The Chicago Bears and the Future of Jerry Angelo

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Jerry Angelo has been the General Manager of the Chicago Bears since 2001.  During his tenure, he has put together squads that have compiled 5 winning seasons.  These seasons include 2006's Super Bowl run, as well as 4 NFC North Championships ('01, '05, '06, '10).  Angelo has done a lot of good things for the Chicago Bears, but with an aging team and a small investment into the future, Angelo's fate needs to be brought into question.

Keeping First-Round Draft Picks

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If there is one major flaw in Jerry Angelo's reign as general manager, it is that he doesn't seem to care much for his first-round draft picks.  

The Bears currently still have two of Jerry Angelo's seven first-round picks on the roster. One of those would be the 2011 Draft pick Gabe Carimi, and the other would be Chris Williams. Carimi has yet to strut his stuff on the dismantled Soldier Field grass, but Chris Williams can already be labeled as a bust after three terrible seasons.  

Other than that, the Bears have parted ways with Greg Olsen, Tommie Harris, Cedric Benson, Michael Haynes, David Terrell and Rex Grossman.

Of all these first-round picks, the Bears only received some sort of value back with the Olsen trade, when they received a third-round pick.  

The rest were cut and allowed to walk, instructed to find work elsewhere.

The Retirement Home Isn't the Answer at Wide Receiver

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Do I think Roy Williams will be the wide receiver Chicago needs?

Yes.  

Do I believe he is any more then a single-season answer?

No.  

The reason being that Roy Williams is 29 years old. Not too many "elite" wide receivers still have it going for them after 30.  

The exception was Randy Moss in New England (just New England). Other than his tenure with Tom Brady, Moss faltered with the Vikings, Raiders and Titans.

The same goes for Terrell Owens.

Sure, those players provided another threat, but after some time they have proven that they really are not the answers. I believe the Bears have a lot of young talent, and Jay Cutler still has a lot of mileage left on him.

The issue though, is the Bears need to find a young, tall wide receiver instead of bringing in aging veterans (i.e., Muhsin Muhammad and Roy Williams).  

Roy Williams will likely succeed with Jay Cutler's big arm, Martz's familiar system and a new home. 

Re-Signing Matt Forte

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Matt Forte is an incredibly important piece to the Chicago Bears offense.  

I know right now he is in contract negations with Jerry Angelo and his team, but if Angelo can't make this signing happen, I believe this could be the major tipping point in a need for a reevaluation.  

Martz's system relies heavily on the pass, and Matt Forte has proven to have excellent hands and, when needed, he can do some decent blocking.  

Additionally, it is not easy to find a running back in his prime. Since the running back position is the position that tends to provide the most abuse on any player, those who have run their contract usually have gone through their best years.  

Matt Forte has yet to reach his prime.  

The Bears are not going to find an eventual replacement through free agency—look at the backs that come out there: Marion Barber, Chester Taylor, Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Willis McGahee, Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown and so on. All of these "elite" running backs played out their time until it finally came time to move teams.  

Also, since the Bears have relied heavily on the pass for many years, Forte has yet to take the abuse that could shorten his career. Forte was one of the better investments that Jerry Angelo made over the years, and I expect him to make the logical move and keep him around.  

Bring in Effective Veterans

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The Bears have added a lot of solid veterans over the years. Most notably, Julius Peppers.

They have also added a few veterans who just didn't make sense.  

I am all for bringing in someone who "adds to the locker room," but a solid player should be able to contribute just as much as they do on the field in the locker room.

Veterans that have been a waste of the Bears' money are guys like Pisa Tinoisamoa and Brandon Manumaleuna.

We will have to see if bringing in guys like Roy Williams, Sam Hurd, Marion Barber and Matt Spaeth will come off as good investments—but all I see right now are a bunch of washed up players with nothing left to give.

Replacing Urlacher (Eventually)

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Alright, before people start getting mad about this, I am not saying replace him today.

Urlacher did have one of his better seasons in his 10-year career last year, but the fact is, Brian Urlacher is getting old.

Urlacher is 33 years old, and it is not like he has had the best luck with injuries. I know Urlacher is "The Man" in Chicago, and I couldn't imagine my Bears without him, but eventually the Bears are going to have to look into it.  

Some believe that Lance Briggs could eventually take over, with Nick Roach getting ready to take on a starting position at OLB this year. If Briggs can make the transition effectively, it really leaves the Bears with two options in free agency, trades or the draft: OLB or MLB.

This is a situation that Angelo needs to evaluate. If he wants to keep his job long term, Brian Urlacher can't always be in the picture.