Bears Offseason Updates

by Adam T on Jan 19, 2009 3:22 PM CST

Bears GM Jerry Angelo has been making the rounds and has recently put a number of issues out on the table.

Angelo refused to comment on what Devin Hester's role with the team will be next year.

I don't anticipate that. I think the coaches really like the way Devin has come on. I want to make sure we are maximizing his playmaking ability. If that means more offense, so be it. If that means less offense and more concentrating on his return ability, maybe that's the best plan.

The Bears will not try to extend Kyle Orton this off season.

We have time, plenty of time. Listen, we want to reward Kyle—but at the right time. What will the right time be? You'll know it, I'll know it and we'll all know it.

Nathan Vasher will have to earn his spot on the team next season.

He really hasn't played in two years, so he needs to redefine himself, starting in the off-season. He has to earn a spot on our team. He has to show he can be a starter, somebody we can depend on. We rewarded a very good player. He earned a new contract. But since then he has had some injuries, and when he has played, his play hasn't been up to his standards, I'm sure, and certainly our standards.

Angelo doesn't see a situation in which Mike Brown is apart of the Bears next season.

I don't see that right now, given how it affects Danieal. Allocation of money comes into play, too, in what we want to do at other positions. There could be a case where we want Mike back, but we can't afford to do it given what we want to do in other areas.

Angelo plans to find a second running back to lessen the work load of Matt Forte.

When you look around the league, everybody is implementing a dual running back system. Your number one usually touches the ball around 20 times. The other back gets 10 to 12 to 15 touches. That's a good balance. … I'm confident we'll get back to that.

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What that all sounds like to me:

Hester will only play WR a few snaps a game.

Orton’s contract will likely be another 1 year deal, probably incentive-based.

Vasher needs to prove himself in a hurry to see the field in a Bears uniform.

Brown is done.

We pick up another RB in the draft.

So, what about the OLine? DLine? LB’s? WR’s?

Things will get better as they improve...

by Dane Noble on Jan 19, 2009 3:42 PM CST reply actions

i doubt they pull hester from wr

considering he was making strides at the end of the year

larry has that system down to a science. Especially with the way the economy is….big wigs like larry coming in dressed in their mink coats and 24k gold cigarrete holders with pockets lined with coke make for a large draw during shift changes.
by BobbySouthSide on Dec 9, 2008 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

by Jbasic89 on Jan 19, 2009 4:06 PM CST up reply actions

I hope you are right,

But he says in the quote, referring to a decreased role in WR and focusing more on returns: “maybe that’s the best plan”

Things will get better as they improve...

by Dane Noble on Jan 19, 2009 4:27 PM CST up reply actions

He was making big strides

like flying by the coverage on a consistent basis. Too bad Orton could hardly ever get him the effing ball on time.

I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something. - Dick Butkus

by iowaBear on Jan 19, 2009 8:00 PM CST up reply actions

but danieal manning proved he can handle kickoffs and

if we draft maclin he can take punts and let hester focus solely on recieving

by Jbasic89 on Jan 19, 2009 9:27 PM CST up reply actions

Um...

Wouldn’t you want Maclin, you know, the top ranked receiver, to do the receiving? And Hester, the most prolific returner in NFL history, to do the returning?

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Jan 19, 2009 10:36 PM CST up reply actions

Unless he bombs at combine

Maclin will be gone. He is being projected currently at 10.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Jan 19, 2009 11:12 PM CST up reply actions

No

With our first pick, I want Chase Holbrook :)

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Jan 20, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

Brown

He seems like he could be part of the team, but in a reduced role, at a reduced salary. He makes too many big plays to say he’s not worth it.

by tacologic on Jan 19, 2009 5:04 PM CST reply actions

he is injured too often to say he is worth it

by SamuraiMike50 on Jan 19, 2009 6:30 PM CST up reply actions

not anymore

by mike b on Jan 19, 2009 10:29 PM CST up reply actions

He's not worth the roster spot anymore

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on Jan 20, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions

This is all talk

I’ll wait until Angelo finally decides to make moves (if he does..)

Erm, well if we are going to call Milton Bradley nicknames, mine is Fischer Price: yes, you heard it here first..

by Chanman25 on Jan 19, 2009 8:10 PM CST reply actions

Angelo sucks as a GM.

For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason. - Nick Coviello: I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar; 1/9/09

by bdalebs on Jan 19, 2009 8:18 PM CST reply actions

Yeah, sucks so bad he helped build a team that went to their 2nd SB!

Great analysis there.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on Jan 20, 2009 1:17 PM CST up reply actions

I've already said this

but if they’re going to let Brown go, oft injured or not, they need to draft a proven college safety in Round 1 or 2. Manning should be given Hester’s role on both kickoff and punt return, and let Hester become a WR.

If we can get one of these guys in the 1st, then we’ll have an immediate starter:

Rey Maulaluga (moved to outside and lighting a fire in Urlacher to play up to Briggs and Mr. Crazy’s style. Supposedly, he’ll be gone by 10, though)
Brian Cushing (Won’t happen because coaches seem to think Nick Roach is good. Someone forgot to tell them it’s only because Hillenmeyer was slow. I’d like a LB that can cover TEs)
Vontae Davis ( won’t happen, but another local standout)
William Moore (I’d love to see a big hitter replace a big hitter)
Jeremy Maclin (Could happen. But won’t. If he’s available they’ll just move down and draft little-known WR Derek Deardorff out of Malone College, who has tremendous size and upside, having never faced NCAA competition playing in the NAIA)

***If we could get anyone, though, Matthew Stafford would be my top choice. He’s mobile, strong, strong-armed, intelligent, and if the Lions don’t take him then I’ll be shocked. I can’t see him going past St. Louis (sorry Bulger). Too bad Bradford and Tebow didn’t come out and confuse all of the experts.

I’d like to say Sanchez will be a bust, but I think these two could be like Manning and Rivers and that other guy…Big Ben! But Stafford is most like Roethlisberger —and that’s a good thing for the Lionnesses.

The busts most often come from one-season wonders that weren’t highly recruited, or from those running gimmick offenses.

by ethan a on Jan 20, 2009 10:05 AM CST reply actions