As fans we would like to think that our teams are doing everything they can to make the teams better. You'd also like them to keep an eye on the bottom line. Bringing in players way over value hurts the team's success in the long run. On the latter front Jerry Angelo has been successful. He has let players go that would have made our team better, but was unwilling to pay the going price. The problem is he has also let the latter statement stop him from achieving the first statement.
Last off season the Bears only briely glanced at players like Alan Faneca and Michael Turner. In the end he didn't want to get into a bidding war. Both players had great years and are headed to the Pro Bowl. The Bears got lucky on the RB front drafting Matt Forte, but our line could have dearly used Faneca.
Again this year there are some names out there that would be huge upgrades to our teams. Case in point, Julius Peppers, who recently informed the Panthers that he wants out of Carolina. Having Peppers on the line instantly improves not only the entire defensive line, but the secondary as well. With a guy like Peppers putting pressure on the QB, the secondary doesn't have to maintain coverage as long. If Angelo plans to keep the offense we have largely intact that's fine. We can live with Orton and a pickup of a receiver. To do that however, you need a dominate defense and currently we are not there.
The problem is Peppers is going to cost money and a lot of it. A team cannot continue to succeed by never picking up talent and saving a dollar by going the cheaper routes. It leave our QB throwing to Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd instead of somebody better. It leaves us having a rag tag group of veterans and young players trying to protect our QB and open holes for Forte instead of Pro Bowlers in their prime. Last season Peppers had 13 1/2 sacks. That is 3 1/2 more than Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye combined.
If the Bears had been able to get pressure on opposing teams QBs, it is fair to at least talk about how the Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Carolina games ended. That is the difference between the Bears in the Playoffs and the Bears watching from home.
I'd like to say I have faith that knowing his job had to be on the line that he would go get somebody like Peppers, but in reality not only do I not think he will, I don't think his boss wants to spend the money or has even told Angelo that he needs to make moves or his performance comes into question.
Would anybody be upset if the Bears just dropped all their cash into Peppers and Jordan Gross and did nothing else the offeseason? How about Pepper and Boldin or TJ?