[CBFF] FOX Sports - Bears falling further behind NFC North foes

[Phil DeNomme]

You said something?  Lol.

I was willing to wait a bit after FA started to see if JA signed any OL.
But he has signed no one.  This team will be lucky to get 5 wins without JA
addressing the OL.

-----Original Message-----
From: cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com
[mailto:cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Ryan Dietzenbach
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 8:13 AM
To: post at chicagobearsfanforum.com
Subject: Re: [CBFF] FOX Sports - Bears falling further behind NFC North foes

Where were you when I was saying this very thing 2 weeks ago, Phil?  ;-)

RD

On Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 7:26 AM, Phil DeNomme <pdenomme at gmail.com> wrote:
> Cant say I disagree with much he said.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com
> [mailto:cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Tom Shannon
> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 4:57 AM
> To: post at chicagobearsfanforum.com
> Subject: [CBFF] FOX Sports - Bears falling further behind NFC North foes
>
>  click to print this page
>
>
> Bears falling further behind NFC North foes By Adam Schein
>  Adam Schein hosts the Afternoon Blitz on Sirius NFL Radio from 3-7
> ET. He is also the NFL insider for Sports Net New York. Schein's
> columns appear every Tuesday and Thursday on FOXSports.com. His weekly
> video picks and video reports appear every Friday. Email Adam here.
>
>
>  Updated: March 13, 2008, 12:47 PM EST
>
>  Someone needs to remind the Bears that the goal in the off-season is
> to improve the ball club. I'm having a hard time comprehending the
> thought process in Chicago.
>
> Let's get the good out of the way first.
>
>
>
>
> I love the fact that Lance Briggs is back in Chicago. He's a Pro Bowl
> caliber linebacker, a fantastic tackler and playmaker built for Lovie
> Smith's system. Briggs is the perfect wingman for Brian Urlacher.
>
> And as President, Founder, CEO, and often sole member of the Rex
> Grossman fan club, I was happy to see the much maligned quarterback
> re-sign in the Windy City for another year. The free-agent market was
> very thin at quarterback. Grossman still has talent and upside. He
> does have a conference championship on his resume. He knows Ron
> Turner's offense and couldn't leave town on the low note that was
> 2007. Grossman's return is good for the team and the player.
>
> But here we are two weeks into the off-season, and I'm scratching my
> head on Chicago's decision making. The team is getting worse,
> specifically at the receiver position. Key areas of need haven't been
> addressed, like safety, offensive line, and, yes, Cedric Benson at
> running back. Potentially perfect fits in free agency weren't pursued.
> These questions and areas of weakness loom large as the teams in the
> division get stronger.
>
> And I'm writing this while defending Grossman!
>
> Everyone likes to blame Grossman for everything in Chicago. But you
> cannot ignore the enormous holes on this team.
>
>
>
> I understand Bernard Berrian got gobs of guaranteed money to join the
> rival Vikings. He had 16 million guaranteed reasons to defect. But
> Berrian told us last week that he would've re-upped with the Bears if
> the guaranteed money would've been remotely close. Even in a season
> where Berrian admits he dropped more passes than he should've, the
> wideout hauled in 71 passes and amassed just under 1,000 receiving
> yards. And he has an excellent rapport with Grossman, especially on
> the deep ball.
>
> And it is gut-wrenching for Bears fans to think of Berrian catching
> the all the passes Troy Williamson dropped through the years.
>
> And it is even worse to think of Brandon Lloyd replacing him.
>
> Brandon Lloyd? You have to be kidding me!
>
> He was a total bust in Washington after Joe Gibbs and Vinny Cerrato
> foolishly gave the Niners third- and fourth-round picks as well as
> millions of Dan Snyder's cash to Lloyd.
>
> How did Lloyd respond? He caught two total passes last year! And this
> performance followed an underwhelming 23 catches in 2006. It was
> highway robbery. I don't care that he played for Turner in college.
> This is a terrible move.
>
> I know Marty Booker has always been a favorite of general manager
> Jerry Angelo. But does Booker represent an upgrade over Muhsin
> Muhammad? I don't think so. It's a wash, at best.
>
> And where's the push for a defensive tackle to replace the
> underachieving Darwin Walker?
>
> Can Chicago possibly back on Mike Brown and Adam Archuleta at safety?
> Shouldn't Eugene Wilson be on the radar?
>
> And let's be honest here - the Bears need to be in the running back
> business.
>
> Michael Turner would've looked great in a Chicago uniform, but he
> signed with the Falcons.
>
> Cedric Benson has been a total bust, with opposing players like Shaun
> Philips and Luis Castillo openly questioning his toughness. Benson's
> disappointing 2007 came to a bitter and dramatic end when he fractured
> his ankle and was placed on injured reserve in late November. You
> can't bank on him for anything in 2008.
>
> Chicago never should've traded Thomas Jones. Thus, Angelo must
> consider a carry-the-mail back in the first round of the draft.
> Jonathan Stewart from Oregon or Illinois' own Rashard Mendenhall, two
> physical and speedy backs that should be big-time players, have to be
> on the radar. Mendenhall would be perfect.
>
> Investigating Shaun Alexander is also a worthy option.
>
> But while thinking running back, Chicago also needs to also replenish
> its offensive line and could be in the tackle business in the first
> round.
>
> This is what happens when you have major problems on offense.
>
> Could Grossman actually represent stability?
>
> Scary.
>
> It's seems like the 2006 Super Bowl run was ages ago. Minnesota is
> vastly improved with Berrian and Madieu Williams. Green Bay, even sans
> Favre, is rock solid. And hey, let's give Matt Millen some credit for
> picking up cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly.
>
> Unless the Bears suddenly join the off-season party, 2008 already has
> the makings of another frustrating season.
>
>
>
> Schein's 9 Nuggets...
>
> 1. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis tells us that he anticipates
> that cornerback Mike McKenzie can be healthy enough for training camp
> in the hot Jackson, Miss. sun. That's major news after McKenzie's ACL
> surgery. McKenzie was having an outstanding season before his suffered
> the injury and would look great teamed with free-agent addition
> Randall Gay.
>
> And write this one down - Jonathan Vilma is going to be a great player
> in New Orleans this year back in the 4-3. That was a brilliant trade
> for the Saints. It instantly improves the Saints defense. And Vilma
> reports he should be 100 percent physically for training camp.
>
> 2. Niners general manager Scot McCloughan says the quarterback
> competition will be "fair and open" between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill.
> Look for the Niners to draft at wide receiver in the first round, with
> the tall, athletic, and sure-handed James Hardy out of Indiana a
> distinct possibility.
>
> I really like what McCloughan has done in free agency, bringing in an
> energizer bunny and a three-down defensive end in Justin Smith. Isaac
> Bruce makes sense at receiver since he knows Mike Martz's offense.
>
>  And I firmly believe Darrell Jackson will bounce back and have a
> really good 2008 season.
>
> 3. One of the great, subtle moves made this off-season was Miami's
> pickup of guard Justin Smiley. He's an old school, tough-as-nails
> throwback who instantly starts for Tony Sparano at right guard. Smiley
> defines "Parcells guy." Catching up with the guard after he signed, he
> told us he couldn't wait to play for Sparano and be with Parcells.
>
> Miami's off-season hasn't been sexy, but pickups of Smiley, Josh
> McCown (a top 32 quarterback who can start and teach John Beck) and
> Ernest Wilford are very solid.
>
> 4. I'm concerned about all three signings involving the players with
> concussion risks, Dan Morgan to New Orleans, Zach Thomas to Dallas,
> and the Rams picking up Trent Green. Color me skeptical on all three
> guys. I hope I am wrong, but you simply cannot bank on them staying
> healthy.
>
> And the Rams pickup of Green was a bit goofy at three years and $8.9
> million. Green, at age 37, could make up to $4 million dollars this
> year. For that money, wouldn't it have made more sense signing Al
> Saunders favorite Todd Collins?
>
> 5. Jevon Kearse goes home to Tennessee to the tune of two years and $6
> million bucks. The best thing about this deal is he is reunited with
> line coach Jim Washburn. I'm not sure if Kearse is an every-down
> defensive end any more but I think he can get back to a really strong
> level rushing the quarterback under Washburn.
>
> 6. Denver needed help at linebacker, no question. But I am not
> convinced Boss Bailey, signed to a seemingly high 5-year, $17.5
> million deal will solidify the Denver run defense.
>
> 7. I'm not sure what Bryant Johnson is waiting for. Sign the deal
> Buffalo offered you. Johnson is a perfect compliment to Lee Evans.
>
> 8. It's wonderful that Arizona gave Larry Fitzgerald his extension. It
> would've been even more wonderful if the two sides agreed to it in
> February so Alan Faneca would be starting at left guard.
>
> 9. Last week, Andre Davis echoed the sentiments of teammate DeMeco
> Ryans when we caught up with the Pro Bowler in Hawaii. They both think
> competition at the quarterback position would aid the Texans. They say
> competition never hurts and makes players stronger.
>
> I'm not so sure here.
>
> While Sage Rosenfels did a good job filling in for Matt Schaub, this
> is Schaub's team. He needs to be the No. 1 guy. Schaub gives Houston
> the best chance for its first winning season.
>
> Houston also needs to consider a running back in round one.
>
> And how about the Texans as a potential landing spot for Shaun
> Alexander once he's cut by Seattle? He'd rush for 1,000 yards behind
> an Alex Gibbs coached line.
>
> Interviews with Berrian, Loomis, Davis, Ryans, Smiley, Vilma, and
> McCloughan were conducted on Sirius NFL Radio.
>
>
>
> Read this article at:
>
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7904692/Bears-falling-further-behind-NFC-
> North-foes
>  click to print this page
>
>
> (c) 2008 Fox Sports Interactive
>
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