a 2nd) and Briggs (for a 2nd). Than I'd use the money they supposedly have to sign two of Mario Williams, a top wide-out, and a LB (or LT or CB). You'd also have the ability to add some draft picks in (plus the Greg Olsen pick) and as a result of those picks (hopefully some talented youth).

 

I'm sure some would disagree with me on Forte but I really have no problem with Bell (to my eye, he looks really good, outside of the fact he needs to learn how to hold the football) and I'm okay with Barber backing him up (plus a draft pick or something).

I would go for it (trading Forte, Briggs for draft picks) if our GM was Ted Thompson or any other competant talent evaluator, it's Angelo we are talking about, dude sucks at drafting as a whole.

 

"How Tebow's magical run inspired a boy with leukemia."

 

"Tebowing while Chemoing"

 

That was just said on ESPN. Want to vomit.

"How Tebow's magical run inspired a boy with leukemia."

 

"Tebowing while Chemoing"

 

That was just said on ESPN. Want to vomit.

You stay classy, ESPN!

Eh, when you're battling cancer you kind of look for anything to lift your spirits. If the kid found some kind of comfort in "tebowing" and I assume eventually meeting Tim Tebow then good for him. And yeah, major networks like ESPN run with stories like this all the time, hard to blame them since your average viewer does like the heartwarming s***.

I would go for it (trading Forte, Briggs for draft picks) if our GM was Ted Thompson or any other competant talent evaluator, it's Angelo we are talking about, dude sucks at drafting as a whole.

Exactly. While I also think Forte is slightly overrated (its hard for me to completely overlook his second season) I think Briggs is more important then people realize. He isnt Warrick Holdman where hed go to a different team and disappear. But theres absolutely no way Id want to trade key players on this team only to watch JA butcher the picks. Hes been wrong so often in the draft that to trade 2 of the few players hes drafted that have been good for more picks would be awful.

 

They have the cap room to make some significant moves. Once the Urlacher era is over then the Bears are going to struggle to create a new identity so theyre better off trying to get some free agents who can come in and make an immediate impact. Despite not having depth at a lot of positions and not having a legit WR for years they have shown the last 2 seasons that when healthy they were close to being contenders.

Eh, when you're battling cancer you kind of look for anything to lift your spirits. If the kid found some kind of comfort in "tebowing" and I assume eventually meeting Tim Tebow then good for him. And yeah, major networks like ESPN run with stories like this all the time, hard to blame them since your average viewer does like the heartwarming s***.

 

Well, to be fair, I was sick 90% because it was Chris Berman saying "Tebow" and 10% because they rhymed "Tebowing" with "Chemoing"

Well, to be fair, I was sick 90% because it was Chris Berman saying "Tebow" and 10% because they rhymed "Tebowing" with "Chemoing"

I'll allow it.

No matter how good their defense is this year, they still won't be able to outscore GB or NO.

 

I don't see the Saints or Packers scoring many points against the 49ers D.. Go 49ers!!!!

I don't see the Saints or Packers scoring many points against the 49ers D.. Go 49ers!!!!

 

Doubtful. I like the Niner D overall. But their numbers are somewhat tainted by the fact they're in that god-awful division. The Packers and Saints feature two of the most prolific offenses in NFL history.

Edited December 31, 201114 yr by Jordan4life

Doubtful. I like the Niner D overall. But their numbers are somewhat tainted by the fact they're in that god-awful division. The Packers and Saints feature two of the most prolific offenses in NFL history.

Well according to you the 2001 Ravens wouldn't stand a chance against the Packers.

I'll allow it.

 

Well according to you the 2001 Ravens wouldn't stand a chance against the Packers.

 

Under 2011 rules? You better believe it. Unless you think all these offensive records (team and individual) being broken the last 5 years or so is just coincidence.

Under 2011 rules? You better believe it. Unless you think all these offensive records (team and individual) being broken the last 5 years or so is just coincidence.

I don't think it's coincidence, but I believe the 2001 Ravens could hold down the Packers enough to for their lousy offense to score enough on GB's lousy defense.