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It's been a "never say never" offseason so far in the NFL, but the outcome that Carol Slezak of the Chicago Sun-Times has suggested could set a new standard for shock value. Less than a month after the usually conservative Buffalo Bills made a splash by signing Terrell Owens, Slezak suggests that the Chicago Bears should make a similar move by signing free-agent wide receiver, and potential jailbird, Plaxico Burress.
Slezak's argument is fairly sound; namely, while the acquisition of Jay Cutler at quarterback was bold, necessary and has energized the fan base, come game day it doesn't matter who the team's quarterback is if there is no legitimate No. 1 wide receiver to whom he can throw.
While the Bears did compromise their drafting position by trading away the No. 18 pick - a pick that was probably going to be used on a wide receiver like Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey - signing Burress isn't necessarily a solution. With Burress' legal situation adjourned until the middle of the summer, it's uncertain whether or not he'll even be able to play one down in 2009.
The Bears have two other options that may yet be explored. First, they might make a run at free agent Torry Holt. Publicly, the only teams to have expressed interest thus far in Holt are the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Bears could make an aggressive offer to trump both AFC South teams. Although Holt may not have the wheels he once did, he would certainly be a reliable target for Cutler, and could open up possibilities for Devin Hester, the converted defensive back who is still developing his offensive game.
The other option is to make a play for Chad Ocho Cinco. Like the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers, the Bears won't make their first pick until the second round, and a second-round draft pick is the rumored asking price for Ocho Cinco. If the Bears trade their second-rounder to the Cincinnati Bengals, they would have to wait until the No. 99 overall selection to take their first prospect. While this is a highly unlikely scenario, it's not impossible, especially considering the new faces in new places over the past few weeks.
Slezak's argument is fairly sound; namely, while the acquisition of Jay Cutler at quarterback was bold, necessary and has energized the fan base, come game day it doesn't matter who the team's quarterback is if there is no legitimate No. 1 wide receiver to whom he can throw.
While the Bears did compromise their drafting position by trading away the No. 18 pick - a pick that was probably going to be used on a wide receiver like Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey - signing Burress isn't necessarily a solution. With Burress' legal situation adjourned until the middle of the summer, it's uncertain whether or not he'll even be able to play one down in 2009.
The Bears have two other options that may yet be explored. First, they might make a run at free agent Torry Holt. Publicly, the only teams to have expressed interest thus far in Holt are the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Bears could make an aggressive offer to trump both AFC South teams. Although Holt may not have the wheels he once did, he would certainly be a reliable target for Cutler, and could open up possibilities for Devin Hester, the converted defensive back who is still developing his offensive game.
The other option is to make a play for Chad Ocho Cinco. Like the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers, the Bears won't make their first pick until the second round, and a second-round draft pick is the rumored asking price for Ocho Cinco. If the Bears trade their second-rounder to the Cincinnati Bengals, they would have to wait until the No. 99 overall selection to take their first prospect. While this is a highly unlikely scenario, it's not impossible, especially considering the new faces in new places over the past few weeks.
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