2009 NFL Offseason Thread

[mtbykr]

Update:

 

Bears get:

 

-Cutler

-2009 5th round pick

 

Donks get:

 

-Orton

-2009 1st round pick

-2010 1st round pick

-2009 3rd round pick

[mtbykr]

Rotoworld is reporting that the Bears just signed Orlando Pace....busy day in C-town

[mtbykr]

Here's the link:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4037565

 

 

n the same day the Chicago Bears added a new quarterback, they got someone to protect him.

 

The Bears have agreed to terms with Orlando Pace, a source tells ESPN's Michael Smith.

 

Moments after acquiring quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos, the Bears reached an agreement to sign former Rams left tackle Pace.

 

Terms of the deal weren't immediately available. Pace will reunite with Lovie Smith, who was the defensive coordinator for the Rams when Pace was considered one of the best left tackles in football.

 

Pace, 33, was released by the Rams after efforts to trade him failed. He was the first pick in the 1997 draft. The seven-time Pro Bowl tackle has been selected to six all NFC teams and was a five-time All-Pro.

 

Pace had an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles, but he decided to sign with the Bears on the day Cutler was acquired in a trade from the Broncos.

[BSN07]

Wow huge move for the Bears. Denver gets a decent return as well.

 

I knew Chicago be in on it, but never thought they make the move.

[Keeper]

Holy s***, Pace too? Angelo just earned his paycheck.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Eh' date=' chances are Angelo would've picked busts anyway. You don't know what this means for a Bears fan. We actually have a bona fide franchise quarterback. Haven't been able to say that since the 30s.[/quote']

 

One of two things will come of this deal:

 

-Lovie changes up the offensive game plan to adapt to Cutler as much as possible, the Bears draft Percy Harvin and sign another good receiver (who I have no clue, maybe Holt), and the Bears win 13-14 games and are considered the NFC favorite in January.

 

-The Bears stick with the same smash mouth running game they've been using, and Cutler gets under-utilized and, given his adventures in Denver, may throw a hissy-fit, becoming a distraction and causing the Bears to fall flat on their face. And they'll be minus a 2010 first rounder to rectify that potential mess.

 

Which one will happen? I don't know.

 

Yea' date=' I just hope for you guys the defense still has something left in the tank, and Cutler is also gonna need some receivers[/quote']

 

They'll draft one and sign another, I'm sure.

 

Rotoworld is reporting that the Bears just signed Orlando Pace....busy day in C-town

 

Mostly injury insurance, though both Pace and incumbent Chris Williams have been struggling with injuries lately, so there's a reasonable chance that both could be down for a good period of time during the season.

 

Signing Pace wasn't entirely necessary, the Bears already had a line of Williams/Beekman/Kruetz/Garza/Shaffer. Not the best line in the world, but far from the worst.

[TheKilo]

As a Packers fan, I hate this.

 

Although I don't think the Bears as currently constructed are a playoff team. Too many holes in that defense.

[Keeper]

One of two things will come of this deal:

 

-Lovie changes up the offensive game plan to adapt to Cutler as much as possible, the Bears draft Percy Harvin and sign another good receiver (who I have no clue, maybe Holt), and the Bears win 13-14 games and are considered the NFC favorite in January.

 

-The Bears stick with the same smash mouth running game they've been using, and Cutler gets under-utilized and, given his adventures in Denver, may throw a hissy-fit, becoming a distraction and causing the Bears to fall flat on their face. And they'll be minus a 2010 first rounder to rectify that potential mess.

 

Which one will happen? I don't know.

 

Accurate. Should have never got rid of Bernard Berrian. He's a much better 1st option than Hester. As it stands, Hester is our #1 receiver. Although you could argue Forte is really the #1. Olsen and Clark are solid tight ends. They still need 2 more receivers IMO.

 

Kilo is right about the defense. The secondary got torched last year and singlehandedly lost games for us. Tommie Harris came on strong at the end, but had a down year for most of the season. Mark Anderson was a non-factor. Urlacher looked extremely vulnerable up the middle. It's an aging defense, and it's only getting older.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I'm not worried about the defense. Bullocks should add some life at safety, and if I'm not mistaken Vasher was a big reason for a lot of the secondary's failures (early on at least), and things improved when he was benched. Urlacher's only 30, its entirely possible that he was hurt last year or just had a down season.

[BSN07]

I don't see Chicago getting Harvin, he will go before they pick. Holt would be a solid pick up for the WR core. The D has it's holes, but I would imagine the O is going to be able to put up a few more points this season too.

 

 

 

It might be a good time to see what they can get for Urlacher. They don't have to win this year, and if they could get a couple picks for Urlacher(who didn't seem all that enthusiastic about Cutler), they might be able to fill some of the holes on the team. Just a thought.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Now the Bears are looking at Ken Lucas.

 

 

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/03/30/bears-check-out-ken-lucas/

 

 

Apparently hiding in the large shadow cast by free-agent tackle Orlando Pace on Monday was free-agent cornerback Ken Lucas.

 

Like Pace, Lucas visited the Bears on Monday, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

As Biggs points out, the flirtation with Lucas could be a warning shot at Nathan Vasher, a veteran who fell out of favor with coach Lovie Smith in 2008.

 

It would be Lucas’ first stint with the base Tampa Two defense, a system that generally emphasizes the coverage of short zones and run support by cornerbacks.

 

Per Biggs, the Seahawks also are believed to be interested in Lucas, who began his career in Seattle before signing with the Panthers as a free agent.

[TheKilo]

I'm not worried about the defense. Bullocks should add some life at safety' date=' and if I'm not mistaken Vasher was a big reason for a lot of the secondary's failures (early on at least), and things improved when he was benched. Urlacher's only 30, its entirely possible that he was hurt last year or just had a down season.[/quote']

 

Urlacher's got a lot of miles on him, and if Harris can't stay on the field he gets beat up.

 

Not sold on this Bears team as currently constructed.

[TheKilo]

I don't see Chicago getting Harvin, he will go before they pick. Holt would be a solid pick up for the WR core. The D has it's holes, but I would imagine the O is going to be able to put up a few more points this season too.

 

 

 

It might be a good time to see what they can get for Urlacher. They don't have to win this year, and if they could get a couple picks for Urlacher(who didn't seem all that enthusiastic about Cutler), they might be able to fill some of the holes on the team. Just a thought.

 

Holt's nice and crispy, guy's done. As a Packer fan I hope the Bears throw a lot of money at him.

[BSN07]

Holt's nice and crispy' date=' guy's done. As a Packer fan I hope the Bears throw a lot of money at him.[/quote']

 

Ya he's most certainly on the down side of his career. But I think he could provide the team with 50-60 receptions. And be fairly productive. I don't think it will take a whole lot to get him either.

 

And you never know who else could become available when bonus's are do either. Maybe the team could take a flyer on Jerry Porter. he had big promise at one point in time.

 

You line up Holt, Hester, Olson, and a WR from the draft, and it would be a fair amount of weapons for Cutler.

[TheKilo]

Olson is going to have an incredible year.

[rician blast]

Rotoworld is reporting that the Bears just signed Orlando Pace....busy day in C-town

 

Orlando Pace is clearly on the back side of his career.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

if Harris can't stay on the field he gets beat up.

 

I don't follow.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Orlando Pace is clearly on the back side of his career.

Pretty needless signing by them, they were fine at the tackle spots. If they're worried about Williams' health, well Pace hasn't been the model of health lately either.

[TheKilo]

I don't follow.

 

Tommie Harris, their awesome DL?

 

Notice how Urlacher is more awesome when he's in the game?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Notice how Urlacher is more awesome when he's in the game?

 

Oh that's what you meant... I thought both parts of that statement were about Harris, for some reason.

[BSN07]

Giants release Burress. Chicago should consider him.

[CrespoBlows]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Brian-Dawkins-to-give-tickets-to-fired-Eagles-em?urn=nfl,152812

 

+1 for Brian Dawkins. Denver has a added a class act to their team.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Bucs sign Kellen Winslow to a record deal for a tight end.

 

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/sports/article_212221047.shtml?ref=rss

 

f***in dipshit Dumbinik. This guy is dumb as a rock.

[kreinbihl34]

Bucs sign Kellen Winslow to a record deal for a tight end.

 

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/sports/article_212221047.shtml?ref=rss

 

f***in dipshit Dumbinik. This guy is dumb as a rock.

 

I agree. Winslow has lost a step or two after the motorcycle wreck. The multiple surgeries on his right knee has killed one of his best attributes. He'll be a top 5 TE in the league for a few years, but towards the end of the contract he'll be close to calling it quits. He had all the tools, but the surgeries and injuries have somewhat done him in.

[mtbykr]

I just threw up in my mouth a little, hope it's not true. Schefter in my opinion is the most reliable out there:

 

 

Report: Adam Schefter to Leave NFL Network for ESPN

Posted Apr 15, 2009 10:01PM By JJ Cooper (RSS feed)

 

Pro Football Talk is reporting that when his current deal expires later this year, NFL Network's lead reporter Adam Schefter will jump to ESPN.

 

If true, Schefter's loss would hurt the NFL Network a lot more than he would help ESPN. At ESPN, Schefter would join a staff that already has Chris Mortensen, John Clayton, Michael Smith, Len Pasquarelli and at least seven NFL bloggers. But with the NFL Network, Schefter has been the star insider--the network's go-to man on any story requiring intensive reporting, much like Jay Glazer at Fox.

 

That approach paid off for the NFL in many ways--they got the same reporting credibility out of Schefter that ESPN spent to hire a multitude of reporters, but by putting all their eggs in one basket, they also are left in a much more difficult situation than ESPN would be if any one of their reporters left.

 

If there is someone at NFL Network who could step up and try to fill Schefter's shoes, it's Steve Wyche, an ex-newspaper reporter who has filled a reporting role for NFL.com and the NFL Network. But for a network that hans't gotten a lot of good news in recent months, losing Schefter would be a big loss.

[TheKilo]

Um, it's not like he's going to stop reporting, and he's miles better than Mortensen.

 

This is a GOOD thing for ESPN and for Schefter.

[Cocos Disciples]

Torry Holt to the Jaguars.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4084662

[BoSox21]

New Jaguars unis...

 

http://withleather.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jaguars_2.jpg

 

Also, you cant really tell but the helmets are now gonna be dark bluegreen

[msubulldogs21]

Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a 2010 2nd rounder

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4092471

[BSN07]

Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a 2010 2nd rounder

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4092471

 

Nice pick up for Atlanta.