Boys and Girls it looks like it will be a Loooooonnnnnngggg offseason for the Bears.  Look at the garbage out of Halas Hall today on Bears.com

Angelo discusses key issues on ChicagoBears.com

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Today marks the beginning of a regular feature on ChicagoBears.com. Senior writer Larry Mayer will sit down with general manager Jerry Angelo to discuss the most pressing issues involving the Bears on the first and third Wednesdays of each month during the offseason and every Wednesday throughout the season.

This unique feature will provide you with inside information directly from Jerry that you can’t get anywhere else. Jerry will candidly discuss relevant issues affecting the Bears that avid fans are most interested in.

We hope you enjoy the first installment.

LM: After the 2008 season ended, you said that you believed in Kyle Orton and liked some of the things he did, but you needed to see more before anointing him the long-term solution at the position. You also indicated that the Bears were fixated on getting the quarterback position stabilized. With all that in mind, why are the Bears seemingly not interested in pursuing a veteran in free agency or via a trade?

Quarterback Kyle Orton has compiled a 21-12 career record as a starter, including 15-2 at Soldier Field.JA: When you talk about bringing in a quarterback, that requires a few things that we have to keep in mind. If you bring him in now, you’re bringing in a veteran to compete to start. We’ve done that. Really we did that last year with Kyle [Orton] and Rex [Grossman], so we had co-starters. That creates a competition, which was the right thing to do last year given our situation. But it takes away reps from the starting quarterback because you’re dividing those and certainly it does for the backup quarterbacks as well.

Given the players that potentially could be out there, we thought that Kyle was as good or better given our situation. To bring in somebody to compete to start to me was running up and down the starting line and really was hurting Kyle’s progress. We had our meetings and we felt very good about the players we have presently—obviously Kyle, talking about Caleb Hanie’s continued development, and we like what we saw in Brett Basanez from college and when he was with Carolina in the preseason.

Now is that to say that we couldn’t look for a veteran after the draft? That’s a possibility. We haven’t ruled that out. To do it then, that veteran would have had a chance to see what his value is, and it might be a little bit more palatable for him to come in and compete for a backup job versus if you sign him now.

In terms of a trade, trades are very difficult to do. I know there was a lot of talk about Matt Cassel. The real problem with the Matt Cassel trade from my perspective was the contract. He had signed his franchise tag, which was approximately $15 million, so that means that in the ’09 season he has a $15 million guaranteed contract in hand. To do something now in terms of a new contract, that’s going to be an exorbitant amount of money, which is fine if you know for sure he’s the guy. It’s a little bit easier for Kansas City and Denver to feel good about him because they were with him (new Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels worked with Cassel in New England). But to bring somebody in and say he is the guy and pay him an exorbitant amount of money given that he’s guaranteed $15 million in ’09, that’s why most teams were cautious about going forward. It wasn’t the draft compensation. It was the contract that people were focusing on.

He did a nice job [in 2008]. But let’s not forget who he was with. He was with the New England Patriots; a pretty good football team with a good supporting cast and a great system. Is that guy going to be the same guy in another system with different personnel around him? It’s hard to say. He did a fine job, so there were rewards with him. But there was great risk as well.

LM: Why haven’t the Bears tried to sign any of this year’s big-name free agents such as wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh or safety Brian Dawkins, both of whom are productive veterans who seemingly would provide major upgrades?

JA: Houshmandzadeh is a fine receiver. Would we have entertained him? Yes, but we wanted to see what his marketplace was. In this case, we felt like [what he received from the Seahawks] was an exorbitant amount of money. Remember, he was a No. 2 in Cincinnati. That’s not to say that what Seattle did wasn’t right for them; their situation is different in my mind than ours. They had an inordinate amount of injuries with receivers and they felt like they needed to get somebody that was established and healthy.

A lot of teams would have liked to have had Houshmandzadeh. But he’s going to be 32 in ’09 and the price that you’re paying for that receiver we felt was very high. You have to look at economics when you look at players. Who doesn’t want Houshmandzadeh? But you have to look at the economics: What are the implications to the cap going forward and what does that prevent us from doing in other areas within our team and/or in free agency?

With Brian Dawkins, he’s 35 years old. He’s a great player, but Philadelphia put a limit on what they were going to pay him and they know him the best. You have to understand that it’s not just, “Do you want the player?” Certainly there are players out there, but at what cost? And what does that cost do to your salary cap and to other things you may want to do internally and/or in free agency. You have to be patient as you go through this process. It’s not a matter of not wanting to spend the money. The cap is how you want to allocate the money. When we look at a player, we have to put a value on that player, and then we have to stay disciplined to stay within those parameters. With 14 players being franchised, it makes free agency less attractive, and the players that do get out in free agency are making an exorbitant amount of money because it’s a supply and demand business.

LM: How much of a priority is upgrading the wide receiver position either in free agency or the draft?

JA: Naturally, we’re going to look at that real hard, in all likelihood in the draft. We’re not looking for backup wide receivers. What we want are potentially starting wide receivers. We have a nucleus of receivers that we feel good about in terms of twos, threes, fours and fives, and if we carried six, a sixth receiver. Part of that ties into special teams. What we’re looking at is the top of the wide receiver position. Where does that come from? It comes with a premium receiver in free agency if there’s one out there and/or in the draft. Yes, it’s a position that we are looking at.

BigDog-

I would love to see a big splash....something to get the Chicago Bear faithful excited about next year.  The problem is that really is not JA's style as I have seen, other then the Big Ticket resigning of Tommie Harris and Briggs.  He has a tendancy, in my opinion, to overvalue the in-house talent and is either unwilling or too arrogant to look out of house.

As for the Lions receivers, I really do not know much.  My wife is from Detroit and is a Lions fan, but even she turned off the tube last year when they were on.  What I know about Furrey, is that he is a good possession receiver, but has a tendancy to get hurt.  Though that may be because the Lions are that bad, and the recievers got tuned up without a legit running back.  I certainly would take a look at him, and I agree that he is certainly better then Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd.

I have no idea why the WR Coach was retained since Matt Forte and both tight ends had more receptions then the Wide Receivers last year.  Must be a friend of Lovie ala Big Bob.

My wish list is for the Bears to take at least two wide receivers, a guard, right tackle, D Tackle, and D Back in the draft.  If one if the premier QB's falls ala Aaron Rodgers, I would take one as well.

I certainly hope that 2009 is the Year of the Bear!!

Atty,

  I hope JA has a plan also, but these past couple of years have gotten me wondering. In my opinion we need to make a very big splash in FA. If we did this it would open alot of paths that we could take in the draft, but alas I have a very bad feeling that these discussions are all for not! I love talking about the Bears but I am starting to get a little worried.

What do you think about the players that the Lions released? Would Leigh Boddin be a good pick up? How about Furrey, I think that he is better than most of our WR Corps. I think the Bears will look at these players because of Rod.

As bad as our WR Corps was why didn't the team get rid of the WR Coach? I don't think he can develop any talent. 

2009 The Year of The BEAR !!!!!  

BigDogBear-

I would absolutely love to see TJ in a Bears Uni.  I think that any attempt to try and get Boldin would be fools gold, since the Cardinals have him under contract for the next two years, and if I were the Cardinals Management, there would be no way I would ever let him go.  I understand that Boldin is complaining, but cold hard cash has a tendancy to heal all wounds.  I think We need at least two...

There are some O linemen in the Free Agency Mix, like Matt Birk, but we really do not need a center.  We will need to sign for depth, but I do not know if our first round bust from last year has recovered from his back injury.  If he has, then at least We have one starting tackle.  We are ok at guard, (I think), but tackle is a problem.

D Lineman??  I am not sure if the Bears will give up on the Dusty experiment.  Tommie Harris needs help and if Dusty can stay healthy, We will be ok at tackle. 

DB is certainly a problem....if Vasher is done.  Then We need at least one, but if We move Peanut, then We will need two.

This is a lot of holes to fix....I hope JA has a plan.

Atty

It's great to be here. I do not think the Bears will be in the mix for trading for Boldin, but what do you think about TJ Houshmanzada? I think he would up-grade our WR corps greatly and are the Eagles parting ways with Hank Basket? That kid did nothing but catch just about every ball thrown his direction. I haven't heard of any big named OL men in FA have you? If we part ways with Vasher we need to get an experienced CB to take his place. If we do this then we can move Tillman to FS. I do not know what to think about Mike Brown we cann't count on him to play a full season. If he wants to let him retire and make him a DB coach. That move would help our DB's alot. I think you are right Albert Haynesworth is going to cost way to much for the MONEY THRIFTY Bears upper management. So what do you seeing us do with our DL?

2009 the year of the BEAR !!!

BigDog-

Damn glad to see you....it has been awhile.

I agree getting Haynesworth would be a monster signing for the Bears.  But what worries me is that he has been reported as saying he wants to be the highest paid defensive player in the league, so I have to believe that will take the Bears out of the mix.  Plus I have to believe the Titans will do just about everything to keep him there.  Of course, his impact would be immediate and the pass rush will be much better.

I also agree that Wide Receiver is certainly an area that needs to be addressed and quickly.  Last season amazed me when our Tight Ends and Running backs had more receptions then the wide receivers.  Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker were incredible busts.....We need at least two by my count.

The issue with the Defensive Backs was an area that suprised me.  I really thought it was an area of strength, but the Suntimes is reporting that Vasher may be on his way out.  I have a feeling they will target at least one and I remember reading that one of our Coaches's kids is a DB and is in the draft....

Hi Atty, It has been awhile. I think the Bears need to center on a couple of good free agent WR's. As for the Defense wouldn't it be nice if they went after Albert Haynesworth? I can see them trying this one because JA and Lovie will want their buddy Rod to look good. As for the draft we need OL bad before we get Mat Forte killed and maybe a good FB. I think that with a good supporting cast (not like last year) Kyle could become a very good QB. What do you think we need to do for our secondary? I am totally lost on this one.

Go Bears in 09!!!!!

Good to see you Bond......

I agree the the eternal question (well since the mid eighties) has been the search for a Quarterback.  The problem I see for the Bears this offseason is that beyond older QBs like Warner and McNabb (if he is available) the cupboard is pretty bare for Free Agents.  I hope that the Bears have some sort of plan...... 

Hi atty, been a while. Hope you're doing well. I'll throw my opinion at ya short and sweet , seeing this was one year I honestly didnt watch the Pack last season. I thought the Bears this past season were the same or a bit lesser than the year before. I know I dont know the Bears as you do but I was expecting more this past season. IMO Lovey needs an education in the QB department.. Teams as a whole revolve around a QB and his leadership to be able to produce when they need to. I believe the defense just gets tired of doing all they can , PLUS, and just get frustrated with the loss of offensive leadership and production. Maybe I'm totally wrong but I thought the Bears should've picked up a veteran QB in the off-season last year with the talent they have and believe they would've been more of a force in the NFC, especially in the north div. I just think the QB position was a must a few years ago for the Bears and I'm not sure who are free agents for you but this is more of a business than a sporting way of life nowdays and good players go away faster than they come in. Good luck!