Official Chicago Bears Forum Thread

[Saluki]

So this new rule about wedges on kickoffs.... ST coordinator says it won't affect the Bears, in an interview with Hester he made it clear he was upset with the rule. I think I agree with Hester's side of it, that this will just open up returners to much larger hits... seems like it could do more damage than good.

But anyways - think this will hurt Hester's return game much?

Doubt it, he was seeing reduced time the more reps he got at WR anyway. If he becomes the #1 option for the Bears this season i don't see him returning many kickoffs.

[FirstTimer]

Yeah they already said Manning was going to be the KR this year anyways.

[FirstTimer]

I can't believe they'll hold strong to that... even if they do, I expect to see some staff changes after this season - he'll back to KR's some day....... I hope.

Kind of weird I totally forgot he's not on kickoffs anymore after watching his interview, he was talking about how it would effect his return game; I wonder if he still has hope of returning to KR's some day.

Hester isn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box. Maybe he forgot.

[FirstTimer]

OT Orlando Pace and S Ken Lucas visited Halas Hall.

Pace would be an interesting signing to say the least.

[FirstTimer]

From the Chicago Tribune:

The Bears have made signing Orlando Pace a priority and intend to leave him at left tackle if he joins the team, according to an NFL source.

Pace, who played 12 seasons with the St. Louis Rams before becoming a salary-cap casualty last month, visited Halas Hall on Monday. Agent Kennard McGuire said Pace "had a very good and productive" visit.

McGuire declined to discuss specifics in relation to a contract offer. Pace reportedly has an offer from Baltimore.

If Pace signs, the Bears probably would start him at left tackle and shift Chris Williams to the right side. Pace was selected to seven Pro Bowls at left tackle. He likely would have been the Rams' starting left tackle in 2009 had they not opted to save $6 million in cap space.

[FirstTimer]

Cutler AND Pace???? AWESOME!

[FirstTimer]

Well now for some more of my complete thoughts so far for this offseason which has been the biggest of my entire life as a Bears fan.

-I loved the Cutler trade. Perfect trade and as I already said giving up a coupel 1st round picks that Angelo usually blows anyways is no big deal IMO. We still have 8 picks in this years draft in Rds 2-7 where Angelo usually does very well.

It's the first time in my memory I can think I felt truly confident about who we had under center coming into a season. We always skirted by with marginal guys who you would hope would live up to potential or breakout. Now we have a guy that is a legit NFL QB who is coming off a Pro Bowl season and is coming into the prime of his career.

-The Orlando Pace signing was also a great deal. Now our starting OL IMO will be:

LT: Pace
LG: Omiyale
C: Kruetz
RG: Garza
RT: Williams

Schaffer is now a back up and so is Beekman. Basically you are about 7 deep on the OL and have 3 guys capable of playing LT on your roster. Also, with Kruetz getting older it will be interesting to see if Beekman starts to move back to Center(his position in college) and will eventually take the place of Kruetz when he moves on.

Our offensive line should be a real strength this season and Cutler and Forte have to be happy about that.

-The Rod Miranelli signing as well could be the move that puts this team over the top. All the defensive linemen rave about him and he has a lot of raw talent to work with on the line. I would expect our defensive line to get back to 05/06 form this year and Miranelli will be the key behind that.

All in all I give JA an "A" heading into the draft.

Now we just need to find a WR in the 2nd Rd and have him compete with Hester and Bennett for PT.

[Saluki]

Now we just need to find a WR in the 2nd Rd and have him compete with Hester and Bennett for PT.

Or now that we made this move it makes way more since to go get Holt or another proven WR. Bears seem to be building to win now, so it'd make since to go and get Cutler a reliable target, Hester might devlope, and so might bennett or a rookie, but if you go out and get a pro-bowl QB, it makes since to me to go out and get a WR you know can get it done and help the younger guys develop.

And with his age and how there hasn't been a huge market for him, i think the price on Holt might be right.

[FirstTimer]

Not sure signing a WR with a balky knee really helps your team much. The whole Pace/Love Smith thing could bring us Holt for a discount. He'd be worth a small contract IMO but I don't want to throw money at him just to get "the name" you know?

[Saluki]

Not sure signing a WR with a balky knee really helps your team much. The whole Pace/Love Smith thing could bring us Holt for a discount. He'd be worth a small contract IMO but I don't want to throw money at him just to get "the name" you know?

Not sure signing a 2nd round rookie is gunna help your team much ether. Sorry if i don't trust the bears drafting skill position players on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously with the picks they gave up they don't trust their offensive drafting skills either, they also have proven not to be the best at developing WR's either.

Mind you with that bum knee and no Marc Buldger Torry Holt still had better numbers than any Bears WR last year.

[FirstTimer]

Not sure signing a 2nd round rookie is gunna help your team much ether.

That's kind of my point. If neither are that great why waste the money on a banged up vet who is past his prime?

they also have proven not to be the best at developing WR's either.

Tought to develop WR's when you have absolute garbage at QB for the better part of your team's history.
Plus Cutler has shown the abililty to make decent WR's better. See: Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. Plus he will have a familar set of hands in Earl Bennett to be throwing to.

Mind you with that bum knee and no Marc Buldger Torry Holt still had better numbers than any Bears WR last year.

And that's really not saying much. I don't want to bring in a guy simply because he had better numbers than shit. I want to bring in a guy who will be able to put up BIG numbers regardless. Being the less stinky pile of crap doesn't make the less stinky one much more attractive.


I'm not adverse to the Holt signing but it can't be done with the intention of being "the fix" to the Bears WR woes.

[FirstTimer]

Shaffer is better at this point than C. Williams at the RT spot... I wonder who will start?

Not sure. All the reports I've been hearing are that they want Williams to start. I just hope they start the best guy possible.

[Saluki]

I want to bring in a guy who will be able to put up BIG numbers regardless. Being the less stinky pile of crap doesn't make the less stinky one much more attractive.


I'm not adverse to the Holt signing but it can't be done with the intention of being "the fix" to the Bears WR woes.

Aint gunna happen, there are no WR's in the 2nd round or in FA who are gunna put up elite numbers except Plax, who has shitloads of baggage. I never said Torry was the answer, but u can't say he wouldn't be an improvement.

[FirstTimer]

Aint gunna happen, there are no WR's in the 2nd round or in FA who are gunna put up elite numbers except Plax, who has shitloads of baggage. I never said Torry was the answer, but u can't say he wouldn't be an improvement.

Exactly, so why spend the money on a guy on the downside of his career when you can bring in a rookie and groom him for less money and who has more potential?

Bring in Holt for all I care but you better still address WR in the draft.

[Saluki]

Exactly, so why spend the money on a guy on the downside of his career when you can bring in a rookie and groom him for less money and who has more potential?

Bring in Holt for all I care but you better still address WR in the draft.

Because the Bears are building to win now. They had WR's and a QB with potential. they didn't go get a Pro-Bowl QB, and sign Orlando Pace, who is also on the downside of his career, to a 3 year deal to wait two years to win.