Chicago Bears Sign Kevin Shaffer

I think there are some better right tackles on the market, but I think the signing is a good thing. He’s a solid veteran and has great size at 6’5 315. I feel way more comfortable with him than Omiyale.

One thing to point out with this signing of Omiyale and Shaffer, I think we can pretty much whipe out drafting a OT with the 18th pick. I’m calling we trade down for more picks in the second and third round.

He has some decent experience and is durable, younger than St. Clair and probably cheap.

Any word on the details of the contract?

Not only does it fill a need, but it allows JA and Lovie to pick the best player available at #18 if a trade down is not an option. I wouldn’t mind seeing a WR, OT, CB, or DE at that spot now. Would anyone be surprised if JA picked Vontae Davis if he fell to them?

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Last year, Cleveland had very good ranks in running around the right end (6th) and running between the right guard and the right tackle (7th). However, they were below average in running both of those types of plays.

So, at least in the run game, it seems like this guy is probably decent. But he got some bonus from opponents not expecting it. He’ll probably be competent in run blocking.

…it allows the Bears to draft w/ as much, or more, emphasis on “best player available” than on need. If Smith and Oher are gone, would they “reach” for a tackle* if they didn’t have this guy?

The Bears have multiple holes. Maybe they know this. If they can at least add pieces that will at least add depth and/or mere competency, it will allow them flexibility in the draft. They still need a better Tackle. They still need better safeties. But at least this way, they can grab for value and not just need.

At least, that’s how I think of it.

*Of course, you may have a differing opinion on whether there are others that would be a reach here.

thats good enough for me

It gives us WAY more flexibility in the draft, which is what JA loves. Sure we could still go OT in the first, but now it isn’t a must as it was three hours ago. This likely means we trade down, unless Maclin is available at 18. Maybe this opens up the door for a Boldin trade?

It does open up the best available option, plus we don’t have to reach for maybe Britton to get somebody who could start next year. now we can take a guy in the third like Tupou from Oregon. I like this guy he is a mauler but doesn’t have a lot of high quality experience so he can sit for a year or two. I like the signing, I think hes the best of whats left, but maybe wish we got in the game earlier. Barnes would have been nice. One thought though, the Browns did release this guy as a cap casualty and turned around and signed St. Clair to the 3 year 9 million so I think the contract is going to decide the effectiveness of this signing.

Well he had signed a few years back for $36 million over 7 years and his cap number was going to be over $6 million this year, which is why he was cut. Add his durability to it and it seems like he ought to be an excellent value. And any time you can add the shaved head oversized goatee to your offensive line, you’re all the better for it.

According to cbssports.com:

OT Kevin Shaffer had his contract terminated by Cleveland. Shaffer had a rough season at right tackle. Shaffer was one of Phil Savage’s first free agent signings, but he struggled at left tackle in 2006. He had a decent season in 2007 when he moved to the right following the drafting of Joe Thomas, but struggled in 2008. The lowlight: Robert Mathis’ bull rush that knocked Shaffer over and into the knee of QB Derek Anderson. At 245 pounds, Mathis is a speed rusher, but he surprised Shaffer with his rush. Shaffer also was steamrolled on a key play against Baltimore. That play was a screen pass, but because Shaffer did not hold his ground, the timing was off. The pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. 31/2/2009

Sounds like we have a guy who has a had an up-and-down career. Yay…

I guess I’m glad that we signed a RT, we needed to. Hopefully it opens up our choices in the draft.

Still seems like JA mismanaged the situation with St. Claire. On one side, Shaffer is younger and that’s always good. On the other side he doesn’t seem like he is statistically any better, not as versatile, and doesn’t know our offense.

If the Bears had offered St. Claire a contract extension towards the end of last season. I’m thinking they could have gotten him for, lets just call it splitting the difference of what we offered him this year and what Shaffer got. Something around 6mil.

Glad we signed a tackle. I’ll have to drink a lot more tonight before I feel warm and fuzzy.

The guy played decently at LT in 2006, great at RT in 2007, and average/slightly below at RT in 2008. St. Clair was probably the more solid overall guy, but he’s a good run blocker. I have a feeling he’ll do pretty good with you guys, espicially if you can find a good RG.

We had no one on our roster with significant time at any tackle position. We had NO NFL EXPERIENCE at tackle other than Omiyale’s brief stints. No at least we have your standard “veteran experience” at the tackle position. If nothing else he can mentor Williams and who ever we bring in with the draft.

a warm body to fill that postion, and we got one. CHEAPER than JSC. So to me, it’s a WIN. We still need to take a RT in the draft though. I have afeeling Angelo and Phillips has something brewing for the draft thought. Maybe a trade down, get some more picks, take a RT and a G, and a WR in rd 2 and 3.
We need more GOOD bodies with some experience, he has some. So we swapped RT’s with Cleveland. We got the better deal, and CHEAPER as usual/ The economy is tough, so to me, this is a win.

Gives the Bears the option of taking a player they love rather than just need at 18. I also think there is a good chance of Urbick from Wisconsin getting drafted in the 2nd. They could also package the 18 for Cutler( dreaming again). Thanks JA.

with this move we fill a need with experience and gives us flexibility in the draft. Now I know we’re taken a guy that was cut and replaced with a guy that was basically a backup his whole career. But lets keep in mind Cleveland was a mess last year as a whole, and as we saw it affected even their best players. With a change of scenery and actually saying that we wants to be a Bear I can bet you their will be a fire under his bum and Shaffer will play to his potential which made him a starter in the NFL. As for the draft now we can go WR such as DHB ,Hicks or even Britt who sounds like is creeping up or even QB if Freeman or Sanchez is still there ooorrr we go OL and take Britton -like I said lots of flexibility .

any OL coming out of Wis. U recently has been solid I was thinking ( before Shaffer ) we go Britton in the 1st Roboskie? from Ohio St Urbick in the 3rd Byrd out of Ore. with our second 3rd and Rhett Bomhar in the 4th

finally a good place with REAL Bear fans ………….Love it!!!!!!

Since St. Clair signed with Cleveland, all anyone talks about is what the Bears will do at right tackle as if we’re set at the left tackle position. Let’s not forget that Chris Williams is completely untested at this level. I say they should still go with a tackle with the 18th pick, assuming a good one is still available, because we really don’t know what we have at either tackle spot. Shaffer is, at least, a solid starter with pro experience. I remember Jim Finks, who built the ‘85 Bear team, always said you should build your team through your lines on both sides of the ball. Good line play will make the rest of your players better, while bad line play will cause failure no matter who the QB, RB, WR, Linebacker, DB’s are.

I like this move only because it shows, when JA got pantsed with St Clair leaving he is willing to find a guy who has some starts at the NFL level. If we were to just wait for the draft to take a tackle, we would have no starting tackle with a NFL start. I like going WR with the 1st pick or QB if Sanchez or maybe Freeman are still there. I really like Maclin if he is still there at 18. I did go to MU, so i am kind of partial. I have also seen many of his games on TV and in person. On the field he is usually the fastest guy out there and more importantly he has very good hands and holds on to the ball even when he get lit up going through the middle. I would rather have a “hands” guy than a “speed” guy. I also like Harvin and Nicks. I would like to stay away from DHB, due to too many drops. How many Bears WR’s in the past had drop problems? Way too many.

this is a plus for the offensive line whichever way you look at it. Losing St. Clair is a shame, he played solid at left tackle, protecting Orton’s blind side. There is no doubt in that. Chris Williams will have to really step in and have an immediate impact, and already his draft class of offensive line men have faired very well so hopefully that is saying that the reading on offensive line prospects wasn’t off. But having # 77 is definitely a plus for our run game, and Matt Forte is developing very quickly. Williams should have an immediate impact, and his athleticism is stronger than St. Clair’s for sure. If Williams is healthy and protects the blind side, this could be the best upgrade the offensive line has seen since 05-06.

a blind side terrorist defense end or hybrid linebacker.

Count me among those who STILL hope the 18th pick gets used on an RT, but I’m glad to see we added another body to the mix. After losing St. Clair I figured Orton’s life depended on us drafting a tackle in the first round.

And here’s the other thing: Before this signing, if you trade Orton and the 18 for Cutler (not saying it’s likely, just possible), we would have had a franchise QB behind a seriously deficient O-line. Which would have made me very, very nervous. Adding another veteran to the mix shouldn’t change our draft plans (IMHO), but it might give us a bit more trade juice.

Shaffer is good. Better than st. clair. At least now we have decent starters at every position on the OLine. #18 will not be used on an offensive lineman. The 2 units where the level of talent is still below acceptable levels are wide receiver and safety/secondary. Team needs : WR, Safety(ies), SLB, OLine depth.

This move leads me to believe we go BEST AVAILABLE in the draft… the 2 best wrs will be off the board at 18 (Crab and Maclin and i still think we should trade up for crab) and the safeties in the class are weak and not worthy of #18. I’d be thrilled with Harvin, but would also like the Bears to draft Mualalalalalalalaga or Davis… any of the USC LBs would start over nic roach at SLB making the D fearsome. The hair, school, and heritage make me wanna play Mualaaalaaaga at Safety (kind of a reverse of what we did with #54 out of New Mexico) but whatever.

I’d like Davis because the bears passing defense has always been atrocious… Vasher and Tillman are ok, but the unit will get drastically better by adding a starter (Davis) instead of hoping a scrub steps up if/when called upon (Bearsstylie). with the line now solidified, at #18 taking the best defensive player avail (not DLine) could be huge even tho we still have holes.

Drafting another DE in the first makes no sense to me as at both DE and DT the depth chart is strong with 3 playersat each position who can play at high levels.

depends on who goes where but ss of now I predict/hope for Harvin at #18 and Loadholt at #49.
Mualaga, Loadholt, then Robiskie would be awesome tho