Bears Busy During First Weekend Of FA

Julius Peppers will show his strength in Chicago

The Chicago Bears ended the opening weekend of the free agency signing period with the biggest name, and the biggest paycheck, to the sum of 91.5 million dollars over 6 years, to now former Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers.

They also inked NFC North rival running back Chester Taylor from the Minnesota Vikings to a four year deal, ensuring that he will face his former team twice a year.

Another signing that flew under the radar so to speak was former St. Louis Ram, and most recently San Diego Charger Tight End Brandon Manumaleuna, one of the best blocking tight ends in football.

My only concern with this signing is that it leaves some questions as to what role Greg Olsen will play, and my worst fear, is there any role for him at all? In my mind I think Olsen is one of the better pass catching tight ends in the league. He did not have the year that a lot of Bears fans thought that he would, but after watching tapes, he made some very keys receptions that absolutely helped the Bears come away with a win. It would be a big mistake for Martz, and Smith to let him leave town to be a stud somewhere else.

I do like the signing though, the Bears needed to add a blocking tight end due to Desmond Clark's decline in the last two years, and it was smart to get someone who has knowledge of the system.

I do feel that they paid way to much for Peppers, but I understand why they did. The other teams that were in the running were the Washington Redskins, and the Dallas Cowboys, both notorious big spenders, so if they wanted Peppers they had to put up more that anyone was willing to offer.

Like I said, I understand it, but I hope they are not putting all their eggs into one basket. I feel that they could have gone with Green Bay Packers Defensive End Arron Kampman even though he is coming off of a bad year in which he hurt his knee. He would have helped them just as much, he also knows the NFC North grind, he has knowledge of the two teams in the division that stand in the Bears way, and still would have left plenty of room to fill in other voids, such as free safety, Ryan Clark from the Steelers would have been my first pick there. He is a big hitter, with what I call a "Bear swagger". He would have been the best free safety here since Mike Brown, but better.

Overall I am happy that the Bears came out "guns a blazing" and got what they wanted, or I should say, what they needed. They got Mike Martz his Marshall Faulk back. They got one of the best blocking tight ends in the game, and in case you didn't think about it, six players out of the Bears front seven on defense that are projected starters for the 2010 season, are Pro Bowlers. I'll take that any day.

Bears Active In Free Agent Market

The free-agency period has kicked off and it appears that the Chicago Bears have been active early on in the process. The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with former Minnesota Viking tailback, Chester Taylor. The four-year contract is worth over $12 million, $7 million of which is guaranteed. This move is definitely a big one for the Bears on the offensive side of the ball. Chicago struggled last year in the run game as Matt Forte failed to reach the thousand yard mark after rushing for over 1,200 yards during his rookie year. Even if Matt Forte does return to form, it will still be a good move because Taylor can provide can give Forte some rest to keep him from wearing down as the season goes on as this has been a problem area with the Bears for the past two seasons.


It appears that the Bears are also trying to address some holes on the defensive side of the ball as well. Reports have it that DE Julian Peppers is close to signing with the team as well. Some scouts have mentioned that Peppers is inconsistent but his play speaks volumes. He has averaged double digit sack totals in six of the last eight seasons and with him on the front line, the Bears’ ability to generate a pass rush on opposing quarterbacks surely will increase. Last season for the Panthers, Julius Peppers recorded 10.5 sacks, two interceptions and forced five fumbles. The sides said to be reviewing the terms of the contract and it is pending NFLPA approval. If all goes according to plan, one of the top free agents of the season will be heading to Chicago. I feel that these two moves alone are just as important as the trade the Bears made for Cutler last year. Some teams talk about trying to get better during the off-season but it seems that the Bears are actually putting their money where their mouth is. Let's see if the deals will produce the desire results.

James Tillman

Thoughts From the Lakeview Seats

By Drew Hays
Bearsmix.com

So… an unsuccessful year, public turmoil, cronyism, fired staff "escorted" from the building,... What, is NBC running the Bears organization?

The latest was President Ted Phillips saying the Bears won’t be going “hog wild” pursuing free agents this year. This comes as no surprise to anyone, but the rub came when he made this statement on the same day that the organization revealed the increase for a majority of Soldier Field seats (thankfully the 400 level sections, or as I like to call them, the Lakeview Seats were left alone). This came off as an extension of the organization’s collective middle finger directed towards the fans.

This may not have been the intent, but I know for many that was the perception. The Bears organization showed a lack of tact, once again coming across as “bush league”. I wonder if Lance Briggs feels like Mr. Pink after the loused-up bank robbery, “I didn't create the situation, I'm just dealin' with it! …I'm acting like a professional!”

I couldn’t be happier that the Bulls parted ways with both Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons. Thomas needs to grow up, and he’ll have to under Larry Brown. Salmons was…well, I guess it was too soon to have another player with weird hair on the team. I still have not gotten Drew Gooden’s bizarre “reverse soul-patch” tuft out of my memory yet. The best news out of this for me is that it looks as though Paxson finally rediscovered his courage after the Wallace debacle. And by courage I mean Gar Foreman. It looks like there is an actual plan behind these moves. Now about that head coach…

A few non-Chicago sports thoughts…
There must have been some very angry, very powerful business people forcing Tiger Woods’ hollow apology. He certainly did not need to do this as a golfer. I’m not sure this made his wife think she could trust him again. I think his business associates wanted humility through humiliation, all in the name of money. I could care less. As a fellow human, I wish him well, but beyond that, I’d just like to watch him golf again.

Mark McGuire… I proudly reveal myself as a Cub rooting Cardinal hater so I was delighted to read the excerpts from Jay McGuire’s new book. It chronicles the types of PEDs, dosages, and timeframes of Mark cheating under Jay’s guidance. These details totally refute McGuire’s statement to Bob Costas, "The only reason I took steroids was for health purposes." He may have started with that mentality, but he clearly decided to continue on for speed and power. His incomplete apology was equally alternatively motivated; this time to rejoin MLB as a coach.

McGuire addressed these new allegations, telling the Associated Press, "I've already come out and said what I've done and apologized. …As far as I'm concerned there's really nothing new."

Of course, he could have used this platform, as he posed at the Congressional hearings, to speak to the youth about the health ramifications of steroid usage. But once again, it’s clear that McGuire is not here to talk about the past.

drew.hays@live.com
Twitter: @drew__hays

The Meatball Confessions

By Drew Hays
Bearsmix.com

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of watching Bears games with my father. We’d watch together as Sweetness would carry yet another mediocre team through another disappointing season. Avellini, Harper, and Scott were weak decoys as each defense keyed on Walter.

“Ram it down their damn throat,” he’d shout.

Marveling at Payton, Dad would tell me about the speed of Sayers.

We’d watch a few years later as Singletary would intimidate with intensity and leadership. Dad would tell about the relentless and merciless Butkus.

“Monsters of the Midway!” “Knock the pi__ out of ‘em!” His weekly refrains.

And those ’85 Bears. In an otherwise difficult year in which a fifteen year-old son was often at odds with his father, this team kept the connection going.

Then the snow. The Dent tomahawk. The Marshall scoop… and the high five with my dad that I will always cherish.

“That’s Bears football!” Ditka and Halas.

I could relate. We could relate.

Thus, with great frustration, I held unrealistic expectations for Anderson, Harris, Salaam, Enis, and Jones. For Minter, Cox, and Urlacher.

Bears’ success and a shared experience between generations have fostered what some local media members refer to as “Meatball Mentality”. While easy to dismiss as an unnecessary, self-imposed limitation of football philosophy, a greater point is often misunderstood, overlooked, and totally unappreciated.

From a fan perspective, the very best sports can offer is the opportunity to unite in celebration. For the last few generations of Bears fans, those opportunities have not come at the hands of (do I really need to insert that embarrassing list of quarterbacks?) anyone other than elite running backs and defenses.

Familiarity, comfort, and nostalgia are natural and it should not shock anyone that a perceived identity has formed for many. The team itself reinforces this during the video sequence before each home kickoff. “Tradition”, it reads.

This will not be my son’s perception of Bear football. Just as the city has traded blue collars for white, the team (and the league) has responded in kind. Clearly, the league is different now. You can’t really touch quarterbacks or receivers anymore. These are reasons to harbor hope for all things Cutler and Martz.

Not that this is bad. It’s just a new reality for many.

“I don’t give a sh__ how they win, I just want them to win,” my father says now. I think all Bears fans would agree. Even us Meatballers. We have, or will evolve.

That won’t stop me -- as the first snow of the season falls into Soldier Field or the when the Bears defense, well, “knocks the pi__” out of someone – from exclaiming to my son, “That’s Bears football!”

drew.hays@live.com

Follow me on twitter @drew__hays