Arkush: Nothing Surprising About Angelo's Dismissal
(WSCR) On the heels of an 8-8 season that saw the Bears drop five-straight games, general manager Jerry Angelo has been fired.
The move, however, didn't come as a shock to one NFL expert.
"I don't really think there is anything that surprising about it," Hub Arkush told The McNeil and Spiegel Show. "It's not hard to evaluate drafts. Everybody is in a big hurry to evaluate a draft the day they make the picks -- I've always said you gotta wait two years. We've got an 11-year history here. We know what's going on, and I think there was a very clear picture painted for George (McCaskey)."
Drafting has long been Angelo's Achilles's heel. He's often missed with first- and second-round picks, drafting only one offensive Pro Bowl player in his 11-year tenure with the Bears.
LISTEN: Hub Arkush on The McNeil and Spiegel Show
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As far as replacements go, don't expect the Bears to promote assistant general manager Tim Ruskell.
"Tim Ruskell has to go, too. When you talk about evaluations or opinions from people around the league, Tim Ruskell makes Jerry Angelo look like Vince Lombardi," Arkush said. "He was brought here because he's one of Jerry Angelo's best friends. To me, it would be absolutely stunning if he survived it.
"The real questions is where is (Bears president) Ted Phillips going to land? I don't believe this is a Ted Phillips move. This is clearly a George McCaskey move."
Though the future looks grim for the Bears, Arkush thinks that, given the right circumstances, the Bears could compete for the playoffs next year -- but that opportunity is fleeting fast.
"Maybe this window stays up for one more year," Arkush said. "I think if the right guy comes in and makes the right moves, this team could be a playoff team next year. ... After that, all bets are off because there's just no young talent here that you're developing."
