Off Season Moves....

[The Kaiser]

Here are a few that are shaping up in my mind:

A.) Fix the interior OL:

Spencer is going to be cut. Rachal is gone. Louis is injured and may not even return until mid-season. Garza is ancient.

Step 1: Go after Andy Levitre in Free Agency. He's a great pass blocking LG which is what the Bears need.

Step 2: Draft G/OT Dallas Thomas in Round 2. He can play both RG if Lewis doesn't come back and if Lance is back, he can provide depth or challenge for one of the Tackle spots.

Step 3: Draft C Brian Schwenke in the 4th.

B.) Improve the passing game with a SERIOUS Pass Catching TE:

Draft Eiffert with the 20th pick. (I think he's going to be a great Pro.)

C.) Upgrade Linebacker Depth:

Find a ST contributor and possible SAM backer in the 5th. Perhaps consider trading into the late 4th if you can get a Kevin Reddick there.

D.) Reshape parts of the Veteran roster:

Cut: Spencer, Davis,Toeina, DJ Moore
Keep: Melton, Urlacher, Collins, Izzy and Hester

[TBATB54]

Really like that you bring up Andy Levitre. PFF loves him, and he's graded out really well. Probably BUFF's best OL last year. Him and William Beatty would be two great signings.

Not that it matters, but I thought Spencer was a UFA.

[TBATB54]

Also, Levitre to me is a pretty "nimble" OG. If he's the type of OL that Trestman/Kromer want - I'm all for it. If Kromer is looking for big maulers like Carl Nicks was when he had him, I'd suggest Louis Vasquez/Brandon Moore.

[Mikefive]

Our best OT (Jon Scott) departs via FA and we do nothing but hope and pray for Webb and Carimi???

[findawg]

I'd take Levitre in a heartbeat. I also wouldn't mind Sebastian Vollmer. Though, I can't really see the Pats letting him go.

Any lineman at all in the second is a need. Personally, if Kyle Long was there still he'd be the pick for me. If we go O-line in the first then I could see us looking at a TE here instead. If one were still available.

I think who we take in the first depends if any lineman are left. If Cooper or Johnson are still there, you've got to look that way. I wouldn't mind Eiffert, but I also like Ertz. I'll wait to see how things look after the combine to decide who I like more. Both would be an upgrade, for sure.

Agree mostly with the keep/cut list. Not sold on Hester coming back, but I can deal with it.

[The Kaiser]

I'm being realistic. I have us drafting Dallas Thomas in Round 2 who played Tackle.

What FA do you really see us going out and getting that is a difference maker? We can re-sign Scott but this tid bit is worth noting:

According to Pro Football Focus, Scott played 341 snaps on offense last year. By comparison, left tackle J’Marcus Webb played all 1,071 offensive snaps in 2012. So Scott was on the field for roughly one third of the season. He only gave up one sack during that time, which is the reason most people are confident he can be the long-term answer.

Look deeper though and you see that Scott gave up five quarterback hits and 14 quarterback hurries last year. Extrapolate that over the entire season and Scott would have allowed roughly 42 hurries and 15 QB hits. By comparison, Webb allowed just 29 hurries and five QB hits last year. In fact, Scott’s 42 hurries would have ranked fourth most in the league amongst offensive tackles in 2012, while his 15 hits would have been the most at his position.

[thunderspirit]

i'm behind you on Schwenke; i like him, and he's a fine interior plan if, say, Barrett Jones is out of reach in Round 2 (which is likely).

less so on Thomas (don't think he'll be able to play outside in the NFL) and Eifert. but hey, that's why we debate here.

[Mikefive]

I'm being realistic. I have us drafting Dallas Thomas in Round 2 who played Tackle.

What FA do you really see us going out and getting that is a difference maker? We can re-sign Scott but this tid bit is worth noting:

I never suggested we should re-sign Scott or that it would be a good thing, did I? The reality is that the only guys we have who have taken at least one snap at OT are Webb and Carimi. We don't even have a backup, unless you count James Brown who played OT in college, but OG last year. Your offseason plan to address this is to do nothing. No FAs. No draft picks. No competition.

I agree that the interior of the OL needs addressed. But so does the exterior. Desperately.