This whole team will be blown up next year, regardless

[richig07]

Cutler, Hester, Gould, Briggs, Jennings, and Tillman.

Pretty much all of the core Bears left over from JA's stint as GM, and all of them are free agents after this season. Not to mention, we're at our salary cap limit as of now.

If we have a successful season, those players stock will rise and we won't be able to afford most of them. If we lose, Emery is just itching for a chance to get rid of any trace of JA and build his own team. Not to mention, we still likely won't be able to afford most of them.

I think next year may be an even bigger rebuilding year, regardless of how the team plays this season.

Emery has already shown that he has very little loyalty to any players that he inherited from JA, I wouldn't be surprised to see the above guys walk from this team. I think maybe two of those guys stay.

This also has me starting to think that Jay may REALLY have to play well this year to stick around. Emery means business, and him apparently "not being on the same page" with Trestman early on can't bode well in his favor. If anything, I would hope that he'd sign Cutler to a short term deal and draft a QB to develop/compete. Although, Emery doesn't seem to play too many games. I don't see that happening.

It's sad to think about. It's been strange enough to see this defense without Urlacher. Seeing it without Briggs and Tillman would be crazy. Since 03 Urlacher, Briggs, and Tillman have been the core of this defense. To see them leave for elsewhere or retire (Peanut said he would never play for another team), and without a championship would be a sad day.

Also, how strange will it be when one day Robbie Gould isn't kicking field goals for the Bears? He won't come cheap, and I really think Bears fans take him for granted. I hope somebody lets Emery know what a savior this guy has been for the Bears in the past.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

Most of if not all them guys will be back it's Peppers that won't be. Briggs Tillman Cutler Gould Jennings are Bears for life. Emory has loyalty to winning and these players are needed for that. But no way we can afford Peppers and them. Something has to give.

 

[blh7068]

Good points, rich. A lot of one year deals/expiring contracts...and it will likely go down as you illustrated. Emery is no different than any other GM, he wants the team molded with his hands- without JA's fingerprints. For me, the full effect of seeing the Urlacher-less Bears wont come until this Sunday. I like Bostic, but I have a feeling the middle part of the field will be exploited for at least the early part of the season.

 

[gmalis1]

Change happens in sports. Players age. Their skills diminish. They move on.

All part of pro sports nowadays. Don't lose any sleep over it.

 

[running bear828]

Well first of all, JA's finger print? With the quality of JA's draft pick I would call it less of a finger print and more of a smudge. JA really didn't draft too many people that stuck here. Most of them stunk here.

 

[nebearsfan70]

^This

 

[richig07]

Well first of all, JA's finger print? With the quality of JA's draft pick I would call it less of a finger print and more of a smudge. JA really didn't draft too many people that stuck here. Most of them stunk here.

Five of those six guys were brought in as rookies by JA. Gould was brought in as an undrafted free agent, and the rest were drafted.

JA actually wasn't as terrible at drafting as most believe. He was just terrible in the first round. He found a lot of diamonds in the rough.

Not to mention, he went out of his way to bring in Cutler and Peppers. Two obviously key parts to this team, and he reached to get Forte in the second round. Not bad...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a JA fan, but I do give credit where it's due.

 

[richig07]

Most of if not all them guys will be back it's Peppers that won't be. Briggs Tillman Cutler Gould Jennings are Bears for life. Emory has loyalty to winning and these players are needed for that. But no way we can afford Peppers and them. Something has to give.

"Bears for life" or not... they're not coming back if we can't afford them. Not to mention, Emery already showed he wasn't going out of his way to bring Urlacher back. If anyone was a "Bear for life"... it was him.

Welcome to the salary cap era... nine times out of ten, great players don't finish where they started.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

"Bears for life" or not... they're not coming back if we can't afford them. Not to mention, Emery already showed he wasn't going out of his way to bring Urlacher back. If anyone was a "Bear for life"... it was him.

Welcome to the salary cap era... nine times out of ten, great players don't finish where they started.

Emery shown he won't overpay and that's why BU was not brought back. That is why Earl will be gone soon. But Emery has also shown he wants to win. I think he will bring back any player that helps him do that.

 

[anotheridiot]

I am just glad they kept Boggs, I just love it when the center is the first guy to pick up the running back. We will see what happens with garza, maybe this lack of depth on tackles will push long out there and move garza back to guard. Cant see garza getting signed again after this season anyway, at least it seems there is a plan with a kid with the same tenacity as long.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

I think it's more likely that some will be brought back and others won't be. I see no reason why it is all-or-nothing. I don't think Emery would just get rid of a guy simply because JA brought him in. JA was flawed, but he knows more about football than 99% of the fans. Not EVERYTHING he did was terrible, and Emery isn't dumb enough to think so.

By the way, we are nowhere near the cap next year...on the other hand, we don't have anywhere near a full roster either, so of course the cap will become an issue at some point. The interesting guy to watch isn't the free agents....it's Peppers.

 

[LoftonPack80]

Are you going to match any offers on these guys? All are on the wrong side of 30, and you know some team out there will overpay and offer long term deals.

 

[gmalis1]

I think it's more likely that some will be brought back and others won't be. I see no reason why it is all-or-nothing. I don't think Emery would just get rid of a guy simply because JA brought him in. JA was flawed, but he knows more about football than 99% of the fans. Not EVERYTHING he did was terrible, and Emery isn't dumb enough to think so.

By the way, we are nowhere near the cap next year...on the other hand, we don't have anywhere near a full roster either, so of course the cap will become an issue at some point. The interesting guy to watch isn't the free agents....it's Peppers.

Peppers contract was restructured today. The Bears converted $3 million of Peppers' base salary for this year to a signing bonus. That creates $2 million in cap savings. However, it increases his salary for the next two years. Good luck with that.

 

[55briggs]

There is a good chance Hester and Tillman could be gone next season. Then again Hester could have a pro-bowl season as a returner again,he definitely wont get paid like he did last time though.,Tillman could make a spot on this team again if he gets 5 ints and a couple strips and carries his share of the load on tackles.This will probably be Briggs final contract,He could get Franchised again or they will have to pay him big, because he has been solid forever. Gould's a kicker, a really good one at that, but he is expendable. I personally hope Gould stays though. He has been even better than Butler.

 

[anotheridiot]

Jennings was picked up as a free agent, then had no action when he resigned. I cant call him a life long bear. Tillman, Gould, Briggs, ok, but not Jennings. I have a feeling Peppers is gonna be taking off more and more plays and not be as critical. I still think eventually the bears go to more of a 3-4 anyway or some form of that 4-6 defense. Trestman is gonna run a system that fits his players, and if Peanut, briggs and peppers are gone, its not gonna be as bad as lovie stuck in the cover 2 and needing to find pegs to fit in the holes. Trestman adjusts the holes.

 

[Smart]

For the last three years, i've been saying we are two years away from blowing up the Bears. I always assumed that the Urlacher-Briggs-Tillman core would win a title before they went. I do think we are at the last year. I think Briggs and Tillman will re-sign, but they are likely at the end of their prime. My hunch is Jennings will be worth more than we are willing to pay. Gould will stay in Chicago and be good for another decade. Peppers and Hester are both coin flips if they stay or go.

Either way, I think this will be our last real run at a title. I am going to live in the moment and hope we can do it. We can worrry about the long-term future at season's end.

 

[richig07]

Emery shown he won't overpay and that's why BU was not brought back. That is why Earl will be gone soon. But Emery has also shown he wants to win. I think he will bring back any player that helps him do that.

Well, exactly, that was kind of my point. He won't overpay to keep a long time veteran around.

We don't have a lot of money. That's quite a few big contracts. Melton is also on that list.

 

[richig07]

I think it's more likely that some will be brought back and others won't be. I see no reason why it is all-or-nothing. I don't think Emery would just get rid of a guy simply because JA brought him in. JA was flawed, but he knows more about football than 99% of the fans. Not EVERYTHING he did was terrible, and Emery isn't dumb enough to think so.

By the way, we are nowhere near the cap next year...on the other hand, we don't have anywhere near a full roster either, so of course the cap will become an issue at some point. The interesting guy to watch isn't the free agents....it's Peppers.

I don't think it's "all or nothing". I'm simply saying that a lot of these guys COULD be gone, and most likely a few would be.

 

[63bears40]

Just about half the team got blown up this year. The cap will determine next years fate. Which I'm not too worried about right now. GO BEARS. BEAT CINCY.

 

[Rocinante]

I was actually in the middle of writing out a long post and then thought, "Why am I worrying about this now?" "We have an entire off-season next year to discuss this."