Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com reports that the Chicago Bears will release DT Anthony Adams.
Chicago sheds Adams $1.9 million salary for the 2012 season after he was relegated to being a backup defensive lineman for the team last season. He’s currently 31 years old and had been decent against the run so he could be picked up a team looking to add some extra depth to their interior defensive line.
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Is the release of Adams just a financial move, or is this an effort to free up enough cap space to add more than one starting caliber FA’s? With the amount of free agent WR’s decreasing by the day, as it sounds like Bowe & Welker are likely to receive the franchise tag, is Chicago preparing for a bidding war for Vincent Jackson? Or, do you see Chicago taking aim at a WR in the 1st round and bolstering other areas in FA, with players like Brandon Carr @ CB or even a Marcus McNeill, Jared Gaither or Levi Brown at LT?
Great question. The Bears had plenty of cap space before their decision to release Adam so I doubt that it was anything more than a decision to on from a guy that had fallen out of favor last season.
The receiver market appeared to be one of the deepest in recent history but you’re right that it’s going to be negatively impacted by franchise tags. Even Vincent Jackson could return to the Chargers without being franchised, as he seems to be willing to negotiate a reasonable contract to stay in San Diego.
The draft is going to be the best way for them get a quality receiving option but with Michael Floyd’s performance today, even that could prove to be harder than initially believed. Lets say that Blackmon’s gone in the first five picks and the Jaguars decide to take Kendall Wright. From there, Floyd would have to get passed by 11 teams before the Bears would have a shot at him. Now they could always move up and get him considering that they have 2 second-round picks but that’s pretty hard to project.
Right now, I’d say someone like Robert Meachum seems like a great option for the team. They’ll check in on Manningham but no guarantees there and Pierre Garcon is looking for a pretty large deal but he too could be someone that they consider. Gaither will get a quality offer from the Chargers and Levi Brown doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. I posted a report earlier in the day that mentioned that Ben Grubbs could be an option
the Bears. Chicago seems to think that Chris Williams can play LT so they
may look for better options in the interior offensive line market. Evan
Mathis, Ben Grubbs and Carl Nicks are far better than any of the offensive
tackles in this years market.
I follow the “goings on” of every team in the NFL, but only care enough about Chicago to comment….with that out of the way…..
I think Grubbs would be a great fit for Da Bears. The left side of Williams, Grubbs would be much better than Webb, Williams. Webb, backing up Williams and Carimi(I am crossing my fingers that his injury was an anomaly) gives Chicago depth at the tackle positon . Chris Williams performed well at LT when he took over for Orlando Pace. I feel like he may have not been put in the best position to succeed. Chicago has moved him from RT to LT to LG, throw an injury lost rookie year. I am not overly optimistic about him at LT, but he could prove me wrong…..he preformed well last season, prior to his injury. I recently read that Phil Emery has a high opinion of Brandon Carr. Hypothetically speaking, with Carr being available and the addition of Ben Grubbs at guard, should Chicago explore the option of giving up their #19 pick for Mike Wallace? Chicago’s current roster + Grubbs, Carr and 1st Rd pic Mike Wallace, puts the Bears in a position that makes them contenders……..right?
I agree with you about Williams being shuffled around and Grubbs could really help to solidify the interior o-line.
As for the receiver position, Wallace is going to cost them #19 but it’s worth noting that once a team parts with the required draft compensation, they still have to negotiate a contract. Wallace and his representation has all of the leverage at that point because the Bears are already heavily invested in the transaction. Jay Cutler has been lobbying for a big-bodied wide receiver and Wallace’s strength is in stretching the field which is what they’ve had in recent years.
To me, it makes more sense to target someone like Michael Floyd in the first-round. Chicago would prevent getting locked into a long-term contract with guy who’s value is derived from his speed and instead get someone that can be there for the next eight years while paying him only $8.18 million over four-years (that’s what Price Amukamara got last year when he was taken #19).