General Free Agency Discussion Thread

[emperorjones]

Free agency begins March 13. Before that time, the Bears will have to make a decision on running back Matt Forte, whose contract is up and likely will be hit with a franchise tag.

Others with expiring contracts include Corey Graham, Israel Idonije, Tim Jennings, Zack Bowman, Craig Steltz and Roy Williams.

Outside linebacker Lance Briggs is under contract but before the season indicated he wanted more money or a trade. The team could try to accommodate him or ignore him.

Who do you bring back? We have 3 CBs up for free agency. After that Green Bay performance I gotta think Zack Bowman is history. I think they'll keep Williams but I wouldn't. Idonije will be back, but I think they'll try to find a starter & move him to the roll Corey Wooten couldn't get right.

Deal Briggs or put up with a hold out?

I wouldn't be surprised if Steltz is resigned and gets the starting SS spot over Major Wright.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Do we need a MLB?.

AdamSchefter Adam Schefter
Does not appear as if Brian Urlacher's injury was as bad as it looked. Bears believe he tore MCL/PCL but he will undergo MRI to be sure.
12 hours ago

http://twitter.com/AdamSchefter

How bad is this?.....Somebody please educate me.

[Nolan]

Just browsing through the list of free agents and I found a few guys I like:

Brandon Browner - Watched this dude in the CFL for years and was always shocked that he wasn't in the NFL. Big shut down corner who played great for Seattle last year.

Marques Colston - If we don't draft a WR I say we go out and sign Colston. He's that #1 reciever we've needed for years.

Jarret Johnson - Always liked him Baltimore and i've always thought he was seriously underrated and if we retain Briggs we have a pretty outstanding group of LB's.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

The Chicago Bears say an MRI taken Monday showed Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher suffered no major structural damage to his left knee in a season-ending win at Minnesota.

The Bears announced on their website that the test confirmed he sprained his medial-collateral ligament and partially sprained the posterior-cruciate ligament on an awkward landing late in Sunday's game, but there was no damage to his ACL, menisci or articulating cartilage.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/ ... n-urlacher

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

ESPN.com - Bears running back Matt Forte did not sound optimistic on Monday about the prospects of reaching an agreement with the club on a new long-term deal in the offseason, despite being voted to the Pro Bowl in the final year of his original contract.

"I have no idea," Forte said. "Nobody is talking right now, so we'll see."

Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z1iN5X2Mf5

[Chewie]

ESPN.com - Bears running back Matt Forte did not sound optimistic on Monday about the prospects of reaching an agreement with the club on a new long-term deal in the offseason, despite being voted to the Pro Bowl in the final year of his original contract.

"I have no idea," Forte said. "Nobody is talking right now, so we'll see."

Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z1iN5X2Mf5

Well nobody's going to talk to you about it until we figure out who the new GM will be so sit tight there, Matt.

[RLakh23]

First thing is I would do sign Matt Forte. Thats a must. Than outbid Saints for Carl Nicks. Edwin Williams is the best Guard on the roster. The offensive line needs help bad. MLB can wait for the 3rd round. Urlacher still has some gas in the tank.

Next would be weapons for the offense. DeSean Jackson would look mighty good on the special teams unit. Brandon Jacobs is a big back that would give depth at the running back. Colston, Bowe and Plaxico; any good WR that can catch a TD


Already have Peppers, Briggs, Urlacher and Tillman as the cornerstone of the defense. Wright and Conte played well, another CB is a must. Safety, OLB and DE can wait til the draft.

Positions that need upgrade: OL, CB, WR
Could wait for draft: S, DE, MLB

[heir_jordan22]

I think these are the key positions and players we should target.

Wr: Colston, Vincent Jackson, Reggie Wayne
Ol: Ferguson, Nicks, Grubbs, Rob Sims
De: Umeniyora, Robert Mathis
Cb: Greer, Rasheen Mathis, Carlos Rogers

I think we can steal one of the three players from the Saints because they have a lot of key players to re-sign. Umeniyora will be leaving. We might have a shot at Ferguson if the Jets make big changes.

I would push hard for Colston and Umeniyora because I think they will be leaving their current teams.
The ol and cb would be harder to get but I'd go for Ferguson since were in desperate need of a lt, and Rasheen Mathis because he's a really good shutdown corner who's been on a bad team his whole career and may want a change of scenery.

Do you guys agree that these are the positions we should target the most? And who would you get?

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

I would push hard for Colston and Umeniyora because I think they will be leaving their current teams.

This would make me a happy man.

[Nolan]

I forgot about Umeniyora. He would be an amazing addition.

[Chewie]

We've got to keep an eye on the KC situation as they've got a franchise situation on their hands. Both Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Carr are going to be free agents and KC has to figure out whether to bolster their offense or defense as they're both studs and they can only franchise one if they can't come to contract terms.

Bowe is right in his prime and would more than fill the need we have here at WR - he's putting up great numbers without the benefit of a decent QB, too. I can only imagine what he'd do w/Cutler. And I think we all saw in the Green Bay game that good corners DO matter in the Cover 2 scheme - especially in the red zone. Carr is all of 25 and would look great opposite Tillman.

I'm not picky - I'll take either.

EDIT: And if we got Bowe, Jackson, or Colston, I'd STILL draft a WR high given the uncertainty with Knox's injury and Hester only cementing himself further as a 4th receiver type.

[RLakh23]

I like all the guys mention. I'd hate for Chicago to draft a WR again though. Bears have spent too many picks on WR over past. I'd prefer a vet, Canadian or Arena player. Mathis from jacksonville, I've always liked. Big corner, but Tillman and Mathis have similar comparisons. I like Broncos secondary. I'm not sure which one of those guys are FA's.

[Chewie]

I like all the guys mention. I'd hate for Chicago to draft a WR again though. Bears have spent too many picks on WR over past. I'd prefer a vet, Canadian or Arena player. Mathis from jacksonville, I've always liked. Big corner, but Tillman and Mathis have similar comparisons. I like Broncos secondary. I'm not sure which one of those guys are FA's.

On the contrary, just because Angelo hasn't been able to strike gold in drafting a WR, I'm not going to assume the new GM will have similar problems and just ignore the position altogether. And I really don't think we've spent in inordinate # of draft picks trying to find a solution, either. The last time Angelo spent higher than a 3rd rounder on the position was in 2005 on Mark Bradley. Whoop.

When you look at names like Julio Jones, AJ Green, Denarius Moore, Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb, and Titus Young, I think the 2011 draft proved that a rookie WR can come in right away and make a difference.

[RLakh23]

true. This year is a good WR class too. Stephen Hill would be a good pick. Good size, speed and arms. Also TE is another position to address in the draft. Orson Charles would be ideal since Tice's offense runs off a TE.

[Chewie]

Chargers working on keeping VJax after it seemed like a sure thing he'd hit the market...

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Chargers-working-to-keep-Jackson.html

Vincent Jackson would be one of the most attractive players on the free agent market next month if he makes it that far.

Michael Lombardi of NFL Network reports that the Chargers are working to re-sign Jackson, who will not be franchised, to a new contract.

“I’m told by people in San Diego they’re going to do everything in their power to sign him, but this is going to be expensive,” Lombardi said on “NFL Total Access." “There are a lot of teams that need an outside, big-play receiver.”

[IWannaGoHIGHER]

The Chiefs come out and throw a lot of money at Routt.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/75948 ... ity-chiefs

By John Clayton
ESPN.com

In an effort to improve their man-to-man coverage ability, the Kansas City Chiefs reached agreement with former Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt, the team announced Monday.

Routt will receive $6.5 million in guarantees and will make $11 million this season as part of a three-year deal, a source said. The Raiders released him from a three-year, $31.5 million deal after the season that paid him $10 million in 2011.

Why does it matter for us Bears fans? Means their is no way they can keep Carr and Bowie maybe not even both. And with Emery with the Chiefs connection it make give us a bit of a fast track.

[Chewie]

Chiefs had $37m in cap space to play with so they're loaded but I do wonder if this means they don't plan to sign Carr.

EDIT: ESPN reporting this definitely means Carr will no longer be a Chief. No way Bowe hits the market now. Despressing. He was my #1 target in FA.

[Balance-a-Bull]

This is very unfortunate news regarding KC signing a CB. It almost certainly appears as though they will retain Bowe now. There goes one of the big 3 WRs (Bowe, Colston and VJax).

The good thing is that VJax as it stands right now will be available for free agency, and with the Brees contract situation unsettled along with Nicks seeking a massive contract..... we are wait and see mode for Colston.

We have to hit the ground running and secure VJax as soon as free agency opens, if Bowe and Colston are not available.

[Cliff Levingston]

This is very unfortunate news regarding KC signing a CB. It almost certainly appears as though they will retain Bowe now. There goes one of the big 3 WRs (Bowe, Colston and VJax).

The good thing is that VJax as it stands right now will be available for free agency, and with the Brees contract situation unsettled along with Nicks seeking a massive contract..... we are wait and see mode for Colston.

We have to hit the ground running and secure VJax as soon as free agency opens, if Bowe and Colston are not available.

Bowe was never going to be available. Did anyone really expect them to go into next season with Baldwin and Breaston as their top 2 guys? Nope. Franchising Bowe is a no brainer.

[Chewie]

This is very unfortunate news regarding KC signing a CB. It almost certainly appears as though they will retain Bowe now. There goes one of the big 3 WRs (Bowe, Colston and VJax).

The good thing is that VJax as it stands right now will be available for free agency, and with the Brees contract situation unsettled along with Nicks seeking a massive contract..... we are wait and see mode for Colston.

We have to hit the ground running and secure VJax as soon as free agency opens, if Bowe and Colston are not available.

Bowe was never going to be available. Did anyone really expect them to go into next season with Baldwin and Breaston as their top 2 guys? Nope. Franchising Bowe is a no brainer.

Kinda needed Bowe to say he wasn't happy as a Chief, would hold out if franchised, wanted to play with a real QB, etc, etc, to have a chance of him hitting the market.