The Chicago Bears don’t have a role in tonight’s overhyped-to-the-point-of-insanity first round of the NFL Draft. They don’t have a role in tomorrow night’s barely mentioned second round either. And from the sound of Jerry Angelo, they don’t plan to change that:
”We’re out of that business,” Angelo said. ”I don’t want to get cute and keep borrowing from the future with picks because . . . it’s very difficult to guarantee the present.”
While I have no earthly idea what the hell “guarantee the present” means (and frankly I don’t think Jerry does either), I do believe this approach is the only way for the Bears to maintain any semblance of organizational stability.
If the McCaskey family – whether it be Virginia, Michael, Paul or Ringo – allow Jerry to borrow anything from a season beyond 2010, it would be the football equivalent of a bank loan to a man with less than a 50% chance of recovering from cancer. They’ve opened the checkbook and allowed him to spend like a sailor on leave but that should be as far as it goes. If the Bears do not make the postseason (and for my money also win a postseason game), Lovie and Jerry must be shown the door and the next regime must have a full cupboard of draft picks.
And let me also add that I don’t believe Angelo should have the ability to unload young talent, specifically Greg Olsen. If Olsen doesn’t fit Mike Martz’ offensive scheme, so what? Mike Martz’ offensive scheme might be back working for the NFL Network this time next season. Olsen has had an up-and-down early career here in Chicago but he’s also developing a relationship with an elite passer who clearly likes throwing to him.
The quarterback’s the thing. Not the offensive coordinator. The quarterback is going to be here for years, earning tons of money and opening Prime Cutler steakhouses. If the Martz offense is wildly successful without real impact from Olsen, we’ll all keep quiet as he’s shuffled out of town. If not, we’ll allow Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden or Mike Heimerdinger or Russ Grimm to make the call.
