The dangerous times are over in Chicago - for now anyway.
In a move that shocked exactly nobody, the Bears today annointed Kyle Orton, who led the team to a 10-5 record as a starter during Rex Grossman's injury hit 2005 season, as the team's starting Quarterback.
Grossman has looked like a liability at times this offseason, and has done little to repay the faith shown in him by coach Lovie Smith. Despite a rocket arm and solid mechanics, Grossman has never been able to shake off the tag of a 'boom or bust' guy. As a first round pick out of Florida in 2003, he bounced back from two injury plagued seasons to lead the team to the Superbowl in 2006. He shouldered most of the blame for the team's failure to defeat the Colts in that game, and was ousted at the start of last season in favour of the veteran Brian Griese. Grossman regained the job late in the season, only to go down with yet another injury, and allow Orton to start the last two games of the season.
While Orton is more of the 'Game Manager' type, he does possess enough talent to succeed in the league, and has a deceptively strong arm. It will certainly be interesting watching him if the team decide to give him a longer leash than during his first stint at the helm. Orton's passer rating during 15 games in 2005 was just 59.7 - the lowest among qualifying Quarterbacks that year.
As for Grossman, it would be easy to write him off now, but we think that may be premature. For one thing, his arm will always be a fascination to personel departments across the league, and his ability to make every throw is always going to keep him on a roster. Plenty of teams would consider Grossman an upgrade at the second QB position, and it is unlikely that the Bears would part ways until the end of this season at least, as Smith gives him an opportunity to perhaps jump in should Orton implode.
On the other hand, Grossman is unable to take care of the ball to any degree neccesary to start in the NFL right now. His decision making has looked shaky since Chicago's Monday Night Football game in Arizona two years ago, when the team miraculously overcame a 0-20 half time deficit to win by a single point 23-24.
Indeed, that game was a microcosm of the team's reliance on the Defensive unit to overcome the deficiencies of it's Offensive counterpart. If Grossman is ever to play a meaningful role for the Bears, he will need the durable Orton to suffer an injury, and more pertinently, he will need to convince the fickle Chicago media that the best way to watch him play is not through gaps in their fingers.
Showing posts with label Chicago Bears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Bears. Show all posts
Monday, 18 August 2008
Friday, 8 August 2008
Chris Williams out for the year?
Rumours are abound in Chicago that Rookie Chris Williams, the 14th overall pick in this year's draft, is out for the entire 2008 season with a back injury.
Williams is yet to practice with the team, and yesterday underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. Although he is still on the 53 man roster, it is expected that he will be placed on IR before the season begins. The Bears have shown interest in re-signing veteran tackle Fred Miller, who was cut at the end of last season.
In our opinion, Williams - although a great finesse blocker - was a risk at 14. The reason he fell so far was simply because of injury concerns, and even though you never know for sure whether those injury worries wll hamper someone through a long, physical career, it is telling that the two players in this year's draft with such concerns (Williams and Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey) have both yet to contribute meaningfully because of injury.
Williams is yet to practice with the team, and yesterday underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. Although he is still on the 53 man roster, it is expected that he will be placed on IR before the season begins. The Bears have shown interest in re-signing veteran tackle Fred Miller, who was cut at the end of last season.
In our opinion, Williams - although a great finesse blocker - was a risk at 14. The reason he fell so far was simply because of injury concerns, and even though you never know for sure whether those injury worries wll hamper someone through a long, physical career, it is telling that the two players in this year's draft with such concerns (Williams and Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey) have both yet to contribute meaningfully because of injury.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Something is about to hit the fan in Green Bay...
...and that thing is Brett Favre.
According to multiple sources, Brett Favre has chartered a plane to fly to Wisconsin from his Mississipi home and show up at Packers Training Camp tommorow. The move is likely in response to the Packers (frankly insulting) offer to pay him $20m to stay home for the next ten years, as reported this morning.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel revealed earlier that the team would consider trading Favre to the Bears, Lions or Vikings only as 'a last resort'. This differs from Favre's previous statement last week, which seemed to indicate that a trade to the Vikings was inconcievable.
Either way, the team is on the ropes now, and it's likely that the Vikings will get their man in the next few days. With Roger Goodell poised to intervene if the camp turns into a circus, the Packers know that the only way of getting adequate compensation for Favre may be to cut a deal with one of the two teams that they would least like him to play for.
For what it's worth, Favre is unlikely to accept a deal to Chicago. The whole offense is in dire need of help, and if he wishes to go out with a bang, the Bears would not be a logical choice. Apart from on-field issues though, Favre will be aware that it would be seen as one in the eye to the fans that supported him for 15 years in Wisconsin.
On the other hand, it would provide the maximum 'revenge' factor possible to the Packers as an organisation...
According to multiple sources, Brett Favre has chartered a plane to fly to Wisconsin from his Mississipi home and show up at Packers Training Camp tommorow. The move is likely in response to the Packers (frankly insulting) offer to pay him $20m to stay home for the next ten years, as reported this morning.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel revealed earlier that the team would consider trading Favre to the Bears, Lions or Vikings only as 'a last resort'. This differs from Favre's previous statement last week, which seemed to indicate that a trade to the Vikings was inconcievable.
Either way, the team is on the ropes now, and it's likely that the Vikings will get their man in the next few days. With Roger Goodell poised to intervene if the camp turns into a circus, the Packers know that the only way of getting adequate compensation for Favre may be to cut a deal with one of the two teams that they would least like him to play for.
For what it's worth, Favre is unlikely to accept a deal to Chicago. The whole offense is in dire need of help, and if he wishes to go out with a bang, the Bears would not be a logical choice. Apart from on-field issues though, Favre will be aware that it would be seen as one in the eye to the fans that supported him for 15 years in Wisconsin.
On the other hand, it would provide the maximum 'revenge' factor possible to the Packers as an organisation...
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Devin Hester is ridiculous
The Bears have confirmed today that Devin Hester, the Returner-cum-Receiver responsible for roughly all of Chicago's non-offensive scoring (so roughly all of Chicago's scoring full stop then...) last season, has got his contract.
Hester held out of Training Camp for all of a day in protest at his base salary of just $445,000 in the upcoming season, but he has 30m reasons to be happy now, after signing a new four year deal with $15m in guarantees.
Hester's value was difficult to determine, and initial reports from ESPN indicate that the Bears have wisely got the deal done while Hester has little leverage as a Wide Receiver. If he achieves a certain level of production at the position, he will be rewarded, but the team has largely avoided paying an exorbitant amount for someone who is unproven as a receiver. Also according to ESPN, Hester will be due a whopping $10m roster bonus in 2012 (the final year of the deal) if he meets certain performance-based criteria.
As we say, if Hester has a good year as the no.1 receiver this year, the Bears will consider the contract a steal. If not, they haven't lost, as his value as a pure returner is probably in line with the basic salaries over the life of the deal.
The contract is the final piece of a puzzle that the Bears have managed to successfully complete in the last few years, and ties up almost every indespensible player on the team for the next 5 years.
Hester held out of Training Camp for all of a day in protest at his base salary of just $445,000 in the upcoming season, but he has 30m reasons to be happy now, after signing a new four year deal with $15m in guarantees.
Hester's value was difficult to determine, and initial reports from ESPN indicate that the Bears have wisely got the deal done while Hester has little leverage as a Wide Receiver. If he achieves a certain level of production at the position, he will be rewarded, but the team has largely avoided paying an exorbitant amount for someone who is unproven as a receiver. Also according to ESPN, Hester will be due a whopping $10m roster bonus in 2012 (the final year of the deal) if he meets certain performance-based criteria.
As we say, if Hester has a good year as the no.1 receiver this year, the Bears will consider the contract a steal. If not, they haven't lost, as his value as a pure returner is probably in line with the basic salaries over the life of the deal.
The contract is the final piece of a puzzle that the Bears have managed to successfully complete in the last few years, and ties up almost every indespensible player on the team for the next 5 years.
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Where will Favre go?
With the news that Brett Favre is seeking his release from the Green Bay Packers, the league will be buzzing with rumour and conjecture regarding Favre's final destination. For us the biggest question is whether Favre has the desire to play anywhere because he misses football, or if he wants to win another championship.
Here are our top 5 contenders for his signature:
New York Jets
The Jets have spent big money this off-season. They have invested in almost every position - except the one that matters. The QB battle between Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington is likely to produce nothing concrete heading into this season - a season that will almost certainly decide the fate of coach Eric Mangini. The only question is whether they can afford Favre. If he still wants his $12.5m salary, the Jets will need to clear $3m of cap room, which they could only do by trading Pennington, realistically.
Minnesota Vikings
Obviously, there is one major sticking point in this situation, and that is the rivalry between the Vikes and the Packers. You could argue that if the Vikings are on this list, then why not Chicago? Well, the Vikings (like the Jets) have thrown money at their situation this spring, and again, their big question mark is at QB. The Bears have never thrown money at anything. Ever. It would be extremely unlikely that the Packers would ascede to Favre's demands to be released if they believed he would be playing against them twice next season. The other big question is how excited Favre could be to play with receivers Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice. It's certainly not the kind of receiving unit that delivers championships.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Bucs coach Jon Gruden is a well known advocate of veteran Quarterbacks, and currently has about 4,000 on his roster. Actually though, it would be interesting to see how this situation plays into the contract negotiations with Jeff Garcia. With a player of the same age - but greater talent available, Garcia should be aware that now is not the time to be playing hardball with your team. The Bucs have a mix of veterans and rookies at WR, but definately have considerable talent in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Dexter Jackson. They also have an enormous amount of cap room, and really this could hinge on whether Gruden believes that Favre can deliver what Garcia cannot.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are probably slightly better than their record last year suggests. If anywhere makes sense on paper, it's Baltimore. At Quarterback, the Ravens would prefer not to start rookie Joe Flacco, but it's something they have had to seriously consider in the last few weeks. The otehr alternatives are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, neither of which seems to be the long term answer. Apart from that, there are veteran receivers such as Derrick Mason, a great rushing attack, and a solid line, despite the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. One other thing - the Ravens Defence can create the kind of opportunities that Favre would relish.
Detroit Lions
Much like the Vikings, this could be a non-starter because of the fact that Favre would be coming back to haunt the Packers twice next year. On the other hand, the team has many ingredients that could make them an attractive proposition to a veteran Quarterback. The team has one of the best Receiving corps in football, with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Macdonald, and Mike Furrey all capable of big plays. Questions do surround the running game, however, and Favre may be unwilling to play for a team that has rarely looked like coming out of a slump it has been in for 20 years.
Other teams in the mix:
Carolina Panthers - If Delhomme is fit, it's not happening
Kansas City Chiefs - No weapons = No playoffs
Chicago Bears - Not enough to make him public enemy no.1 in Green Bay
Atlanta Falcons - Unlikely, but he has been there before, and the Falcons may want to avoid blooding Matt Ryan early.
Here are our top 5 contenders for his signature:
New York Jets
The Jets have spent big money this off-season. They have invested in almost every position - except the one that matters. The QB battle between Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington is likely to produce nothing concrete heading into this season - a season that will almost certainly decide the fate of coach Eric Mangini. The only question is whether they can afford Favre. If he still wants his $12.5m salary, the Jets will need to clear $3m of cap room, which they could only do by trading Pennington, realistically.
Minnesota Vikings
Obviously, there is one major sticking point in this situation, and that is the rivalry between the Vikes and the Packers. You could argue that if the Vikings are on this list, then why not Chicago? Well, the Vikings (like the Jets) have thrown money at their situation this spring, and again, their big question mark is at QB. The Bears have never thrown money at anything. Ever. It would be extremely unlikely that the Packers would ascede to Favre's demands to be released if they believed he would be playing against them twice next season. The other big question is how excited Favre could be to play with receivers Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice. It's certainly not the kind of receiving unit that delivers championships.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Bucs coach Jon Gruden is a well known advocate of veteran Quarterbacks, and currently has about 4,000 on his roster. Actually though, it would be interesting to see how this situation plays into the contract negotiations with Jeff Garcia. With a player of the same age - but greater talent available, Garcia should be aware that now is not the time to be playing hardball with your team. The Bucs have a mix of veterans and rookies at WR, but definately have considerable talent in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Dexter Jackson. They also have an enormous amount of cap room, and really this could hinge on whether Gruden believes that Favre can deliver what Garcia cannot.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are probably slightly better than their record last year suggests. If anywhere makes sense on paper, it's Baltimore. At Quarterback, the Ravens would prefer not to start rookie Joe Flacco, but it's something they have had to seriously consider in the last few weeks. The otehr alternatives are Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, neither of which seems to be the long term answer. Apart from that, there are veteran receivers such as Derrick Mason, a great rushing attack, and a solid line, despite the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. One other thing - the Ravens Defence can create the kind of opportunities that Favre would relish.
Detroit Lions
Much like the Vikings, this could be a non-starter because of the fact that Favre would be coming back to haunt the Packers twice next year. On the other hand, the team has many ingredients that could make them an attractive proposition to a veteran Quarterback. The team has one of the best Receiving corps in football, with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun Macdonald, and Mike Furrey all capable of big plays. Questions do surround the running game, however, and Favre may be unwilling to play for a team that has rarely looked like coming out of a slump it has been in for 20 years.
Other teams in the mix:
Carolina Panthers - If Delhomme is fit, it's not happening
Kansas City Chiefs - No weapons = No playoffs
Chicago Bears - Not enough to make him public enemy no.1 in Green Bay
Atlanta Falcons - Unlikely, but he has been there before, and the Falcons may want to avoid blooding Matt Ryan early.
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Bears sign Forte
As we reported earlier today, the Bears are close to having all 12 of their Rookies signed, when some teams are yet to even sign a single pick.
Chalk up another one.
As expected, Matt Forte signed a four year deal, leaving only first round Offensive Tackle Chris Williams unsigned from the Bears' rookie class of 2008.
Chalk up another one.
As expected, Matt Forte signed a four year deal, leaving only first round Offensive Tackle Chris Williams unsigned from the Bears' rookie class of 2008.
Benson struggling to find a team
Former Chicago Bears Running Back Cedric Benson, the fourth overall pick in 2005, is still a free agent more than three weeks since his release by the team. NFL Network's Adam Schefter quashed speculation from earlier in the week that the Houston Texans would be interested in Benson, which means that the shortlist of teams with backfield issues just narrowed by one. Besides which, the Texans have invested picks in Steve Slaton, and the acquisition via trade of former Titan Chris Brown.
Benson's main problem is that despite his status as a first round pick, he has never shown anything resembling that kind of ability. His recent DUI arrests have obviously put an extra black mark against his name, and it's likely that any team even considering Benson would rather take a chance on some of the low round picks and find out what they have before expending money on someone who will definately only give average results.
Schefter suggests that it may take an injury before Benson lands on a roster. In truth, by the time September comes around, you can guarantee that someone's starting RB will be out for the season.
It's funny how DUI's don't seem to bother teams during the season isn't it?
Benson's main problem is that despite his status as a first round pick, he has never shown anything resembling that kind of ability. His recent DUI arrests have obviously put an extra black mark against his name, and it's likely that any team even considering Benson would rather take a chance on some of the low round picks and find out what they have before expending money on someone who will definately only give average results.
Schefter suggests that it may take an injury before Benson lands on a roster. In truth, by the time September comes around, you can guarantee that someone's starting RB will be out for the season.
It's funny how DUI's don't seem to bother teams during the season isn't it?
Forte, Williams to complete Bears Rookie clas by weeks end.
The Chicago Tribune has revealed that the last two rookies that remain unsigned - First rounder Chris Williams, and second rounder Matt Forte - are expected to sign deals by the end of the week.
Traditionally, Chicago have been quick off the mark signing rookies. In both 2005 and 2006, the team was the first to sign all of it's draft picks, and were one of just five teams last season who had all their picks signed by Training Camp.
Forte enters camp as the favourite to start at Running Back this season. With the release of Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson's emergency appendectomy last month, it is likely that Forte and second year player Garrett Wolfe will share the Traing Camp snaps. Wolfe is considered undersized, and not a true contender for the number one job by many observers.
Traditionally, Chicago have been quick off the mark signing rookies. In both 2005 and 2006, the team was the first to sign all of it's draft picks, and were one of just five teams last season who had all their picks signed by Training Camp.
Forte enters camp as the favourite to start at Running Back this season. With the release of Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson's emergency appendectomy last month, it is likely that Forte and second year player Garrett Wolfe will share the Traing Camp snaps. Wolfe is considered undersized, and not a true contender for the number one job by many observers.
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Five Quarterback battles - and who will win them
With Mini-Camp over, the next time we see the NFL players at organised team activities will be in August, as they enter Training camp. It's also where many teams will decide who wins battles on the depth chart, and there is little controversy as enthralling as a good ol' Quarterback battle.
Here are five teams with questions under centre, and our thoughts on who will win in the end. We deliberately left Miami out because we went into that in some depth in the team preview. On with the show!
San Francisco
The contenders: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan
The most wide-open battle ironically occurs in a city that has a tradition of consistency at the position over the last 30 years. From Montana, to Young, and even to Garcia, there has rarely been a question mark coming into Training Camp. In true bus fashion, they've made up for it by having two at the same time.
Alex Smith looks like the obvious favourite to the casual observer. His 'first-overall' status has yet to wear off completely, and the financial commitment that the 49ers have made in him is not inconsiderable. With this in mind, it is a gauge of how far Smith's stock has dropped that he faces a competition with a journeyman backup and a young QB who has yet to start an NFL game.
Shaun Hill held all of the momentum coming off the end of last season. Two wins in the final two games in place of the decrepit Trent Dilfer emphasised the poor play at the position by both previous incumbents. Unfortunately for Hill, that momentum has faltered since the hiring of Mike Martz as Offensive Co-ordinator for the coming season. Martz favours the big arm of Hill, and has worked with O'Sullivan in Detroit last season. From the noises that Martz and Nolan have made, the competition is still open, but it is Smith's to lose.
Who will win?
More than likely, Smith. He is coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his progress last season, and he arguably showed that he is capable of getting the job done during 2006 under Norv Turner.
Chicago
The contenders: Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton
Bears coach Lovie Smith must wonder how things have got back to this stage. In 2005, Kyle Orton led Chicago to 10 victories, before being replaced at half-time by Grossman, who himself inspired the week 15 comeback against Atlanta. Grossman was then named starter, and consequently took the team to the Superbowl in 2006, falling to Indianapolis on the biggest stage.
Criticisms of Grossman's error-prone 'boom or bust' style continued to dog Smith, and after an average start to 2007, backup Brian Griese took over. Griese proved that he had very little to offer in either the short or long term, and thus the Franchise used it's third QB of the season for the last three games of '07, as Orton returned, and finished the season with two victories.
This battle could go either way. Counting in Grossman's favour are both his status as a high draft pick, and that Smith seems enamoured with his potentially brilliant skills. You kind of get the impression that if it wasn't for the constant speculation in the media, Smith would have persevered longer with Grossman.
Who will win?
Grossman. Put simply, he still fascinates the coaches in Chicago. He really is on his last chance as a starter, but his potential upside far outweighs that of Orton, who has proved to be a capable backup. Realistically though, it is very concievable that both will start at some point through 2008.
Arizona
The contenders: Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner
Ironically, heading into the 2007 season, there was very little question about this battle being won by Leinart. Thanks to a combination of injury, poor off-field decision making, and Warner's strong play in place of him, the former first-rounder finds himself under pressure. The ageing Warner proved that he is still effective, throwing an impressive 27 TD's and almost 3,500yds, and this has in turn put coach Ken Whisenhunt on the spot. Does he go with the short term option - Warner - and try to win a championship at the expense of his Franchise quarterback's progression? Or does he give Leinart the reigns, and hope that his play justifies keeping Warner out of the equation.
Who will win?
It's hard to imagine Leinart losing the job completely, but it's also impossible to discount some kind of time-share arrangement that we saw before Leinart went down last year. The latter would keep neither man happy, but would also allow Whisenhunt the option of putting Warner in more liberally than if he actually committed to Leinart. Remember that Arizona is entering a small window with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Edgerrin James in the same lineup.
However, we'd hazard a guess that Leinart will start, if only because annoying Warner has far less repercussions down the road for the franchise.
Baltimore
The contenders: Kyle Boller, Joe Flacco and Troy Smith
While there can be no doubt about Flacco's place as the Raven's long term starter, the question of who will open in week one could be intriguing. Boller, let us not forget, was in a similiar situation when he was drafted by Baltimore in 2003. In fact, it could be argued that as a first rounder, he has never been given the chance that he may have expected. Rarely has he had the confidence of the coaching staff through his time with the team, and the signing of Steve McNair in 2006 must have been a bitter blow. Still, the team have not quite given up on Boller, and since McNair's retirement he has another shot at trying to convince another team that he can start in the NFL.
The wild card is Troy Smith, who - despite winning the Heisman trophy in 2006 - was drafted in the fifth round last season. Smith saw some time last year as the Ravens season ended, but it is debateable whether losing to Miami can be considered something you want on a C.V.
Who will win?
As we say, it's clear that Flacco is the long term starter. Just for the record though, Boller was drafted with the 19th pick in 2003, and Flacco was pick 18. There has been positive noises from the coaches regarding the possibility of Flacco starting immediately, but despite his physical gifts, it is a huge risk, and one that did not come off with Boller. Smith would be considered if the team decide that they can still get a return on Boller via a trade, but this is unlikely.
If we had to pick one now (and starting this article means we have little choice), we'd pick Boller, but the calls for Flacco will start roughly 4mins into the first drive of the regular season.
New York Jets
The contenders: Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens
We know, we already covered this, but it is definately worth re-visiting, as this is probably the most even matchup we will see this August. Chad Pennington is the most accurate Quarterback in NFL history, a fact that really doesn't tell the whole story. Arguably one of the most talented players of his draft class, Pennington has suffered through injuries and now faces the most difficult challenge to his tenure in New York. Indeed, he was replaced for a good portion of the 2007 season by Clemens, who showed little with the opportunity he had.
The Jets are the most talked about franchise in this situation, inevitably, after their pre-season spending spree. Whoever does win will inherit a much better Offensive line to protect them, anchored by the $40m man, Alan Faneca, at Left Guard. Pennington certainly deserves the shot, when you consider the relatively poor O-lines he has played behind over the first 6 years of his career, but Clemens has an unknown quantity that Eric Mangini may be tempted by.
Who will win?
This one will probably go down to the wire. Mangini himself does not seem to have much conviction in either man, and it will be interesting to watch both players' stock fluctuate over the course of the pre-season. Pennington probably edges it, in our opinion, purely because of the clear desire to win now, as opposed to down the line.
That's all for Quarterbacks - we'll have the other key positional battles over the next few days.
Here are five teams with questions under centre, and our thoughts on who will win in the end. We deliberately left Miami out because we went into that in some depth in the team preview. On with the show!
San Francisco
The contenders: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan
The most wide-open battle ironically occurs in a city that has a tradition of consistency at the position over the last 30 years. From Montana, to Young, and even to Garcia, there has rarely been a question mark coming into Training Camp. In true bus fashion, they've made up for it by having two at the same time.
Alex Smith looks like the obvious favourite to the casual observer. His 'first-overall' status has yet to wear off completely, and the financial commitment that the 49ers have made in him is not inconsiderable. With this in mind, it is a gauge of how far Smith's stock has dropped that he faces a competition with a journeyman backup and a young QB who has yet to start an NFL game.
Shaun Hill held all of the momentum coming off the end of last season. Two wins in the final two games in place of the decrepit Trent Dilfer emphasised the poor play at the position by both previous incumbents. Unfortunately for Hill, that momentum has faltered since the hiring of Mike Martz as Offensive Co-ordinator for the coming season. Martz favours the big arm of Hill, and has worked with O'Sullivan in Detroit last season. From the noises that Martz and Nolan have made, the competition is still open, but it is Smith's to lose.
Who will win?
More than likely, Smith. He is coming off a shoulder injury that hampered his progress last season, and he arguably showed that he is capable of getting the job done during 2006 under Norv Turner.
Chicago
The contenders: Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton
Bears coach Lovie Smith must wonder how things have got back to this stage. In 2005, Kyle Orton led Chicago to 10 victories, before being replaced at half-time by Grossman, who himself inspired the week 15 comeback against Atlanta. Grossman was then named starter, and consequently took the team to the Superbowl in 2006, falling to Indianapolis on the biggest stage.
Criticisms of Grossman's error-prone 'boom or bust' style continued to dog Smith, and after an average start to 2007, backup Brian Griese took over. Griese proved that he had very little to offer in either the short or long term, and thus the Franchise used it's third QB of the season for the last three games of '07, as Orton returned, and finished the season with two victories.
This battle could go either way. Counting in Grossman's favour are both his status as a high draft pick, and that Smith seems enamoured with his potentially brilliant skills. You kind of get the impression that if it wasn't for the constant speculation in the media, Smith would have persevered longer with Grossman.
Who will win?
Grossman. Put simply, he still fascinates the coaches in Chicago. He really is on his last chance as a starter, but his potential upside far outweighs that of Orton, who has proved to be a capable backup. Realistically though, it is very concievable that both will start at some point through 2008.
Arizona
The contenders: Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner
Ironically, heading into the 2007 season, there was very little question about this battle being won by Leinart. Thanks to a combination of injury, poor off-field decision making, and Warner's strong play in place of him, the former first-rounder finds himself under pressure. The ageing Warner proved that he is still effective, throwing an impressive 27 TD's and almost 3,500yds, and this has in turn put coach Ken Whisenhunt on the spot. Does he go with the short term option - Warner - and try to win a championship at the expense of his Franchise quarterback's progression? Or does he give Leinart the reigns, and hope that his play justifies keeping Warner out of the equation.
Who will win?
It's hard to imagine Leinart losing the job completely, but it's also impossible to discount some kind of time-share arrangement that we saw before Leinart went down last year. The latter would keep neither man happy, but would also allow Whisenhunt the option of putting Warner in more liberally than if he actually committed to Leinart. Remember that Arizona is entering a small window with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Edgerrin James in the same lineup.
However, we'd hazard a guess that Leinart will start, if only because annoying Warner has far less repercussions down the road for the franchise.
Baltimore
The contenders: Kyle Boller, Joe Flacco and Troy Smith
While there can be no doubt about Flacco's place as the Raven's long term starter, the question of who will open in week one could be intriguing. Boller, let us not forget, was in a similiar situation when he was drafted by Baltimore in 2003. In fact, it could be argued that as a first rounder, he has never been given the chance that he may have expected. Rarely has he had the confidence of the coaching staff through his time with the team, and the signing of Steve McNair in 2006 must have been a bitter blow. Still, the team have not quite given up on Boller, and since McNair's retirement he has another shot at trying to convince another team that he can start in the NFL.
The wild card is Troy Smith, who - despite winning the Heisman trophy in 2006 - was drafted in the fifth round last season. Smith saw some time last year as the Ravens season ended, but it is debateable whether losing to Miami can be considered something you want on a C.V.
Who will win?
As we say, it's clear that Flacco is the long term starter. Just for the record though, Boller was drafted with the 19th pick in 2003, and Flacco was pick 18. There has been positive noises from the coaches regarding the possibility of Flacco starting immediately, but despite his physical gifts, it is a huge risk, and one that did not come off with Boller. Smith would be considered if the team decide that they can still get a return on Boller via a trade, but this is unlikely.
If we had to pick one now (and starting this article means we have little choice), we'd pick Boller, but the calls for Flacco will start roughly 4mins into the first drive of the regular season.
New York Jets
The contenders: Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens
We know, we already covered this, but it is definately worth re-visiting, as this is probably the most even matchup we will see this August. Chad Pennington is the most accurate Quarterback in NFL history, a fact that really doesn't tell the whole story. Arguably one of the most talented players of his draft class, Pennington has suffered through injuries and now faces the most difficult challenge to his tenure in New York. Indeed, he was replaced for a good portion of the 2007 season by Clemens, who showed little with the opportunity he had.
The Jets are the most talked about franchise in this situation, inevitably, after their pre-season spending spree. Whoever does win will inherit a much better Offensive line to protect them, anchored by the $40m man, Alan Faneca, at Left Guard. Pennington certainly deserves the shot, when you consider the relatively poor O-lines he has played behind over the first 6 years of his career, but Clemens has an unknown quantity that Eric Mangini may be tempted by.
Who will win?
This one will probably go down to the wire. Mangini himself does not seem to have much conviction in either man, and it will be interesting to watch both players' stock fluctuate over the course of the pre-season. Pennington probably edges it, in our opinion, purely because of the clear desire to win now, as opposed to down the line.
That's all for Quarterbacks - we'll have the other key positional battles over the next few days.
Friday, 20 June 2008
A happy Bear?
In what is a startling development today, DT Tommie Harris became the first Chicago Bear for over 40 years to actually have anything good to say about the team's front office.
Ok, a slight exaggeration, but it is refreshing to see something coming out of Halas Hall that doesn't reflect badly on the team's poor personel record over the last few years.
"We didn't try to go out there and talk about one another or dispute different things, and I feel like we did it all in-house," The league's best paid Defensive Tackle ever said today. A cynic might say that he has an extra $40m in his pocket and is obviously going to be happy, but the three time pro-bowler has every chance of being a Bear for life at this rate.
Harris has been a priority for the Bears as far as the recent contract disputes have been concerned. Certainly he is arguably as important as Brian Urlacher, who despite being the focal point of the team, is reliant on a skill set that could well decline rapidly in the next few years. Harris is still just 25, having entered the league aged 21. The one issue that could affect him is durability, but he has shown a willingness to play hurt, and has been effective in such situations, including a career best 8 sacks last year.
Where this leaves Urlacher is anyone's guess. Devin Hester is probably still above him on the Bears' list of contracts that need re-working, but it could be that they throw a token guaranteed payment to him in the next few months (a-la the Jets and Laveranues Coles), and Urlacher is finally 'educated' as to the value of his deal.
Ok, a slight exaggeration, but it is refreshing to see something coming out of Halas Hall that doesn't reflect badly on the team's poor personel record over the last few years.
"We didn't try to go out there and talk about one another or dispute different things, and I feel like we did it all in-house," The league's best paid Defensive Tackle ever said today. A cynic might say that he has an extra $40m in his pocket and is obviously going to be happy, but the three time pro-bowler has every chance of being a Bear for life at this rate.
Harris has been a priority for the Bears as far as the recent contract disputes have been concerned. Certainly he is arguably as important as Brian Urlacher, who despite being the focal point of the team, is reliant on a skill set that could well decline rapidly in the next few years. Harris is still just 25, having entered the league aged 21. The one issue that could affect him is durability, but he has shown a willingness to play hurt, and has been effective in such situations, including a career best 8 sacks last year.
Where this leaves Urlacher is anyone's guess. Devin Hester is probably still above him on the Bears' list of contracts that need re-working, but it could be that they throw a token guaranteed payment to him in the next few months (a-la the Jets and Laveranues Coles), and Urlacher is finally 'educated' as to the value of his deal.
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