The NFL 2014-2015

[Macca00]

7 earthquakes hit the Dallas area this evening. That is the devil coming for Jerry Jones soul.

Aftershocks from Chris Christie's celebrations.

[pk500]

7 earthquakes hit the Dallas area this evening. That is the devil coming for Jerry Jones soul.

Aftershocks from Chris Christie's celebrations.

[XXXIV]

7 earthquakes hit the Dallas area this evening. That is the devil coming for Jerry Jones soul.

Aftershocks from Chris Christie's celebrations.

Macca wins again!

[Rodster]

So the rotting fish in Miami, run by the clueless owner Stephen Ross decides he wants to keep Joe Philbin and now bring in Mike Tannenbaum. The gift that keeps on giving. I'm glad i'm not writing the checks.

[ScoopBrady]

Don't know much about him but the Bears hired their GM. Ryan Pace from the Saints. Kind of surprised since there was heavy talk of them hiring Ballard from the Chiefs. My initial thoughts are hiring Ballard would have been too easy since he was with the Bears for 12 years. At least they hired some new, fresh blood. Now to find a coach.

[Brando70]

I know Pace wasn't the GM, but I'm a bit concerned that the Bears replaced Emery with someone from a team that seemed to have pretty mediocre drafts the last two years when Pace had a bigger say in the decisions. Brandin Cooks has promise but didn't show anything to suggest he's better than a long line of Saints WRs who have underperformed. 2013 first-rounder Kenny Vaccaro went from very promising rookie to fighting rumors he was going to be benched this year. They cut a fourth-rounder from their 2014 draft class, which is a pretty bad miss.

I certainly want him to succeed, and Pace seems like he was very in demand. I just don't see a lot of personnel success in the last couple seasons to make me think this is a sure improvement over Emery. I also am very suspicious about the Bears hiring someone so young, because that could be the ownership and management wanting to get someone they can control.

[Danimal]

Why does a GM need to be old? That's along the line of saying the coach needs to scream like Ditka. I never heard of the guy but apparently he turned down other jobs last year. He comes from a winning organization and I'd rather have him then a guy who was with the bears for 12 years and had ties to Emery and Angelo. Also the Bears ownership is one of the most hands off groups in the NFL according to just about everyone.

I'm interested to see what he does with Cutler because you would have to think the number one question in the interview process was how do we salvage this mess of a contract.

[Brando70]

My guess is that they will ride out Cutler for at least one and probably two more years. They can't bank on a QB prospect in what's a shallow draft pool this year, and free agency is backup and retread city this year. The cap hit for cutting Cutler is also so enormous, I don't see them doing that. I only see trade (unlikely because of the contract) or stick with him and try to improve the defense and o-line. It's highly unlikely things will get better with Cutler, but also high unlikely they will improve without him, and parting ways is just so expensive right now. It sucks but that's the corner that they are painted into.

[Danimal]

It's highly unlikely things will get better with Cutler, but also high unlikely they will improve without him, and parting ways is just so expensive right now. It sucks but that's the corner that they are painted into.

This is where we disagree, addition by subtraction can work. While not exactly Apples to Apples, ask the Pistons how getting rid of a bad seed can pay off.

[RobVarak]

There is no reasonably accurate metric or rubric for projecting the success of an NFL GM. I have no freaking idea if this will work or not and neither does anyone else. It makes drafting a QB look like a sure thing.

[Brando70]

It's highly unlikely things will get better with Cutler, but also high unlikely they will improve without him, and parting ways is just so expensive right now. It sucks but that's the corner that they are painted into.

This is where we disagree, addition by subtraction can work. While not exactly Apples to Apples, ask the Pistons how getting rid of a bad seed can pay off.

But $20 million in dead cap space is a huge penalty, and who is going to play QB for the Bears next season? If they can find someone to trade with, even if the Bears have to give up a pick, then yes, I'm all for it, because that greatly reduces the cap burden. But with no free agents worth pursuing and probably no great QB prospects in the draft, all the Bears will be doing is throwing $20 million away. The perception of Cutler's terribleness is much higher than his actual terribleness. There's a pretty decent chance the Bears could get an above-average year (3800 yards, maybe 24/15 TD;Int ratio) out of him next year. Since he's already under contract, I'd rather keep him until there's a clearer sign of who to replace him with.

[Brando70]

There is no reasonably accurate metric or rubric for projecting the success of an NFL GM. I have no freaking idea if this will work or not and neither does anyone else. It makes drafting a QB look like a sure thing.

That is very true. I remember being happy that the Bears got a "proven" commodity in Jerry Angelo

[Danimal]

Brando,

I'm not saying simply cut Cutler as much as I would like too. The real problem is this shouldn't even be an issue they could of tagged him. Regardless if they trade him they will likely need to package pick(s) as well to get someone to take him. I'm sure they can find some FA QB who could do no worse while they retool this team. Anyone thinking a new coach coming in is going to turn this pile of s*** into a playoff team with or without Cutler is delusional.

However you're correct we are stuck with him because no one else in the NFL wants him. He should enjoy this contract it is his last. Bears fans better be prepared for not better than 8-8 teams for the remainder of his stay.

[bkrich83]

Brando,

I'm not saying simply cut Cutler as much as I would like too. The real problem is this shouldn't even be an issue they could of tagged him. Regardless if they trade him they will likely need to package pick(s) as well to get someone to take him. I'm sure they can find some FA QB who could do no worse while they retool this team. Anyone thinking a new coach coming in is going to turn this pile of s*** into a playoff team with or without Cutler is delusional.

However you're correct we are stuck with him because no one else in the NFL wants him. He should enjoy this contract it is his last. Bears fans better be prepared for not better than 8-8 teams for the remainder of his stay.

Even if you cut him or traded him, or had franchised him, who are the Bears going to replace him with. Not many NFL starting caliber QB's available out there, and it's an awful draft for the position.

[dbdynsty25]

So Rex to the Bills huh? Thoughts PK?

[wco81]

Sounds like similar situation in which he left the Jets, a team with a strong defense, unsettled situation at QB.

Seems like a lot of teams are waiting for the coordinators still in the playoffs to be available before making their decisions so maybe he figured better grab what's available while he can.

The Jets supposedly were going to fly out to Seattle last night if the Seahawks lost, to grab Quinn.

[dougb]

Looks like Green Bay is getting some nice home cooked referring. Two terrible calls on replay reviews going against Dallas.

Where's XXXIV when you need him?

Doug

[XXXIV]

Looks like Green Bay is getting some nice home cooked referring. Two terrible calls on replay reviews going against Dallas.

Where's XXXIV when you nex him?

Doug

Beat me to it. Looked like a catch to me.

[dougb]

Looks like Green Bay is getting some nice home cooked referring. Two terrible calls on replay reviews going against Dallas.

Where's XXXIV when you nex him?

Doug

Beat me to it. Looked like a catch to me.

Definitely looked like he had it under control in the one hand prior to the ball hitting the field. I can understand screwing up the call in real time cause it's a tough call but the replay? That's a sh*t call.

Doug

[XXXIV]

Looks like Green Bay is getting some nice home cooked referring. Two terrible calls on replay reviews going against Dallas.

Where's XXXIV when you nex him?

Doug

Beat me to it. Looked like a catch to me.

Definitely looked like he had it under control in the one hand prior to the ball hitting the field. I can understand screwing up the call in real time cause it's a tough call but the replay? That's a sh*t call.

Doug

I have eyes. That was a catch.

Goodell has brought the nba to the nfl.

[DivotMaker]

I have eyes. That was a catch.

Goodell has brought the nba to the nfl.

Goodell giveth (last week) and he taketh away (this week)? How did that taste Cowboys fans? Sure wish the games were called right so that this unnecessary drama could be avoided....

[Inuyasha]

Karma s a b*tch. Dal wins last week by the refs , loses this week by the refs.

[Inuyasha]

I have eyes. That was a catch.

Goodell has brought the nba to the nfl.

Goodell giveth (last week) and he taketh away (this week)? How did that taste Cowboys fans? Sure wish the games were called right so that this unnecessary drama could be avoided....

Hey we posted the same thing at the same exact time

[DivotMaker]

I have eyes. That was a catch.

Goodell has brought the nba to the nfl.

Goodell giveth (last week) and he taketh away (this week)? How did that taste Cowboys fans? Sure wish the games were called right so that this unnecessary drama could be avoided....

Hey we posted the same thing at the same exact time

GMTA....Great Minds Think Alike?

[Rodster]

Maybe Vader can find some pics of the officiating crew leaving the Green Bay bus.

Knowing Jerrah ain't seeing the SB, makes me happy.