Special-teams standout Tim Shaw apparently will be a victim of a numbers game at linebacker. (AP)
By Brad Biggs
The Bears actively shopped linebacker Tim Shaw this morning, but have called Shaw and told him they couldn't make a deal.
A league source confirmed a report by the Tribune on Friday that the Bears are plotting a future without him, but the preference would be to trade him instead of waiving him at the 5 p.m. deadline Saturday.
Shaw set a franchise record with 30 special-teams tackles last season in 15 games after he was signed to fill the roster spot of Brian Urlacher when the middle linebacker went down with a wrist injury in the season opener at Green Bay.
Vaughn McClure of the Tribune reported Friday that Shaw is not in the
team's plans for the 53-man roster. He got caught in a numbers game and
was put on the bubble early on when Brian Iwuh passed him on the depth
chart as the team's sixth linebacker.
Iwuh possesses considerable special-teams experience himself. The Bears typically would not dress more than six linebackers for a game and if Iwuh is ahead of Shaw, that would leave him in a sweatsuit on Sundays and not running down field covering kicks.
Still, it's hard to imagine just letting someone go that was instrumental in the special-teams unit faring so well. Shaw set a record for the points system kept by special teams coordinator Dave Toub in a single game when he made eight tackles in the season finale at Detroit last season.
The Lions, who are second in the waiver wire process by virtue of their finish last season, would be foolish to let Shaw slide past them if a trade cannot be consummated and he hits the waiver wire. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz saw firsthand how skilled Shaw is. He made 12 tackles against them in two games and the Lions had one of the league's worst special teams units last season. Detroit hired former Carolina Panthers special teams coach Danny Crossman to revamp that unit. The Lions are thin at linebacker and Shaw, a Michigan native, would fit in nicely.
The bottom line is if Shaw will not be working for the Bears this season, he'll have employment soon. If he's cut, we'll see if the Lions really have changed their ways from the days of Matt Millen.
If the Bears can trade Shaw, perhaps they can recoup the seventh-round pick in 2011 that they already committed for running back Harvey Unga, selected in the supplemental draft. The Bears will also be monitoring the situation in St. Louis. Safety Kevin Payne suffered a knee sprain in Thursday's preseason finale against Baltimore. If Payne makes the Rams' 53-man roster, the Bears will receive a seventh-round pick as part of the conditional trade that was made.
Iwuh possesses considerable special-teams experience himself. The Bears typically would not dress more than six linebackers for a game and if Iwuh is ahead of Shaw, that would leave him in a sweatsuit on Sundays and not running down field covering kicks.
Still, it's hard to imagine just letting someone go that was instrumental in the special-teams unit faring so well. Shaw set a record for the points system kept by special teams coordinator Dave Toub in a single game when he made eight tackles in the season finale at Detroit last season.
The Lions, who are second in the waiver wire process by virtue of their finish last season, would be foolish to let Shaw slide past them if a trade cannot be consummated and he hits the waiver wire. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz saw firsthand how skilled Shaw is. He made 12 tackles against them in two games and the Lions had one of the league's worst special teams units last season. Detroit hired former Carolina Panthers special teams coach Danny Crossman to revamp that unit. The Lions are thin at linebacker and Shaw, a Michigan native, would fit in nicely.
The bottom line is if Shaw will not be working for the Bears this season, he'll have employment soon. If he's cut, we'll see if the Lions really have changed their ways from the days of Matt Millen.
If the Bears can trade Shaw, perhaps they can recoup the seventh-round pick in 2011 that they already committed for running back Harvey Unga, selected in the supplemental draft. The Bears will also be monitoring the situation in St. Louis. Safety Kevin Payne suffered a knee sprain in Thursday's preseason finale against Baltimore. If Payne makes the Rams' 53-man roster, the Bears will receive a seventh-round pick as part of the conditional trade that was made.
Slo Jim on September 6, 2010 12:05 AM
Hope for a 6-10 season Bear Fans !!!!
.........
If Cutler gets hurt we may get to 6-10, if he stays healthy we don't go better than 4-12.
Hope for a 6-10 season Bear Fans !!!!
I believe that the worst cut the Bears made was Tim Walter the center. I watched him very closely in preseason and he was exceptional. Typical Lovie Smith, cannot evaluate good talent. Some other NFL team will pick up a real good center and he will come back to haunt the Bears.
@griff the bears arent going after the recently released center from the steelers because he's bad at run blocking...
when was the last time the STEELERS made terrible personnel moves?
if they let him go its because he couldnt play
as for the LT in from san diego...because the owner in SD is a hard ass he cant play for the first 3 games of the season...and you would have to give top compesation (1sr and/or 2nd round picks) to get him which the bears need to stop doing...
Shaw is good at crashing into people but NOT AT PLAYING LB.
So OOOOVEEEERRRRAAATEEED is SHAW!
Folks the votes are in and it's unanimous. Bears management is incompetent. They telegraph their info better than Western Union. They give away resources because they just don't understand the business or the subtle nuances of how to get the other teams to actually PAY for their castoffs. So they end up getting NOTHING. They trade away ALL their draft picks in return for players that other teams have already decided aren't worth their contracts, and the end result is a football team that's the laughing stock of the ENTIRE LEAGUE. If Papa Bear Halas were alive today, Michael McCaskey would be in time out, and Ted Phillips would be in the surgical wing of Mayo getting Halas' boot surgically removed from his colon. Bears management S*#k$ greater than anything has ever S*#k#d in the history of S*#king. These people are brain dead MORONS!
They KNOW they need the big Tackle from San Diego, but they're too stupid,and too cheap to get the trade done. They know they need a center but you can bet your A$$ they won't go after the guy in Pittsburgh. I really just do NOT understand this team, and I think it's because no understanding is possible. They're just stupid. plain and simple. and until the team is sold and they're all FIRED, nothing (and I mean NOTHING) is going to change...EVER!
It is funny how the bears try to shop people that other teams know they are going to cut?? This has happened the past couple of years. I wouldn't give up a draft pick for some one I know you are cutting?? Peter is correct, Seattle would pay the difference between the bears salary and his current sea hawks salary. I think it would be a great move for the bears but I am not sure if TJ would want to come to Chicago. Plus Angelo said all the pieces are in place...lol.
Chicago doesn't have to pay 7mil....Seatle pays the dif between his Bear contract and 7mil. Try to be more informed.
Why aren't the Bears going after "Housh" you say? Maybe because he's old.. slow.. overrated and worse.. overpayed. Shelling out 7 million a year for an over the hill possession receiver? No thanks!
On the topic of Shaw, shame he couldn't make the team but the numbers make sense. He wouldn't be dressing and if Iwuh can contribute on special teams, might just do ok without Shaw.
@Rick Pags no arguement from me here...
i figured for weeks he wasnt going to make it...no way bears keep 7 LB's and shaw just cant play the position...special teamers are a dime a dozen ESPECIALLY for Toub
This management is plain stupid, wait until final cutdown day to try and move a player when they could have tried to trade him weeks ago. Now teams will just wait and sign him with no compensation to da Bears
you do know this is the 2nd time Iwuh has came in and taken Shaw's job in consecutive seasons right?
its because Iwuh is the better special teams player and actually has the ability to play LB a little...
this is not something to get worked over and def wont be the reason the bears win or not...
put your shirts back on meatballs
Another poor decision Angelo/Lovie. I'd keep a player with Shaw's heart and drive over a top athlete with no desire/drive.
Why arent the bears trying to acquire TJ houshmenzadah? The seahwaks will release him or trade him bears need a legit receiver
Moves like this will soon sound taps for Angelo and Lovie.
Typical stupid move, falling in love with potential...Will alwyas be Angelo and Lovie's downfall...Shaw is a known great special teamer....bad move
It does seem a bit ironic, that a team like the Bears, who truthfully could be dreadful, can't find a spot on their roster for a player, who was basically their special teams best player the previous season. You'd think a team, which didn't need that sort of player, would be so loaded with talent, that they'd most likely be competing for the Super Bowl, instead of being a team which will have to battle hard to not finish last in their division.