Try NFL Sport Channel Seach:
Selected searches:
NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season Superbowl
Items by
Could the Chicago Bears Add Matt Jones to Their WR Corps?
Published: July 18, 2009
No Comments
Much complaining has been done about our WR options but the only real weakness I see is the lack a player of real height amongst the guys. Of those likely to make the roster the tallest is Iglesias who tops out at 6’1″.
We’ve been mentioned with the likes of Plaxico Burress or Brandon Marshall but another option which doesn’t seem to have been considered is Matt Jones, formerly of the Jaguars.
All three have had their run ins with the law, but reading more about Jones, is it a case of “bad boy” or “bad judgement?”
Marshall seems to think its ok to beat on his girlfriend/wife when the mood takes him while bitching about his contract, while Burress has a tendency to shoot himself in the foot, literally.
As for Jones, there is the drugs issue. He was arrested in a car which contained cocaine and marijuana residue, but like the Marshawn Lynch incident, it was never claimed nor proved that ownership of such items was him. He did not acquire a criminal record as a result but did a drugs rehabilitation course instead.
He was then arrested and jailed for failing a drugs test. What he was actually jailed for was failing an alcohol test, as part of his agreement with prosecutors was to abstain from alcohol.
He wasn’t drunk, he’d had a few beers whilst playing golf with friends. And he CHOSE to spend a week in jail, as the alternative was a six weeks rehab programme which would have meant he missed spring training camp if signed by anyone.
Prior to his four game suspension last year, he was on course for his best ever season and would have gotten close to 80 receptions/1,000 yds, finishing instead with 65 recs/761 yds. At 6’6″, 220 lbs and with a 40 time of around 4.40, he would be far cheaper to acquire than Marshall, and provide an intriguing option.
What do the Bears have to lose by adding him to the mix?
Could the Chicago Bears Add Matt Jones to Their WR Corps?
Published: July 18, 2009
No Comments
Much complaining has been done about our WR options but the only real weakness I see is the lack a player of real height amongst the guys. Of those likely to make the roster the tallest is Iglesias who tops out at 6’1″.
We’ve been mentioned with the likes of Plaxico Burress or Brandon Marshall but another option which doesn’t seem to have been considered is Matt Jones, formerly of the Jaguars.
All three have had their run ins with the law, but reading more about Jones, is it a case of “bad boy” or “bad judgement?”
Marshall seems to think its ok to beat on his girlfriend/wife when the mood takes him while bitching about his contract, while Burress has a tendency to shoot himself in the foot, literally.
As for Jones, there is the drugs issue. He was arrested in a car which contained cocaine and marijuana residue, but like the Marshawn Lynch incident, it was never claimed nor proved that ownership of such items was him. He did not acquire a criminal record as a result but did a drugs rehabilitation course instead.
He was then arrested and jailed for failing a drugs test. What he was actually jailed for was failing an alcohol test, as part of his agreement with prosecutors was to abstain from alcohol.
He wasn’t drunk, he’d had a few beers whilst playing golf with friends. And he CHOSE to spend a week in jail, as the alternative was a six weeks rehab programme which would have meant he missed spring training camp if signed by anyone.
Prior to his four game suspension last year, he was on course for his best ever season and would have gotten close to 80 receptions/1,000 yds, finishing instead with 65 recs/761 yds. At 6’6″, 220 lbs and with a 40 time of around 4.40, he would be far cheaper to acquire than Marshall, and provide an intriguing option.
What do the Bears have to lose by adding him to the mix?
Why Jay Cutler Has Landed On His Feet in Chicago
Published: July 14, 2009
No Comments
Taking advantage of the Broncos appalling man-management under Josh McDaniels in Denver, the Bears have finally added a key piece to their roster sadly missing this decade.
It is still amazing how some describe Cutler as petulant. Anyone who discovered that their new boss had been trying to offer their job to another person behind their back would be seriously angered and well within their rights to resign and claim constructive dismissal.
In essence that is what happened to Cutler. Whilst some try to add this to Cutler’s jawing with Rivers and suggest some sort of character issue, they only fall so far short of the mark that it can only be considered laughable.
Cutler lands in Chicago to take snaps behind a decent offensive line, which has an experienced interior, and has addressed concerns at tackle with the signings of Orlando Pace and Kevin Schaffer as well as the potential emergence of Chris Williams.
He has a very talented RB to hand the ball off to in Forte, and the very fact that Forte will not be run into the ground due to a lack of a passing game will increase Forte’s own longevity.
In the passing game, there is the emerging Greg Olsen, improving every year and on the cusp of posting Jason Witten type figures and backed up by the solid Desmond Clark.
Much has been made of the lack of big names in the WR corps but so what—Hester is learning the position and finally has a QB able to take advantage of his skills set, whilst both Bennett, Iglesias, and Knox form a group of rookies and young players quite capable of breaking out now they have a franchise QB to make all the throws to them. Only one of three needs to step up and an effective WR pair is born.
And Cutler will have a defense able to put him in far better game situations. Last year was not as good as hoped for, but bringing in Rod Marinelli will help the line especially with Anderson and Ogunleye playing for what might be their careers.
The only weakness is at FS but it looks like Corey Graham could make the position his own. Statistically, the performance might not look that impressive in yards given up, but that is an idiosyncrasy of the Tampa2 and doesn’t reflect the quality throughout this side of the roster.
What of the team he left behind? Orton is a serviceable QB asked not to lose games, but in Denver he may have to attempt to win them. The defense is still poor, and now has the added disadvantage of lining up with a 3-4 formation and lacking the players to do so effectively, on paper at least.
Whilst the Broncos have had a glorious running game, the last time I checked, Mike Shanahan was no longer coach, and it is quite possible that McDaniels will ruin this as well. He appears to have fallen asleep when Bill Belichick was delivering his man-management seminar.
Cutler doesn’t have a winning record (yet) as a QB, nor has he appeared in the playoffs, but he has now escaped to a team with a much more balanced roster. The Lions will not go 0-16 but will not make the playoffs, the Packers are undergoing the painful transition to their own 3-4 defense, and if the Vikings think the addition of Favre will be the final missing piece, just ask the Jets how that worked out. The Bears should have a good chance of winning their division at the very least.
To get a QB of the calibre of Cutler for a No. 18 selection this year and what will probably be a No. 20 or No. 25 next year is a bit of business that almost counts as grand larceny.
Cutler has proven an effective QB with a reservoir of untapped potential whilst other QBs who might have been available in this years draft class or next at this draft position aren’t on the same page. The Bears have gotten much better with the addition of Cutler, and both McDaniels and Pat Bowlen would have him back at the drop of a hat if they could.
Anybody who thinks otherwise should really wake up and smell the coffee.
