First, it brought in a good pass rusher, helping out what has been a huge problem for the Bears. Second, it will help take some pressure off the other players on the defensive line to rush the passer and come up with some plays that might not have been there last season. Finally, Chicago can count on Peppers making it hard for opposing offenses to game plan against the Bears defense game in and game out: What an advantage.

As we saw last season, the Bears struggled on defense against the pass; most of that had to do with not getting any pressure in the backfield. Starting defensive ends Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown just couldn’t get up the field and get to the quarterback. The line only accrued 24 sacks in 2009, and this doesn’t get it done when it comes to stopping an opponent’s passing game.

Peppers has the athletic ability to get up the field in a hurry and reach the quarterback.  He has a history of being a devastating force when the quarterback drops back, and this is something that every offensive coordinator is going to have to worry about. The obvious solution for any offensive coordinator would be to double team Peppers, but using two blockers will open up the opportunity for another defender to make a play.  This could be defensive tackle Tommie Harris’ chance to really shine.

Another thing that offensive coordinators will have to think about when drawing up a game plan against the Bears' new defense is running plays to Peppers' side. Peppers is not only good against the pass, but he is also solid against the run, so opposing offenses may not want to run too many plays to his side. Once again, this poses problems for opposing offenses.

Peppers presence should make everyone on defense better as well. Look for guys like Harris, Jarron Gilbert, and even Alex Brown to do much better on the defensive line while linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs should be free enough to make more plays.  The end result could be great for the Bears' defense.

Sure, the Bears spent a lot of money on Peppers, but in the end, if he plays up to his contract and everyone else around him stays healthy, then the defense could have a much better year than it did in 2009. However, the Bears also need help beyond what Peppers will give them, including some additional depth at the safety position. They have to do something about both safety positions in order to ensure that they don’t have issues in the secondary.

Can anyone say Darren Sharper?

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

There are rumors aplenty surrounding Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall. We all know that this malcontent wants out of Denver, and that Denver is willing to part with him.

As far I can tell, the most rumored landing spots for Marshall are the Seahawks and the Bengals. Well, I couldn't care less about either of those teams. If given the power, I would veto those trades.

The Bears have a petulant, but big-armed QB. The kid needs someone to throw to. Brandon Marshall is arguable the best in the game right now, and he's available. Not a good idea to pair them up?

Recent moves by the Bears suggest that they are going all in this offseason to build a winner. Why not get Marshall?

He pouts and whines...fine. Throw him the ball enough, and I'm sure he'll be happy. Besides, he is light years better than any of Jay Cutler's current targets.

Why is this not done yet? Wouldn't the Broncos consider the Bears a better trading partner than an in-conference rival like the Bengals? Does anyone think he'd be a bad fit?

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

During 2008 he appeared in 11 games rushing 34 times for only 108 yards. This past season he tore a ligament in his left ankle and was declared out for the year during a preseason game against the Browns.

The Bears needed to get rid of some used space by dumping Jones. Chester Taylor, who was recently signed has been named the “co-starter” with Matt Forte by offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Add Kahlil Bell and Garrett Wolfe to the mix and the Bears have some talent at the running back position.

Jones, the 27-year-old Pennsylvanian native will have a hard time finding a roster spot with his history of injuries. Maybe he kind land a spot with the Steelers or the Browns. I know he has to fight hard to find a spot on a team and if he can he’ll have to work his way up the depth chart.

Good luck Kevin Jones sorry we let you go so early. Find a team where you can get some playing time.

Jones had this to say about his departure from the Bears:

“I’m just thankful for the opportunity the Bears gave me here.”

All quotes from chicagotribune.com.

Jake Perper is the creator of www.BearsBacker.com and also covers the Bears for www.NFLTouchdown.com.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

So what players might give the Bears some interest with their early picks in the 2010 NFL Draft? What players would be a good fit in their system and which players would be worth the value? Let’s take a look at two potential draftees, one on offense and one on defense, that could interest the Bears enough to draft them in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Darrell Stuckey, Safety, Kansas

The Bears need help at the safety position for their cover-two defense and what they need is a player who can be relied upon to support against the run as well as cover receivers as needed. Stuckey has a lot of what you would you like to see in a good safety. He is a very physical player who isn’t afraid to hit someone and make them think twice about making that tough catch over the middle. He is also someone who isn’t afraid to go against the run either. 

Stuckey was productive at Kansas and tackled well and came up with some big interceptions. However, some people feel that he doesn’t have the kind of speed that you would want to have at the safety position and may not be able to cover faster wide receivers. 

What would a player like Stuckey mean for the Bears? At least in terms of run support, the Bears would have the kind of safety that they would like for their cover two defense. A safety that can play the run well is the kind of safety that the Bears need in the kind of offense that they are running. If Stuckey is around when the Bears start making their first picks in the draft, they should take a look at drafting him.

Kyle Calloway, OT, Iowa

The Bears need some help at the offensive tackle position and Calloway, a guy that they should be able to grab in the third or fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, may just be the guy that they are looking for. While he may not end up starting right away, he could help provide some depth for the Bears at the offensive tackle position and make that position much less of a worry.

Calloway has the ideal size for the position coming in at 6’6” and 322 pounds. His technique is sound and with some additional development he should get even better. He is very intelligent, hard-working, and can block in the running game very well. Although he might be a bit of a developmental prospect he could be ready to start in a year or so.

The downside to Calloway is that he doesn’t always play aggressively and isn’t always set right when making blocks. He also needs to get stronger and learn the finer points of the game. However, he has a lot of promise and could end up being a real find if the Bears take him in the draft this April.

Chicago has gotten some help at the defensive end position now that they have Julius Peppers in the mix and don’t have to worry so much about that in the 2010 NFL Draft. Now they can concentrate on other areas of need and perhaps these two guys may be a couple of players that they are interested in. We will find out next month.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

Lots of trade buzz has been circulating recently about Olsen, who isn't exactly an ideal fit in the traditional scheme of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Despite the recent signings of Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor and Brandon Manumaleuna, the Bears are still a ways away from being a championship contender, and having already traded away both their first- and second-round picks in 2010, a good value deal may make sense.

But is dealing the former first-round pick, who will only be 25 by the beginning of next season, really a smart move for a team who is already criticized for its lack of weapons on the offensive side of the ball?

Especially when that team desperately needs to see success from its "franchise" quarterback.

There are quality arguments to make on both sides of the issue, and even though many of you are likely smart enough to decipher them yourself, I have an unfulfilling life and access to a site which allows me to "articulately" share my own beliefs on the matter.

So in that spirit, here are the pros and cons of what an Olsen trade may mean for the Bears:

Pros:

The Bears Need Draft Picks:

Peppers, Taylor and Manumaleuna were all quality signings. That said, the Bears still have a lot of weaknesses, most notably on the offensive line and in the secondary, which need to be addressed.

If a quality pick is available, perhaps a second rounder, this could be an enticing offer, as a young player who could make an immediate impact (let's face it, no one will be heart broken if names like Omiyale and Aflava don't make it onto the starting roster) would be a very welcome addition.

The "System" Argument:

The major reason the trade rumors started was because of Martz's belief that a Tight End should be a blocker first, receiver second. This of course doesn't suit Olsen who can't throw a decent block to save his life.

Naturally, if there is no possibility of carving out an effective role for Olsen in the offense, there is no reason not to try deal him in order to find a player who can be of service both next year and beyond.

Inconsistency:

While Olsen has show flashes of the brilliance the organization hoped for when they used a first round pick on him in 2007, his production has been anything but steady.

For all the good moments (three TD's against Arizona last season,three clutch TD's catches in the final four games of '08), there has been just as many ineffective ones (the combined 5 catches for 21 yards in weeks 13-15 last year, his disastrous two-fumble effort at Carolina in week two of '08).

Perhaps if he had exhibited more consistent play, Martz would be fully cooperative in working Olsen into the offense next season, and this entire subject would never have been broached.

Cons:

The Need For Offensive Weapons:

While the Bears young receiving corps was heavily maligned last season, young players like Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett showed a great deal of promise to make optimistic fans believe they could mature into formidable NFL receivers.

But while there is a good deal of promise on the roster, Jay Cutler is still a ways away from having an elite unit of weapons.

Thrown in the rumors of Devin Hester's offensive reduction and my firm belief that Lovie Smith will do what he does best by wasting the obvious promise of Devin Aromashodu, finding a role for Greg Olsen may prove to be necessary.

And seeing as how Martz has only coached one tight end with Olsen's playmaking skill set (more on him later), it may benefit all parties to find a way to co-exist.

The Grass Is Always (Considerably) Greener

In recent years, the best way to boost your productivity in the NFL has been to leave the Bears for another team.

Be it a transition from worthless to slightly below average (Justin Gage), average to good (Chris Harris) or selfish, drunken, narcissistic bastard to bona fide NFL rushing champion contender (you know who), Bear fans have had to watch in disgust as player after player has reached new levels of success with different franchises.

Of all the players mentioned above, Olsen achieved the greatest level of success in a Bear uniform. If he manages to take his game to the next level with another team, it could be a tough pill for Chicago to swallow.

Vernon Davis:

No matter how excited you are about the implementing of Martz's offense in Chicago, even the most optimistic of fans are fully aware this move has the potential to be truly disastrous (picture Detroit and San Francisco and throw in a notoriously difficult QB).

If this experiment proves to be a one-and-done debacle, trading away a valuable offensive commodity could make things even worse.

To see the potential corrosive element, one needs to look no further than the previous tight end in Martz's system, San Francisco's Vernon Davis.

After two inconsistent but ultimately promising seasons in '06 and '07, Davis made nearly zero impact as a receiver in his one year under Martz, catching just 31 passes for 358 yards and two scores.

After being widely hailed as a bust, Davis finally reached his potential last season, as he exploded for 78 catches, 965 yards and a league leading 13 touchdown receptions under coordinator Jimmy Raye.

San Fransisco got lucky, as Davis, a beastly blocker, was still serviceable in Martz's scheme. If this doesn't prove true of Olsen, dumping him could be debilitating if Martz's recent string of failed coordinator gigs continues. It's hard to think there is absolutely no way to work a playmaker like Olsen into the mix. I mean, Dallas Clark is no one's idea of a bone-crushing blocker, but it's hard to envision any offense not benefiting from his talent, no?

So with all the possibilities, what exactly should be done with Olsen? Well, at this point, I can honestly say (despite the noticeably longer "Cons" section) I have no idea.

The Bears still do need a good deal of help without the proper draft picks to fix them. And while Olsen can possibly help attract said picks, trading him could also explode in the franchises face.

If a good deal is out there, I'd say Jerry Angelo and co. should seriously consider it. However, before anything is done, I think a serious conversation needs to take place with all parties to make sure there is no way for Martz to work Olsen into his scheme.

Watching Olsen put up '09 Vernon Davis-like numbers for another team could be a crushing blow for fans who have already felt the sting of countless wasted draft picks in recent years. Especially if the guy who sent him packing ends up exiting on the very next train.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

Several of the most notable names have already been claimed.  Antrel Rolle signed with the New York Giants for five years and $37 million.  Karlos Dansby and the Miami Dolphins came to a five-year, $43 million accord.  Dunta Robinson landed a six-year, $57 million contract.

Julius Peppers, the purported gem of this year’s free agent class, eclipsed them all by far, however. 

Desperate for both a pass rush and some reason for hope, the Chicago Bears inked Peppers to a mammoth six-year, $84 million deal (with another $7.5 million in incentives).  More impressive is that half of the deal is in guaranteed money.

With almost one quarter of a billion dollars wrapped up in just four free agents the question then has to come—who overpaid and who netted a great value?

At 7-9 and lacking any first or second round choices, the Chicago Bears were desperate to make a splash in free agency.  They did so not only with Peppers, but also with running back Chester Taylor and a third-offensive tackle of a tight end in Brandon Manumaleuna.

The two minor deals are both tremendous boons to the Chicago Bears and should help improve a tepid running attack and give beleaguered quarterback Jay Cutler a nice outlet back.

The centerpiece deal, however, is much more questionable.  Peppers is no doubt a great talent, capable of putting up sack totals in the teens.  He is also a streaky player fully capable of turning it on or off depending on when the mood strikes him.

In the last nine games of 2009, he only managed 3.5 sacks despite the team showing itself showing market improvement in the second half.  He finished the year tenth in the league with 10.5 sacks (with another four players just half a sack behind him).

Chicago also has to be concerned with age.  When his contract ends, Peppers will be 36 years old, with enough guaranteed money to make cutting him after three or four years a very difficult proposition.

Given the quality player that Peppers is, weighed against the risk factors, the Chicago Bears could grow to regret the move unless he can consistently deliver 12+ sacks a year over the bulk of his contract.  Already 11^th in the league in sacks last year, working the numbers to land a target for Jay Cutler (Anquan Boldin anyone?) might have been a better priority for the team.

Ultimately, it was a great pickup at a bad price.  Because that kind of money can greatly impact the team’s ability to sign other players in the coming years, anything short of elite will make this move seem like a bust.

The next biggest ticket on the free agent market was Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson.  Atlanta shelled out elite money for a talented, but not quite elite, corner.

What makes the move more appealing than the Peppers deal, however, is that Atlanta is close to where they want to be.  They finished 9-7 last year despite injuries to both Michael Turner and Matt Ryan.  The offense is already in place with a host of weapons. 

On defense they sorely needed a No. 1 corner and likely found it in Robinson.  If they can land a solid front seven guy in the first round, then Atlanta should be in a great position to not only make the playoffs, but possibly do something once they get there.

Ultimately, the deal goes down as a great benefit for Atlanta not because Robinson is necessarily a $57 million player, but because the Falcons were a couple defensive players (and some health in the backfield) away from really looking like a threat.

When you are that close, it's better to swing for the seats then sit on the fence.  Atlanta did that and came away in great shape for 2010.

Coming in third in the price list is Karlos Dansby.  He is an interesting addition as a 3-4 middle linebacker because the position is not known for massive contracts.  With this contract the team is hoping his experience can blend with the team’s youth in the secondary to improve the 18^th and 24^th ranked rush and pass defenses, respectively.

With the nose tackle position a big question mark in 2010, it could be invaluable to have a pro-bowl caliber player lining up behind the nose.  He also gives the team a veteran presence in the front seven to replace departing dissident Joey Porter.

The move may signal a shift in thinking around the AFC East, giving respect to the fact that the road out of the division may just lead through New York and not New England in 2010.

The $47 million price tag is a lot for a 3-4 middle linebacker, but Miami feels that another year of development for Chad Henne and the corners as well as a healthy Ronnie Brown puts the team in a great position to return to 2008 form.

Netting a top run-stuffer is also of increased importance to a team that plays the ground-pounding New York Jets twice a year.  It may not be the “put them over the top” move that Dunta Robinson to Atlanta could be, but has a much safer risk-reward value than Peppers to Chicago.

Even though he was the least expensive of the four players, safety Antrel Rolle’s $37 million contract still represents the largest contract for a safety in the NFL.  That may just make fans of Pittsburgh and Baltimore cringe.

The Giants were hamstrung by poor safety play in 2009, and should see a great improvement as strong safety Kenny Phillips returns from injury to pair with Rolle.  Unfortunately, the team still has several other holes that will make it difficult to escape third in the division.

The supposed strength of the team, a fearsome front seven, now becomes a big worry for 2010.  If they can get two of their three supposed elite defensive ends to play to 2007 form and land a starting weakside linebacker or defensive tackle via the draft they should be dominant again.

If not, they better hope Philadelphia misses Brian Westbrook more than expected if they are to sniff the playoffs. 

Ultimately they overpaid some given that Rolle is more of a good than great safety, but did fill a glaring need.

So what is the final verdict? 

For the time being I would rank Atlanta as the winner in the first weekend of free agency with Miami coming in second, Atlanta in third, and Chicago in fourth because of the knee-jerk-sized contract, not because of the player they gave it to.  If factoring in signees beyond the big-ticket names, then Chicago leapfrogs New York while running neck and neck with Miami.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

However, although New Orleans may suffer, suddenly a large sum of money hangs over the head of Darren Sharper, as the rest of the league clicks into fifth gear and tries to think of an ingenious way to gain the defensive powerhouse.

It may not come easily, but the Chicago Bears are leading the pack at the moment.  According to NFL.com , four teams (Miami, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and of course the Chicago Bears) are in the hunt for Sharper, and the pickings are slim.

Sure, either one of these four teams could really do with a safety that is as talented as Sharper, but who is willing to pay the $30 or $40 million that comes with signing No. 42?  Well it's simple, Chicago is up for it.

Okay, so they did just blow a hefty sum of money that some folks may not even deem imaginable, but the Bears do have some money stored behind the scenes that I am sure they will be more than willing to pay should the opportunity arise.

More importantly, though, is the impact that Darren Sharper would have on defense. 

Even on paper, I'm already intimidated to think about some of the destruction that the Bears will cause this year.  Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher and possibly Darren Sharper?  Well, it's safe to say that the NFC North will be heating up.

Another simple fact that has been left unnoticed recently is Lovie Smith's head coaching job. 

With signings left, right, and center, it seems the hot seat has cooled down, and the pressure has been lifted off the shoulders of the once-questioned head coach.  With Darren Sharper possibly making an appearance in orange and blue, Lovie may be at the helm for a few good years.

As for the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, the time hasn't come to panic; but the time has come to realize that the Bears are back. 

No longer will Chicago be the same cakewalk team that they have been in the past couple of years, and no longer will they have an offense that is easier to pick off than Brett Favre in a Wrangler Jeans commercial. 

With the Sharper signing still up in the air, the draft is fast approaching.  Chicago isn't too likely to scrape up well during the beginning of April, but it's not like they really need to. 

Stand back 1985 Bears—the 2010 Chicago defense is going to give you a run for your money.  Let's just hope Jay Cutler can get his act together, and everything runs smoothly.  With Darren Sharper in the picture though, the glue will be setting fast.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

One of this writer's biggest problems with the Bears current braintrust, more specifically Jerry Angelo, has been the lack of that impact move in free agency.

That was until last year when he brought in Jay Cutler.

Now on the surface, these three moves look like solid decisions addressing needs on a Bears squad that was lacking last season. But honestly, do these moves, and more to the point, does the Peppers signing make sense in the large picture?

Peppers signed a six year deal worth up to $91 million dollars including $41 million in guaranteed money through the FIRST THREE YEARS.

I'm sorry, but is anyone else concerned about this?

I mean seriously, Peppers is an amazing talent but only when he wants to play. The biggest gripe that came from the Panthers is that he takes not only plays off, but series off as well. From what I understand, he can sometimes be the defensive end version of the Bears own Tommie Harris.

Now don't get me wrong, if Peppers goes out there and gets 12 sacks this year, awesome. I will apologize. But my expectations for this year is nine sacks maximum including at least five of those sacks coming in garbage time and/or in garbage games.

Lets look at Peppers 10.5 sacks from last season:

• Sack one: Down 38-10 in the first game of the season Peppers records a sack on Eagles backup QB Kevin Kolb at the beginning of the fourth quarter after Kolb has time in the pocket to look downfield before trying to rush.... plus, the score is already 38-10. (0-1 in quality sacks)
• Sack two and three: Sack No 2 came in the first quarter of game number four against the Washington Redskins. Peppers chased down Jason Campbell from behind in the first quarter as they were down 7-0. It ended that drive. The second sack came in the fourth quarter as the Panthers were down 17-12. Peppers forced Campbell out of bounds right at the line of scrimmage. (1/3 because the first sack required some skill. The second one was more of an escort out of bounds than a big play).
• Sack four and five: Peppers records two sacks in the second quarter of a 28-21 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs. One had Buc's QB Josh Johnson forced directly into Peppers waiting arms and the other was Peppers just blowing up Jeremy Trueblood for a sack and forced fumble. (2/5. Peppers got a good one on Trueblood but the other was Johnson just running into Peppers arms).
• Sack six: Down 7-2 at the beginning of the third quarter, Peppers tackles Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick from behind for a one-yard sack. The Panthers went on to lose the game 20-9. (2/6. Not a quality sack because it was a clean up after Fitzpatrick had plenty of time to look downfield).
• Sack seven: Peppers takes down Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter as the Panthers were up by 10. To add to it, Peppers also had an interception returned for a touchdown in the second quarter (3/7. Good sack and good pick six).
• Sack seven and a half: Peppers jumps on the Jets Mark Sanchez as Tyler Brayton had him wrapped up as the Jets were up 14-6 (Not a quality since Brayton already had him locked up and it was only a half sack given).
• Sack eight and a half: Pepper sacks Josh Johnson in the second quarter for a four yard loss after Johnson couldn't find anyone open at the Panthers 20 yard line (4/8 only because it was deep in Panthers territory. Johnson did have more than enough time to get rid of the ball so you could chalk it up to coverage, but Peppers kept after it).
• Sack nine and a half: Peppers gets to Vikings QB Brett Favre in the third quarter after just blowing up Bryant McKinnie. This was a great sack, Peppers got to Favre before he could even really look downfield (5/9. Straight up a great play).
• Sack ten and a half: Peppers blows up Giants right tackle and brings down Manning for a 12 yard loss. A very good play by Peppers, very poor play by Manning (6/10. Manning didn't help himself any, but Peppers did get there fast).

Overall, not terrible numbers, but if you look at the schedule, you will notice that after week eight of the season, Peppers only had three and a half sacks. And of his 10.5 sacks, five of them came against the Bucs and Redskins, who were a combined 7-25 last season.

I am not denying Pepper's abilities, he is without question an athletic freak of nature. I am however questioning if those on again off again abilities are worth a minimum of 40 million dollars for the first three years.

That money could have been spent on several other areas of need. The Bears need a free safety and help on the offensive line. Instead of Peppers, they could have pursued DE Aaron Kampman, who just signed with the Jaguars for what is being reported as a four year deal for 26 million dollars, of which only 11 million is guaranteed.

That would have left some leeway for the Bears to pursue free safeties such as Ryan Clark or Antrel Rolle (who signed with the Giants) or the cagey veteran and now Super Bowl Champion Darren Sharper. 

The Bears currently have the trio of Josh Bullocks, Craig Steltz, and Danieal Manning at that free safety position... or in truth, no one worth mentioning at that position.

I don't mean to hate on current Bear players, but Bullocks is not starter material, Steltz has shown some flashes, (but has missed some tackles and seems to lack the ballhawking skills the Cover 2 defense requires) and Manning just looks lost when he is out there.

Second year player Al Afalava is more of a strong safety than a free and the same goes for Kevin Payne. Both are solid in run support and can lick a receiver coming over the middle, but don't quite have the ball skills to make consistent plays in coverage.

In other words, the Bears ignored arguably their biggest hole on the defensive side of the ball. One could argue that if Peppers can put pressure on the QB, then the safety play will improve due to forced passes and not having to cover receivers for longer periods of time. But that is asking a lot of a player on the wrong side of 30 and who doesn't always seem to show up.

While I do like the Chester Taylor signing and I guess I can understand the Manumaleuma move, Peppers seems to be a bit of a stretch for the price they paid.

Don't get me wrong. Peppers is now a Bear and I will cheer him on til the end, no question. I just wonder if this move was the wisest one Jerry Angelo and the "braintrust" could have come up with.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

Chicago Bears

The Bears made early and precise moves entering into free agency.  Head coach Lovie Smith was already off the plane and ready meet with Julius Peppers and his agent at midnight last night.  That meeting took place, beginning at 12:01 am, and ended today in Chicago when Peppers signed his name to a 6 year deal with the Bears.

The Bears also added RB Chester Taylor (formerly of their division rival Minnesota Vikings ) and TE Brandon Manumaleuna, widely regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the game.  Both players’ sets of skills fit like they were custom made for the offense coordinator Mike Martz runs in Chicago, and both should make an immediate impact in Chicago.  In addition, stealing a rival’s backup RB is a shrewd move.  I like that sort of craftiness that no one sees coming.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens really have only signed one free agent worth speaking about, Donte Stallworth-and that wasn’t in the last 20 hours.  What they have managed to do however, is trade for stud receiver Anquan Boldin.  They followed that up by signing Boldin to a 4 year, $28 million deal.  The Ravens have finally done what it took Philadelphia the better part of a decade to do with their Pro Bowl QB McNabb, they’ve surrounded their up and coming QB with talent at the skill positions.

Baltimore may no longer have what most would consider an elite defense, but they certainly still have a very solid unit on that side of the ball, and a successful scheme coupled with a strong leader in Ray Lewis .  Putting this kind of unit together on the offensive side of the ball turns Baltimore into a legitimate contender for the AFC Championship.

New York Jets

Anytime you improve one of the best units in the league, you make ripples and have to be considered the biggest news of the day.  Any mediocre team can improve, any lousy team can improve, but it's rare that one of the best improves and that's all the Jets have done since free agency began 24 hours ago.  They've done it without signing or cutting anyone (actually they did cut Thomas Jones, which was fairly foolish). 

I guess that is the one knock on them was the way  they dealt with Thomas Jones, which was absolutely foolish.  To save a few million in an uncapped year.  Okay, a few million is some serious cash I get that but this is a guy who earned that bonus.  He carried your offense throughout the regular and post season and now you're trying to cheap out on him?  This type of move is what undermines all of the chemistry that Rex Ryan and the Jets have built up.

Washington Redskins (kind of honorable mention)

Sometimes the best action is inaction.  The Redskins finally didn’t throw ridiculous amounts of money at the best free agent on the market, which is truly more amazing than if they had thrown nine figures his way.  The fact that the influence of both GM Bruce Allen and Head Coach Mike Shanahan has apparently changed the Redskins building strategy already is likely very encouraging to Washington fans. 

Honorable mention winners:

The Lions - They’ve made some moves and solidified their line while preparing for what appears to be a plan to draft Ndamukong Suh if he’s still available when they pick second.  Great to see a team make an effort to turn things around.

The Seahawks - So they lost Burleson, but I think there’s a very real chance the Seahawks land Marshall, who is scheduled to visit them tomorrow.  If he does they’ll lose a first round pick, but they’ve got another so that’s okay.  Pairing him with TJ Houshmandzadeh would make the Seahawks the owners of one of the best WR tadems in the league, second only perhaps to New England’s combination of Randy Moss and Wes Welker .

Losers

If someone wins, another person (or team) has to lose, that’s just the way it works.  Here are a few teams that lost in the past 20 hours:

The Panthers : They not only lost free agent Julius Peppers, as expected but they also cut longtime QB Jake Delhomme .  I saw a post earlier today that read “Panthers extended Delhomme’s contract 5 years last season to make room in their cap for franchising Peppers.  Now neither player is on the roster and they still owe Delhomme around $13 million.”  Man if I were a Panthers fan, the fact that Matt Moore went 4-1 last year as a starter just would not be comforting enough…

The Raiders

The Raiders haven’t really done anything yet, however I’m putting them on this list for two reasons:

1)      They are sure to do something foolish and make me look good for adding them here

2)      They tendered CB Stanford Routt at the first and third level, guaranteeing him a bunch more money than he’s worth this year.  I see it as a sign of things to come.  Disagree if you want, but until they prove me wrong I stand by it.  Look for that punter Zoltan (or was that the guy from the movie Big ?) to go No. 8 overall to Oakland in this year’s draft.  (Okay, I’m obviously just kidding there, but they’ll surely do something utterly ridiculous).

The Cardinals

The Cardinals were the biggest losers of the day, as they saw both Antrel Rolle (Giants ) and Karlos Dansby (Dolphins ) both sign with other teams.  I can only imagine how frustrating such a day might be for a Cardinals fan. 

I saw first hand how irritating it is to a player, reading Darnell Dockett’s tweets.  He writes, frustrated that division rivals Seattle and San Francisco are sitting pretty, working on improving drastically for next season “why why why why…” and goes on to say “Man losing all the guys that helped build A program from nothing hurts bad. I’m gonna miss No. 13, No. 81, No. 58, No. 92 and now only hope I GOT (No. 21)?”

The last part is in reference to safety Antrel Rolle, who signed with the Giants a few hours after that tweet.

He later tweets (again prior to Antrel Rolle’s signing) “I’d take a paycut to keep Antrel Rolle #21!!! I don’t know if it would help much but I will!!”  This is obviously a very frustrating time to be a Cardinals player. 

That makes the Cardinals truly the biggest losers on the day.  It looks like a trip back to anonymity for the Cardinals (let’s face it, they’re really going back home as a franchise) and possibly a trip back to the top for teams like the 49ers and Seahawks.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

There are two ways to look at it, of course. It was both a day to be positive about the future, and a day to remember the horrors of the past.

When defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor, and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna signed free agent contracts Friday worth about $121 million total, including $91.5 million for Peppers, there’s little doubt Chicago got a talent boost in areas of need.

However, it also underscored past failures of this personnel and coaching regime.

“One thing that we’re mindful of, you know, March is when you build,” general manager Jerry Angelo said. “You don’t win in March, you build in March.”

Or you spend in desperation in March, which the Bears just did. As a result, there’s no doubt they overpaid for Peppers, if not Taylor.

Certainly the Bears needed more pass rush production at defensive end. Adewale Ogunleye hit double figure sacks only once in six seasons, with 10 in 2005. Alex Brown makes occasional big plays, but has never had more than seven sacks in an eight-year career.

And then there’s Tommie Harris, whose frail body has prevented him from living up to the $40 million deal he received two years ago.

“For our defense to be successful, we have to be able to get pressure up front,” coach Lovie Smith said. “I’m talking about with the four-man rush first. And then, of course, to blitz when we want to blitz.”

First the Bears said they had the talent to get a pass rush but needed Rod Marinelli to coach them up. They managed one-and-a-half sacks more with Marinelli than they had the previous year (24-22 ½).

So now it’s the talent that’s to blame.

“Julius will help all of our players,” Smith said. “He’ll help Tommie Harris, he’ll help the rest of our inside players, he’ll help our other defensive end, and just make it better for our (pass) coverage and everything.”

The Bears might not need another defensive end if Angelo and his staff could draft them. But Michael Haynes proved better at raising lizards than he was at the bull rush, and neither Claude Harriott nor Dan Bazuin proved good for anything. Mark Anderson had one good year and remains a question.

Possibly the best defensive end Angelo drafted since Brown was Ervin Baldwin last year. He got cut and wound up playing in the Super Bowl for the Colts.

They needed a running back like Taylor because Angelo mismanaged his own running back situation.

First he had productive Thomas Jones compounded the problem by trying to cram Cedric Benson down everyone’s throats, got rid of both, then failed to provide a proper backup to Matt Forte.

Backup Kevin Jones has been operating with one leg for two years, and Garrett Wolfe is so small he would be turned back at the gate on most Disney World rides.

They ran Forte into the ground the last two years, so it was little wonder he needed arthroscopic knee surgery.

As for Manumaleuna, his was a system signing. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz needed a blocking tight end because he uses so many seven-step quarterback drops and the extra pass protection is necessary.

Again the Bears’ inability to judge their own talent surfaces. They let John Gilmore leave for Tampa before 2009 in free agency with no other legitimate blocking tight end on the roster.

So before Bears brass starts getting a sore arm from patting itself on the back, they need to realize first that the reason they were willing to pay $2 million more per year for Peppers than anyone else was going to pay is because they couldn’t draft anything comparable.

There are still holes at safety, the offensive line, and possibly wide receiver. These were holes they could have addressed with free agents this year if they’d been more adept at drafting defensive ends and handling their running back situation.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com