[CBFF] Angelo finally to discuss season

[Tom Shannon]

 Sent to you by Tom Shannon via Google Reader: Angelo finally to
discuss season via Inside the Bears by Brad Biggs on 1/3/08
Jerry Angelo will address the Bears' 7-9 season this morning at 10. It
will be the first time the general manager has met with assembled media
since Halloween as he became unavailable during the second half of the
season after years of mingling in the press box on game days. Perhaps
Angelo allowed coach Lovie Smith to be a single voice for the
organization during the season.

Whatever the reason, Angelo's voice will be the one that resonates in
the offseason as the club prepares for free agency and the draft, where
it holds the No. 14 pick. Smith has already let everyone know he would
like his entire coaching staff to return, as well as the entire 53-man
roster.


``We would like for all of our guys to come back,'' Smith said in his
wrap-up press conference to the season Monday afternoon.

It will be interesting to discover how Angelo feels about that given
the club's drop off on both sides of the ball, particularly on the
defense where the club has invested heavily, not only with draft picks
but money, in building a talented core.

Three things Angelo needs to answer:

1. Will the Bears make a run at any of their own free agents? LB Lance
Briggs, WR Bernard Berrian, QB Rex Grossman, special teamer Brendon
Ayanbadejo and TE John Gilmore, among others, will be unrestricted free
agents. Typically, the Bears have headed off their own free agents
before this point by signing them to deals. Is it realistic any of
these guys will return?

2. Are the Bears in the market for a quarterback other than Grossman?
Cleveland has made it known it will entertain offers for its restricted
free agent Derek Anderson. His play dropped off in December, a primary
reason why the Browns failed to make the playoffs. Is he an intriguing
prospect? If so, at what price?

3. When Smith says repeatedly down the stretch that the Bears are
``close'' to being competitive again, can they still be in that
position if they lose their own free agents?

Stay turned. There promises to be some interesting developments that
will be worth following into the spring.


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