Chicago Bears
Owner: Virginia Halas McCaskey
Founded: 1920
Stadium: Soldier Field
2010 record: 11-5
Last playoff appearance: 2010, 11-5, NFC North Champs, W35-24 SEA, L21-14 GB
General Manager: Jerry Angelo (2001 – current)
Head Coach: Lovie Smith (2004 – current, 63-49 as head coach)
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Martz
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Phair
Defensive alignment: 4-3
2010 NFL Rankings:
OFF: 20.9 PTS (21st) 289.4 YDS (30th) 188.4 PASS (28th) 101.0 RUSH (22nd)
DEF: 17.9 PTS (4th) 314.3 YDS (9th) 224.2 PASS (20th) 90.1 RUSH (2nd)
Pro Bowlers: Julius Peppers DE, Lance Briggs OLB, Brian Urlacher MLB, Devin Hester KR
2011 schedule:
1 Sep 11 vs. Falcons 1:00 PM Tickets
2 Sep 18 at Saints 1:00 PM Tickets
3 Sep 25 vs. Packers 4:15 PM Tickets
4 Oct 02 vs. Panthers 1:00 PM Tickets
5 Oct 10 at Lions 8:30 PM Tickets
6 Oct 16 vs. Vikings 8:20 PM Tickets
7 Oct 23 at Buccaneers 1:00 PM Tickets
8 Bye
9 Nov 07 at Eagles 8:30 PM Tickets
10 Nov 13 vs. Lions 1:00 PM Tickets
11 Nov 20 vs. Chargers 4:15 PM Tickets
12 Nov 27 at Raiders 4:05 PM Tickets
13 Dec 04 vs. Chiefs 1:00 PM Tickets
14 Dec 11 at Broncos 4:05 PM Tickets
15 Dec 18 vs. Seahawks 1:00 PM Tickets
16 Dec 25 at Packers 8:20 PM Tickets
17 Jan 01 at Vikings 1:00 PM Tickets
TEAM NEEDS: WR, OG, C, OLB
Potential Free Agents:
Todd Collins QB
Caleb Hanie QB – re-signed –
Garrett Wolfe RB
Desmond Clark TE – re-signed
Anthony Adams DT – re-signed –
Brian Iwuh OLB – re-signed –
Nick Roach OLB – re-signed –
Pisa Tinoisamoa OLB
Rod Wilson OLB
Corey Graham CB
Josh Bullocks SS
Free agent acquisitions:
Marion Barber RB (Cowboys) – 2 yrs, 5 million
Roy Williams WR (Cowboys) -
Matt Spaeth TE (Steelers) -
Chris Spencer C (Seahawks) – 2 yrs
Amobi Okoye DT (Texans) -
Vernon Gholston OLB (Jets) -
Adam Podlesh P (Jaguars) - 5 yrs
Free agent losses:
Rashied Davis WR – Signed by Lions
Brandon Manamaleuna TE
Olin Kreutz C – signed with Saints
Tommie Harris DT – signed with Colts
Hunter Hillenmeyer LB
Daniel Manning S – Signed by Texans
Brad Maynard P – signed with Texans
Trades:
Traded TE Greg Olsen to Panthers for 3rd round pick
Picks in 2011 NFL Draft: (overall draft grade: B+): As is the case lately for the Bears, they lacked having many picks, but they did make good use of them. Their first two picks were great values coming off my board. When Jerry Angelo targets players, he hits with them. He does a good job of drafting and that’s why he’s been with Chicago since 2001. Carimi will aid in the run game and improve the protection of Jay Cutler. The strongest man at the combine Stephen Paea will be plugged in where Tommy Harris left. They’ll have to look to free agency for some depth however if they choose to not re-sign their free agent linebackers and safeties. Draft picks Conte and Thomas are there to help with the depth.
(! Indicates draft pick who was interviewed, had a private workout, etc. prior to the draft according to my compiled list):
Rd 1, Pick 29 (29) Gabe Carimi OL, Wisconsin – Great value from my board’s point of view. The Bears desperately needed to protect Jay Cutler…especially now since they’ll be facing Nick Fairley and Suh together against the Lions twice a year.
Grade: A+ Rated: 16
Rd 2, Pick 21 (53) Stephen Paea DT, Oregon State – the strongest player in the draft, broke the record for reps of 225 pounds at the combine (49). He’s done as many as 51 while at Oregon State.
Grade: A Rated: 37
Rd 3, Pick 29 (93) Chris Conte DB, California! – Once the offseason started, Conte started his rise up draft boards. Was All-Pac 10 his senior year after a move from corner. Good size and athleticism.
Grade: B- Rated: 141
Rd 5, Pick 29 (160) Nathan Enderle QB, Idaho! – disappointing senior season, but has shown that he has some tools that may be developed. But still way too early to take him.
Grade: D Rated: 262
Rd 6, Pick 30 (195) James Thomas LB, West Virginia -good athleticism, does well against run and the pass.
Grade: C Rated: NR
2010 Bears Draft review:
Here are some interesting nuggets of information I saw in the Bears’ 2010 NFL Draft press conferences: Pre-draft press conference: GM Jerry Angelo said that teams in the NFL usually draft for need in the first three rounds. The Bears always look for players to improve the defensive line. He mentioned that they identified four players for their first pick (third round), five for the fourth round, and four for the fifth round. Angelo felt that two of each of those players per round will be there for them. The Bears look for read and react, penetrate and get up the field, and react to screens, runs, etc. types of players for their defensive line. Angelo said you have to fill your needs in the draft and free agency. He doesn’t know if any team goes into the draft and just goes by the best available player on their board (I can say the Jaguars and Packers at least say they go with BAP). He also said that you never hear “draftniks” talk about character. As one of those draftniks, I have to strongly disagree. We talk about character concerns all the time. He also said the conversation about going best available player versus need is something that’s good for draftniks to talk about. Well, my question is why have many general managers so far in this offseason series been asked about BAP vs. need in press conferences and described what their philosophy is?
Major Wright was the best defensive back in their minds when they picked (subsequently ignoring all other positions, who may have had better players, but that doesn’t appear to matter to Angelo). All four players they targeted in the 3rd were gone except for Wright. Scouting Director Greg Gabriel on Corey Wootton: He was surprised Wootton fell to them. According to Gabriel, Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald got some calls that some teams were going to trade up to get Wootton, but the Bears took him.
In the sixth round of the draft, the Bears were set to take Buffalo running back (and future Green Bay Packer) James Starks. According to former Bears’ scouting director Greg Gabriel, after the Bears had told Starks they were going to take him, Angelo overruled the decision and viewed Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour as a better fit. In the post-draft press conference, Angelo said they talked about the pick quite a bit, without revealing what really happened behind the scenes, obviously. It’s interesting now after what came out. LeFevour wasn’t targeted by them, but they didn’t feel that he was going to be there and they liked him a lot. I think for the way Angelo drafts, it’s better for him to trade for good players rather than try to draft them and to sign big name free agents. It worked for them in 2010…
Rd 3, Pick 11 (75) Major Wright FS, Florida – 11 games, 24 TCK
Rd 4, Pick 11 (109) Corey Wootton DE, Northwestern – 6 games, 5 TCK, 1 SCK
Rd 5, Pick 10 (141) Joshua Moore DB, Kansas State – 3 games, 1 TCK
Rd 6, Pick 12 (181) Dan LeFevour QB, Central Michigan – waived in final cuts, picked up by Bengals
Rd 7, Pick 11 (218) J’Marcus Webb OT, West Texas A&M – 14 games, 12 starts
Looking back at my grades for the 2010 Bears draft class: After the 2010 draft, I gave the Bears a B+ grade. I felt Major Wright (C+) was a fourth rounder, but after that pick, the Bears were very solid. Corey Wootton and J’Marcus Webb were good values, especially Webb who started for 12 games. He’ll be a starter for the Bears and was a great find for Jerry Angelo. As I stated above, taking LeFevour over James Starks proved to be a mistake, but he made up for it with the Webb pick. Webb’s grade should be improved to an A, but LeFevour changed to a C. I’m really torn whether to lower the overall grade to a B, but Webb is such a great value with their last pick. For now, they get lowered to a B, but if Webb and Wootton (and Wright) become starters, the grade will definitely rise to a B+.
First Round Picks From Last Five Years: Chris Williams OT, Greg Olsen TE
2010 Stat Leaders
Jay Cutler 261-432 60.4% 3274 YDS 7.6 YPA 23 TD 16 INT 86.3 RTG
Matt Forte 237 ATT 1069 YDS 4.5 YDS 68 LNG 6 INT
Johnny Knox 61 REC 960 YDS 18.8 AVG 67 LNG 5 TD
Robbie Gould 25-30 83.3% 54 LNG
Brian Urlacher 125 TCK
Julius Peppers, Israel Idonije 8 SCK
Charles Tillman, Chris Harris 5 INT
Out of Season Storylines (Because there is no offseason)
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