So the Bears have it right?

Few times in my over 1,000 posts have I lauded the actions of the Bears management. Time and time again, they've drafted poorly, developed little talent and seen players go elsewhere to be successful. That hasn't necessarily changed, but maybe, just maybe the big boat that is the lousy management of the Bears is starting to change directions.

To wit, last year they traded for what they believed to be (and who might be) a franchise quarterback. Without a first or second round pick this year, they picked up the consensus top defensive end available, a solid running back (which they took from a division opponent no less) and a highly touted blocking tightend to fit their new offensive coordinator. Today they traded a linebacker, where they have a surplus, for a safety, where they have a need. Both players were quality, but you have to give value to get value.

So I asked myself, who are these guys? They seem to be addressing needs and doing so relatively intelligently. Or am I missing something?

On the opposite side of the argument, they traded their second round pick for a defensive end who then up and died. Bad luck or bad scouting? That franchise quarterback will now be playing under his third offensive coordinator in three years. That's difficult on any quarterback. They let a quality defensive end go (who ended up signing for the Super Bowl champs for 1/2 the money the Bears would have had to pay) and believe they can replace him with people from the team last year who rotated in and out of the lineup. Then there is their firm belief in their woefully under skilled receiving corps.

I think they are still the same dumb group of people who have happened to do some things right. Sadly, them doing ANYTHING right makes it seem like they've turned things around when in reality they are still behind the eight ball. Every team in the division got much better during the offseason or at least stayed at a level above the Bears. It could be a long year!

*******An Addendum*******

It turns out that the Carolina Panthers had told Chris Harris, the safety for whom we traded, that they were going to release him if a trade couldn't be worked out. A released player can sign with anyone with no compensation to his prior team. So the Bears could have picked him up for NOTHING!! This is what the Saints did with Alex Brown when we couldn't trade him after saying we would release him if we couldn't trade him.

Now the Bears had no guarantee that they could sign Harris, however, a little homework on their part would have revealed that he still lives in Gurnee!!! Of course he would have come back here. Ugh. Maybe it is the same old' Bears.

Today they traded another safety to the Rams for a draft pick next year, though they didn't disclose for what round pick. I'm guessing it's a 4th, but could be a 5th. Ugh again, not that I was a huge fan of the safety they traded.