Much as we love to pile on Angela, it's too early to grade a test that hasn't been completed yet. She gets a tenuous stay of execution.
Target-wise, Cutler is set. I've always been a big fan of Kellen Davis - hands, focus, size, and more focus - over the oft-invisible Olsen, who seemed to crumple at the sight of defensive backs or even the suggestion of a tackle. Roy Williams is a solid target proven in the Martz' system - and he didn't cost us anything. I love Sam Hurd and think he'll surprise people more than Roy will. Good character and work ethic, big target that gets yards after the catch, but we couldn't or wouldn't match the Rams $3.7M for Mike Sims-Walker which is astounding. We can still win a Lombardi with Hester and Bennett in the mix. Spaeth is no dummy, and at 6'7 ... you're always open. Given Forte, Taylor and Eddie Williams can catch it pretty well ... Cutler looks fairly well set. If all else fails and everyone is magically covered ... he's one of the most mobile QBs in the game after Vince Young and Mike Vick.
There seems to be little faith behind Olin in cyberspace at the moment, similar to the feeling behind Urlacher before last season. I rode Olin's case all last season, my bad - because, like most fans, I don't know squat, and speak without knowing all the facts first. Obviously Olin couldn't say he was hurt last season, not in the macho world of the NFL .... but he was coming back from having a bone spur removed from his achilles, remember. He couldn't train properly, never had time to heal up. This time around, his off-site trainer said he's been pushing the 400lb sled - which he couldn't do all of last season. Now my feeling is that if you can't do the job properly, if you truly value your team, you fess up and say "I can't do you guys justice, I'm hurtin' here" But he didn't, and he played hurt. So be it. But he's not hurt now, and he seems good to go. Everybody loved to pile onto Urlacher last pre-season saying he was done for. Not so. He was awesome. And neither is Olin done. Next year, perhaps .... but, firing on all cylinders, he'll be good to go for another season. No doubt he's currently looking for a contract that will take him to 38 or beyond and secure more cash for his family. Understandable.
We've got guys on this roster that can play guard. Pick any two out of Asiata, Louis and Garza and there's your starters ready to go .... there's plenty of time to pick up another guard in FA. Levi Horn is 6'7 and cannot be any worse than Webb or Omelette, we could slot him in at RT - he's Tice's pet apparently. He is in favor with the king, so maybe there's our guy on the roster already. None of us really knows about the younger guys and how they've progressed under Tice and away from the cameras. Chris Williams is still here, and he wasn't drafted in the first round for no reason - having a first round pick to back you up at swing tackle isn't too shabby, is it?
Olin said he only picked up the phone this off-season to talk to Carimi. He didn't feel like he could pick it up and call the other guys and organize workouts, because he didn't know if he'd be a Bear or not. That's all on Angela and we should have locked Kreutz up in the off-season and put everyone's mind at rest and we'd have a semi-trained offensive line unit now. As Kreutz said himself, it's not about money, it's about fairness. He said he's "left a bunch of money on the table over the years to stay a Bear" and I believe that.
Tackles and guards we have on the bench. Another Olin we do not.


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