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Pre-Draft Audibles From the Long Snapper

| April 26th, 2011

Here’s my draft week plan.  I’ll have threads up for each of the draft rounds and then I’ll go and find all the information I can on each of the players selected by the Chicago Bears.  (Saturday might be a bit trickier as I’ll be on the golf course.)  I’m hoping they are all offensive linemen.

MARTZ REJECTS CONTRACT EXTENSION

PFT reported a day or so ago that Mike Martz rejected a one-year contract extension that would have kept him as the offensive coordinator of the Bears throughout the term of Lovie Smith’s tenure.  Why did he reject it?  Because it included no pay raise.  (Dave Toub rejected a similar offer.)  These rejections are not substantial but they are telling.  PFT relegates the story to the Bears being “stingy” but that notion feels antiquated in the wake of their signing high-priced free agents like Julius Peppers and making Lovie Smith one of the richest head coaches in the league.  The truth is the Bears still do not have 100% faith in their head coach and see no reason to overpay the staff of a head man they will fire at the first sign of a dismal season.

STEVE SMITH DOES NOT PLAN TO RETURN TO CAROLINA

A very detailed report has Steve Smith cleaning out his locker and luxury suite in Carolina, as he does not expect to return to the team this season.  If you don’t think Smith has more in the tank, you’re crazy.  His career has has been derailed by that cavalcade of crap quarterbacks they keep lining up under center down there.  If the Bears can get him for a mid-round pick, they should do that immediately.

MOCKING THE MOCK DRAFTS

Great piece in the Orlando Sentinel on the bullshit industry that has been spawned by the high profile of the NFL draft.  To read it, click here.