Schefter: Bears to sign Roy Williams

1Point7Percent · Post #1 » by **1Point7Percent** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:47 pm

AdamSchefter Adam Schefter
An agreement: Chicago is reuniting former Cowboys WR Roy Williams w/ Bears OC Mike Martz, who helped coach Williams to Pro Bowl in Detroit.
5 hours ago

Well, we signed one receiver. Is this a good signing by the Bears? Personally, I like it, as long as we atleast get Sims-Walker also.

EDIT: Looks like we also signed Sam Hurd..... :roll:

Friend_Of_Haley · Post #2 » by **Friend_Of_Haley** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:53 pm

We still have room for another receiver (Hurd is ST)

Figure that Williams basically replaces Olsen's production and there is still room for that #1 we need.

Chewie · Post #3 » by **Chewie** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:21 pm

The Trib article is quoting a former receivers coach from Dallas saying Hurd was their best special teams guy but I'm guessing he gets a shot to compete @ WR.

I'll also guess we're done shopping for receivers :

R Williams
E Bennett
J Knox
D Hester
S Hurd
A Fantuz
D Sanzenbacher

heir_jordan22 · Post #4 » by **heir_jordan22** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:32 pm

Chewie wrote:The Trib article is quoting a former receivers coach from Dallas saying Hurd was their best special teams guy but I'm guessing he gets a shot to compete @ WR.

I'll also guess we're done shopping for receivers :

R Williams
E Bennet
J Knox
D Hester
S Hurd
A Fantuz
D Sanzenbacher

You left Iglesias off the list. I hope he, Fanutz and Sanzebacher are all on the practice squad this year and we add Mike Sims-Walker. Apparently the biggest thing that's keeping that deal from happening is that he wants a one year contract so that he can produce this year and make big money next year.

ChronicKerr · Post #5 » by **ChronicKerr** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:40 pm

Iglesias is with the Vikings (or at least finished last year on their PS) and isn't a part of our organization.

We are likely done with adding WR's I would think. We have the guys to run a 4 wide set quite a bit. Roy's deal is only 2 years so if he doens't work out its not much risk. I'm still waiting to see what the $'s come out to.

Cliff Levingston · Post #6 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:46 pm

ChronicKerr wrote:Iglesias is with the Vikings and isn't a part of our organization.

We are likely done with adding WR's I would think. We have the guys to run a 4 wide set quite a bit. Roy's deal is only 2 years so if he doens't work out its not much risk. I'm still waiting to see what the $'s come out to.

Cliff Levingston would have to agree. Williams, Knox, Hester and Bennett are the guys they'll use primarily. Williams and Knox on the outside, Hester and Bennett on the inside.

Williams doesn't really replace Olsen since Martz basically used Olsen as a slot receiver or a H back. So really, Williams just allows Hester to be moved inside where he'll be better suited to use his lateral quickness. From that standpoint alone, Cliff Levingston thinks Williams, provided he plays well, provides a pretty substantial upgrade to the WR core. After the 4 guys listed, you've got your choice of Hurd, Fantuz and Sanzenbacher to fill in.

transplant · Post #7 » by **transplant** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:54 pm

I'm fine with the Williams signing. He knows the Martz system and had some success in it.

Hurd is Rashied Davis by another name.

I agree that we're done at wideout.

NZB2323 · Post #8 » by **NZB2323** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:13 pm

I'm surprised that people aren't more excited about this. We've been missing a big WR for a while and now he's the best WR we have. He made a pro-bowl with Mart, and I expect his production to far surpass Olsen's production.

The Explorer · Post #9 » by **The Explorer** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:16 pm

NZB2323 wrote:I'm surprised that people aren't more excited about this. We've been missing a big WR for a while and now he's the best WR we have. He made a pro-bowl with Mart, and I expect his production to far surpass Olsen's production.

People are not excited because that was 4-5 years ago. He hasn't been the same player since. does anyone expect him to perform at a pro-bowl level now? i certainly don't.

transplant · Post #10 » by **transplant** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:29 pm

charity stripe wrote:
NZB2323 wrote:I'm surprised that people aren't more excited about this. We've been missing a big WR for a while and now he's the best WR we have. He made a pro-bowl with Mart, and I expect his production to far surpass Olsen's production.

People are not excited because that was 4-5 years ago. He hasn't been the same player since. does anyone expect him to perform at a pro-bowl level now? i certainly don't.

I'm kind of in the middle on Williams. I'm not giddy, because Williams is not a stud. On the other hand, he's a weapon the Bears lacked last season...a nice addition.

1Point7Percent · Post #11 » by **1Point7Percent** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:31 pm

charity stripe wrote:
NZB2323 wrote:I'm surprised that people aren't more excited about this. We've been missing a big WR for a while and now he's the best WR we have. He made a pro-bowl with Mart, and I expect his production to far surpass Olsen's production.

People are not excited because that was 4-5 years ago. He hasn't been the same player since. does anyone expect him to perform at a pro-bowl level now? i certainly don't.

You just never know....(Berrian).

NZB2323 · Post #12 » by **NZB2323** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:37 pm

charity stripe wrote:
NZB2323 wrote:I'm surprised that people aren't more excited about this. We've been missing a big WR for a while and now he's the best WR we have. He made a pro-bowl with Mart, and I expect his production to far surpass Olsen's production.

People are not excited because that was 4-5 years ago. He hasn't been the same player since. does anyone expect him to perform at a pro-bowl level now? i certainly don't.

So people only get excited when the Bears sign pro-bowl players? I think that he's a nice fit, he'll be our best WR this year, and it makes it harder for defensive coordinators to gameplan against us. I don't expect him to make the pro-bowl, but if we sign a great offensive lineman or two good offensive linemen he could help Cutler make the pro-bowl.

Chewie · Post #13 » by **Chewie** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:05 pm

Well he instantly becomes our best receiver but I'm still not jumping for joy over here. Kinda tells you the state of our current receiving corps. I've got a "show me" attitude right now.

Cliff Levingston · Post #14 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:11 pm

Chewie wrote:Well he instantly becomes our best receiver but I'm still not jumping for joy over here. Kinda tells you the state of our current receiving corps. I've got a "shoe me" attitude right now.

Same here. Good move from the standpoint that he's got some talent, had his best years under Martz and comes in without having to undergo the long process of learning the offense. On the other hand, he's not great and has some question marks. It's a solid move that helps us, it just doesn't bring us up even to the top half of the league as far as receiving cores go.

El Ridda · Post #15 » by **El Ridda** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:00 pm

Does anyone know the $$$ he is getting?

Post #16 » by **Nolan** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:40 pm

Well we needed a WR and Williams is a pretty decent one. He'll instantly become our best receiver but thats not saying a lot.

Chewie · Post #17 » by **Chewie** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:28 pm

El Ridda wrote:Does anyone know the $$$ he is getting?

I'm reading one year deal for between $1.5 and $2.0m. Mike Sims-Walker got $3.7 for one year with the Rams.

Sam Hurd's deal was 3 years for $5.15m.

For a team way under the cap, we're sure taking the cheap route this year in regards to free agency.

Post #18 » by **emperorjones** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:29 am

I don't look at this as the "cheap route" we have to spend the same money as everyone with the cap minimum. I like this as a value signing. We definitely have more FAs coming and then we'll be giving our own FAs such as Forte more $.

Chewie · Post #19 » by **Chewie** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:50 am

emperorjones wrote:I don't look at this as the "cheap route" we have to spend the same money as everyone with the cap minimum. I like this as a value signing. We definitely have more FAs coming and then we'll be giving our own FAs such as Forte more $.

Oh, I agree it's a good value - especially compared to MSW's money. I was speaking more to how we've spent overall in free agency. We had the money to be players on some higher-level players and have stood on the sidelines. There aren't a ton of more free agent choices out there in our positions of need at this point.

All that being said, I have to laugh at ESPN creaming all over themselves over the Patriots signing of Haynesworth and Ocho and calling them the "big winners" of this free agency period. Haynesworth got his money and has been nothing but unmotivated since. He's already failing conditioning tests for his new team. Ocho Cinco is 33 and on the downside of his career but, of course, because of his antics ESPN is just in love with him.

Post #20 » by **fleet** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:39 am

If you want to crown him....then CROWN HIS ASS!

1 year @ 1.5 - 2 mil? 29 years old. Released. Just going by the numbers, I expect his production to not exceed his compensation. If this guy had a better than 50% chance of becoming a top level guy, he'd be more in demand salarywise. Those salary numbers are especially bad indicators. Means there were absolutely no other bidders. In the NFL, 29 year old receivers are who NFL GMs thought they were.

And the Bears let him off the hook.