Pernell McPhee Is Happy With What He Saw In Tampa - Dec 28th 2015

[3rd N Long]

Per

 

[RunRunRunPunt]

Happy with a 6-9 team.....ok

 

[Teddy KGB]

Happy with a 6-9 team.....ok

Sorry, but that's very myopic. You can be happy with a direction a team is going despite a record. I'll reference 2004 when Lovie was first coach. Offense was a shit show, but by the last 4 games, you could see elements of a dominating defense, so there was reason for positivity on that side of the ball going into 2005-06.

 

[buckaroo2311]

Sorry, but that's very myopic. You can be happy with a direction a team is going despite a record. I'll reference 2004 when Lovie was first coach. Offense was a shit show, but by the last 4 games, you could see elements of a dominating defense, so there was reason for positivity on that side of the ball going into 2005-06.

No doubt. And I think Lovie's first year he was 5-11.

 

[Teddy KGB]

I'll say this much - I certainly am not as optimistic as I was at the end of 04. I just don't think the players are here right now - or at the least, there are very few who are having a hard time standing out because the team is bad as a whole.

I do think McPhee was a good signing, and I want to see Willie Young re-signed, but really, long term on defense, I really can only see McPhee, Goldman, and maybe, MAYBE Fuller if he gets his head out of his ass at times as starters worth a damn. Guys like Young and Amos I see as guys who are fill ins until we get someone better, but because of the time they got playing, will provide excellent depth in the second string on a playoff-worthy team.

What we really need to get this thing moving forward is 4-6 starters on a playoff-worthy team coming from free agency and the draft if we want this thing turned around in short order. And that's asking a ton, because if we were already a playoff team, getting 1 pro-bowler and 2 starters in a year from those resources, plus some quality depth would be considered a victory in that season.

Reality is that even if Pace is a great GM, we still may just end up with 2-3 starters and a bunch of guys who should be quality depth pushed into starting roles because of how thin we are in terms of talent. It means we're a few years away from contending. On the plus side, so long as Pace can get those quality starters, the depth quality guys will eventually be pushed down in the roster to where they belong on second string, and their time in the system should make them better apt to fill in with quality starts when the eventual injury happens, giving the Bears some really solid depth, not to mention those guys at that time should be better protected by better players around them.

 

[NCChiFan]

In summery, yea we have a LOT of holes to fill on D.

 

[Teddy KGB]

In summery, yea we have a LOT of holes to fill on D.

And really, almost as many on O.

I'd say we're solid in terms of starters for RB and TE, and can make due with Jay for another year or so.

 

[BearFanJohn]

The direction of the team is positive, in my mind. Almost every team in the league has holes. Even the vaunted Packers and their building so well through the draft have holes. The issue is that the Bears have so many holes. But if they do well in the draft and get two rookie starters and get a get two very good FA that will go a long, long way to filling holes. No, they won't get all of the holes plugged in the draft and off season but there is a log to like with the direction of the team.

They were in most of the games this year. They didn't get the blow-outs that they did under Trestman & Co. Cutler seems to be under control. Next year, assuming White is healthy and they retain Jeffrey, they should have an excellent receiving corp. If they fine at RB if they don't keep Forte and stacked if they do. TE is up in the air but a tandem of Bennett and Miller has potential. So, they need a couple of OL (one FA and one draft pick). If Cutler's replacement is there in the 1st grab him otherwise just stay with Jay. So, everything else is put into the defense and things should look different and I think a lot better in 16.