sportsden13

yes but the lions also have a far better O-line than the bears do.

i did see wiliams play and while he is a very good WR i dont think he will help our offense all that much,especially if teh QB is constantly running for his life.

also where would the lions be if maybe they traded their harrington pick a few years ago to more good players instead of attempting to find one great one??

they could be a better all around team???

instead of a team with a good young WR corp and a good young RB being stuck on a bad team.

yu ask where would they be without williams and jones and i say close to where they are now....not in the playoffs!!!!!

for too long the bears have been trying to build the offense from the outside in when it should be getting built from the inside out!!!!!just like the 85 team was.

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Matt_Brophy

while I place a high value on the lines....

I also recognize that;
A) it's the offense's job to score points and that it's difficult to score points without playmakers. This offense is centered around generating the "big play" we really don't have "Big Play" guys on offense except for Thomas Jones and Bobby (developing) Wade...

B) it's the opponent's defense's job to defend against our personnel. Without legitimate threats at the skill positions, you can now take defenders out of coverage responsibilities to bring pressure on your QB / backfield.....it's like being cornered. Our current receivers have shown that they can defend against the pass (drops) better than the defense, so they can play aggressively.

for example.....

I could have a Terrell Owens flanked outside .....as a defense you HAVE to respect that guy, so you put a corner on him and likely will either roll coverage to him or at the very least, offer deep support on him and keep your linebacker off the line to defend the slant or inside breaking underneath routes.....that's three defenders that are affected by one player. If you get a stud lineman he generally can only block one guy at a time....one for one or three for one? It's all about assembling a threat on offense - I'd like to have a monster OLine, but we've got priorities on offense....and just like covering on defense, one facet of defense can affect another (a good pass rush makes the secondary better - a weak pass rush makes a secondary worse)...

the sooner you give up the nostalgia of yesterday's fantasies, the sooner you'll understand the reality of how the game is being played today

sportsden13

i agree.

however i think that is what free agency is for.sign guys who have proven they can make plays and use the draft to add depth(and maybe find a gem).

similar to what the pats have been doing.they create depth via the draft but sign playmakers through free agency(ie.. dillon and colvin).

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Matt_Brophy

so you expect rookie linemen to make an impact their first year for the Bears?
I dunno, who are these guys you're thinking of?

We have to have guys make an immediate impact...I would think the easiest positions to do that would be RB and WR....maybe I'm misguided.

sportsden13

i am not looking for immediate impact.i am looking at long term impact.

look at teh top teams in the league and show me one team that doesnt have at least a good offensive line.

the pats do(with no big name WR's).
the chiefs do(with no big name WR's or QB,although they do have gonzo).
the eagles went to 3 straight NFCC games even without a TO at WR.
the steelers have possibly the 2nd best O-line the AFC.

i dont think this is all coincidence.

with a great line a team can run the ball and set up the playaction pass which can hold off a good pass rush.

right now the bears line is sooo bad they cant even run the ball let alone pass it.

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sportsden13

also i am willing to bet a 1st round LT would be a HUGE upgrade over mitchell!!!!!!

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Matt_Brophy

I'm willing to bet an undrafted free agent would be a huge upgrade over Mitchell.

I don't know how many of the teams you mentioned, let alone the 85ers, had 1st round talent on their Oline.

Who are the playmakers we have a realistic shot at getting? The free agents that are any good have their pick of the teams they WANT to go to, draftees not named Manning, don't.....

We tried for Plummer and Kearse and they laughed at coming to Chicago.

Matt_Brophy

Since 2000 - Rds 1 - 2;

Chiefs
2004
2 Junior Siavii DT
2 Kris Wilson TE

2003
1 Larry Johnson RB
2 Kawika Mitchell LB

2002 1 Ryan Sims DT
2 Eddie Freeman DT

2001 (no 1st rounder / 2nd rounder)

2000
1 Sylvester Morris WR
2 William Bartee DB

Pats
2004
1 Vince Wilfork DT
1 Ben Watson TE

2003
1 Ty Warren DT
2 Eugene Wilson DB
2 Bethel Johnson WR

2002
1 Dan Graham TE
2 Deion Branch WR

2001
1 Richard Seymour DT
2 Matt Light T

2000
2 Adrian Klemm T
3 J.R. Redmond RB
Steelers
2004
1 Ben Roethlisberger QB
2 Ricardo Colclough DB

2003
1 Troy Polamalu DB
2 Alonzo Jackson DE

2002
1 Kendall Simmons G
2 Antwaan Randle El WR

2001
1 Casey Hampton DT
2 Kendrell Bell LB

Eagles
2004
1 Shawn Andrews T

2003
1 Jerome McDougle DE
2 L.J. Smith TE

2001
1 Freddie Mitchell WR
2 Quinton Caver LB

2000 1 Corey Simon DT
2 Todd Pinkston WR

mouse

I THINK I WOULD RATHER STAY PUT AND GRAB SOMEONE LIKE MIKE WILLIAMS OR BRAYLON EDWARDS IN THE 1ST. THE ONLY LT I WOULD LOOK AT THAT HIGH IS D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON.

IF WE COULD TRADE DOWN FOR TWO 1ST ROUNDERS, I WOULDN'T BE UPSET AT ALL THOUGH. HOW COULD ANYONE BE UPSET POSSIBLY BRINGING IN SOMEONE LIKE MARK CLAYTON AND HEATH MILLER IN THE 1ST ROUND? OR A GUARD LIKE ELTON BROWN?

WITH ALL THE UNDERCLASSMEN THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ENTER AT TACKLE, I STILL LIKE OUR CHANCES OF FINDING A SOLID LT IN ROUND 2.

EXAMPLES

ROUND 1: MIKE WILLIAMS WR USC
ROUND 2: WESLEY BRITT LT ALABAMA

OR

ROUND 1: MARK CLAYTON WR OKLAHOMA, HEATH MILLER TE VIRGINIA, ELTON BROWN G VIRGINIA (2 OUT 3)
ROUND 2: WESLEY BRITT LT ALABAMA

EITHER WAY, WE ARE ADDING ALOT OF TALENT TO THE OFFENSE AT KEY SPOTS WE NEED HELP AT.

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BEAR DOWN.......... AND WHILE YOU'RE DOWN THERE.....

sportsden13

ok here is my goal.build(or at least attempt to) a good O-lineeither through FA,teh draft, or both.

then every year draft at least 3 O-linemenin order to add and keep depth.the rounds they are drafted in can depend on need.

that way we will have a contant rotation of depth and talent on the O-line.

once we get teh O-line fixed then thay can draft has many skill guys and playmakers as their hearts desire.

even if we add a mike williams i still dont see this team being playoff bound next season.however if we can solidify the talent and depth on the line(which will improve the pass and run) i could see them making teh payoffs with teh defense we have.

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