Chicago Bears trying to sign tackle Orlando Pace

The Bears have made signing Orlando Pace a priority and intend to leave him at left tackle if he joins the team, according to an NFL source.

[Larry]

Great!! Its good to know the Bears have a pulse now all we have to do is come up for a package for Cutler.

[max]

Larry wrote:

Great!! Its good to know the Bears have a pulse now all we have to do is come up for a package for Cutler.

How about this one Larry:
I think that Denver did themselves a diservice by declaring their intention to trade Cutler. If Chicago wants to trade for Cutler then a three way trade involving Cleveland might be the only way of getting him. I may be off base, but here is a scenerio that might work:

To Chicago: Cutler and a 2009 6th rd pick from Denver
To Denver:(From CLE) Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn,(From CHI) DT Tommie Harris and 2010 2nd Rd pick and conditional draft picks from Chicago.
To Cleveland:(From CHI) 2009 3rd and 7th Rd picks, Kyle Orton, and conditional draft picks from Denver. There could be some tweeking, but this is a descent framework.

Why this would work:
Chicago would get their franchise QB and they get to keep the 18th pick to use on a WR, they get from under Harris's contract to use to sign Cutler long term.

Denver would get their starting QB who is still young and get a Pro Bowl DT in Harris. They would also keep their 1st rd pick to maybe go after one of the other QB's in the draft.

Cleveland would get a backup to whoever is not traded, stock up on extra draft picks to help rebuild.

[Swinny]

Come on Bears please answer fans prayers! Pace and Cutler and a few nice mid round draft picks would make the Bears a sure deep playoff team!

[Missel]

We get Cutler,Pace, and Draft a WR,S,OL,DL.....Championship :P

[HuntleyBears]

Sweet arr$$$.
Sadly we need a proven LT.

[Mike Brown]

Sign a safety or bring me back.

[Bearsnut]

You are all dreaming the Bears are going to stay with Orton @ QB and work on Pace! And thats all folks! The draft will service us well trust me! All we need is people to help Orton and we'll be a very powerful team in the NFL. Oh i forgot we need a couple of Corners that can pick off some Balls to

[Livingindenial]

Bearsnut wrote:

You are all dreaming the Bears are going to stay with Orton @ QB and work on Pace! And thats all folks! The draft will service us well trust me! All we need is people to help Orton and we'll be a very powerful team in the NFL. Oh i forgot we need a couple of Corners that can pick off some Balls to

I Have to agree with you Bearsnuts on this one. Wishful thinking is all we fan have when it comes to actuality

[the truth is out there]

sign him sign him this clears draft picks for cutler and protects him as well. Please God let this be the page the organization is on for once. Please let them think to win. So it would be pace,shaffer, kruetz, Garza, Williams. That looks like a great line to me. If not one of the best on paper. With Cutler mackie and forter in the i formation. O yeah and sign holt and another bum of the scrap heap of wide outs and we have a great offense. If this doesnt happen then the bears will lose another fan.

[Art]

Note to "Jerry Angelo" and the Bears organization:

Who are you and what did you do with the real Jerry Angelo?

WOW. Some actual positive rumors coming out of Halas Hall. What a nice change of pace.

[TheOptimist]

max wrote:

<quoted text>
How about this one Larry:
I think that Denver did themselves a diservice by declaring their intention to trade Cutler. If Chicago wants to trade for Cutler then a three way trade involving Cleveland might be the only way of getting him. I may be off base, but here is a scenerio that might work:
To Chicago: Cutler and a 2009 6th rd pick from Denver
To Denver:(From CLE) Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn,(From CHI) DT Tommie Harris and 2010 2nd Rd pick and conditional draft picks from Chicago.
To Cleveland:(From CHI) 2009 3rd and 7th Rd picks, Kyle Orton, and conditional draft picks from Denver. There could be some tweeking, but this is a descent framework.
Why this would work:
Chicago would get their franchise QB and they get to keep the 18th pick to use on a WR, they get from under Harris's contract to use to sign Cutler long term.
Denver would get their starting QB who is still young and get a Pro Bowl DT in Harris. They would also keep their 1st rd pick to maybe go after one of the other QB's in the draft.
Cleveland would get a backup to whoever is not traded, stock up on extra draft picks to help rebuild.

Let me get this straight....

You want to give up Kyle Orton, Tommie Harris, and conditional draft picks for Cutler and a 6th round. This is not the Cowboys buddy. We don't overpay for players. We may overpay the ones we have, but we don't overpay for new players.

1) I honestly don't think the trade is going to happen. I think either Detroit and/or Cleveland have a better chance of pulling anything off. If Detroit gives up the first and second round picks, Denver can draft another franchise QB.
2) This organization seems sold on Orton. I and personally, I would like to see what he can do with proper personnel. Sign Pace and draft a play-making WR in the first round. They're are a couple in this draft, just pick up (preferably two).
3) I'm kind of worried about Cutler's attitude here. His name came up in trade talks and b!+ch and moan like a baby about it. All players that are traded all say the same thing, "This is a business as well as a sport. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow." Wherever he goes, he's going to want to be treated like a princess and i don't want to see the Bears get sucked into that worm.

But i could be wrong. L_O_L

GO BEARS!!! KEEP IT UP!!! THE NORTH IS OURS!!!

[fishers9317]

Hmm... sounds like they are preparing for a Cutler deal.

[Fred Warren]

ok guys 1+1=2. 1, the bears will sign Pace. 1, the bears will draft the wr from florida if he is available. that equals the bears off season. Remember Rick Mirer and the first round pick we gave up for him? That is the reason the bears have not did anything like that since. Angelo or his associates read blogs and message boards like this one. I bet anyone of you $1000 that the bears will not trade for Cutler.

[Big Cat]

fishers9317 wrote:

Hmm... sounds like they are preparing for a Cutler deal.

... what part of "Bears in hot pursuit of Orlando Pace" sounds ANYTHING AT ALL like "Bears preparing to trade for Jay Cutler"? What the fuck kind of drugs are you on?

All you Bears fans drooling over the possibility of Jay Cutler playing quarterback for the Bears in 2009 and beyond need to WAKE THE FUCK UP. It's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

1. There's several teams with higher draft picks and better potential player packages to offer Denver than the Bears. Everyone bitched and moaned about how much the team was a bunch of overpaid, underachieving chumps last year. You think you're the only ones smart enough to notice and that football people whose everyday job it is to monitor and scout and observe other teams, completely failed to notice it? Any trade for Jay Cutler would have to involve Matt Forte or Lance Briggs as they are the only two Bears players who played at a high level last year, and both are young as well.

2. Are any of you who think Cutler would be so awesome to have on the Bears paying the slightest bit of attention to this whole saga, other than what David "Hack" Haugh writes? Cutler already had a reputation as a prima donna, me-first, petulant, drama queen, and now he's such a teenage girl that he's taken to avoiding and ignoring text messages and phone calls from everyone in the Denver organization. What kind of man, what kind of leader, conducts himself like that because he got his feelings hurt? Not one you want quarterbacking your team.

3. Once again - career record? 17-20. Zero playoff appearances. Denver was on track to make the playoffs in 2006 with Jake Plummer as quarterback, but Plummer was benched in favor of Cutler, who finished 2-3 down the stretch, including a season-ending overtime loss to the craptastic 49ers. Winning that game would have put the Broncos in the playoffs.

4. In Denver Jay Cutler has Tony Scheffler, Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. In Chicago he would have ... Devin Hester, Desmond Clark and ... what, Earl Bennett? Yeah, that's totally an equivalent group of receivers!

I'm not a Kyle Orton fan by any stretch of the imagination, but he has a better career record playing with a lot less talent around him. And I'd still take him over Jay Cutler, who seems to be great at putting up big stats but horrible at doing the things that really matter, like winning games and being a leader.

Oh and thank you, David Haugh, for your populist hackery to get all the meatballs fired up about something that will never happen. Good job there buddy!

[Big Cat]

Oh, and it figured the Bears would manage to screw up the signing or Orlando Pace. Putting him at left tackle classifies Chris Williams as a big, fat, FIRST ROUND BUST. From what I remember, Williams was destined to play left tackle because he didn't have the physicalness needed to play the right side. Also, Pace has had a bunch of injuries and missed a bunch of time the last few seasons, so shifting him to right tackle would seem to be beneficial since he would not have to face the elite pass rushers every single game.

[TheOptimist]

Big Cat wrote:

Oh, and it figured the Bears would manage to screw up the signing or Orlando Pace. Putting him at left tackle classifies Chris Williams as a big, fat, FIRST ROUND BUST. From what I remember, Williams was destined to play left tackle because he didn't have the physicalness needed to play the right side. Also, Pace has had a bunch of injuries and missed a bunch of time the last few seasons, so shifting him to right tackle would seem to be beneficial since he would not have to face the elite pass rushers every single game.

Not true. He could play either Tackle position. They could easily put him in at RT or at least make him compete. Don't be so quick to judge.

GO BEARS!!!

[ldc]

Big Cat wrote:

Oh, and it figured the Bears would manage to screw up the signing or Orlando Pace. Putting him at left tackle classifies Chris Williams as a big, fat, FIRST ROUND BUST. From what I remember, Williams was destined to play left tackle because he didn't have the physicalness needed to play the right side. Also, Pace has had a bunch of injuries and missed a bunch of time the last few seasons, so shifting him to right tackle would seem to be beneficial since he would not have to face the elite pass rushers every single game.

How does moving Williams to the right side make him a bust?

It is very common to put potential RTs on the Right side, or inside at left guard for a year or two while they develop.

As far as pace, he is still fully capable of handling elite players on the left side. He gave up two sacks in 14 games last year on a bad team with a bad quarterback. He's only bad when compared to himself a few years ago.

Another thing. What happens if Williams can't play LT, but plays a splendid RT? Is he still a bust?

That is an absolutely absurd statement to make with no justification.

Typical whiny Bears fan blather.

[Art]

Big Cat - Valid points. I guess.
Response to issue #1 - There's no way the Bears would give up Forte or Briggs. Would Denver take them in a trade? Sure....but you don't give up a 2nd year stud RB or easily your best defensive player. What's the point in that? Not giving up Forte nor Briggs doesn't take the Bears out of the running for Cutler. Jerry Angelo would have to be creative by giving Denver what they want but at the same time not totally sabotaging the Bears' draft future (even though Angelo sabotaged the Bears' drafting history lately with his picks).
Issue #2 - In regards to your name calling of Cutler - Can he handle this situation a little better? Sure, but I can't blame him for being upset losing his head coach (who will be a hall of famer) for a young assistant coach...then hearing the assistant coach say they'll trade Cutler away to get the guy that the new head coach wants...then publicly lying about it only to get caught. I can't blame Cutler for being upset. I've heard of many sports superstars demanding trades for many worse, lame excuses than this.
Issue #3 - Cutler can't play defense. Denver was constantly shredded week after week through the air and ground by opposing offenses. How many games ended in shootouts just because Cutler kept Denver in the games? Denver went through running backs like it was going out of style last yr - the passing game if anything kept them in the playoff chase last year. I went back and checked on your comment about the SF/Denver game in 2006. It was Cutler's 5th career start - he threw for 230 yards with 1 TD and 1 pick. Hardly not his fault alone they lost that game. Denver also gave up 189 rushing yards to SF that day. Is that Cutler's fault? Any team that can run for 189 yards in a game is going to win waaaay more often than not. Teams don't often win consistenly with bad defenses...pro bowl qb or not. See Drew Brees last year for more evidence.
Issue #4 - The Bears do need a better receiving corps. I won't disagree with that. But Quarterbacks do make receivers. Ask Chad Johnson that from last year. Ask Troy Brown, Deion Branch that question while they were winning 3 super bowls thanks to their QB in New England.
Denver ranked 28th in points allowed in 2007 and 30th last year. NOT CUTLER's FAULT!!!! Stop using his 17-20 record as evidence why the Bears shouldn't go for him!

[ldc]

Big Cat wrote:

<quoted text>
... what part of "Bears in hot pursuit of Orlando Pace" sounds ANYTHING AT ALL like "Bears preparing to trade for Jay Cutler"? What the **** kind of drugs are you on?
All you Bears fans drooling over the possibility of Jay Cutler playing quarterback for the Bears in 2009 and beyond need to WAKE THE **** UP. It's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

First, it DOES sound like the precursor to a Cutler attempt.

The Bears have a bunch of holes. If they lose the high draft picks, the will need to look at free agency to fill them.

And tis better to do that before hand, than after.

And I do think they can get him. It's a long shot, but the Bears have plenty of proven veterans to package with picks.

They also have a stop-gap QB to offer in the deal.

I like Cutler. Most sane people other than you and Rick Morrissey do.

[ldc]

Art wrote:

Big Cat - Valid points. I guess.
Response to issue #1 - There's no way the Bears would give up Forte or Briggs. Would Denver take them in a trade? Sure....but you don't give up a 2nd year stud RB or easily your best defensive player. What's the point in that? Not giving up Forte nor Briggs doesn't take the Bears out of the running for Cutler. Jerry Angelo would have to be creative by giving Denver what they want but at the same time not totally sabotaging the Bears' draft future (even though Angelo sabotaged the Bears' drafting history lately with his picks).
Issue #2 - In regards to your name calling of Cutler - Can he handle this situation a little better? Sure, but I can't blame him for being upset losing his head coach (who will be a hall of famer) for a young assistant coach...then hearing the assistant coach say they'll trade Cutler away to get the guy that the new head coach wants...then publicly lying about it only to get caught. I can't blame Cutler for being upset. I've heard of many sports superstars demanding trades for many worse, lame excuses than this.
Issue #3 - Cutler can't play defense. Denver was constantly shredded week after week through the air and ground by opposing offenses. How many games ended in shootouts just because Cutler kept Denver in the games? Denver went through running backs like it was going out of style last yr - the passing game if anything kept them in the playoff chase last year. I went back and checked on your comment about the SF/Denver game in 2006. It was Cutler's 5th career start - he threw for 230 yards with 1 TD and 1 pick. Hardly not his fault alone they lost that game. Denver also gave up 189 rushing yards to SF that day. Is that Cutler's fault? Any team that can run for 189 yards in a game is going to win waaaay more often than not. Teams don't often win consistenly with bad defenses...pro bowl qb or not. See Drew Brees last year for more evidence.
Issue #4 - The Bears do need a better receiving corps. I won't disagree with that. But Quarterbacks do make receivers. Ask Chad Johnson that from last year. Ask Troy Brown, Deion Branch that question while they were winning 3 super bowls thanks to their QB in New England.
Denver ranked 28th in points allowed in 2007 and 30th last year. NOT CUTLER's FAULT!!!! Stop using his 17-20 record as evidence why the Bears shouldn't go for him!

The Bears have solid, young defensive parts to offer.

Marcus Harrison, Kevin Payne, Nick Roach, Corey Graham may all entice the Broncos -- so long as they are packaged with high picks.

But no, you don't give up Forte or Briggs when you still have Orton to fall back on.

As far as receivers, the Bears, if they land Cutler, would likely go after someone like Torry Holt or some of the other guys on or who will shortly be on the market.

They have the cap room.

The also still has Greg Olsen and Matt Forte, and Hester will be GREATLY improved by a player who has a deep ball like Cutler.

People think the Bears have to rebuild. Really, with a few additions, chiefly on the lines and at safety, this team could be ready to compete in a weak division.

Pace is a start to that.

(although I still think Williams should move to guard with Omiyale, and Shaffer stay at RT.)