If the Bears are going to get a QB...

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 12:45 AM CST

they should do it now. Apparently, Trent Green is on the trading block, and may be cut altogether. While i haven't been in favor of pursuing a new QB all off-season, its more for a lack of legitimate alternatives to Grossman. If we're going to replace him, it has to be with a QB who can win NOW. Jeff Garcia doesn't fit because he can't throw the ball downfield. Green can. Statistically, he's been one of the best QB's of the decade, placing in the top 5 in DPAR 5 of the last 6 seasons. If that makes no sense to you consider his career QB rating: 87.5.

There are three concerns i'd have with Green, all based on his poor play last year, when he posted a career-low 74.1 QB rating (slightly higher than Grossman's 73.8), and a 15.6 DPAR (only 22nd in the league, but still better than Grossman's 4.1):

he may never recover from the concussion he suffered last season;
he might only do well in Dick Vermeil's offense; and
his abilities may be regressing due to age.

I still think the Bears should go after him. They should offer up Brian Griese and a late-first day or early 2nd day pick for Green (or perhaps we could switch 2nd round draft picks ala the Jones-2-Jets deal). Obtaining him would require him passing a physical, which should help to alleviate the health-related concerns above. The Chiefs can have Griese be an insurance policy in case Huard and Croyle both implode, and also would get an extra value in their draft. The Bears could open up a QB competition between Grossman and Green. If Grossman wins, Green isn't much worse off than he would have been in KC. If Green wins, the team can still try to develop Grossman for the future while going for a title next season. If Grossman balks, they can then look to deal him for something else.

If the Bears are considering upgrading the QB position for next year, this will be their best opportunity to do so. Green comes with more experience and a better resume than Harrington, Schaub, or Carr and comes with a better arm than Garcia. If nothing else, they should at least look into it.

What do you all think?

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Comments

Rex is our quarterback.

Griese is plan B.

hit him in his earhole

by draftday on Mar 7, 2007 6:05 AM CST reply actions

That's the public line...

but i don't think they always are forthcoming about the QB depth chart.

I'm not convinced we should try to upgrade the QB position, but if the team has decided to upgrade there (or at least look into it), this will likely be their best opportunity to do so.

I like Rex long-term, but am not convinced he can take the team back to the Super Bowl next year. If the team has similar concerns, they should at least look into this.

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 9:43 AM CST up reply actions

I'm a HUGE fan of Green.

Always have been living in Omaha and seeing him play a lot.

Your concerns are right on (as usual). The biggest concern I have is IF he and Grossman show that can't be reliable QB's, then the team has nothing for 2008 (unless Orton is good enough). IMO, at least Griese will give something if Grossman completely fails, even if it's nothing spectacular. Green could give "nothing". If that makes sense.

But I think I'd still go after him, if the price is right of course. I think he has a good, strong arm and makes great decisions. I'd make sure my line was a "Top 5" line, though, because I think he'll need extra protection.

by tyger1147 on Mar 7, 2007 7:28 AM CST reply actions

Green isn't going to be a backup

so unless the Bears don't have faith that Grossman is our guy, then it isn't going to happen. Also, we would then have to move Griese and his contract. He isn't going to be a third stringer and his cap number is way too big for a third QB.

Also we would likely cut Orton and personally I would feel bad about that.

by Adam T on Mar 7, 2007 8:22 AM CST up reply actions

If the Bears cut Orton

All the Tavern owners in the City and Suburbs are going to revolt.

by beardown on Mar 7, 2007 8:28 AM CST up reply actions

Deadspin

might go out of business.

by Adam T on Mar 7, 2007 8:43 AM CST up reply actions

Griese's contract...

would be a concern. Do you know how much of it is guaranteed? It would suck to do this too, but we could just cut him.

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 9:46 AM CST up reply actions

Um...

Did you read Shawn's whole post? Or did the numbers, the use of correct punctuation and coherent writing style throw you off?

He said they should offer Griese in the trade. If the Chiefs don't want it, then don't do the trade.

Also, who the fuck cares if you would feel bad about cutting Orton? Even if Angelo felt bad about it, he'd still do it. I just hope you were joking about that.

by tyger1147 on Mar 7, 2007 1:50 PM CST up reply actions

I may be wrong...

but my biggest concerns are with Green's health, and i think if he passed his physical he'd give us more than "nothing." Remember, last year was a disaster for him and he still put up better numbers than Grossman did.

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

No... I agree.

I guess I meant that if he doesn't fully recover from his injury, then we wouldn't have much for this year. Plus, if Rex stinks in '07, both leave and/or not re-signed. So then what for '08? Who's an FA in a year?

by tyger1147 on Mar 7, 2007 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

I don't know who's a FA next year...

but if Rex doesn't improve this year, they'll need to upgrade the position somehow.

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 4:18 PM CST up reply actions

QB situation

I don't think they are going to go after a QB and I don't think that they need to.

I think that Grossman will continue to get better.

first the Rush...now the Bears.

by mike @ Windy City Gridiron on Mar 7, 2007 11:21 AM CST reply actions

green..

fields may be ahead.. but i doubt it. i dont see the bears doin this cause of lovie's man crush with grossman. i like grossman a lot, but i also realize he is the shakiest qb i've ever seen. if we get green, griese has to go. we cant put all that money into two qb's.

by steveo61086 on Mar 7, 2007 11:34 AM CST reply actions

i don't think

a declining, potentially injured Green is an upgrade over a healthy Griese, particularly when you factor in the cap you'd get dropping/trading Griese and that you'd have to send a pick to the Chiefs in return. But that's just me.

p.s. i'm very disappointed in you, Shawn. I read your piece about why the Bears would win the super bowl and you convinced me. Then they broke my heart. I guess your analysis didn't factor in the bears having essentially no game plan, particularly on d.

as a side note, who do you think was more responsible for the passive defensive plan--Lovie or Rivera? If it was Lovie, then the wrong guy left. Why anyone would think that not pressuring Manning was the way to go is beyond me.

by tomas21 on Mar 7, 2007 12:09 PM CST reply actions

I'm not sure...

but i was more troubled by the offensive playcalling, and both guys responsible for that have returned. I felt that by the end of the season the Bears offense had become very predictable, and if that trend continues into next year the team will be in trouble.

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Mar 7, 2007 4:17 PM CST up reply actions

right on

If Rivera can be let go why not Turner?
His play calling has sucked.
He should go now.

hit him in his earhole

by draftday on Mar 7, 2007 4:49 PM CST up reply actions

My post after the game, essentially

was that RIVERA choked after that blown coverage that led to the Colts first TD. I believe that was the ONLY time the Bears were in 'man' coverage -- that particular sequence.

With that blown assignment, I believe Rivera (not Lovie) changed his game plan -- going in, I distinctly remember reading that Rivera said they would mix 'man' and the 'Cover 2' as to attempt to confuse Peyton Manning.

It appears that the Bears went back to the 'Cover 2' exclusively for the remainder of the game, and well -- you saw how ineffective that was. (Of course, Lovie is a 'Cover 2' guy, so perhaps there is more under the surface here.)

Apparently the Bears just didn't want to give up another 'bomb' TD to Manning. Well, they succeeded. Manning then took what the Cover 2 can give him, (See: Final regular season game v. Packers. Favre hit every seam) and kept moving the chains. It also appears that Manning was so deceptive, the Bears abandonded the run defense.
(Hard to do defend against the run when the LB's are 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage.)

I still blame the Super Bowl loss on Rivera's defense. Rex was just a side show, and wasn't the main reason for the loss, as many uninformed Bears fans (not many here, thankfully) want to believe.

Am I surprised that Rivera couldn't locate a Head Coaching gig? Nope. Not at all. It's not gonna happen for him. Perhaps he'll be able to step back to a D-Coordinator again someday, after the laughable move down to a LB coach for the Chargers. (All Rivera will have to do with the Chargers LB's is tell his squad: "Don't get Injured." Or, "Hi, Norv! How are you?")

It's not like Rivera is really going to have to actually coach or anything.....

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Mar 7, 2007 10:18 PM CST up reply actions

On Mike North....

....broadcast a day or two after he landed in SD, Rivera said flat out he called the SB defense and was not prompted by Lovie one way or the other.

Whether or not it's true we'll never know but he manned up to it.

So, I'm glad he's gone. That D was terrible that day, and it was only by the grace of 'winning ugly' that they were 5 points down with 11 minutes to go.

by PopeFlick on Mar 8, 2007 12:50 PM CST up reply actions

that gameplan

was way too conservative, even still, it gave up 22 points in what? 42 minutes? of which only two were touchdowns, (and even one of those was a fluke). Does anyone realize what a feat that is against an offense like that?

had the offense been able to actually move the ball and not get completely outplayed by an inferior defense, or if the quarterback hadn't committed 3 turnovers, or if he hadn't lost the ability to throw an accurate deep ball half way through the year we would be wearing hats that say "Champion" on them.

The defensive game plan was sub par, but the main reason we lost that game is still wearing a Bears hat next year.

Rivera was supossed to be the aggressive one, I hope that's not true.

by mike b on Mar 8, 2007 7:22 PM CST up reply actions

this would be smart

but it won't happen.

by mike b on Mar 7, 2007 1:01 PM CST reply actions

Haha...

Why would the Bears go give out a giant contract to another over the hill game managing QB when they just did that exact thing to Brian Griese.

by lopey986 on Mar 7, 2007 1:21 PM CST reply actions

Because...

Green is (or was) far more than a game-managing QB. Say he's over the hill, fine, but to compare him to Griese is ignorant.

In a half a season in 2000 in StL, he had a 101 QB Rating. From 2002-2005, he had four straight years for KC, he's been 90+. And he played in 16 games in 5 straight years.

Griese, OTOH, has only had two seasons over 85 (10 and 11 games played those years), and has never played a full 16 games in a year.

Sorry, but Green is not a game manager.

by tyger1147 on Mar 7, 2007 1:44 PM CST up reply actions