With all the talk about Cutler and the fact that we need a wide reciever I think we've lost sight of the fact that as it stands Hanie is our #2. I tend to think that if Cutler goes down we would be in a whole lot of trouble. I would really love to see them go after one of the remaining free agents just to be on the safe side. Getting a franchise QB is great, but let's not be to short sighted about the near future.
I really haven't payed too much attention so I would like to ask, who is still on the market?
Well there really isn't anything left on the open market to "upgrade" the #2 position. Best guys available (and I use that term loosely) are J.P. Losman (who may be UFL-bound), a 38-year-old Gus Frerotte, Brooks Bollinger or Ken Dorsey. Maybe the best bet would be to sign Brooks Bollinger (who's shown he can be a "not-so-unbelievably-horrible" backup/spot-starter) and let he and Basanez battle it out for #3 duties. If Bollinger wins that battle, then stash him on the roster and if Cutler goes down, he and Hanie can go toe-to-toe in practice to see who gets the start. But as of now there isn't really a way to upgrade the backup QB position that doesn't involve a trade.
Oh yeah, the final possibility is a road we've already been down. Brian Griese will undoubtedly be released by the Bucs in the next several weeks. He's a capable signal caller, but at this point I'm not sure I'd want him to start over Hanie. But having a veteran presence in the QB group would be beneficial. Unfortunately, Griese seriously thinks he can start in the NFL at this point in his career, so he'll be looking for a team with a less competitive depth chart.
Did everyone forget about Caleb Hanie.....the QB who came out last preseason with a bang. I think the kid will make one heck of a backup QB...and he will win the #2 position this year.
I would rather the Bears stay with what they have. I don't want another teams garbage anymore. Haine has been in the system a full year now and should beable to handle the back-up role if called upon. If Turner and Lovie were affraid of the work load/pressure they could always dummy down the game plan ie..... Orton 2005 to help Haine while he gets his feet wet.
Greise burned some brigdes here before he left and I doubt Angelo would bring him back.
Brooks Bollinger, JP Lossman, Ken Dorsey, Trent Green, Gibran Hamden, Drew Henson, Jamie Martin, Marques Tuiasosopo, Anthony Wright...... Nah, none of these guy's inspire me much more then Haine's potential.....
Nah, none of these guy's inspire me much more then Haine's potential.....
Agreed, which is why I suggested bringing one of them in to compete as the #3. No doubt the coaching staff should give Hanie first crack at taking over for Cutler in the suggested scenario, but if Hanie did indeed totally flop, I'm not at all confident that Baz could be a parttime starter.
I agree with you here, guys. I would be worried about the backup QB role, but it's a role that few teams have filled with anything more than hopeful confidence. Yes, ideally, there wouldn't be any question marks on the team going into the season, but I think that you'll be hard pressed to ever find a team that fits that description. I think that we have a young backup QB who has spent enough time on the team to absorb the playbook, along with other things, and has shown enough talent to warrant being given a chance to compete. Remember, he fought his way onto this roster, and I see him fighting for more than just a backup role in the future (whether it's on this team or not remains to be seen. It seems doubtful with Cutler here). I watched alot of footage of our QB's after the Cutler acquisition, and I feel that the order of "Cutler, Hanie, Basanez" fits their talent well. Cutler's passes had alot of zip on them, and were placed well, where as Hanie had similar power behind his throws at times, and showed excellent accuracy at others. Basanez had some strong moments, but I think that Hanie is definitely a much more talented young QB than we know. At least, he's shown me that in practices.
I like having Hanie on this team. Hell, I felt that, before the Cutler trade, Hanie was going to be a strong future QB. Ah, I can't wait for the season... Please, gimme a pre-season game!
Sorry, no offense, but I think all of you are nuts. I just don't see how your all so satisfied with Hanie. I mean, maybe your all right and he could be a nice back up. But I don't understand how having a couple of decent pre season games is selling you guys on him.
You know in the 06-07 season Grossman had several good games to start the year. He was teporarily beloved only to be hated by the second half. Bears fans are the most wishy washy people on the face of the Earth.
I mean, maybe your all right and he could be a nice back up. But I don't understand how having a couple of decent pre season games is selling you guys on him. I think it's less about being sold on Hanie's potential and more about being completely sold on the market's potential. Look at the list of available guys ... anyone inspiring? We've seen what most of them can do and it really isn't much. I think the prevailing thought is that Hanie - even in his inexperience - can't be any WORSE than the group listed. If you have to take potential versus lackluster production, I'd venture to say that most would take potential any day.
You know in the 06-07 season Grossman had several good games to start the year. He was teporarily beloved only to be hated by the second half. Bears fans are the most wishy washy people on the face of the Earth. Wishy-washy?
Maybe that was because Grossman was wishy washy as a starting QB. Yes, he had several good games to start the year and he was an early candidate for MVP with his play. When was the last time the Bears could say that about their QB?
His first 5 games in 2006:
10 TDs, 3 INTs
Those were outstanding numbers by any measure.
But you seem to forget the fact that in the course of the same season he had some of the WORST games that an NFL QB has ever had. In his 5 worst games of the 2006 regular season:
1 TD, 16 INTs including 3 "pick 6"
I'd say when you are throwing more TD passes to the defense than your teammates...............you aren't playing very well. Those kind of poor performances would have a tendancy to turn fans against a player.
There isn't a single Bears fan that wouldn't have loved to have seen Grossman establish himself as a top tier QB. The reality is that he couldn't sustain the level of play that he first displayed during the first quarter of the 2006 season.
Now as for who should be the Bears back-up QB. I wouldn't be very confident going into the season with Hanie as the #2. But the reality is none of the names that have been brought up previously would inspire any more confidence! Perhaps a
I'm all for staying with Hanie, a 2nd year QB who knows the system is always more equipped to step in than some FA off the street, if Cutler goes down for the season I would prefer to see a vet come in as a mentor to the two young guys and let them take their shot, I know it's not like for like here but dare I mention the name Matt Cassel?
I'd say when you are throwing more TD passes to the defense than your teammates...............you aren't playing very well. Those kind of poor performances would have a tendancy to turn fans against a player. Ok, but do you know who has the single season INT record? That's right, none other than the great Payton Manning. Maybe if wishy washy people like yourself would have given him more than 1 season before the relentless boo's came out maybe things would have been different. But unfortunatly we'll never know because of the wishy washy people such as yourself.
Ok, but do you know who has the single season INT record? That's right, none other than the great Payton Manning. No Cubs2008. Peyton Manning does not hold the single season record. While he did throw 29 of them in his rookie season, George Blanda holds the record with 42 followed by Vinny Testeverde with 35 and Frank Tripucka with 34.
Cubs2008, I think that you were a bit out of line, there. You aggresively threw the label "wishy-washy" (or something to that effect) at, as I understand it, anyone who hasn't agreed that the the backup QB position is an area of great concern, or any fans that did not approve of Rex Grossman's body of work. Cycotic is responding in kind. One exchange squares things up. By telling him to do something rather vile to himself, you're giving him the right to return fire. I think that the right thing to do here would have been to leave it as is. No need to attack someone just for the sake of attacking them, which is all your most recent comment was.
That said, I do agree that it would be nice to have a veteran of the Chicago Bears' system as a backup. But, realistically, Hanie is the only combination of talent and knowledge that I would like to have on this team, were I given the choice among our roster and the current free agents. I don't care how talented a player you bring in as a backup, he will have spent no time with the Bears. I would rather have someone who has spent time with the team, and also has the talent to get it done on the field. As far as I can see, Hanie is the only player that fits that mold at the QB position right now. If he were not on the roster, we would have no QB with more than a few months' experience in Chicago. Hanie is, in fact, the most veteran Chicago Bear of the group. Therefore, regardless of talent, I want him on this team. And, since he has talent (as far as I've seen), I'm very happy to have him here.
As for Grossman, he cannot be realistically compared to Peyton Manning. Manning did not play well for the first year or two of his career. Grossman spent several years with Chicago before seeing the field for a full year. When a player is given time to make the adjustment between college and the NFL (injured or not... I could write forever on that subject alone), there are no excuses for him to fall back on in that regard, should he falter. He did falter, and did so quite consistently (or, inconsistently, however you look at it. Either way, "Bad Rex" was a more common sight than "Good Rex". Always hated that label...). I wish him the best, as I've never had any ill will towards him, and I can certainly understand the situations that he's been in, but I would most certainly rather have Jay Cutler than Rex Grossman and two first round picks. No matter how good the potentially drafted players may have been, we would still be left with question marks under center, and therefore with no true rudder to guide the ship. That cannot happen if a team is to succeed.
Time to move forward. We have what we have, and I'm rather happy that is the case. Time for the season to start up...
Great post dinebass. I agree with you on almost everything you said.
I was not calling everyone who disagrees with me wishy washy. That was in refrence to dabears who in my experience most certainly is.
I just look at the situation and can't help but think that we have a team with 10-14 win potential and are one injujry away from being a 6 win team. The backp QB position is important for a teams depth and in my opinion it's something that should have been addressed.
I also disagree about Grossman but I don't think there will ever be common ground between Grossman haters and supporters. 23tds 20int's isen't so bad for a first year in my opinion.
I'll refrain from jumping in on the Rex Grossman topic, as I have nothing nice to say about that actual/mental midget. I do wish him well though. I really did admire his determination coming back from two devastating injuries the way he did. He's no sissy at least.
The backup QB position probably should have been addressed though. I am a big Caleb Hanie guy, but I'm pretty sure he is not ready to lead the team should (I won't even say it).
I like the Brian Griese idea should he become available. He's proven he can be a 1st/2nd stringer in this league and he already knows the offense, plus he could mentor both Cutler and Hanie.
Too bad you have no clue about what you are talking about, although that doesn't seem to have any bearing on your posting on this subject.
Ok, but do you know who has the single season INT record? That's right, none other than the great Payton Manning. Apparently it's you that doesn't know who holds the single season INT record. It's George Blanda who had 42 INTs in the 1962 season. And Manning's 28 wasn't even the highest total in the modern era - Vinny Testaverde had 35 INTs in 1988.
Manning holds the record for the most INTs by a ROOKIE. But do you know what other record he set that season? He set the record for the most TD passes by a rookie with 26 and most pass attempts with 575.
Plus, Manning had to contend with a defense that ranked 29th in both yards against and points against and a rushing game that was 26the league.
Grossman had the benefit of a top 5 defense in points and yards against, plus a running game that was solid (though by no means spectacular, and the best special teams units in the NFL.
And by the way,
In Manning's first 5 games in 1998, he had 4 TDs and 12 INTs.
In the next 11 games he had 22 TDs and 16 INTs.
That is what a player should do - improve with playing time. And in 2006 Grossman wasn't a rookie, so your comparison to Peyton Manning is bogus. He was entering his 4th year in the league. The Bears and their fans had every reason to expect better. Every QB will have a bad game from time to time. Not every QB will have a ZERO pass rating - in fact, its only happened 9 times in NFL history.
Maybe if wishy washy people like yourself would have given him more than 1 season before the relentless boo's came out maybe things would have been different.
I had nothing to do with Rex Grossman losing his starting job. Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith don't call me and ask for advice - no, really. If he had played better he would have kept his job. In fact, Lovie Smith was frequently criticized in the media for the loyalty he showed to Grossman in spite of all the mistakes that he made.
Again, I wanted nothing more than to see Grossman succeed. I've watched Bears QBs for the last 25 years and the best I've seen is Jim McMahon. The worst I've seen? Rick Mirer, Steve Fuller, Doug Flutie, Kordell Stewart perhaps. It's been bleak. So when Grossman emerged in 2006 as a legitimate big game QB I was as happy as anyone to see that level of play. But the fact is the Bears had to win too many games in spite of Grossman. That is why his big play ability finally gave way to a game manager in Kyle Orton.
The problem with Grossman apologists like you is that you never had the willingness to admit that he played poorly. There was always some excuse for things like........you know, 3 or 4 INTs in a game, or the pick "sixes" or the floating the ball up deep down the field. It was never his fault was it?
But really, what we should be doing is looking forward to what Jay Cutler will bring to the Bears, not continuing to talk about Rex Grossman. He's gone. Good riddance.
