In just five seasons as General Manager of the Chicago Bears, Jerry Angelo can look at the team and take credit for two division championships and one trip to the Super Bowl.
The problem is, Angelo can be viewed as the cause of the success or the reason the Bears haven't achieved more. When breaking down his track record, perhaps Angelo has been more of a hindrance than the foundation to the Bears' recent track record.
Angelo has built a team, or taken credit for building a team, that has not been the most cohesive group of pieces. Let's consider a number of ways Angelo has impacted the roster:
The Draft
Who are the winners Angelo has selected in the first round since taking over before 2001? David Terrell, Marc Columbo, Rex Grossman, Michael Haynes, Tommie Harris, Cedric Benson, Greg Olsen, and Chris Williams. Terrell, Columbo and Haynes gave the Bears less than one good season, and it could be debated how much good football Benson gave the franchise.
Grossman did take the team to the Super Bowl, but has been largely seen as a bust because of questionable decision making and month-long lapses in judgment.
Harris has been injury prone but solid, while the book is still out on Olsen and Williams.
Angelo has found a few diamonds in the rough, though. From 2002, fourth rounder Alex Brown has been a solid contributor on the defensive line. In the second and third rounds of 2003, Angelo found corner Charles Tillman and linebacker Lance Briggs.
Tillman's partner as starting corner for the Bears, Nathan Vasher, was found in the fourth round of 2004.
Other picks after Round One that have turned into gold have been Devin Hester, Bernard Berrian, Kyle Orton, and running back Adrian Peterson.
Of the 63 players Angelo has drafted, fewer than 20 have contributed in the NFL at any level. Hester was selected as a corner out of Miami and was truly a diamond in the form of crude coal.
Angelo had proudly traded out of draft positions he didn't like over the years. Perhaps most noticeable was his trade with the Jets in 2003, when he traded down from the fourth overall pick. Angelo would use the two picks he acquired in that first round to select Grossman and Haynes; he would pass on Troy Polamalu, Terrell Suggs, Larry Johnson, Dallas Clark, Willis McGahee, and Osi Uminyura, all of whom play positions the Bears have had issues with since 2003.
Free Agents
The biggest issue with Angelo's handling of players who have come through the gates at Soldier Field for a tryout is one name. The Bears have been trying to find a quarterback since Erik Kramer left in the early 1990s, and currently have the serviceable Orton behind center.
But before he was a media darling in Dallas, Tony Romo was trying out for the Bears. Romo played decently in a couple preseason games before receiving his walking papers from Angelo. Romo is now dating Jessica Simpson.
Angelo also compensated the Chiefs with a draft pick in bringing OT John Tait into the fold, and overpaid for backup quarterback Brian Griese, OT Fred Miller, and OG Roberto Garza.
Trades
3 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Andy Miller 7 months ago
Thank you TAB, I really think Jerry Angelo is extremely overrated and needs to be shown the door here pretty soon.
We need a general manager who is really interested in bringing Chicago a Super Bowl.
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Daniel Skiston 7 months ago
he spent way too much money on the defense that is not playing up to there talent and contracts. Give Rivera what ever he wants to come back to Chicago. There is no way they would be playing a super bowl in 15 degree weather and ice and snow. I wish that it would happen but not a chance.
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TAB BAMFORD 7 months ago
I concur about Chico's return. Thanks for reading!
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