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Blackhawks Extend Winning Streak to 4 Games, Defeat Red Wings 2-1

by Cutsizzle on February 22, 2012 in News with No comments

The Chicago Blackhawks extend their winning streak to 4 games after defeating the Detroit Red Wings by a final score of 2-1.
Chicago captain Jonathan Toews (upper-body injury) missed tonight’s game as well as Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk who underwent minor knee surgery (out 2-3 weeks).

The Blackhawks were playing on their heels early after an early tripping penalty by Marcus Kruger. Dave Bolland took a puck to the face during the penalty kill and failed to clear the puck out resulting in a Red Wings power play goal by Valtteri Filppula.

Chicago had plenty of opportunities in the second period, including two breakaways from Michael Frolik and Patrick Kane. Jimmy Howard stopped them both.

However, they did come away with one goal in the period. It was Jimmy Hayes standing alone in front of the net as the puck trickled past Howard and flushed home by Hayes to tie the game at 1.

Jimmy Hayes wasn’t done. Less than 2 minutes into the third period, Hayes circled around the net and fed a leading Marcus Kruger who took a couple whacks at the puck and finally connected on the last one that put the Blackhawks up 2-1.

Corey Crawford had another outstanding performance stopping 31 of 32 shots and faced 8 shots on the penalty kill. In his last 4 games, he has only allowed 5 goals and has posted a

The power play remains scoreless in their last 30 tries, but their penalty kill is now 15-for-16 in their last 6 games.

Marian Hossa was credited with a remarkable 4 takeaways which led all skaters and it wasn’t even close.

WHAT’S NEXT?
The Blackhawks stay home on Thursday night as they welcome the Dallas Stars in town; puck drop at 7:30pm CT!

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/21/blackhawks-extend-winning-streak-to-4-games-defeat-red-wings-2-1/

Theo Epstein Compensation FINALLY Resolved!!!!

by Cutsizzle on February 21, 2012 in News with No comments

I know many of you are happy to see the words “Theo Epstein’s compensation to Boston is finally resolve” in one sentence. I would like to say me too. There have been back and fourth reports saying it’ll be done and it’s not even close all Winter. It has been annoying and if we should believe the report or not. We all came to the idea of not believing any report until the official announcement came down. Now we should be able to believe the report as more than one reporter has said an announcement will be made today. Not to mention, no Cubs reporter is chiming in on the matter … go figure.

Before the player was announced, reports have said the player will be a pitcher on the Cubs 40-man roster. When the first report said that, a lot of us thought Chris Carpenter would be the guy going to Boston. Other players that are on the 40-man roster that fits the mold of going to Boston are … right-handed pitchers Alberto Cabrera, Trey McNutt, Rafael Dolis, Casey Coleman and lefty Jeff Beliveau.

…and the official player going to the Red Sox IS Chris Carpenter and a player to be named later, tweets a Cubs reporter (Paul Sullivan). So … many of us predicted right. I’m going to miss Carpetner, but I think it’s a fair player going to the Red Sox. Carpenter whom is a 26 year old right-handed pitcher was drafted by the Cubs in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft. Carpenter had a really good chance to make the ‘pen out of spring training and I think he still does with the Red Sox. A player that could make the ‘pen out of spring training in place of Carpenter in Rafael Dolis. I wish the best for Carpenter on a new journey! I wonder who the PTBNL is … nothing to worry about, though.

The Cubs will also receive a player to be name later … interesting!

All of this started when Tom Ricketts wanted to hire Theo Epstein. The Cubs could not just sign Epstein since he was still on contract with Boston. Since the Cubs and Boston could not come up with a deal in the week or so they were talking, Theo Epstein decided to resign with Boston and sign with the Cubs on October 21st. Then both teams would come up with the compensation at a later date [a later DATE indeed]. However, people didn’t think the player should be too good because Epstein had 1 year on his contract, took a promotion and was not close to owner John Henry.

Since both teams had trouble coming up with the compensation, the owner of the Red Sox was getting aggravated and decided to leave the compensation in Bud Selig’s hand. Last week both teams sent in lists of players to Selig to make it eaiser on him and try to find the most fair deal.

Also, the Cubs are expected to send a low-level prospect to the San Diego Padres for the Cubs taking Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod. People think the Cubs have a player the Cubs will send over and are just waiting for the Theo Epstein compensation to be resolved. The San Diego Padres compensation could be resolve today too, but we don’t know for sure.

I’m just glad to say … Theo Epstein is officially a Cub and we can get are mind to baseball! It’s over!!!!

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/21/theo-epstein-compensation-finally-resolved/

Does Joel Przybilla Present an Upgrade over Omer Asik?

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

Is Joel Pryzbilla a good option for the Chicago Bulls?

Is Joel Pryzbilla a good option for the Chicago Bulls?

It isn’t new news that free-agent center Joel Przybilla is on the Chicago Bulls’ radar. Since the lockout ended, rumors of Przybilla making his way to Chicago have been rumored and discussed. It appears we may be getting closer to having an answer.

Bulls.com reporter Sam Smith discussed the Przybilla rumors in his latest mailbag:

The Bulls have worked him basically since the lockout ended and I’ve heard they continue to talk to him. It seems more now a question of whether he wants to play, which he is not sure about. He has moved back to Wisconsin and is a family guy and one of those rare players who apparently can live without the game. He knows the Bulls want him.

What Smith’s comments indicate is that the Bulls are still very clearly in the race for Przybilla, but what I wonder is why? I’m not entirely positive Przybilla presents a significant upgrade over the Bulls current backup center Omer Asik.

Przybilla has been a great backup center in the league for a number of years, no doubt about that, but I believe that his time has passed.

Last year, he struggled with injuries while bouncing between the Portland Trail Blazers and Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats.

Przybilla ended the year averaging only 1.8 points and four rebounds per game.

Those that have followed Przybilla’s career know his scoring has never been one of his strong points. He averages four points per game for his career.

The 7’1″ Milwaukee-resident has always been about rebounding and defense including averaging 6.3 rebounds per game.

Always a prolific shot blocker as well, Przybilla is your prototypical backup center.

The point though isn’t really to give a career background on Przybilla but rather look at what he would present to the Chicago Bulls.

If the Bulls were to sign the free agent, he’d likely take minutes away from the 25-year-old Asik and at this moment there’s no evidence that Przybilla is an upgrade over Asik.

Asik stands at 3.3 points per game this season and stellar 5.6 rebounds per game.

While Asik has struggled as of late, the upside of Asik far outweighs any possible benefits of Przybilla.

Even with some of his struggles, Asik still presents a great backup center option for the Bulls. Last season, Asik was a member of the Bulls’ most efficient five-man unit alongside Derrick Rose, Ronnie Brewer, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson (plus-77, 145.8 minutes).

All said, Przybilla doesn’t present a significant upgrade over Asik at the backup center role.

While it’d be nice to have another asset, taking minutes away from Asik at this point in his development would not be a wise move for the Chicago Bulls.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/20/does-joel-przybilla-present-an-upgrade-over-omer-asik/

Cubs Sign Nate Robertson

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

According to a report, the Cubs have signed lefty Nate Robertson to a minor league deal. Robertson has not been good as of late and was awful in 2011. In 2011, Robertson was in Triple A for the Seattle Mariners and it went anywhere but good.

Robertson is a 34 year old left whom was drafted by the then call Florida Marlins in the 5th round during the 1999 draft. Robertson made his major league debut in September of 2002 for the Florida Marlins. Robertson had a pretty good career with the Detroit Tigers until the end his tenure with the Tigers. He played with the Tigers from 2003-2009 and then was traded back to the Florida Marlins. After leaving the Tigers, Robertson’s career went downhill. He was eventually released by the Marlins and signed minor league deals with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2010 season. After Robertson left the Phillies, he signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners and did not make the majors in 2011 with Seattle.

In his career, Roberson has a career 55-77 record with a 5.01 earn run average and struck out 775 batters.

I remember when Nate Robertson and Jeremy Bonderman were good pitchers behind the Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander. Now both Robertson and Bonderman are having trouble finding work. That just shows how fast a player’s career can go downhill.

I don’t see him making the team and only depth in the minors … I don’t even know if he received an invitee to spring training. Right now, I don’t think he did.

**Side Note: Blake DeWitt did accept an assignment to spring training and will compete for a spot in spring training. He’ll still earn 1.1 million that he earned as an arb raise.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/20/cubs-sign-nate-robertson/

2012 Draft could prove to be new era for Bears

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

Disappointing, underachieved, irritating. Those are just some of the adjectives used to describe the way the Chicago Bears’ season ended. Many fans point to the injuries of Jay Cutler and Matt Forte as nails in the coffin for the 2011 season. Despite the Bears limping to an 8-8 finish, several positives can be taken out of the season. Both Cutler and Forte both proved that they are irreplaceable to the Bears’ offensive success. During their six game slump to close the season, the Bears were only able to muster up 81 points. Their defense, despite injuries of their own, helped keep the team competitive. Future Hall of Famers Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher played at a high level and continue to put the Bears in a position to win games.

Obviously, offense has never been one of the Bears strong points. Whether it’s their lack of weapons outside of Cutler and Forte, no continuity along the offensive line, or a revolving door of quarterbacks up until Cutler’s arrival, 2012 needs to be the offseason where the Bears are able to start piecing together a winner on the offensive side of the ball.  Chicago has never been a team to hand out large contracts in the offseason, so the likelihood of a top tier receiver such as Vincent Jackson or Dwayne Bowe is almost zilch

This is precisely why I expect the Bears to be aggressive in the upcoming draft. With their trade of Greg Olsen to the Panthers, they now have four of the first 80 selections, one being their first-round selection, something that was lacking over the last few seasons (I almost don’t count Gabe Carimi, since he missed 14 games).  For me, this is exciting territory. The Bears can take several directions in order to ensure a deeper, more competitive team going into the 2012 season.

 

Stand pat and draft for need

It’s painfully obvious that the Bears top three needs are at receiver, cornerback, and depth along the offensive line. With having four picks in the top 80, not only do the Bears have a chance to address their issues, but add depth in case the injury bug decides to make a permanent stay, as well. Our first-round selection unquestionably should be used on a receiver. Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd or South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffrey could both be around and would instantly step in as number one options for Jay Cutler.

The second and third rounds would be interesting. What if several first-round quality players fell a bit? Let’s say Rutgers’ receiver Mohamed Sanu was available when the Bears made their second pick at number 50 — would it be worth it for them to select him over a cornerback like Leonard Johnson or an offensive lineman like Peter Konz or Ben Jones? At that point, you have to trust that new GM Phil Emery and his scouting background is making the right choice.

Having two picks so close together (numbers 74 and 80) also gives the Bears a chance to have several players lined up and draft based on best available in terms of their need. If they decided to draft two receivers first, they could then shift their attention to a cornerback and offensive lineman. Virginia Tech Jermain Hosley and Washington tackle Senio Kelemete would be sound picks. While this option isn’t what I personally think the Bears should do, it is the safest route and gives them the best chance to flesh out their roster if they do decide to remain conservative in free agency.

 

Package several picks to acquire an additional first-round pick

Most reports have noted the Bears intend on selecting a receiver with their number 19 pick. This leads me to believe that Lovie and company feel they have all the answers to their offensive line are currently on the roster. As I mentioned earlier, tackle Gabe Carimi missed all but two games last year. J’Marcus Webb was among the worst in the NFL in adjusted sack rate and his right tackle counterpart Lance Louis didn’t fare much better. Assuming that Carimi is healthy, he and 2008 selection Chris Williams seem to have the left side of the line shored up.

So, let’s once again assume that Floyd or Jeffrey is their selection. What if they packaged their second round, one of their third-round picks and a fourth round pick next year to move back into the first round (around selections 25-28)? A variety of options could be available. Maybe an offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele out of Iowa State or cornerback Alfonzo Dennard out of Nebraska could prove to be impact players that can kick up the Bears competitive level on both sides of the ball.

They could also trade back into the first round to pick up an impact player on defense. Despite his problems with coaching, I’m a huge fan of Arizona State bruiser Vontaze Burfict. Many people point to a down 2011 season, but I still feel you can attribute that to immaturity. The guy is a tackling machine with big hit potential and fantastic speed from sideline to sideline. With veterans like Peppers, Briggs and Urlacher on the defensive side of the ball, I feel like Burfict would be forced to grow up quickly. Having his speed next to Briggs and Urlacher could give the Bears arguably the best starting linebackers in the NFC.

 

Swing for the fences — trade up to land an elite prospect

After days of agonizing, I feel like this is the direction the Bears need to go. Package their first-round selection, both third-round picks and next year’s second round pick and move up to get an elite player who can come in and immediately become a leader. Using the draft pick value chart that NFL teams utilize for draft day trades, their picks would be valued at 1735 points, equivalent to the value of the fifth overall pick.

Let’s say the Bears were able to complete a trade with Tampa Bay (owners of the fifth pick). Several home run prospects would be available. LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne may not be able to match former teammate Patrick Peterson, but his ability as a pure cover corner is second to none. He could instantly step in and become the leader of the Bears’ secondary. Iowa tackle Riley Reiff  is durable, sound at both run and pass support, and would compliment Gabe Carimi well. With Chris Williams shifting to left guard, and Lance Louis also moving inside, a huge weakness could potentially become the most balanced part of the Bears’ offense.

As great as those two players would be, I would absolutely love to see the Bears go all-in and draft, in my eyes, the two best non-quarterback prospects in this year’s draft — Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon or Alabama running back Trent Richardson. Both are head and shoulders above everyone at their respective positions. With Blackmon, his production is second to none. He’s got elite size, fantastic fitness, the ability to shed defenders and catch anything thrown his way. If the Bears were able to land a quality number two option, say Saints speedster Robert Meachem, Jay Cutler could have a much-improved selection of weapons.

On paper, Blackmon would be the obvious choice if available. That being said, Richardson could have a greater long-term impact, even with Matt Forte on the roster. Fans need to remember that Forte and the Bears seem to be miles apart on an extension and if they’re forced to use the franchise tag on him, he could leave in 2013. Richardson put up monster numbers against the country’s best competition all three seasons at Alabama. Richardson can contribute in both the running and passing games, plus his skills would give the Bears arguably the best running back tandem in the NFL.

As free agency creeps closer, new GM Phil Emery has a plethora of choices to make in order to ensure the Bears’ 2012 season has a different ending than 2011. With a cache of picks and upwards of $28 million in cap space, the Bears find themselves in unfamiliar territory. The door is open for a new direction — one with a more dangerous philosophy on offense and an infusion of new blood on defense.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/19/2012-draft-could-prove-to-be-new-era-for-bears/

2012 Draft could prove to be new era for Bears

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

Disappointing, underachieved, irritating. Those are just some of the adjectives used to describe the way the Chicago Bears’ season ended. Many fans point to the injuries of Jay Cutler and Matt Forte as nails in the coffin for the 2011 season. Despite the Bears limping to an 8-8 finish, several positives can be taken out of the season. Both Cutler and Forte both proved that they are irreplaceable to the Bears’ offensive success. During their six game slump to close the season, the Bears were only able to muster up 81 points. Their defense, despite injuries of their own, helped keep the team competitive. Future Hall of Famers Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher played at a high level and continue to put the Bears in a position to win games.

Obviously, offense has never been one of the Bears strong points. Whether it’s their lack of weapons outside of Cutler and Forte, no continuity along the offensive line, or a revolving door of quarterbacks up until Cutler’s arrival, 2012 needs to be the offseason where the Bears are able to start piecing together a winner on the offensive side of the ball.  Chicago has never been a team to hand out large contracts in the offseason, so the likelihood of a top tier receiver such as Vincent Jackson or Dwayne Bowe is almost zilch

This is precisely why I expect the Bears to be aggressive in the upcoming draft. With their trade of Greg Olsen to the Panthers, they now have four of the first 80 selections, one being their first-round selection, something that was lacking over the last few seasons (I almost don’t count Gabe Carimi, since he missed 14 games).  For me, this is exciting territory. The Bears can take several directions in order to ensure a deeper, more competitive team going into the 2012 season.

 

Stand pat and draft for need

It’s painfully obvious that the Bears top three needs are at receiver, cornerback, and depth along the offensive line. With having four picks in the top 80, not only do the Bears have a chance to address their issues, but add depth in case the injury bug decides to make a permanent stay, as well. Our first-round selection unquestionably should be used on a receiver. Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd or South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffrey could both be around and would instantly step in as number one options for Jay Cutler.

The second and third rounds would be interesting. What if several first-round quality players fell a bit? Let’s say Rutgers’ receiver Mohamed Sanu was available when the Bears made their second pick at number 50 — would it be worth it for them to select him over a cornerback like Leonard Johnson or an offensive lineman like Peter Konz or Ben Jones? At that point, you have to trust that new GM Phil Emery and his scouting background is making the right choice.

Having two picks so close together (numbers 74 and 80) also gives the Bears a chance to have several players lined up and draft based on best available in terms of their need. If they decided to draft two receivers first, they could then shift their attention to a cornerback and offensive lineman. Virginia Tech Jermain Hosley and Washington tackle Senio Kelemete would be sound picks. While this option isn’t what I personally think the Bears should do, it is the safest route and gives them the best chance to flesh out their roster if they do decide to remain conservative in free agency.

 

Package several picks to acquire an additional first-round pick

Most reports have noted the Bears intend on selecting a receiver with their number 19 pick. This leads me to believe that Lovie and company feel they have all the answers to their offensive line are currently on the roster. As I mentioned earlier, tackle Gabe Carimi missed all but two games last year. J’Marcus Webb was among the worst in the NFL in adjusted sack rate and his right tackle counterpart Lance Louis didn’t fare much better. Assuming that Carimi is healthy, he and 2008 selection Chris Williams seem to have the left side of the line shored up.

So, let’s once again assume that Floyd or Jeffrey is their selection. What if they packaged their second round, one of their third-round picks and a fourth round pick next year to move back into the first round (around selections 25-28)? A variety of options could be available. Maybe an offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele out of Iowa State or cornerback Alfonzo Dennard out of Nebraska could prove to be impact players that can kick up the Bears competitive level on both sides of the ball.

They could also trade back into the first round to pick up an impact player on defense. Despite his problems with coaching, I’m a huge fan of Arizona State bruiser Vontaze Burfict. Many people point to a down 2011 season, but I still feel you can attribute that to immaturity. The guy is a tackling machine with big hit potential and fantastic speed from sideline to sideline. With veterans like Peppers, Briggs and Urlacher on the defensive side of the ball, I feel like Burfict would be forced to grow up quickly. Having his speed next to Briggs and Urlacher could give the Bears arguably the best starting linebackers in the NFC.

 

Swing for the fences — trade up to land an elite prospect

After days of agonizing, I feel like this is the direction the Bears need to go. Package their first-round selection, both third-round picks and next year’s second round pick and move up to get an elite player who can come in and immediately become a leader. Using the draft pick value chart that NFL teams utilize for draft day trades, their picks would be valued at 1735 points, equivalent to the value of the fifth overall pick.

Let’s say the Bears were able to complete a trade with Tampa Bay (owners of the fifth pick). Several home run prospects would be available. LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne may not be able to match former teammate Patrick Peterson, but his ability as a pure cover corner is second to none. He could instantly step in and become the leader of the Bears’ secondary. Iowa tackle Riley Reiff  is durable, sound at both run and pass support, and would compliment Gabe Carimi well. With Chris Williams shifting to left guard, and Lance Louis also moving inside, a huge weakness could potentially become the most balanced part of the Bears’ offense.

As great as those two players would be, I would absolutely love to see the Bears go all-in and draft, in my eyes, the two best non-quarterback prospects in this year’s draft — Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon or Alabama running back Trent Richardson. Both are head and shoulders above everyone at their respective positions. With Blackmon, his production is second to none. He’s got elite size, fantastic fitness, the ability to shed defenders and catch anything thrown his way. If the Bears were able to land a quality number two option, say Saints speedster Robert Meachem, Jay Cutler could have a much-improved selection of weapons.

On paper, Blackmon would be the obvious choice if available. That being said, Richardson could have a greater long-term impact, even with Matt Forte on the roster. Fans need to remember that Forte and the Bears seem to be miles apart on an extension and if they’re forced to use the franchise tag on him, he could leave in 2013. Richardson put up monster numbers against the country’s best competition all three seasons at Alabama. Richardson can contribute in both the running and passing games, plus his skills would give the Bears arguably the best running back tandem in the NFL.

As free agency creeps closer, new GM Phil Emery has a plethora of choices to make in order to ensure the Bears’ 2012 season has a different ending than 2011. With a cache of picks and upwards of $28 million in cap space, the Bears find themselves in unfamiliar territory. The door is open for a new direction — one with a more dangerous philosophy on offense and an infusion of new blood on defense.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/19/2012-draft-could-prove-to-be-new-era-for-bears/

Grading Da Bears: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

“The Chicago Bears don’t have a true number one wide receiver, and it’s hurting them”.

It’s something we’ve heard for a long time as Bear fans. It’s also something fans have wished for a long time. The Bears have really never had a big play, physical number one wide receiver to compliment a offense that needs one. We’ve seen players like Marty Booker, Bernard Berrian, and Muhsin Muhammad try to be that guy, and they have all failed.

Booker was the last Bears wide receiver to have over 1,000 yards receiving. He had 1,189 yards receiving in 2002 and made then Pro B owl that season. Booker also had 1,071 yards in 2001. He was then traded in 2004 to Miami for Adewale Ogunleye.

The Bears still haven’t found a receiver to give opposing defenses fits. I mean it did take the organization a long time to find their franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler. Now, how long will it take to find a true number one receiver?

This season was no different for the Bears. The receivers struggled, and the “Devin Hester is a wide receiver” experiment failed again.

Johnny Knox led the Bears with 727 yards last season before suffering a brutal back injury which ended his season, and possibly all of his 2012 season as well. Knox is a receiver that frustrates a lot of Bears fans. He’s shown signs of being a pretty good receiver, but then there’s times where you ask yourself “What the heck is he doing”? His weakness is route running, and not fighting for the ball.

Then there was the whole Roy Williams experiment, which turned out to be a horrible move by Jerry Angelo. Where have I heard that one before? Williams was nothing but awful for the Bears. Williams had just 37 receptions and two touchdowns as he struggled with drops all year.

The Bear tight ends weren’t much better. Trading Greg Olsen was a huge mistake. Even a bigger one now that Mike Martz is gone. The Bears are left with Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth, who aren’t too bad but Greg Olsen has a way better skill set then both of them.

Davis didn’t have a bad year finishing with five touchdowns, but struggled in blocking and with offensive false starts.

Is there any hope for the future?

With a healthy Jay Cutler and Matt Forte coming back next season, is their any hope for the wide receivers? If there is, it’s going to be through the draft. The Bears have the 19th pick in the upcoming draft and would love to have Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd fall to them at that spot. Floyd is the ideal receiver for the Bears. A big and physical receiver with pretty good speed to give Jay Cutler a down field target.

If Floyd is gone, the Bears could look at Alshon Jeffrey from South Carolina. The problem is, Jeffrey has fallen out of the first round in several mock drafts. Scouts are saying he isn’t in his wide receiver shape that he was in college. He wouldn’t be a down field target, but more of a possession receiver. If the Bears decide to go offensive line with their first round pick, Jeffrey could be there in the second round.

The Bears could use the free agent market could provide the number one receiver the Bears need. Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, and Vincent Jackson highlight the wide receiver free agent class. Bowe is expected to be franchise tagged, so that leaves the Bears with the chance to go after Colston and Jackson.

One bright spot from the Bears receivers last season was Earl Bennett. And no, I’m not talking about his bright orange cleats either.  Bennett only had 24 receptions, but did miss time with an injury. When he came back, him and Jay Cutler built off of their Vanderbilt chemistry. Bennett was Cutlers favorite target, and it showed in Bennetts big game in the win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football.

Grades

Wide Receivers- D+

Tight Ends- C

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/19/grading-da-bears-wide-receivers-tight-ends/

Grading Da Bears: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

by Cutsizzle on February 20, 2012 in News with No comments

“The Chicago Bears don’t have a true number one wide receiver, and it’s hurting them”.

It’s something we’ve heard for a long time as Bear fans. It’s also something fans have wished for a long time. The Bears have really never had a big play, physical number one wide receiver to compliment a offense that needs one. We’ve seen players like Marty Booker, Bernard Berrian, and Muhsin Muhammad try to be that guy, and they have all failed.

Booker was the last Bears wide receiver to have over 1,000 yards receiving. He had 1,189 yards receiving in 2002 and made then Pro B owl that season. Booker also had 1,071 yards in 2001. He was then traded in 2004 to Miami for Adewale Ogunleye.

The Bears still haven’t found a receiver to give opposing defenses fits. I mean it did take the organization a long time to find their franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler. Now, how long will it take to find a true number one receiver?

This season was no different for the Bears. The receivers struggled, and the “Devin Hester is a wide receiver” experiment failed again.

Johnny Knox led the Bears with 727 yards last season before suffering a brutal back injury which ended his season, and possibly all of his 2012 season as well. Knox is a receiver that frustrates a lot of Bears fans. He’s shown signs of being a pretty good receiver, but then there’s times where you ask yourself “What the heck is he doing”? His weakness is route running, and not fighting for the ball.

Then there was the whole Roy Williams experiment, which turned out to be a horrible move by Jerry Angelo. Where have I heard that one before? Williams was nothing but awful for the Bears. Williams had just 37 receptions and two touchdowns as he struggled with drops all year.

The Bear tight ends weren’t much better. Trading Greg Olsen was a huge mistake. Even a bigger one now that Mike Martz is gone. The Bears are left with Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth, who aren’t too bad but Greg Olsen has a way better skill set then both of them.

Davis didn’t have a bad year finishing with five touchdowns, but struggled in blocking and with offensive false starts.

Is there any hope for the future?

With a healthy Jay Cutler and Matt Forte coming back next season, is their any hope for the wide receivers? If there is, it’s going to be through the draft. The Bears have the 19th pick in the upcoming draft and would love to have Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd fall to them at that spot. Floyd is the ideal receiver for the Bears. A big and physical receiver with pretty good speed to give Jay Cutler a down field target.

If Floyd is gone, the Bears could look at Alshon Jeffrey from South Carolina. The problem is, Jeffrey has fallen out of the first round in several mock drafts. Scouts are saying he isn’t in his wide receiver shape that he was in college. He wouldn’t be a down field target, but more of a possession receiver. If the Bears decide to go offensive line with their first round pick, Jeffrey could be there in the second round.

The Bears could use the free agent market could provide the number one receiver the Bears need. Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, and Vincent Jackson highlight the wide receiver free agent class. Bowe is expected to be franchise tagged, so that leaves the Bears with the chance to go after Colston and Jackson.

One bright spot from the Bears receivers last season was Earl Bennett. And no, I’m not talking about his bright orange cleats either.  Bennett only had 24 receptions, but did miss time with an injury. When he came back, him and Jay Cutler built off of their Vanderbilt chemistry. Bennett was Cutlers favorite target, and it showed in Bennetts big game in the win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football.

Grades

Wide Receivers- D+

Tight Ends- C

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/19/grading-da-bears-wide-receivers-tight-ends/

Being Careful with Cap Space. And Other Points of View.

by Cutsizzle on February 19, 2012 in News with No comments

Bears

“It seems unbelievably quiet at Halas Hall since Phil Emery‘s news conference. Do we have any sense for how his role and authority is developing compared to general managers like Ted Thompson, moves he’s considering on his staff, the timing of selecting directors of pro and college personnel now that Tim Ruskell is gone, etc.? I’m open-minded at this point but the silence seems strange. Surely they don’t think all that needed to be changed was the GM. Phil, Chicago

“You are right about Halas Hall being very quiet since Emery’s news conference. This is by design. Get used to it. The Bears have gone into lock-down mode in terms of dealing with the media and public. We have been told Emery will not speak at the scouting combine, though the large majority of NFL general managers do, and Jerry Angelo always did. We also have been told all other members of the front office and assistant coaches are now off limits to reporters all offseason. This is a new policy. The Bears don’t want us to know what they are doing or thinking because they believe it puts them at a competitive disadvantage. In my opinion, it is part of a decades-old NFL tradition of unreasonable paranoia. I can tell you Emery’s plan was to wait until after the draft to make any staff additions or changes.”

“Chicago Bears: Most everyone has the Bears pegged to pursue wide receivers in free agency and/or the draft, and Outsiders doesn’t discount that possibility. But based on its analysis of the Bears’ 2011 season, offensive tackle should be the Bears’ top priority. Left tackle J’Marcus Webb allowed 10 sacks and was “among the worst [left tackles] in the league.” The Bears’ running game, meanwhile, was stuffed for a loss or no gain on 24.1 percent of its runs, a ‘catastrophic’ figure blamed mostly on poor run blocking. “

“Chicago Bears: Two offensive linemen to keep in mind at No. 19 overall are Stanford’s Jonathan Martin and Ohio State’s Mike Adams. Both could conceivably play left tackle. “

“Does it look like Chris Williams will be in mix at guard? Will the Bears try to either draft or sign a free agent guard? Rick Mahomet, Illinois

“It’s too early to say definitively where Williams will line up in training camp. But if I had to bet, I’d say he’s going to be moved back to tackle. The Bears have enough good guards with Chris Spencer, Lance Louis, Edwin Williams and even Roberto Garza if they wanted to move him from center. They are more thin at tackle. Williams is a more natural tackle. If the Bears add an offensive lineman, it likely will be a tackle.”

If Williams moves to tackle, I’d say Frank Omiyale’s days with the team are numbered.  I might also point out that there were rumblings about Williams moving to center last season.

  • Should the Bears decide to go the free agent route, it looks like Arizona left tackle Levi Brown might be available at the right price to provide some competition at that spot.  Via Pompei, this time at The National Football Post.
  • ESPN’s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert suggests that Randy Moss might be a good fit for Bears while at the same time squashing the idea.
  • Former Moss teammate Cris Carter would appear to agree on both counts.  He suggests that Moss would be a good fit via Biggs.

“I believe the best place for him is New England,” Carter said, according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. “Now I believe a team that might want to look at him is Chicago with Jay Cutler and Mike Tice because him and Mike Tice get along great. He has respect for Tice. Jay Cutler and Moss? I think they could work that out.”

““The one thing you have to address with Randy Moss is not a conditioning thing. It’s not an age thing.  It needs to be addressed. I believe it’s the elephant in the room. It’s that thing called quit.”

“The Bears — and 31 other teams — could have signed Randy Moss last year if they wanted him. They did not want him, and there are good reasons why. Moss is not the player he was, but he probably still is the pain in the can that he was. In a three-month span in 2010, Moss wore out his welcome with three teams. He still could run then, but has aged a year since. Moss is a player who is entirely reliant on speed. Once his speed goes, he offers nothing. And if his speed has not been compromised yet, it likely will be compromised soon, perhaps after a little wear and tear during a training camp. I doubt that new general manager Phil Emery would seriously consider Moss. I know new offensive coordinator Mike Tice, who was Moss’ head coach in Minnesota, has some affection for him. But that does not mean Tice wants to coach the 35-year-old. I wouldn’t touch him.”

“If the New York Giants can get into the playoffs with a 9-7 record and win a Super Bowl, why can’t the Chicago Bears?

“‘Just get in the playoffs. Anything is possible,’ Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett said Monday night before accepting an honor at the 24th annual Comcast SportsNet Awards Dinner. ‘You’ve just got to continue to work hard and stay focused. Those (Giants) did a great job with doing that and they won a Super Bowl.’”

The Giants flat out have more talent than the Bears at almost every position.

Elsewhere

“Big mistake taking Ron Jaworski off Monday Night Football. Sad that TV thinks NFL viewers want to be entertained, but not educated and informed.”

Amen.

“How fast is Justin Blackmon? It has been widely accepted that the Oklahoma State receiver will be a top five pick. But he’s not a burner. If Blackmon runs a 4.6 40, it’s unlikely a team will be able to justify using a top five pick on him. There are a few other receivers who may be speed deficient who need to run well as well. Among them are Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd, Wisconsin’s Nick Toon, South Carolina’s Ashlon Jeffery and Rutgers’ Mohamed Sanu.”

“The NFL, it seems to me, has a problem on its hands: position coaches are being prevented from interviewing for promotions to coordinator positions like never before.”

“This is unfair to the coaches involved. In some cases, they are denied a once in a lifetime opportunity to double, triple or quadruple their salaries and set up their families’ futures. This can create serious resentment. Sometimes coaches don’t even know other teams were interested in them until well after the fact.”

“In addition to being bad for coaches, it’s also bad for the NFL. Why? Teams are not able to hire the most qualified coaches, and the quality of football ends up sacrificed.”

“How did it get to this point? Once upon a time, the NFL allowed teams to protect only one assistant on each side of the ball from interviewing for a promotion. Back in March of 2000 at an NFL meeting at the Breakers Hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla., that I attended, the league decided to do away with the so called “supervisory tag” system.”

I’d say the restriction needs to be re-implemented.

“‘People want more football,’ [NFL commissioner Roger] Goodell said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com.  “I think they want less preseason and more regular season and that’s the concept we are talking about here.”

“Actually, the more accurate statement seems to be that the fans want less preseason and the same regular season.  Only season-ticket holders endorse the prospect of fewer fake games and more real ones, for obvious reasons.”

I can only say that I totally agree with Goodell.  I want more football and I’m pretty sure they can find a way to implement it while not seriously diluting the play on the field.

“However, after Haynesworth’s very good season, he signed a $100 million contract with the Washington Redskins. He then proceeded to sit on his fat ass and do nothing, knowing that $41 million of that contract was guaranteed money. Haynesworth is not a smart athlete. Haynesworth is a genius.”

One Final Thought

There’s been a lot of talk about the fact that teams can bring their free cap space forward from 2011 to 2012.  According to Seifert, the Bears will get an extra 7.7 million which brings them to roughly $25 million below the cap.  And I’m happy to see that the Bears are willing to spend some of it:  Via Biggs:

“‘The bottom line, and Phil [Emery] knows this, if there is someone we want — and it makes sense — money is not going to be an issue,’ Bears Chairman George McCaskey said Wednesday after a concussion symposium for high school coaches and athletes at Halas Hall.”

But here’s hoping that the Bears do what McCaskey suggests and make sure that the signings do actually make sense.  I’d hate to see the Bears simply blow the money because they can.  Its wasteful and there are better uses for it.

For instance, it would be nice to see them take care of their own first.  According to Biggs the Bears can lock up Matt Forte for the 2012 season starting tomorrow. That’s when the 15-day period to use the franchise tag starts. The period extends to 3 p.m. on March 5.  Even if he is tendered, the team has until July 15 to work out a long term deal.  After that, Forte could only play under the one-year tender.

Yes, I know.  Running back is a punishing position and its a risk.  But Forte is one of the few impact players the Bears have and as matter of principal those are the guys you want to wrap up and keep.

There is another consideration here.  The Bears (wisely) want to become a draft-driven team.  That means that they are going to be drafting prospects that we all hope will be impact players in the future.  But if they don’t plan ahead, they could end up in the same bind the Lions are in.  Scott Krinch at CSNChicago.com reminds us all that they they are in a load of cap trouble because they suddenly have a lot of high impact players from past drafts to deal out money to.

The Bears would be well advised to be careful in free agency.  Instead, they should use their cap space by re-signing guys like Forte with front loaded contracts that leave them with a lot of cap space later.  Under the circumstances, they might even go ahead and give in by extending Lance Briggs for a year and there are a number of players who have contracts running out at the end of next year as well.  Long-term, dealing out relatively small amounts of money up front by extending these players will allow the Bears to sign future impact players that they will obtain through the draft to reasonable contracts without running into the cap trouble that the Lions currently are in.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/19/being-careful-with-cap-space-and-other-points-of-view/

Chicago Media Prepares for Life After Ozzie

by Cutsizzle on February 19, 2012 in News with No comments

 In 2004 Ozzie Guillen was hired as the new White Sox manager and quickly brought the south side franchise out of the Cubs shadow. Yes he led the Sox to 99 victories and a World Series championship in 2005 but that was only part of the reason the team grabbed headlines. Ozzie replaced an older, much more reserved manager in Jerry Manuel. His short fuse, willingness to say anything about anyone and humorous nature pulled headlines away from a Cubs-dominant baseball media. For a newspaper writer or beat reporter, Guillen was a dream to cover and will surely be missed as he moves on to lead the Miami Marlins.

Scroll through the Tribune White Sox section and you’ll find 4 current headlines containing “Ozzie” or “Guillen”. You’ll find only 1 headline containing the name of current Sox manager, Robin Ventura. Why does Guillen make an interesting Chicago story even while preparing to manage a team 1400 miles away? His tirades, quips and insults kept writers writing and reporters showing up to his office in droves. Ventura gets that his personality won’t garner headlines the way Guillen’s did:

“I played with Ozzie for a long time, and we were good friends. I have a different personality, but we both go out on the field with the common goal of playing every day, winning and having fun…”

White Sox beat writers like Joe Cowley and Mark Gonzales, reporters like Doug Padilla as well as columnists across the city relied on Guillen quotes to fill newspaper pages and website blogs alike. Guillen could throw one of his players under the bus and bash a former Sox ‘s player in the same post-game news conference. He could blame Kenny Williams for an inadequate roster in one breath while demanding a contract extension in the next. And he could crack a joke forcing laughter out of the group of reports gathered around him. All of which made for great headlines and interesting copy. But a new spring brings a new manager and it’s time for the media to feed fans baseball stories, not baseball drama.

The new manager won’t squabble with his General Manager, wear out a radio bleep censor or attract nearly as much attention as Ozzie did. Without the sideshow, the focus will turn to analyzing Kenny Williams rebuilding project and how well the players actually perform on the field. John Danks takes over as the team ace now that Mark Buehrle has left for the Marlins. Chris Sale will move into the starting rotation leaving the bullpen even weaker than it was last year while Adam Dunn looks to bounce back from a tragically poor season. And Dayan Viciedo will attempt to take a major step forward as he becomes an everyday outfielder. These headlines and more should give the Chicago media plenty to focus on but the sensational headlines of yore won’t be seen around town in 2012.

Article source: http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/02/18/chicago-media-prepares-for-life-after-ozzie/

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