Initial Roster Comparison -- 2014 vs. 2013

[Silverwulf]

Comparison of the two Rosters that I have written down on Aug. 31 of each year. There were some changes shortly after this I think, but this is close to the initial 53 man roster from last year.

Quarterback: (DOWN)
Cutler, Clausen, Fales --- Cutler, McCown
Hindsight says that last years (backup) QBs are better than this years. But maybe Clausen will surprise as well this year.

Running Back: (DOWN)
Forte, Draughn, Carey, Perry --- Forte, Bush, Ford
Bush didn't give us much last year, but none of the three backups we're going with this year are proven in any way. Maybe that's why we kept so many of them.
If even one of the guys this year can make a solid contribution, then this will be an UP. But I have to see it happen first.

Full Back: (EVEN)
Fiametta --- Fiametta

Wide Receiver: (UP)
Marshall, Jeffery, Morgan, Holmes, Spurlock, Wilson --- Marshall, Jeffery, Bennett, Wilson, Anderson, Weems
If Wilson returns and contributes as we all hope he will, this will be a solid UP. However, even if he doesn't, Morgan and Holmes seem like a slight upgrade over the WR depth we had last year.

Tight End: (EVEN)
Bennett, Rosario, Mulligan --- Bennett, Maneri, Adams
Seems like a wash right now. Rosario and Maneri are both decent blockers, but we still don't have much after Bennett.

Tackle: (DOWN)
Bushrod, Mills, Ola, Leno --- Bushrod, Mills, Scott, Britton
With Mills just getting back and Ola and Leno not being that impressive in the preseason, we seem a bit less certain at the Tackle spot this year. If Ola and/or Leno are pressed into action, I hope they come on strong.

Guard: (DOWN)
Slauson, Long --- Slauson, Long, Brown
If De La Puente had been healthy recently, I'd give this an UP since I think he's more capable of backing up the Guard position than Brown was last year, but until then, we're a little short at the Guard Spot.
Long has looked even better this preseason than he did last season, and I think that could translate into him having an even better season this year.

Center: (EVEN)
Garza, De La Puente --- Garza, Boggs
When I'm certain that De La Puente is back healthy, this will be a Solid UP.


Defensive Tackle: (EVEN)
Ratliffe, Paea, Sutton, Ferguson --- Melton, Paea, Collins, Minter
Some will think this is a solid UP, but I don't see it yet. Ratliffe has been solid, but so was Melton for awhile there.
I see a lot of positive potential in Sutton and Ferguson, but these are two completely untested DTs who are going to be called on to provide a lot of work this year.
I hope they learn fast and get better quickly. I'm somewhat concerned that we've undervalued our DT depth yet again this year.
I was going to wait until after we fleshed out the PS a little to mention it, but this really feels like a problem to me.

Defensive End: (UP)
Allen, Houston, Young, Scott, Washington, Bass --- Peppers, Wootton, McClellin, Ozougu, Washington
The clearest UP on the Team. Improved significantly from #1 thru #4. I don't see the need for carrying six of them this year, but hopefully Bass and Washington can give us something on Special Teams.

Linebacker: (EVEN)
Briggs, Williams, McClellin, Bostic, Greene, Jones --- Briggs, Williams, Anderson, Bostic, Greene, Costanzo
This is at best an EVEN. That's assuming some improvement from Bostic and Greene, which I've seen signs of this preseason.

Cornerback: (UP)
Tillman, Jennings, Fuller, McManis, Hurst --- Tillman, Jennings, Frey, Bowman, McManis, Wilson
The little I've seen of Fuller so far gives this group a slight UP. But that's assuming he really has something special to offer the Secondary.
This group needs it. McManis has been better this year I think.

Safety: (EVEN)
Mundy, Conte, McCray, Vereen --- Wright, Conte, Steltz, Walters
I have hope that Mundy is just a little better than Wright, but I don't see much here to suggest this group is any better than it was last year.
I pray they aren't put in the same position they were last year, but given what I've seen from Tucker and this defense during the Preseason, I don't have much hope of that.

Specialists: (DOWN)
Podlesh, Gould, Mannelly, Hester --- O'Donnell, Gould, Hartson
Apparently Hartson is now gone and we have no LS at all. Even with him, this group doesn't inspire much confidence.
O'Donnell hasn't impressed me at all so far. I hope that changes once the season starts.
Mannelly and Hester are proving to be bigger losses than expected. I can't believe a better backup plan wasn't under consideration a long time ago.

 

[94c4lt1]

IMO tackle, guard and RB should be even.

 

[Newblood]

Wouldn't it make more sense to switch the down's and up's?

Edit: never mind, at first glance thought it was based upon the numbers.

 

[KingDarude7]

Secondary play will be much better with with this beast ass line. We have Tim Jennings we're set. I think RB should be even

 

[Silverwulf]

Secondary play will be much better with with this beast ass line. We have Tim Jennings we're set. I think RB should be even

I'm hoping it turns out to be.

 

[Chicago Staleys]

LB UP, Bostic and Greene with a year, OF REAL PLAYING TIME, under their belts alone translates to being in a better position. Also Jones is an upgrade to Costanzo. Losing Anderson, who was cut by the Patriots prior to final cuts, showed me something.

RB UP, Bush was painful to watch last yr. The pure youth this yr, especial at that position, is an immediate upgrade. (side: carrying 5, I believe, had more to do with Special Teams play)

Guard UP, same goes for guard as LB, Long having a pro bowl year of experience brings that position this year stronger. I see why you gave it a down because of depth but De La Puente will at least be an even with Brown regardless of the recent injury.

 

[KingDarude7]

Im really expectung big things from Carey maybe not right away, think he could be a solid RB. He has got a very good back ahead of him hope Forte does what Marshall did with Jeffery to him.

 

[RisWell]

Guard and Tackle should be up. You had two pure rookies starting a year ago.

 

[Kazu2324]

Wondering if this is a comparison of the end of last year to the beginning of this year or if it's supposed to be a comparison from the beginning of each year?

 

[rawdawg]

Why do u give no credit to Long and Mills being better? Also at this point last year the HOPE was Jeffery would be decent. Now he's a star. WR is much better to open this year than it was to open last year.

You're using hindsight for some, basing some on opening day last year before everyone sucked, and basing others on how the season ended.

 

[rawdawg]

Wondering if this is a comparison of the end of last year to the beginning of this year or if it's supposed to be a comparison from the beginning of each year?

It appears to be whatever makes the Bears look most unimproved at that moment.

 

[DrGonzo]

I think it's a pretty decent write-up. The question is do this year's "ups" make enough of an impact to bootstrap the "evens"? Or put another way, will the improved DE play make the lbs and safeties go from horrible to ok?

 

[legendxofxlink]

Good idea, but I would suggest to not use hindsight in doing this comparison. There are a few unknowns this year, and you've downgraded every single one of them until they "prove it". You're also accounting for injuries now, but hindsight told you last year our DT's and LB's went down like flies but you don't consider those.

NO HINDSIGHT
QB - Even... ask me last year, i would've taken Clausen > McCown. Honestly i thought Palmer looked better than McCown in preseason last year.

RB - Upgrade... Bush off the roster, enough said. Draughn and Carey both run very hard and catch well. Bush has zero vision and maybe 4 good plays on his resume

WR - Upgrade... Josh Morgan and Santonio Holmes?! You kidding me?

TE - PUSH

T - PUSH

G/C - Upgrade... Another year for Long/Slausen to get better and Garza has a good starter waiting in the wings

DE - Upgrade... No more Shea Mc on the line. Houston and Allen will be a relentless terror

DT - Downgrade... without hindsight, last years unit looked better

LB - Downgrade... the loss of Urlacher still haunts the bears. Anderson might have blown, but without hindsight i thought we were ok last year.

CB - Upgrade... perfect mix of youth and experience

S - Downgrade... I was pretty pumped about not having to worry about safety anymore last year... now i'm worried.

S/T - Where's Mannely and Hester?! We're all dooooomed! Atleast we wont have any PR TD's against us this year, Legatron will take them out every time.

 

[Kekua Zombie]

RB is definitely an upgrade. Out of all the positions it is the one where a young player can step right in with raw ability. Which we have more of this year.

 

[TL1961]

Why do u give no credit to Long and Mills being better? Also at this point last year the HOPE was Jeffery would be decent. Now he's a star. WR is much better to open this year than it was to open last year.

You're using hindsight for some, basing some on opening day last year before everyone sucked, and basing others on how the season ended.

Your WR argument is faulty logic. Because we didn't know on opening day that Jeffery would be great, we have better WR's now? Makes no sense.

If you are arguing that WR now looks better than we thought on Aug 31, 2013, that would be one thing. But that's not the point. Who cares if "what we think now" > "What we thought then"?.

He is comparing "What we HAVE now" to "What we had THEN"

 

[TL1961]

Every year I think our backup RB's are better than they turn out to be. I like what we have this year, but I will wait and see.

DT - Better then people are giving it credit for because nobody accounts for Houston playing DT.

 

[rawdawg]

Your WR argument is faulty logic. Because we didn't know on opening day that Jeffery would be great, we have better WR's now? Makes no sense.

If you are arguing that WR now looks better than we thought on Aug 31, 2013, that would be one thing. But that's not the point. Who cares if "what we think now" > "What we thought then"?.

He is comparing "What we HAVE now" to "What we had THEN"

But he's not doing it right is the point. He's giving credit to McCown for being good last year when he was on the street before camp, while taking away from Clausen who has been a full-time starter in the league.

He's giving WR an upgrade because depth is better, but what we had then is an unproven Jeffery and now we have a pro bowl Jeffery. Thats a huge upgrade on its own now vs then.

Like was said, is this Sept 1, 2014 vs Sept 1, 2013 or vs Dec 27, 2013. Seems like both when its convenient to whatever point the OP is trying to make.

 

[rawdawg]

I guess the OP does state its August 31 vs August 31, but it takes into account what happened during the season. Which is in fact not comparing those times.

And the point is not to have a better roster than u did last August. Its to be better than u were in December.

DT didn't have any healthy talent in Dec. Clear upgrade now.

But anyway, u can't say QB is worse because McCown was good during last season and then say DT is worse because the Bears don't have the Henry Melton that projected to be there in August

 

[NCChiFan]

Your WR argument is faulty logic. Because we didn't know on opening day that Jeffery would be great, we have better WR's now? Makes no sense.

If you are arguing that WR now looks better than we thought on Aug 31, 2013, that would be one thing. But that's not the point. Who cares if "what we think now" > "What we thought then"?.

He is comparing "What we HAVE now" to "What we had THEN"

And, yes, I will take this Bear Wr group with an injured M. Wilson over the Wr group the Bears fielded last season. The back ups are much better, at least to my eye.

 

[Silverwulf]

Wondering if this is a comparison of the end of last year to the beginning of this year or if it's supposed to be a comparison from the beginning of each year?

The latter just wasn't realistic, so It's more of the former. Simply because I can't ignore what they actually did last year, nor did I want to.