The Bears made a dash to the free agency table when they signed 3 guys in one day and spent a TON of money in the process. They picked up little bits of everything they seemingly needed, but I don’t know if it’s going to be all that they want it to be.
Brandon Manumaleuna is a blocking tight end that left–big surprise–the Chargers for a 5-year contract. I don’t know if a blocking Tight End is really worth that much “contract”, but it was probably pretty easy to get him away from San Diego considering how badly the Chargers are managed.
[Recall that the Falcons signed Eric Beverly to a big contract to do the same job as Manumaleuna and it didn't pan out AT ALL! And that was when they had Mike Vick and he just ran away from people.]
The Bears also signed Chester Taylor to a 5-year deal with $7 million guaranteed. Taylor’s getting a little older, but he certainly isn’t a bad player. I know that there is such a thing as a “veteran team”, but this team is looking older with each of these signings.
Then the Bears pulled a coup and landed Julius Peppers–and paid him $42 upfront–to get him away from Carolina. Now, I’d run away from Carolina too, but this isn’t Mike Ditka’s Bears or even the Bears that went to the Super Bowl. That team wasn’t built on cash and I can’t ever think of a time that the Bears built their empire on money. It worked for the Marlins–but that’s what they do–the Bears aren’t like this.
I hope the Bears play better because I’m used to that, but I’m not holding my breath. There’s something about this contract-binge that makes me nervous for them. Like 2008 Yankees nervous.
Anything short of the Super Bowl will be considered a failure–and you saw how lonely Albert Haynesworth was in Washington this year. Peppers isn’t a panacea…not yet anyways.
