20 replies to this topic

[J.T. Marlin]

Defensive-minded Lovie's out, Offensive-minded Trestman is in.

Solid FA OT like JLong, ASmith, EWinston, Loadholt, Bushrod, & SBaker still available.

The possibility of adding JCook at TE to go along with BMarsh & AJeffery out wide and EBennett in the slot.

A QB in Cutler with one of the strongest arms in the league that can make any throw and an explosive RB in Forte that is one of the better pass catching RB in the league.

I think the defense regresses and the offense takes a big step forward - all very good for the skilled position player's fantasy prospects.

[Ryan81]

I definitely don't think the Bears will have a fantastic defense carrying them most of the season. I'm still a little up in the air about Cutler though. I know he was a good QB in Denver so that's what gives me hopes.

[DocJ]

I think CHI success will depend heavily on the offense improving enough to offset the inevitable decline in the strength of their defense. As soon as the defense stopped scoring last season their record went down the crapper.

[J.T. Marlin]

Cutler can and will be a stud in a good offensive system.  Lovie was a defensive mind and the only time that he got involved in the offense was when he was complaining to Martz that they needed to run the football more.  Ron Turner, Mike Martz (well beyond his glory years in STL), and Mike Tice were the last 3 incompetent guys running the offensive show.

In 2012, Bears were 28 out of 32 in total offense - among the powerhouses like JAX, NYJ, MIA, TEN, CLE....I think that their skill position players (Cutler, BMarsh, AJeffery, Forte, Bush) as a whole, are much better than any of these teams and the offense is due for major improvement.  Check out what Trestman did when he had talent in OAK - 2002 top offense in football.

The Bears need to sign/draft at least 2 solid O-linemen and make a run at one of the FA TE (Cook, Keller, MBennett, BMyers, FDavis).

Obviously none of this is a sure thing but I think the risk/reward is worth it as only BMarsh and Forte will be high picks.  Forte may even slip to the 3rd round.

[rraayy3]

hate to say it, but martellus bennett would make a ton of sense for the bears to target. he is the best all-around TE in free agency.

[cbe_88]

Love the CHI offense next season...hate the offensive line...tempering expectations for this one achilles heel alone.

Hopefully they make some o-line additions.

In terms of fantasy:

B-Marsh: stud

Forte: stud who can't score more than 5-6 TD's because of Michael Bush

Cutler: very strong arm, but inconsistent because of his terrible o-line, and because a WR2 has yet to step up in a big way. (Let's go Alshon)...oh and no type of TE to depend on. His yardage will stay pretty good with Forte and BMarsh, but his TD's are up in the air every week unless BMarsh can have a multi-TD game, and if Alshon can step up in a bigger way next year.

[J.T. Marlin]

My high expectations are riding on the likelihood of the Bears signing 1 or 2 FA OT/G and probably drafting another.  Karimi moves inside to G.  It won't be the league's best O-line by any means but should be much better than the last 3 season's disasters.  Also I'm expecting big improvement from AJeffery in year 2.  EBennett and Hester make for good # 3 & 4 WR's.  A new pass catching TE is also something the team needs to address.

[Kobe_No_Means_No]

I think we've got all the skill players we need. Spend on the o-line and the defense. Give Cutler a little time to throw and he'll be very good. He's a very good QB, very underrated in my opinion.

[FML]

Kobe_No_Means_No, on 08 March 2013 - 02:18 AM, said:

I think we've got all the skill players we need. Spend on the o-line and the defense. Give Cutler a little time to throw and he'll be very good. He's a very good QB, very underrated in my opinion.

I say screw the defense. That unit is very old and there's nothing in the pipeline to replace a Peppers, Urlacher, Briggs, Peanut. The defense can be average if the offense reaches its full potential. Lovie drove me insane with the "get the lead, bleed the clock out until the final seconds and let Gould kick the game-winning FG" approach on offense. Jake Long should be targeted HARD and WR/TE who can take the top off a defense - Marshall and Jefferies are not burners.

[J.T. Marlin]

Liking the Martellus Wallace Bennett & Jermon Bushleague signings.  The Bears may very well go defense with pick #20 but could add an OG if either Warmack or Cooper fall.  These new additions coupled with a new, offensive-minded HC have are a huge plus for the entire Bears offense.  Cutler's a clear QB2 to target with the distinct possibility that he will perform as a QB1.

[RotoRaysfan]

As much as I'm unconvinced on the Trestman hire, getting a LT upgrade and a viable 2nd target in Bennett is totally the right call.  They addressed their 2 biggest needs - while their D may not be as strong, their O got a major upgrade.  Kudos to the Bears for following through on addressing their critical areas.

[J.T. Marlin]

RotoRaysfan, on 13 March 2013 - 12:49 PM, said:

As much as I'm unconvinced on the Trestman hire, getting a LT upgrade and a viable 2nd target in Bennett is totally the right call.  They addressed their 2 biggest needs - while their D may not be as strong, their O got a major upgrade.  Kudos to the Bears for following through on addressing their critical areas.

Looking at things overall from a team W-L perspective, I'm unsure about the Trestman hire too - no question about that.  However, with regards to fantasy, this is a good thing for Bears offensive players.  Lovie focused on the Def and left his offense to be run by some really incompetent OC (Ron Turner, Martz, Tice).  The only time Lovie seemed to get involved was when he was telling Martz through the media to run the ball more.  I can't see how the offensive yards and TD do not improve under Trestman.

[rraayy3]

rraayy3, on 07 March 2013 - 12:18 PM, said:

hate to say it, but martellus bennett would make a ton of sense for the bears to target. he is the best all-around TE in free agency.

damn it. He was only there a year but 1 of my favorite Giants. Best all-around TE in free agency, just hope he says motivated.

Helps a lot in the run game too.

[J.T. Marlin]

rraayy3, on 13 March 2013 - 01:27 PM, said:

rraayy3, on 07 March 2013 - 12:18 PM, said:

hate to say it, but martellus bennett would make a ton of sense for the bears to target. he is the best all-around TE in free agency.

damn it. He was only there a year but 1 of my favorite Giants. Best all-around TE in free agency, just hope he says motivated.

Helps a lot in the run game too.

Think it's OK if I just change the # on my Earl Bennett jersey?

[bs61014]

rraayy3, on 13 March 2013 - 01:27 PM, said:

damn it. He was only there a year but 1 of my favorite Giants. Best all-around TE in free agency, just hope he says motivated.
Helps a lot in the run game too.

I think Bennett will stay motivated.  My question is how often he will be used in the passing game.

The fact that the Bears went out and got him says a lot.  But I have seen it commented a few times that Cutler simply does not look for his tight ends.

[rraayy3]

5 million a year ... unless they are fattening him up to play OL i gotta assume he'll be involved

good friends with Marshall apparently. could be a deadly combo (on and off the field)

[ipstaff]

bs61014, on 17 March 2013 - 04:09 PM, said:

rraayy3, on 13 March 2013 - 01:27 PM, said:

damn it. He was only there a year but 1 of my favorite Giants. Best all-around TE in free agency, just hope he says motivated.
Helps a lot in the run game too.

I think Bennett will stay motivated.  My question is how often he will be used in the passing game.

The fact that the Bears went out and got him says a lot.  But I have seen it commented a few times that Cutler simply does not look for his tight ends.

That's not a Cutler issue.  That was a function of the schemes (Martz) and then the talent (K Davis) after they got rid of Olsen.

In 2009, with Ron Turner as OC, Olsen led the team in receptions (60) and receiving TDs (8).  3rd on the team in receiving yards with 612.

Then Martz showed up, and in the one Martz year they had Olsen and Cutler together, Olsen's receptions dropped to 41, yards to 404, and TDs to 5.  (Cutler's sacks also climbed from 35 in 2009, to 52 in 2010, by the way.  Martz' influence being felt there, too.)

Then for the 2011 season, the Bears traded away Olsen, who had been a 1st round pick, to the Panthers, for a 3rd round pick, as Martz' scheme didn't utilize receiving TEs.  The mighty Kellen Davis/Matt Spaeth TE combo produced all of 25 receptions for the Bears that season (and 27 in 2012).  Then Martz - who was the only reason they firesaled Olsen in the first place - was fired at the end of the 2011 season, just a year after the Olsen firesale.

This is the kind of nonsense that led to GM Jerry Angelo getting fired, too.

Edited by ipstaff, 18 March 2013 - 06:38 PM.

[FML]

IP nailed it. Martz viewed TE as an extra blocker and they were needed due to all of the 5/7 step dropbacks his offense utilized. Olson was a glorified WR stuck in a TE body so they got rid of him, paid Manumaleuna big bucks and he sucked at blocking among other things.

[ipstaff]

Thanks, FML.

Wow, big news today out of Chicago - parting ways with Urlacher.  Not a surprise that a guy about to turn 35, who dropped off the map last season in tackles (down to 53 in 2012), is getting cut, but he's just been such a huge part of the team's identity for so long that it's a slight shock they couldn't work something out, especially as they lack an obvious replacement right now.

Suddenly I feel very old.

[J.T. Marlin]

Well, the Bears may have reached but they added another o-lineman with their 1st rd pick of Kyle Long.  It looks like they will go with LT - Bushrod, G - Long, Slauson, and/or Carimi?, C - Garza, RT - Webb.  This unit should be much better than the groups that they have fielded the last 2 seasons.  Also, I have read that Bennett is supposed to be a really good blocking TE.  This has to be good news for the fantasy prospects of Cutler and Forte.