Bears sign Pisa!

[Smokey Joe]

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2009/05/bears_agree_to_terms_with_pisa.html

Somewhat big news as he was probably the best, or at least on of the best, FA available. Looks like he will be the starting SAM.

Talk about an extremely fast LB corp: Pisa-Lach-Briggs

Looks like Hunter Hillenmeyer needs a hell of an offseason to remain on the team as the backup SAM and MIKE.

[AntoinCD]

Actually think thats a great pickup. I knew the Pats had him for a visit and it was kinda meh for me a the time but for the Bears I think he is going to a place that will really suit him. If the Bears D-line plays well that LB corp could be scary

[SuperMcGee]

Dammit.

Hooray for Keith Ellison :(

[Da-Phins]

Good move by both sides. They both are familiar with each other and Pisa played well under Lovie's defense.

[CashmoneyDrew]

You guys aren't going to cut Hillenmeyer. That would end your monopoly of Vandy players.

[nfrillman]

Pisa is a decent enough player, but don't get overly excited about him. I would say he is an average starting LB at best. He is undersized, gets hurt, and is pushed backwards more often than pushing forward. All that being said though, he isn't going to be a glaring hole in the defense. Simply put, he's average.

[the decider13]

You guys aren't going to cut Hillenmeyer. That would end your monopoly of Vandy players.

Jay will not allow that

[BlindSite]

They plan on starting him at the SAM? Not the best idea i've ever heard.

[dabears10]

They plan on starting him at the SAM? Not the best idea i've ever heard.

You're Right he should start over Lance Briggs. Maybe he should move to MIKE and play over Urlacher.

SAM is a decent place for him. In the Zone scheme he will work well in space and can find gaps. He can fill the position well when he will be next to 2 Pro-Bowl LBs.

[ChiefLee]

Not much left in FA. I think he's a fairly solid LB and Bears had defensive issues last year.

[Gay Ork Wang]

well Derrick Brooks, Marvin Harrison and Jon Jansen are still left

[Sniper]

well Derrick Brooks, Marvin Harrison and Jon Jansen are still left

Jon Jansen signed with the Lions.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4215277

[Smokey Joe]

They plan on starting him at the SAM? Not the best idea i've ever heard.
Really, in the cover 2, all three spots are extremely similar. Our SAM doesn't need to be a big run stuffer and get to the QB like they do for the Giants or Eagles. They need to be able to cover a lot of ground and cover a TE or FB. Pisa fits that role perfectly.

[GB12]

He's not that big of an upgrade over Hillenmeyer.

[Smokey Joe]

He's not that big of an upgrade over Hillenmeyer.
With the way HH played the previous two years, yeah he is.

I've always been a big fan of HH, but he's really slowed down over the past couple years.

[BeerBaron]

When I think of HH, I remember to that TD in the Bucs game last year where Jeremy Stevens split out wide and HH went out to cover him 1 on 1......

I was just like "NOOOOOOOOO CALL TIME OUT CALL TIME OUT!!!!!" but too late.....ball is snapped, and Stevens owns HH for the TD.

Pretty sure Nick Roach started getting the SAM starts after that.

And also, to those that say bad fit at SAM.....wrong. Like what was mentioned above but apparently ignored, theres not much of a difference between any of our LBing spots, and SAM is the only one open with Urlacher and Briggs filling MIKE and WILL.

Pisa should do well enough covering a TE or RB on 1st and 2nd down and then come off in the nickel package. I also think having him adds to our depth because if something happens to Urlacher or Briggs, he can slide into their spot and we can let one of the younger guys take over at SAM as I think it's a little less of a leap.

[BlindSite]

It's not that I think he should be on the field in any of the other linebacker positions, I just don't really think his coverage skills are good enough. After how bad HH seems to have been I suppose he could be an upgrade though.

[BeerBaron]

It's not that I think he should be on the field in any of the other linebacker positions, I just don't really think his coverage skills are good enough. After how bad HH seems to have been I suppose he could be an upgrade though.

Well if it's his coverage skills that you think will be the problem, then SAM is the best spot for him on the Bears. Like I said, cover a TE or a RB for a down or two then come out when the nickel package goes on.

Definite upgrade over anyone else we could have had there, even better that it's a cheap 1 year deal.

[parrish_lemar24DBSkins]

Didn't Pisa play last year for the Rams at less than 230 pounds??

If he's in the 225 range, I don't see how he plays SSLB.

[BeerBaron]

Didn't Pisa play last year for the Rams at less than 230 pounds??

If he's in the 225 range, I don't see how he plays SSLB.

As has been mentioned multiple times already in this thread alone, the SAM in the Bears scheme differs very little from the other LBing positions and isn't like the SAM that teams like the Giants and Eagles use where it's basically a 3rd DE.

Pisa will fit just fine. Nick Roach held it down for the latter part of last season and he was a whopping 6'1 230.

[BlindSite]

Well if it's his coverage skills that you think will be the problem, then SAM is the best spot for him on the Bears. Like I said, cover a TE or a RB for a down or two then come out when the nickel package goes on.

Definite upgrade over anyone else we could have had there, even better that it's a cheap 1 year deal.

I would've taken Derrick Brooks for a year.

[BeerBaron]

I would've taken Derrick Brooks for a year.

Lovie's got experience with both...I'm assuming he had some say in the matter and preferred Pisa for one reason or another.

[TT Gator]

Pisa has got talent and as stated before will fit well at SAM in the Chicago defence. My worry isen't about whether or not he'll play well(he could easily be in the Top 3 tacklers on the team) but if he can stay healthy.