Bears Have Interest in Amani Toomer
by Adam T on May 8, 2009 9:19 AM CDT
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I'm saving my "It's A Toomer!" post title in case we sign him, but it based on this video from NFL Videos (helmet tip: Bears93), the Bears have shown interest in former New York Giants receiver Amani Toomer.
The Bears need a veteran presence. We have a lot of youth and inexperience and having a guy who has been there and done that would be welcome in that group.
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Amani
Believe me, I like the sound of any receiver I have actually heard of on a Bears roster. They need someone, but I am just hoping Toomer isn’t another Marty Booker band-aide
I'm not huge on Toomer
I mean, if he can come in and help the young guys without setting anyone back (or throwing a qb under the bus) than fine.
But why would Toomer want to come learn a new system at his age?
Crap.
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I reckon.
This “crap” is multi-faceted…
1- I hope with every fiber of my body that we don’t sign Toomer. I don’t care if we only offer him a tiny contract. I just hope we stay away. I know I have stated that we should throw as many against the wall as we can, but not this guy. I used to enjoy watching Toomer, but I think he is done. He may be at 80% of what he used to be.
2- This news will undoubtedly bring BLou out of the wood-work. He has been clammoring for Toomer for weeks, and he will undoubtedly canvasse our board with “told-you-so” and “hahaha I was right”.
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I'm still not sure how I feel about Toomer
We need a veteran I just don’t know if Toomer is that guy. But really there isn’t much out there for us to grab.
Because as far as we're concerned, there is still no team in the history of the NFL that could beat the '85 Bears.
Harrison is done. Officially.
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Damn, I like Harrison.
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep, didn't look like the same player.
Kind of weird from one year to the next. I do like what we have in our young prospects and I don’t think we will need a veteran now. Still want Davis gone, but I think that has been beat to death and we can only hope now.
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions
Not true
Heard on NFL network this morning that he is still talking to teams and is definitely not retiring per Wyche.
that's what I heard
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions
You are right. I thought it was official, but maybe not.
I got to looking, and it seems like another Brett Favre/ Chuck Liddell see-saw about retirement story. Apparently, Peter King had been told that Harrison was done, but now Harrison’e agent says he’s not.
My bad for pulling the “official” trigger too early.
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you know how these guys are...
can’t step away from what they love doing that easy
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions
not at all
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions
not according to him and his agent via si
according to si harrrison expects to play with some team this year. and sign sometime by this summer. i think that he would be the bears best bet. he says his knee is good he is a very proven wr and they could get him for cheap as hell now because no one has showed any interest. he could teach r wrs a ton of stuff. i think that he is definitely the way to go.
Not really
I didn’t write a fanpost till it was, but now he’s saying he’s good to go
Think With Your Dipstick Jimmy!
by ifuwannacrownem on May 8, 2009 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, I think he played for Cal,
… so he’s already got experience as a Bear.
And the prevailing wind happens to be blowing from Vichy.
You're right
He’s from Berkeley, but went to Michigan. Go figure.
Now I don’t like him so much.
And the prevailing wind happens to be blowing from Vichy.
Before the draft,
I was all about the Bears signing a veteran WR. Now, I’m not as worried about it. Let’s see what our young guys can do, would hate for an older veteran to take snaps away from Hester/Bennett/Iglesias/Knox/Rideau. It’s not like we use a lot of 5 receiver sets.
Although I like the WRs on your list
It’s not good to have 4 WRs who have never seen the field and one who is still learning the position
Agreed
It’s not ideal. Just would rather deal with that than Toomer. Young guys got to get in there eventually, I know it was one in a million, but it worked with Forte last year.
I'd just like to make one little point/correction...
Every WR is still learning the position as they go for the most part, learning new things, perfecting routes, etc.
With that said, while Rideau hasn’t been in a bunch of actual games, he’s been in the system for awhile now and is likely at the point that he isn’t going to get much better without experience.
How can I put this nicely...
His receptions/yards have been in decline the past few years, he’s also started being injured and such as well. As it was said before, he’d be learning a new system too.
I’m not saying that Amani Toomer wasn’t more gifted at one point in his career, but he’s definately well into his swan song and this is going to be just another Booker situation.
How is Toomer going to teach our young WR anything? If he’s teaching them on the field then he’s taking playing time from either Hester, Bennett, or Igleasis. If he’s teaching them during practice, then why is he taking up a WR slot instead of being hired as an assistant WR coach.
I’m all for a veteran WR teaching our young WR how to play to game, but unless it’s happening on the field then it’s worthless for that vet to be taking up a valuable roster slot. The Vet needs to be better than someone whose slot he is going to be taking, and I really don’t think that’s true with Toomer.
To sum it all up, a veteran WR is only worth it if he we think he’s better than what we have, and he’s going to be teaching by being a good player on the field.
by Jacob Hayes on May 8, 2009 10:15 AM CDT reply actions 4 recs
If I could wreck this twice, I would.
Well said.
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It's in the vid linked in the first sentence.
Its small, but it’s there.
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Well put
Your statement about a veteran WR teaching our young guys is right on the money, but it should also be someone who has at least 2 – 3 years of productive time left and not just a stop-gap, which I definitely think Toomer would be.
I don't know where everybody has seen evidence that his level of play has been in decline
So what if he’s old? he’s still a reliable option at WR. I feel the only reason his production declined is because he was being phased out. He’s a good option and no way is he another Marty booker waiting to happen.
he’s also started being injured and such as well
I’m sorry, besides 2006, I don’t remember him having injury issues. Matter fact, take away that year, he’s been one of the most durable WRs in the league.
Think With Your Dipstick Jimmy!
by ifuwannacrownem on May 8, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions
ACL is a serious injury, very serious...
Also, the sign of decline is in his numbers. He barely broke 500 last year, and in a post further down he went from 1000 in 2003 to hovering in the 700s, to not even getting to 600 last year. Expecting a bounce back year from a 35 year old player is dreaming.
Keep in mind before you say he isn’t just another Booker, you’re right. Booker at least has experience in this offense, Toomer doesn’t even have that going for him.
Booker only had 14 catches in a starting rotation. so much for experience.
I don’t expect him to have a hundred catches or top a thousand yards, but If seeking veteran experience at WR is key, who would you prefer; DJ Hackett? Jerry Porter? Reggie Williams? Ashley Lelie? They may be veterans, but do you really think they could provide veteran experience? I sure don’t.
ACL injuries are risky indeed, but nonetheless, with the exception of a portion of 2006, Toomer’s been very durable.
And wouldn’t Jay Cutler as his QB be a huge upgrade over Eli Manning? Am I the only one that sees he put up impressive numbers as a number two and four Wideout?
Think With Your Dipstick Jimmy!
by ifuwannacrownem on May 8, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions
This is more of a personal standpoint...
I was fine with Housh, and loved the idea of Boldin. However, I specifically don’t want a veteran WR unless I’m happy with him starting for three years. That isn’t the case with Toomer or any of the ones listed. I’d rather not have one, than be saddled with a bad one.
I'm with Ifuwanna on this
Everyone is saying why sign him when he’s not an upgrade over what we have.
3 of the receivers that everyone is saying Toomer will stunt their development have not even seen an NFL Training camp yet. Lets get serious about this. People are saying to not sign him and take a chance on 3 draft picks and 1 who although in his second year has not seen the field. So basically 4 players who have not seen an NFL down yet. Am i the only one who sees a Potential Problem in this. I hope the guys do well also..but realistically i would rather have an experienced possesion receiver than throwing all our barrels into 4 unproven rookies basically and a converted DB WR in his second full year as WR.
I said it before and i will say it again, we Need a veteran WR, i’m not talking about a teacher..but a dude that’s actually going to catch passes. Can everyone tell me right now..without a shadow of a doubt..without even training camp and preseason done that they are comfortable with the receivers that we have now.
Who is comfortable with that..please let me know.
by Chitownproduct on May 9, 2009 2:48 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't understand this?
Angelo specifically said after the draft that they didn’t have plans on adding a veteran WR.
And, while I feel the Bears do need a veteran in the group (because we have no experience outside of Davis), I don’t get the flip-flopping by the Bears on this issue.
Now, to me… it appears if they do sign a veteran, we may be carrying 6 WRs this year.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
I think just like the Cutler deal,
if they get a FA WR, they will keep it under wraps for the most part until the deal is done.
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Yuck
The Giants receivers aren’t anything special, and they cut this guy. He’s got nothing left in the tank. Pasadena.
You have the logic of a taco.
The Giants WRs were good until Plax left the picture.
And they didn’t cut Toomer.
But yes, Pasadena for sure.
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No Thanks
Last year in Denver Cutler’s top 3 receivers (by yards) were a rookie and 2 third year players… signing Toomer will only hurt the development of the young players the Bears have.
Toomer has little to nothing left in the tank.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on May 8, 2009 10:42 AM CDT reply actions
I actually think it would give them
a decent red zone target. He was very good at that with the giants, so if he could give Jay a guy who knows how to use his body and get open in the end zone I am for it.
Burrito here,
third the motion “Pasadena”.
Hear about the blind hooker, you gotta hand it to her.
by Bears fan 4-ever!!! on May 8, 2009 10:42 AM CDT reply actions
No.
If this was 2003, then yeah. This is another Marty Booker band-aid, he’s old, definitely getting to the point in his career where he drops catchable balls and gets injured a lot. I will pass.
by Sam Householder on May 8, 2009 10:44 AM CDT reply actions
Yes
Hester production in 2008 as number 1 receiver = Toomer production in 2008 as guy being phased out of the Giants plans.
Davis vs. Toomer? I’ll take Toomer, thank you very much.
Bennet production in 2008 vs. Toomer = (you know already)
Iglesias NFL production in 2008 vs Toomer =
Knox production in 2008 vs. Toomer =
Playoff experience. Superbowl experience. Size (taller than all are existing receivers)
Familiarity with NFC defenses and DB’s…
Cosummate professional.
Team leader.
13 years of relative injury free play.
I’ll take him.
I agree with you but,
only if this means the end of the Rashied Davis experience. Hester/Toomer starting. Bennett/Knox in the slot. Iglesias and Bennett are the backups for Hester/Toomer. Rideau is another backup if they keep 6.
by Mike Mueller on May 8, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Toomer hasn’t caught more than 60 passes since 2003.
In the last 5 seasons, he’s only found the endzone 17 times.
Plus, he’s dropped at least 6 passes in the last 3 seasons.
PLUS, he’ll be year older… 35 this season. WRs productions don’t maintain when they hit their mid-30s usually.
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To your point....
Let’s look at the last 4 seasons and see how Toomer compares to the other 7 guys on our current roster.
Receptions:
Toomer: Receptions over 4 years: 200 (50 per season— 48 last year)
Hester, Davis, Bennett, Kinder, Knox, Iglesias, Rideau: 144
Yards:
Toomer: 2387
Other 7 Receivers on the roster: 1807
Receiving Touchdowns:
Toomer: 17
Other 7 Receivers on the Roster: 9
So, even though Toomer missed half of the 2006 season due to his only ever injury in his 13 year career he still has outperformed all 7 other receivers on our roster COMBINED as follows:
1. Receptions 41% more catches than all of them
2. Yards: 32% more yards than all of them
3. Touchdowns: 88% More NFL Touchdowns than all of them combined.
Anyway, you get the point. I am by no means trying to state that Toomer is a Saviour but I strongly believe we need a veteran receiver on this squad and Toomer to me would be a good fit for a 1-2 year, low cost contract. I would expect average performance from him (similar to what we got out of Davis last year ( 35 catches, 450 yards, 2 TDs.) Plus his professional approach and veteran presence would be good for both the young receiving corps and for Cutler I believe.
But you aren't taking into consideration
1- We now have Cutler
2- Hester and Bennett have a year under their belts to study and learn, and should have a productive 2009.
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Well....
So we have Cutler and I agree he’ll make the receivers better…all the receivers— be they rookies learning the ropes or 13 year vets.
Yes, Hester will be better this year- no doubt. And, for better or worse, he’s our number one receiver at this point.
And, yes, Bennett will be better as well. He has to be because he simply can’t be any worse; the kid basically red shirted his rookie year.
Then if you acknowlegde that Hester/Bennett will be better
you also have to acknowledge that Toomer will continue to see his productivity diminish. If we are truly going to add a veteran WR, fine… there are plenty of other names to throw out there besides Toomer.
That being said, with a revamped OL, a pro bowl QB, a healthy RB duo, and a plethora of young WRs, I’m not so sure adding a vet to the squad would make that big of a difference. We will experience our growing pains, but we are quickly adding talent that should contribute for years to come…
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Offense is probably adequate
I kind of agree with your last point— the offense with Cutler, the revamped OL, a (hopefully) healthy back up RB to our young stud, our killer TE tandem should be better than ok.
My point is this: I think we can provide insurance to all the totally unproven rooks in the WR corps through a veteran acquisition but I’m not losing sleep over it (not like I am about the defensive issues I see.) Yes, it costs us a roster spot but whose? Davis’s? Rideau’s? I can live with that.
Also, can you give me your ideas on a free agent that would be better than Toomer. I’ve scoured the wires and at this point I don’t really see a better fit but maybe you have some suggestions.
Decent FAs left (in my opinion)
Miles Austin, Malcom Floyd, Sam Hurd, Nate Jackson, Joe Jurevicius, Ashlie Lelie, Ruvell Martin, Tab Perry, Koren Robinson, Reggie Williams.
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Really?
You’d take all of these guys over Toomer?!
Miles Austin, yes. But he’s an RFA if memory serves me right and picking him up would cost us a 2nd rounder next year. No thanks.
Koren Robinson is a complete alchoholic who has been out of the league for how long?
Reggie Williams—geez. Don’t even get me started on that coke fiend.
Jureivius, as I mentioned, didn’t even play last year because his knee is destroyed.
Lelie is a head-case, cry baby who has been run out of every town he landed in.
And I’d take Rashied Davis over the rest of the lot….
Austin is an UFA.
My point is, Toomer is running on fumes. If we are gonna give a roster spot to a FA, we might as well spend it on someone who could potentially make some big plays.
But, like I stated before, we should be okay considering the other phases of our offense are taking shape.
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Austin has resigned with Dallas. Almost positive.
If Koren Robinson would lay off the sauce, he could be a MONSTER.
I have read several times that Dallas
had to intentions of letting his leave, but I haven’t seen where they have actually re-signed him.
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Dallas Cowboys Roster Team Website, Free Agent Tracker NFL.COM
I am novice on the “O” computer otherwise I would link.
Confirmed...he signed
As I thought. Austin was always an RFA and he re-signed his tender with the Cowboys on April 24th after no other team was willing to give up a second rounder for him.
A few issues with this comparison...
One: Hester’s “production” in 2008 doesn’t include his PI yardage which, while a bit sad, was a decent part of his game last year. Simply put, the offense and the QB did not fit into Hester’s strength. Even if Hester stayed exactly the same this year skillwise, his production will rise just because Cutler has an arm better suited to the player and the route he could run.
Two: Look at Toomer’s production the last six years. I’ll include them to help out the discussion.
2003 NY Giants 16 63 1057 66.1 16.8 77 4.0 48 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2004 NY Giants 15 51 747 49.8 14.6 48 3.2 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
2005 NY Giants 16 60 684 42.8 11.4 37 2.7 37 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 NY Giants 8 32 360 45.0 11.3 44 1.7 22 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2007 NY Giants 16 59 760 47.5 12.9 40 3.4 42 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2008 NY Giants 16 48 580 36.3 12.1 40 2.9 30 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Of course, 2006 is the year he tore his ACL, so I’ll throw that one out. It’s still pretty obvious that his career is in decline. Hoping for a bounce back year from a 35 year old WR is definately some wishful thinking. Also, since this is bascially the stat point, he’s also not taller than all of our receivers. Rideau is 6ft3in as well. As far as the production of Bennett/Igleasis/Knox in 2008 goes, I’d rather have promising “rookies” than a guaranteed veteran on the backside of a downward slide. Could be vs will be argument. I’d rather have someone we already have on the field get somewhere between 400 yards and 1000 yards than be “guaranteed” 600 from someone that is only going to be around a year or two, if that.
Three: I’d take Staley the Bear in the slot over Rashied Davis so it’s kind of a strawman argument to put anyone over Davis as a point saying we should go get him.
Here's the deal...
Firstly, I’m in total agreement: His career is on the decline and I don’t expect a bounce. What I do expect is slightly poorer performance than what he produced last year.
But, if you tell me that this is a 100% rebuilding year for the Bears and we’ll just let all these completely unproven guys run around on Sundays and learn their lessons in the school of hard knocks, then fine, don’t sign him.
But if you want some insurance against a repeat of what we saw with Bennett last year, i.e. he sees the field for only a few plays the entire season, doesn’t catch one pass and explains it off as having trouble making the NFL adjustment, well, then Toomer would be a good bet.
For the record: I am opposed to an Edwards /Ochocinqo trade where we would have to give up young defensive talent for guys who have other question marks around them despite their relative youth and recent production compared to an aging vet like Toomer. But in this case, Toomer is your veteran leadership and insurance plan. If the young guys deliver, Toomer rides the bench. If they struggle like Bennett did, at least you have a guy who knows how to be a pro and product in the league.
That wasn't the reasoning behind Bennett...
He was having trouble learning the entire WR playbook to the level needed to see the field. For instance, look at the beginning of the Hester experiment where he literally had to be moved around while on the field because he didn’t know exactly what he was supposed to be doing. It wasn’t that he wasn’t playing fast enough because of his speed, it was because he was being trained to play 3 different WR positions and basically put into a situation where he had to play all 3 or none. He now knows how to play all three, and the Bears have said publically that Igleasis is only going to be learning one position.
This puts us in a likely situation of Hester and Igleasis, with Bennett in the slot. Why? Because if Bennett was trained to play all positions, and Igleasis is only being trained to work outside it makes perfect sense and gets Davis off the field. Even if Igleasis doesn’t make the field his first year, Bennett is pretty much guaranteed to an since he can play outside as well. I don’t have any problems with a WR tandem of Hester/Bennett since our slot usage should be very little working mostly out of the two TE set.
Needless to say, if we’re in agreement on Toomer’s production next year I find it really hard to believe that you think it’s a good idea to bring in a 500 yard WR to take up a roster slot when we have a bunch of young talent across the board that we need to develop. That isn’t just with the WR, that’s on defense as well. Heck, if all we are wanting is 500 yards and a tall target, I’d bet 20$ right now that Rideau can give you that.
Developing Talent vs. Winning Games
As I said, if we want to focus on developing talent then fine, let the kids run out there and give it their best shot— maybe they’ll pull it off. If they don’t, they’ll certainly learn something but it will be at the cost of some W’s.
Yes, I’m familiar with the spin the Bears put on the Bennett learning curve. It makes sense and I’m certainly hopeful that Iglesias doesn’t have the same problems and I’m happy to know they are focusing him on one role.
That said: I would be AMAZED if any of these kids (other than Hester) puts up 500 yards this year. I would definitely take your bet on Rideau. Going from 0 to 500 in one year? Very, very unlikely. Hester was our number one receiver last year and has incredible skills and he barely got there so I’m not sure why you think that is a gimme for these young players.
They are not mutually exclusive...
And to pretend they are, is denying the reality that teams around the league from the Patriots(most successful) to the Redskins(least successful), do so every year.
Will they learn on the job? Sure. However, they already have more experience than Toomer does in the Bears offense just from the rookie camp, or in Rideau’s case in preseason games.
Sure, Preseason is Preseason, however Rideau threw up over a hundred yards and three TD in limited PT last preseason and if there is one thing that is true WR size is something the translates very readily. So yes, I definately think he’d get at least as many yards as Toomer and likely more.
Don't overlook the key point:
I’m with you: You can develop talent and win games. Of course. But you do that through a healthy mix of vets and youth.
The point I’m making is that we are missing that mix in our WR corps. We don’t have the vets.
I’m willing to bet there has never been a team in this league where we go into training camp with 7 WR’s on the roster 5 of whom have never caught an nfl pass. And of the two that have, one of them is a converted PR/KR in only his third year at the position and the other is a 30 year old converted corner back from the Arena leauge.
That is NOT the way the Pats develop talent.
I'd just like to point out...
How well mixing in a veteran for having a veterans sake worked out last year. Booker got a ton of unproductive playing time, and I really didn’t see or hear of him teaching anyone any tricks or hear any WR talking about how much Booker helped his game.
I’d much rather go into camp with Hester/Bennett/Igleasus/Rideau/Knox/Davis, and then depending on how things go, cut Davis to make more room on Defense.
We are literally rebuilding our D:Line with rookies while attempting to contend, I’d rather carry 10 DLine than 6 WR. At least one if not more of our DLine is gone next year. Roster slots are at a premium this year, and Toomer nor Davis are deserving of one on this team.
I'm with The Kaiser...
… on this one. Good points. I will not buy for a second that Iglesias or Knox will come in and produce immediately. Maybe they will, probably not. Other than the secondary, their is no bigger question mark on the team than WRs. Is Toomer ideal? HELL NO! Will he do his job better than R. Davis does his? HELL YES! If the Bears were going to cut Davis without acquiring someone else, fine. If they are going to keep Davis unless they find someone else. ALL DAY Toomer.
I wish we had signed Ronald Curry.
He would have been my second choice, behind Boldin.
Achilles = Big Red Flag
Curry seemed like one of the better UFA options this off season and he still may prove to be great for the Lions but if you look at his medical history it is a big red flag. The guy had gone down twice in his career with the same achilles issue and we know how that can impact a player (see Mike Brown.)
We need at least one vet.
It will take some of the pressure off Olsen and Clark in the red zone.
Joe
Jurevicius…i’d rather have him then Toomer, but he’s certainly an injury risk as well. I think he’d be a better red-zone option than Amani.
"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
Joe=Great Guy but...
Yeah, he’s a fans player. Everyone loves Jurevicious and he’d be a great leader and locker room guy. He’s also a big strong target.
But he’s almost as old as Toomer and his medical history is terrible. He’s had like 10 surgeries on the same knee over the last year. I’m not kidding. He didn’t even play all of 2008. I would be amazed if he made any roster at this point. I see him in the broadcast booth or coaching by the time the season starts…
Edwards? Boldin?
The Cards are still shopping Boldin and word is that Braylon Edwards wants out of Cleveland.
by Ditka,Sausage,Bears on May 8, 2009 12:38 PM CDT reply actions
I don't believe...
… the cards are REALLY shopping Boldin. Just attempting to appease him.
FA's
There are still quality FA WR’s Available that are comparable to Toomer in size.
Amani Toomer – 6’3" 203 14yrs in NFL
FA’s
Ashley Lelie – 6’3" 195# 9yrs UFA
Reggie Williams – 6’4" 212# 6yrs(susspension likely) UFA
DJ Hackett – 6’2" 220# 6yrs UFA
Miles Austin – 6’3" 216# 4yrs UFA
I’m not saying they are as talented as Toomer, especially at his prime, but they also will have a lot fewer miles on their legs. If we are looking for a tall, slow, sure-handed vet, let’s just bring Booker back. If we are looking for veteran experience maybe give one of these guys a shot with a cheap contract, a JA special!!!
Unreasonable people make life difficult...
Thanks for the list... IMO
Lelie = poor attitude
Williams = underachieving, bad attitude
Miles Austin = I think has signed w/ Dallas again
Hackett = was released after 1yr in Car. Whom needs goo young WRs
Hacket would certainly have upside...
… over Toomer. but all of the WRs on the roster would as well. I think Toomer would be the one piece that fits with what The Bears already have. Subtracting Davis of course.
It's not my favorite move
I can see it though.
Would we then have to cut two of the receivers that we currently have? I imagine that they would be Davis/Rideau or Davis/Knox?
I don't think Chicago needs to cut two.
Bring in Toomer or Hackett ( I still prefer Toomer) and cut Davis. I think Knox would be mostly a contributer on ST in his first year. Therefore he’s safe.
Well
I guess if we’re talking about bringing Booker back let’s throw Muhammed in there too.
by Ditka,Sausage,Bears on May 8, 2009 12:49 PM CDT reply actions
Now you're just talking crazy
but that’s my point…we’ve been down this road befor multiple times.
If we have to bring in a veteran WR let’s bring one in that still has some gas in the tank, not one that’s running on vapors.
Unreasonable people make life difficult...
by WisBearsFan34 on May 8, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions
You sure about that info?
Didn’t DJ Hackett just sign with someone?
Isn’t Austin an RFA?
No thanks on Lelie and Williams. Both have major character issues.
Not as far as ESPN's FA tracker is concerned
But they may not have it up to date.
Unreasonable people make life difficult...
by WisBearsFan34 on May 8, 2009 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions
He's amazing!
Did you read about him recently? The guy just set the new world record for the senior time in the 100M dash. He’s 48 and his time was like 10.4 or something. Moreover, he’s world class, he practices all day and dances all night. And, word is the ladies love him because he’s as smooth as a chocolate swirl.
Yeah
It’s a good read for sure. Here it is for others to read if you missed it: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=li-gault050109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
by Ditka,Sausage,Bears on May 8, 2009 1:05 PM CDT reply actions
Pretty sad
Hate to see that happen to any athlete. I met Dick Butkis a few times a while ago, I think he might get around like that as well.
That’s why when I have a son, we are going to start field goal kicking lessons when he is two.
Toomer vs Jackson
Cutler works very well with rookies as opposed to veterans. Last year, he developed an instant connection with Eddie Royal while Darrell Jackson rode the pine. D-jack was supposed to be brought in to be their number two. I think that Cutler will do just fine without a stop gap.
Final Take
I’d like to see a better vet on the squad than Davis or Rideau. Toomer is the best fit today but there is a good chance someone better becomes available this summer. If we don’t sign a vet, we’ll survive. I think our offense is actually in decent shape and wide receiver is not as important as many of us make it out to be. Hester could be great this year, his magical third as a wide out (80 rec, 1100 yds, 11 TDs). Olsen, with Cutler throwing, is going to tear up the league (70-80 rec, 800 yds, 9 TDs) Forte will continue to go in motion and line up wide, creating great mismatches with LB’s and he’ll also get 500 yards receiving on 40 catches and 4 TDs. The rest of the receivers, tight ends and running backs will need to pitch in another 1500 yards and 10 TDs to get Cutler near the magic 4,000 yards, 35 TD mark we expect. It is possible— with or without a vet like Toomer on board. (I just think it’s a little more possible with him ;-)
Glad to see you came over to my side :)
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And welcome to the blog, btw...
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i feel like you've been peeking in my brain...
i’ve tried to stay away from the FA WR thing on all accounts. i know most of the stuff in these posts are all speculation at best, but in breaking down our offense to a friend of mine(damn TB bucs fan), i came up with real similar numbers… i had DHes scraping the 1000 mark, and 2 TDs ,less, and olsen, becoming jay’s favorite target, with same yards, one less TD. my numbers were plugged into a season where i saw jay going for more of a 3500yard season with 28-30 TDs.
Cool.
Maybe 35 passing TD’s is a bit ambitious given that we do play in the NFC north in Nov and Dec and we are a team who get’s off the bus…blah blah.
But Turner likes to throw from inside the 5 so if Cutler is able to use those legs of his and buy time while a TE or a RB breaks loose, we could see a fair number of scores there.
Also, gotta figure we’re going to do real well in the field position battles due to our excellent ST play and that should help us to put a few more tuddies on the board.
I’d be happy with a 3500 yard, 30 TD season out of Cutler as long as our defense is doing their thang….
Thanks and BTW
Just read your “mis-placed” post on the 3-5-3 (or 3-3-5) defense. Are you going to post that someplace else or just leave it there? I am very skeptical that it would work in the NFL for a number of reasons but don’t think the “Amani Toomer” thread is the right place to elaborate :)
i'd love to hear 'em...
not sure how that works, tho. do i give an email address or what’s the protocal??? maybe there shoud be an IM or something attached here so random football converstaions could be had without jamming up the posts.
baby steps...
i’m just now gettin the hang of things around here… i’d like to but it’s a “precision” type topic that may have the avg fan a bit dazed and confused… no disrespect to anybody out there in football land.
I can buy that
Agreed, another option hopefully is being looked at before camp and if it isn’t Toomer i can live with it. But i truly hope it’s someone. We need another WR presence. I hope JA makes my offseason complete and picks one up.
Well 80% complete at least, i think safety will hopefully work out come season.
by Chitownproduct on May 9, 2009 2:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Another possible FA WR option...
Now let me preface this by saying that I don’t completely think this would be the best idea but I’m gonna throw it out there. How about Matt Jones from the Jags? I know he is facing a suspension from the league (I think) but he really seemed to be coming into his own the past season or two (only been in the league 4 years) and he has great size and speed. Maybe pairing him with a pro-bowl caliber QB could help maximize his potential and he could just have that breakthrough season.
On the otherhand, I know he has some character/decision making issues but if he could sufficiently prove that’s all behind him he could be a good pickup. Like I said before, I don’t really know how I would feel about us picking him up, it’s an idea though.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7197
"One time I went to a social gathering, I brought a bottle of Tanqueray and a shotgun and showed those motherf&#@ers the best time they ever had!"- Kenny Powers (Eastbound and Down)
"Why give 100% when 35 can still get you paid and laid."- Kenny Powers
by gridiron_assassin on May 8, 2009 4:07 PM CDT reply actions
Lol...
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Hey it's (kind of) a legit option...
And his last arrest was kind of a joke. I mean granted he was ordered by a judge not to have any alcohol in his body, but the guy was drinking a beer while playing some golf with friends. Not like he was behind the wheel of a car driving through Times Square.
Like I said he’s not exactly someone I would want to see on the roster, but he is out there as an option.
"One time I went to a social gathering, I brought a bottle of Tanqueray and a shotgun and showed those motherf&#@ers the best time they ever had!"- Kenny Powers (Eastbound and Down)
"Why give 100% when 35 can still get you paid and laid."- Kenny Powers
by gridiron_assassin on May 8, 2009 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions
That was 2 months ago bozo.
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exactly my point...
less than 60 days ago, he was in trouble… AGAIN!!! i guess i have to explain myself now, after the last reply. first and foremost, the guy can’t stay out of trouble. secondly, have you ever heard a judge demand that a guy not drink beer??? i have… they do it all the time to ADDICTS WHO CAN’T STAY OUT OF TROUBLE!!! and finally, seeing as how we didn’t even wait for tank johnson to get thru the court system without pullin the trigger on him, ther is NO WAY IN HELL that we’re gonna sign a receiver who “can’t keep his nose clean” for more than two months.
The Experience is need
The Bears might as well go after Marvin Harrison too. His veteran leadership will definitely help out the young inexperienced WR, which should speed the learning curve.
He's probably gonna want to get paid like a premier WR still...
There’s no way we can afford to pay 5-6 million for Harrison (which is almost definitely what he’ll be looking for). That’s why the Colts let him go, he didn’t want to restructure his contract and take a pay cut.
"One time I went to a social gathering, I brought a bottle of Tanqueray and a shotgun and showed those motherf&#@ers the best time they ever had!"- Kenny Powers (Eastbound and Down)
"Why give 100% when 35 can still get you paid and laid."- Kenny Powers
by gridiron_assassin on May 8, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions
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