Chicago Bears: Why the 2011 Season Proves Bears Must Fire Jerry Angelo

How does Bears GM Jerry Angelo still have a job? Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo was hired in 2001, but 2011 marked the fourth time in the last five years that his team has failed to make the playoffs.

He has got to go.

Sure, you can blame others. Head coach Lovie Smith often takes flack for his stoic demeanor and questionable game management.

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz is often blamed by Bears fans for almost getting QB Jay Cutler killed and not using his personnel effectively.

Ownership takes a hit as does team President Ted Phillips. Yet of all those men, we know that the McCaskey's aren't selling so Angelo has got to be accountable for this mess.

Sure, the Bears lost Cutler and Matt Forte, and they would have made the playoffs if that hadn't happened. But Angelo's bad record goes beyond not having a capable backup QB.

Let's take a quick look at the top five areas where Angelo has failed to prove his worth.  

His Poor Draft Record

Even going back to his days with Tampa Bay, Angelo has never been knows for his skills in the draft room.

His first round pick in 2005 was Cedric Benson, who had two DUIs and was a bust for the Bears. He's doing good for the Bengals but could never do that for Chicago.

His other first-round pick that year (how can you miss with two first round selections?) was Michael Haynes, who had just 5.5 sacks and 49 tackles as a DE for the Bears in 2003-2005, and was released in 2006.

Angelo's second-round pick in 2007 was Dan Bazuin, who never played because of a knee injury.

Roosevelt Williams was picked in the third round in 2002 and was terrible and out of the league after less than two seasons.

His first-round pick in 2008 was Chris Williams, who has failed to live up to his promise. Angelo's 2011 first-rounder, Gabe Carimi, was hurt and the Bears apparently knew it. They're hoping he will be ready for next season after undergoing two operations.

Marc Columbo was another injured first-round pick in 2002. Rex Grossman was his first-round pick in 2003.

Failing to Suround Jay Cutler with Talent

Sure, Angelo was lauded for his bold acquisition of potential franchise QB Jay Cutler. But instead of surrounding Cutler with talent, he decided that the QB makes the players around him so much better that he doesn't need to do much.

That is just stupid.

Yes, Cutler has made his receivers look better, but pig with makeup is still a pig.

Where are the receivers? Devin Hester has no business being a wide receiver, and of all of the guys on the roster, only Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox have any talent, yet neither has flourished.

It's illogical to do what Angelo has done. To give up two first-round draft picks and a starting QB for Cutler, yet refusing to give him the tools he needs is just asinine.

The Offensive Line

Everyone knows the way to build a club is to be strong along the offensive and defensive lines. Yet Angelo has done little to make the Bears O-line anything other than a sieve, and for that alone he should be fired.

Look, he trots out a line that continually gets Cutler sacked, yet he says he is doing the best he can. Well, if that's your best Angelo, then that is admittance that you need to go bye-bye.

The Dallas Connection

Angelo's recent offseason signing of three former Dallas Cowboys has not worked out very well. Sure, give him credit for Julius Peppers, but that was a no-brainer.

Sam Hurd was a drug dealer who the feds had talked to, yet Angelo knew nothing about it.

Roy Williams was supposed to catch 60 balls, but he has been a bust with alligator arms.

Marion Barber doesn't know when to get out of bounds.

And speaking of Peppers, Angelo's other two signings from 2010 were awful. TE Brandon Manumaleuna was fat and terrible, and Chester Taylor had a historically bad season.

Even if this was the work of Tim Ruskell, he was Angelo's hire.

Failure to Bring in Young Talent to Replace Aging Defense

Bears defensive core players Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman and Julius Peppers are all on the other side of 30, yet have no young talent up and coming to replace them.

Angelo keeps drafting safeties yet ignores the corner back position. He also has failed to draft anyone that I feel will offer a pass rush in the coming years, unless Henry Melton is that guy.

When you look at other teams around the league, you see young players getting ready to take over.

But when you look at the Bears, you see a major overhaul will be necessary in two years.

No Backup QB

You can fire Lovie Smith while you're at it for his poor clock management, his questionable game management skills and his stubbornness. But Angelo is ultimately accountable for this one.

Look, for four years you have depended on Caleb Hanie to be your backup QB? Don't you realize how often QBs get knocked out of games?

This is an indictment of the entire Bears management and coaching team. They had four years to evaluate the backup QB position and yet decided that Hanie was good enough.

And remember last year when they thought that Todd Collins was better than Hanie? Well, that should have raised a red flag.

The lack of a backup QB this year cost the Bears the playoffs.