We know Angelo can build a Defense, but can he color inside the lines with the Offense?

Hello my friends,

I am coming to you on a beautiful sunny day here on the North Shore of Chicago that was only marked merrier by the retirement of Brett Farve.  I admire that guy as an athlete and one of the greatest QB's ever, but man it feels good to have him gone.  

In any case, the purpose of this article is to try and answer this question. What in the name of all that is holy and good is Angelo doing with our offense? We know the man can build a Defense and he knows good players when he sees them (see, Hester, Devin and Olsen, Greg), but I just don't believe what is happening.  I am glad they didn't blink with Briggs, but I just don't know what is happening on offense.  It looked like Angelo was going somewhere good by cutting Ruben Brown, Fred Miller, Moose, and eventually trading Brian Griese. We were going to invest in the O-line through free agency and the draft. We were going to keep or Franchise Berrian.  We were going to get help at RB and not rely on Cedric Benson 100% next year.  Those situations are not going well at all.  Let's look at those three places and where on earth we might be going.

The O-Line Reconstruction
We started going in the right direction by cutting loose the dead baggage.  This needed to happen, but it has left a gaping hole on our left side.  I like Tait and Garza on the right and Kruetz is Kruetz.  However, we are in a rough spot in trying to rebuild the whole left side.  Maybe we are planning to use St. Clair (kill me now) and Beekman at guard or draft a guard.  I really believe that we need to sign a good guard or someone who can compete or teach Beekman and draft a stud Tackle.  We need a young talented tackle and that seemed to be a definite reality.  However, as every day passes, that certainty seems less and less likely. I will explain why at the end, but suffice to say Angelo hasn't done anything for the line yet as we watch the big talents fly away to other teams.  WCG has set up a list of remaining OT's and is working on a list of remaining OG's that we can sign, but the big names are gone and Angelo hasn't acted yet.

The Running Back Disaster
It is a disaster.  Adrian Peterson isn't that great.  Garrett Wolfe is technically a midget or is being grossly misused.  Benson has been a big disappointment and hasn't lived up to his 4th pick holdout hype that originally came with him.  Now we hear that he isn't 100% and this came out right before free agency.  I thought for sure that this would put some pressure on Angelo to get a RB weather it be Turner or a lesser name.  We need somebody good behind Benson who is starting to make injuring his leg a habit.  It would have made sense to use FA for this and not go to the draft, but now that we have neglected this we are apparently locked into getting another RB through the draft.  Consequently, we may stick with what we have and that would be the worst thing we could do.

The Wide Receiver Apocalypse
This is beyond disaster right now.  I thought that by cutting Moose we took a step in the right direction.  I thought that Berrian as going to get paid and given the #1 moniker and allow Hester to develop into a premiere WR to complement him.  However, we let Berrian walk to a division rival and now we have a horrible situation.  Then through the Trib (hat tip to the Coolest) and ESPN 1000 the show with J-Hood was saying that the "word" around wide receivers (I realize this is just rumor) in the league is that the Bears are going to get their #1 in the draft.  Excuse me?!?! If there is any truth to this I am livid.  How can we need to fill so many holes through the draft (QB, O-Line, RB) and then to listen to Lovie talk about Hester becoming a #1 in the league, and then to hear that we are going to get our #1 in the draft!  What the heck is that?  I am really upset right now.  As we stand right now, we are looking at Hester starting (is he ready for that?) along with Mark Bradley (and all of his 6 catches last year).  Then Rashied Davis (if we keep him), Brandon Rideau, and Mike Hass round out our corps as of today.  I like Davis, and he may be a decent 3rd option, but not behind Bradley.  Hass and Rideau looked good last year during the preseason against second rate competition, but got no playing time last year.  We don't know where they are at or what they can do.  That isn't a great crop of Receivers at all.

Unless, they are planning to use Bradley and Hester (gag) with Davis dashed in and Olsen in the slot more often with Clark at TE, now... that I can live with.   Hester can stretch the field and draw double teams.  Hopefully, Bradley can just be a body out there.  Olsen can work the field with Clark.  That may not be horrible, but we need at least one more starting caliber WR.  As I write this more are disappearing off the market with the most recent being David Patten signing with the Saints again.  I am waiting for Angelo to wow me with his GM wisdom regarding this position.

All in all we were expected to take care of things in Free Agency, and so far we haven't done anything as more prospect fly away.  I would understand if they liked Mendenhall or Stewart and wanted to go RB in the draft and Free Agency for the O-Line, but we haven't even wooed an O-line prospect yet.  I could understand if we went O-Line in the draft and signed Michael Turner.  However, it's looking like we are going to get both in the draft?!?!  Seriously, what the heck.  So now if we get an O-lineman in the first round what RB will we get in the second?  What QB in the third? If we get Mendenhall in the first who do we take in the later rounds?  Then how does a #1 WR fit into the equation?  I just don't understand what Angelo is doing at all.  Goodness, I would have understood if we resigned Berrian and given some security to our WR core and offense.  He has played his cards very close to his vest and isn't showing a real sense of urgency to win.  Farve is out!  The Lions are still owned by Millen!  The Vikings are good, but not great!  We can own this division, but instead we seem to be content with letting our offense regress to something that resembles Notre Dame's offense circa 2007-2008!

I am angry and looking for answers.  I am waiting for some action and waiting for the draft.  I want to see Angelo do something.  Forget about Hester and Urlacher getting better contracts.  Let's worry about improving the team. Let me know if you guys have any other solutions or explanations for what is going on.