Category: Miami Dolphins

A New Perspective on the X’s and O’s of Bears Football and Other Points of View

Bears

“The Bears had gone away from holding the local workout day because many agents would not permit their players to actually work out. That left the team in a position where decision makers would then spend a few hours looking at players who were not going to be drafted or targeted as priority free agents. It wasn’t productive. Now, it appears the Bears must see value in holding the workouts again.”

“The Bears don’t have an immediate need at cornerback as they have several young corners with potential in Zack Bowman, D.J. Moore and Joshua Moore. But no team ever has enough and Charles Tillman, the Bears’ best, is 30.”

As I’ve said before, I think the Bear do need a third corner.

“Considering the talent likely to be available at each of these positions, the Bears could have plenty of options staring at them at No. 29. As such, they could be one of the teams at the end of the first round willing to trade back to allow a club desperate to snatch up a quarterback before the expected run on the position begins in the second round. “

No one would be surprised if that run began earlier, well before the Bears picked in the first round.

  • In an earlier post I noted a mock draft where an NFC scout had given the Bear nose tackle Phil Taylor.  I agree with Bob LeGere at the Daily Herald that Taylor is a bad fit for the Bears’ scheme.  But beyond that,  I was surprised that Taylor fell so far.  Now Rang is suggesting that there’s a problem with Taylor’s feet that might be causing teams concern.  That would be interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, nose tackle has become an extremely valuable position in the NFL.  Second, Taylor is the only one anybody thinks deserves a first round grade.  This could be bad news if you are a team that needs one.

Elsewhere

“Jack Britt believes that his son, Titans receiver Kenny Britt, needs to be out of his hometown of Bayonne, New Jersey and back in Nashville.

“‘I’m worried about him all the time,’ Jack Britt told Conor Orr and Matthew Stanmyre of the Newark Star-Ledger in an article that takes a thorough look at Britt’s history of off-field issues.  ‘But my concern is not with Kenny, per se, it’s more with Kenny’s friends, and he knows that.  He has too many friends with too much free time.’

“‘He needs to be around more positive people.’”

“The day I got back, I took my nameplate from my locker — ‘Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl XLV’ — and it’s sitting underneath my mirror in my bathroom. I want to see that every day. It hurts a lot.”

“Don’t get too carried away with all the workouts. This is just what NFL teams do in the months between the Super Bowl and the draft. Keep in mind that they’re doing their homework not only for this year, but for the future. Maybe three years down the road, the Eagles will be in the market for a quarterback, even if it’s only a backup. And maybe the homework they do now will pay off then.”

“’Good running backs are hard to find, but big people are (harder) to find,’ Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. ‘Other people, the good Lord just made more of them.’”

  • The Denver Broncos are on the clock at ESPN:

“Just before Josh Sitton was drafted in the fourth round in 2008, he was in a mullet-tossing contest, in which people hurl the fish across the beach all as an excuse to throw a huge party.

“’Actually I just went and watched. I didn’t have the 20 bucks to enter it,’ said Sitton.”

I doubt its a problem now.

One Final Thought

Bear fans talk about a new and very unique strategy in this can’t be missed video:

Kiper Likes Nate Solder Fit for the Bears and Other Points of View

Bears

  • I hated to re-live this game against the Patriots last year but Bill Belichick does a wonderful job highlighting a hand full of plays against the Bears in this this video.
  • Dan Arkush at Pro Football Weekly looks at the top free agents.  Some possibilities at positions relevant to the Bears (just the names):

Wide receivers: Santana Moss (Redskins) and Mark Clayton (Rams)
Offensive tackles: Matt Light (Patriots) and Jammal Brown (Redskins)
Offensive guards: Robert Gallery (Raiders) and Alan Faneca (Cardinals)
Linebacker: Barrett Ruud (Buccaneers), Ben Leber (Vikings) and Matt Roth (Browns)

“Do you think that having free agency after the draft could become common practice? Do some general managers prefer it that way?
“Monk_316 on Twitter

“I know that Bears general manager Jerry Angelo prefers to have the draft before free agency and I’m going to guess that many of his counterparts feel the same way. In that scenario, teams can draft the best players available regardless of position and then fill needs in free agency. But I don’t think the players would ever agree to push free agency back after the draft. I imagine that they would want teams to fill needs in free agency before restocking with incoming rookies.”

I would have guessed that the Bears would have preferred to fill their needs before the draft, not afterwards.  Apparently not.  I guess in retrospect Mayer’s answer does make sense.

“It’s a trap to examine the Bears’ roster and determine they must select an offensive tackle and a defensive tackle with their first two picks in the NFL draft because that’s where their most glaring holes are.

“A better plan, depending on how the draft falls, might be to ignore those positions for the time being. The best way to fill holes isn’t through the draft — it’s through free agency. Veterans are easier to evaluate and ready to play; rookies can be mysteries.”

“TCU OL Marcus Cannon has in fact been taking a number of visits throughout the postseason and I’m hearing he’s drawing a lot of interest from a number of teams in the NFC North.”

“‘We’ve had (Smith) at the bottom of the first all along,’ said an NFL executive. ‘The media has pushed him up. No one questions the traits. But there is a miss factor. Remember everyone was surprised when Winston Justice slid. We had him (graded) in the fourth round. The medical could push (Smith) out of the first, no question. I would love for him to go in the top 10, but I’d be shocked if he came close.'”

  • Former NFL scout Brian Broaddus does his mock draft for ESPNDallas.com.  He has the Bears taking offensive tackle Derek Sherrod.  This is the upteenth recent mock draft that I’ve come across that plays out with the Bears taking Sherrod.

Elsewhere

“This wasn’t the blitzing unit you’d expect.  Rex Ryan often kept things simple and relied on outstanding press coverage from his corners and read-and-react proficiency from his safeties and linebackers. The statistics say this more docile approach worked, but the film showed that this D didn’t generate enough game-changing plays (turnovers, sacks and big hits). Big plays can be hard to come by when you don’t have a dominant pass rusher.”

  • Benoit also addresses the Dolphins.  He makes the case against a pick that many mock drafts have the Dolphins making:

“Myth Buster

“The Dolphins need Mark Ingram

“The free-agent running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams can both still play, but age and circumstance make them unworthy of long-term contracts. It’s logical for the Dolphins to go in a new direction, though that direction must include a commitment to increased speed. Ingram is a high volume, between-the-tackles runner. At best, he’d give Miami a slightly better version of what they had last season. Relying on only a grinding run game is fine…if you’re striving for 8-8. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll needs a speedy playmaker who can create matchup problems and formation variation. If the Dolphins do draft Ingram, they’d better find a burner to complement him.”

“In response to this story, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is saying the supplemental draft is not in his future. And staying in school probably is a smart move. He may be a great college player, but scouts I’ve spoken with say Pryor would likely go in the fourth or fifth round of the supplemental draft. They see him as a player who is not an NFL style quarterback, an inaccurate passer and a player who struggles making decisions.”

“Postponing the Super Bowl a couple of weeks is a terribly unappetizing idea, unless of course you are hoping like to see tulip buds outside of Lucas Oil Stadium on your way to the big game.”

Who doesn’t like tulip buds?

“The research and development arm of a company is usually the lifeblood of that company. If Apple, DuPont, Dow, 3M, Amgen and Pfizer don’t spend adequately on the development of new products, technology and drugs, their competitors will eat them alive.”

“…it’s increasingly obvious that teams not in need of a quarterback are trying to create a feeding frenzy, with the Patriots kicking tires on Jake Locker and the Colts supposedly looking at possible long-term replacements for Peyton Manning and the Saints bringing in Andy Dalton, who has generated an uncanny amount of interest in recent weeks.

“Put simply, the teams that don’t need quarterbacks want the teams that need quarterbacks to take them early, pushing down the board the players that the teams that don’t need quarterbacks want.”

“CN:  I want to ask about Stefan Wisniewski, because I’ve seen him all over.  Some mocks push him into the 3rd, and there’s one big list that doesn’t even rate him in the top 100.

“WB:  I’ve heard from most scouts that he’s the 1st or 2nd interior lineman on most teams’ boards, either before or after Mike Pouncey.  There may be a shot that he falls into the early 3rd, because he’s not the most sexy of players, but if he’s the number two, I can’t really see him falling into the 3rd if Pouncey is going somewhere in the 15-20 range.“

One Final Thought

Kiper is starting to think Nate Solder to the Bears might be a good fit.

Illinois Governor Has Not Paid Off on Bet and Other Points of View

Bears

“It obviously depends on how far they trade down and how motivated their trading partner is to move up. But in speculating about what type of compensation the Bears would get in exchange for the 29th pick, we can look back at what occurred in last year’s draft when two picks in the same vicinity were dealt. The Ravens traded the 25th pick to the Broncos in exchange for selections in the second (43rd overall), third (70) and fourth (114) rounds. The Vikings traded the 30th pick along with a fourth-rounder (128) to the Lions in exchange for choices in the second (34), fourth (100) and seventh (214) rounds.”

UCLA safety Rahim Moore is getting a lot of attention from a number of NFC teams. I’m hearing both the Cowboys and Bears have a lot of interest in the center field standout and he could be an option for both in round two.

Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue DE— I’ve seen him taken by the Bears in at least one mock draft

Christian Ponder, Florida State QB – my gut feeling is that someone is going to trade up to take Ponder.  The Bears are a possible trading partner but will also benefit if someone in front of them trades down, leaving another good non-quarterback to fall.

Mike Pouncey, Florida C/G – there’s almost no way Pouncey falls to the Bears as he continues to rise up boards.

N.F.L. Draft: Torrey Smith, 5th-Ranked Receiver – NYTimes.com

Matt Waldman, writing for the New York Times, is reviewing the top five players by position.  It highly iunlikely the Bears will go wide receiver in the first round but the second is not out of the question.  Here is the profile for Torrey Smith, his fifth ranked receiver.

  • Greg Gabriel at the National Football Post breaks down Iowa quarterback Ricki Stanzi.  The Bears will probably draft a developmental quarterback and if Stanzi falls far enough, he’s a distinct possibility.

Elsewhere

“It’s a different way of thinking about line play.  How much has Dallas embraced it?   If you match this philosophy up with players visiting Valley Ranch this past week, it seems the Cowboys are rather warm to the approach.”

I also have agreed with this assessment.

  • Because of the success of Ndamukong Suh and to a lesser extent Gerald McCoy from last year’s draft, many assume defensive line is a good direction to go in at the top of the draft.  Not necessarily so says Joe Reedy at the Cincinnati Enquirer:

“Of the [last] 15 defensive linemen who have gone in the top six overall, only five have made at least one Pro Bowl. Of the seven defensive ends, the last four are disappointments headlined by Vernon Gholston, who can be called a bust after three underwhelming seasons with the Jets.”

“Complicating matters this year is the fact that without a CBA agreement teams won’t be allowed to sign undrafted free agents right away.”

“I’ve been told that means if a team needs to fill a position – like fullback, safety or nose tackle with a youngster to develop – they will have to draft him in the later rounds, using one of their sixth or seventh-round picks.

“I’ve been warned this could alter the approach of the late round selection, preventing teams from drafting the best available player (no matter what’s already on their roster) because they are addressing needs in this new, unchartered era of the NFL.”

“A mini-trend this year, according to several front office men, is that teams are not giving prospects a particular grade just because those players are ‘supposed to’ have that grade, as per the rest of the league. It seems that teams are more inclined to go out on a limb with players, even if their thinking is unconventional. The result could be more surprise picks, especially towards the end of the first round.”

  • Matthew Cammarata at the Detroit Free Press thinks the three most likely picks for the Lions at 13 will be cornerback Prince Amukamara and offensive tackles Anthony Castonzo and Tyron Smith.  As I said yesterday, there’s a wide disparity of opinion on whether the Lions actually need a tackle of not and one of the more interesting questions in this draft will be what the Lions will do if Amukamara isn’t there.

You can count Tim Twentyman at the Detroit News as one who thinks offensive tackle in the first round probably shouldn’t be an option:

“By most accounts, this year’s crop of tackles is deep with first-round talent but short on a sure thing.

“Read most of the scouting reports on these tackles and you’ll see the words ‘potential”’ and ‘project.”’ There aren’t any guys that knock my socks off.”

“Some fans don’t want to hear it, but left tackle Jeff Backus is coming off two of the best seasons in his career. Coach Jim Schwartz called last season’s performance Pro-Bowl worthy.”

“Southern Cal OT Tyron Smith is getting a lot of interest from the Cowboys at nine, but I am also hearing they like Missouri DE Aldon Smith a lot and would love to pair him opposite DeMarcus Ware off the edge.

If Smith is there for the Cowboys I’ve got a feeling he is a virtual lock here.  They needs a tackle as Marc Colombo is on his last legs and Smith is the consensus as the best tackle in the draft.

“I know they’ve had a lot of talk about the quarterback situation here in Miami, we’ve had a lot of talk about it in Charlotte too.  It’s all going to boil down to quarterbacks. in this league, the running game is predicated on whether you have a quarterback or not. If you don’t have a quarterback, teams will stack the box and they force you to do what you do best. …

“It’s basically going to boil down to who has the better quarterback, or who’s making the conscious effort to go out and find a quarterback or mold a quarterback they already have into a championship caliber quarterback.”


One Final Thought

Apparently Illinois governor Pat Quinn is on the border of welshing on his bet with Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. From Jim Singl at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Brad Biggs at the National Football Post:

“So, that means Quinn has yet to show up decked out in his best green and gold gear at a Wisconsin food pantry. What gives? Is he weaseling out, Singl asked?

“’No, no, no, absolutely not,’ Quinn’s spokesman Grant Klinzman said. ‘He fully intends to live up to the terms of the bet.’

“That’s nice. Was Quinn planning on settling up anytime soon or does the NFL lockout have him really down in the dumps?

“’He’s a very, very busy guy,’ Klinzman said. ‘I think you guys have been pretty busy, as well.’”

 

A Busy Schedule for First Round Picks in New York and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Wes Bunting keeps us all sane with draft rumors (it all we’ve got right now).  Here’s what he’s got on the Bears:

“The Bears are said to have taken an interest in South Florida defensive tackle Terrell McClain and he could be an option for Chicago on day two of the draft.”

“Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan appears to be making a move and could be picked somewhere in the 20-to-30 range. What’s the reason for the jump? Kerrigan is perceived as safe. He might not have the top end potential some of the pass rushers have, but he isn’t as risky, either.”

  • How Bart Hubbuch at the New York Post comes up with running back as the Bears second biggest need behind offensive line I don’t know.  Its true that Chester Taylor’s production wasn’t great but the Bears aren’t going to throw the money they paid him away after one year.  The competition behind Taylor will be fierce between Kahlil Bell and last year’s supplemental draft pick Harvey Unga.  Though he wasn’t tendered an offer free agent Garrett Wolfe is an excellent special teamer and he may still be in the mix before the post draft dust has settled.

The Bears don’t need another running back.

“Bears TE Greg Olsen did what was asked of him last season — he improved as a blocker, which had always the weakest part of his game — and team observers say he’s a better all-around player heading into 2011. We hear the Bears have interest in extending Olsen’s deal beyond ’11, and Olsen would be receptive to those talks, but the league has told team employees not to discuss current players with agents during the lockout. Getting a deal done this year with Olsen, who will be looking to maximize his value in his prime years, could be difficult.”

“Instead of keeping it, young Cliff Forrest insisted on returning the ring to its rightful owner, which he did Saturday morning after flying to Chicago with his family.

“‘I Googled Mr. Perry and saw that he had a disease and had to sell it because of rough times,’ young Cliff said. ‘He only played in one Super Bowl. I thought he would want it more than I did.’”

Elsewhere

  • Dan Gantt at the Charlotte Observer writes about Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s upcoming visit to Carolina.  Most of this article was nonsense from former NFL quarterback and mentor Warren Moon and others that you can throw away.  But this quote from Brad Franchione stood out as something that had the ring of truth.  Franchione coached Newton at Blinn Junior College after he was thrown out of Florida:

“He was the kind of leader (who) would challenge the competitive nature of these guys.  I’d say that during his year here, there were 25 or 30 practices that happened without coaches, because Cam was pushing his teammates.”

“Warren Moon isn’t the only person who thinks race may be a factor in the way the NFL world is perceiving Cam Newton. A high ranking NFL executive, who is white, came to the same conclusion before Moon made his comments. ‘If Newton were white, he’d be the first pick in the draft,’ he said.”

  • Newton’s character concerns are magnified because he is a quarterback.  But qualitatively they’re nothing compared to the ones about teammate defensive tackle Nick Fairly.  Intangibles are one thing.  Outright questions about football character are another thing all together.  Hubbuch reports:

“There’s no doubting Fairley’s ability, but teams have been so put off by concerns about dirty play on the field and a questionable work ethic off it that some are privately comparing him with notorious head case Albert Haynesworth.”

He didn’t want his girl friend to know he was taking it so he tore the label off.

“If the UFL coaches (Jim Fassel, Jerry Glanville, Denny Green and Marty Schottenheimer, among others), and the NFL coaches had a coach-off, might the UFL win?”

One Final Thought

Mike Tanier at the New York Times goes over the potential itinerary for first round draft picks in New York for the first day of the draft.  For instance, this seminar sounds useful:

“3:45 P.M.

“Tweet Like the Pros Workshop

“Rookies get a crash course in social networking from the N.F.L.’s blandest players. Sample PowerPoint slide: “Good — ‘Rise ’n’ Grind’ and ‘Off 2 da gym.’ Bad — ‘I demand da ball more!’ and anything with standard grammar and syntax.”

But everyones favorite is, of course, the main event:

“8 TO 11 P.M.

“First Round of the Draft

“Smile. The entire blogosphere just branded you a reach.”

That’s me.


A Post for the Quarterback Hater in All of Us. And Other Points of View.

Bears

  • Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if free agent defensive tackle Anthony Adams won’t regret becoming an unrestricted free agent rather than re-signing with the Bears.  It’s a risk but my gut feeling is that Adams will have a home with the Bears in the end if he wants it.
  • Mel Kiper at ESPN takes a look takes a look at what each team might do if realistic options for thier biggest need are gone.  Here’s what he said about the Bears:

“The Bears need to get some help on the offensive line, and I’d almost expect them to take the best available tackle, period. But they do need to add talent on the defensive interior as well, and a guy like [defensive tackle Jurrell] Casey or even [defensive tackle] Drake Nevis shouldn’t be out of the picture here.”

  • The Bears website has been running video highlights of the top 30 prospects in the draft.  The following are of Aaron Williams, Corey Liguet and Nate Solder.  All three have been connected to the Bears s  potential first round picks:

  • Don Banks at SI.com writes about players who took unusual routes to the NFL draft.  Guard Danny Watkins, who many think might eventually be a Bear, has an interesting story:

“Growing up a hockey player in British Columbia, Danny Watkins lived for Hockey Night in Canada and the Vancouver Canucks. The closest he got to football was watching the occasional CFL highlight and playing a little rugby in high school. After graduation, he aspired to a future in fire fighting, spending four years working in that risk-filled field before ever picking up a football.”

“Watkins enrolled in Butte College in Oroville, Calif., in 2007 to attend the school’s fire academy. But football somehow intervened, and after two successful seasons at the junior college, he was recruited by Baylor as a replacement for All-America left tackle and 2009 first-round pick Jason Smith, of the Rams.”

Elsewhere

  • If you hate quarterbacks (and deep inside everyone does just a little bit) you’ll love this article on the four best in this year’s draft by Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports:

“All I will say is that I’m glad I don’t need a quarterback this year,” said an NFC general manager, who went on to say plenty more. That GM was one of three executives who had particularly harsh comments for the quartet of quarterbacks who are expected to go in the first two rounds.

“If you’re telling me I have to bet the future of my team and my job on one of these guys, I would be really nervous,” the NFC GM said. “It’s tough enough to take a quarterback to begin with. But then you put these guys in the equation? No, thanks.”

“Nothing he said is anything I haven’t heard.  To defend Nolan, I’ve heard those things and a lot worse.”

“Character is subject to opinion, and it’s fair to question the motives of someone making a harsh judgment. But ultimately, the entire conversation is relevant to the extent that it impacts Newton’s performance on the field. So let’s go there. What objective measures can we take of Newton’s character and intangible abilities to be a quarterback?”

“I played with plenty of guys during my career that weren’t choirboys. Nothing wrong with that if they show up on tape. That’s reality in the NFL. As I have said before, it is the ‘business of winning,’ and you win at all costs.

“But when it comes to quarterbacks and the NFL draft, character starts to take precedent with the top prospects.”

“You want to draft a QB in the top five, top ten or in late first round? That’s fine, but realize you are telling your team, your veterans and your fan base that this guy (the one with red flags) is the leader of your ball club. And that includes the big paycheck.”

“Not at QB, because a risk that fails becomes a major bust. And it may takes years to recover when you miss on a top prospect at the QB position.”

  • We all strongly suspect that Newton is lying when he denies knowledge of a pay for play request to Mississippi St.  But it appears that LSU’s Patrick Peterson has been out right busted.  Via Dave Miller at the National Football Post.
  • Looks like Clemson quarterback Da’Quan Bowers is in free fall after his recent workout (Via Greg Rosenthall at profootballtalk.com)  Bowers had knee surgery in January and with that kind of injury, he might not be the same for a year or more.
  • The Miami Dolphins are on the clock at ESPN:

“You know why it’s in the news? Because they have a really, really poor budget for Minnesota’s future. So they put a letter out in the hope, in the hope, that they can change the story. Can we talk about something else that we’re doing instead of what we’re doing to Minnesota’s future

“If they were serious about a stadium bill, they would have introduced it back in January or February. To wait until the middle of all the budget cut bills is just a political gimmick.”

  • Matt Williamson at Scouts Inc. thinks the Vikings need the Jared Allen of 2000 in 2011.  I’m not sure what happened to Allen last year but there’s little doubt that pressure up front from the defensive line was a big problem.  Allen was a huge part of that.
  • Former Cowboy defensive-line coach and interim head coach Paul Pasqualoni on last season’s team:

“Last year as we started the season with the Cowboys, they had won their first playoff game in quite a while, get into the season, we weren’t winning very many games because I think the decision was made ‘well we’ve come this far, we got this much done, maybe we can kind of pick up where we left off’.

“You can’t do that in this game. The game requires you to start over every single year.”

One Final Thought

And now for that beautiful “one shining moment” for the pure and pristine sport of college football:

Lots of Bear Potential in Prospects at North Carolina Pro Day and Other Points of View

Bears

“After compiling data for 57 mock drafts, [Derek] Sherrod leads [Gabe] Carimi 8-7. Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget and Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo are next with six apiece. Florida guard/center Mike Pouncey, mammoth Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder and Villanova tackle Ben Ijalana each have four votes.”

“Players have always used these facilities for offseason and sometimes in-season extra work. It’s less the case now but players at one time were so unhappy with some of the strength and fitness directives coming from a (now-gone) strength coach that they covertly went to private trainers and facilities while at the same time complying with what the team was requiring. And they were adamant: Keep it a secret.

“That’s changed in recent years with Rusty Jones, the director of physical development, athletic trainer Tim Bream and some very sophisticated technologies for rehab as well as basic programs.”

  • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert provides his take on Smith’s comments regarding Devin Hester during the NFL owners meeting.  Seifert starts by noting the fall in Hester’s offensive numbers:

“That dip in production came even as Hester played on 66 percent of the Bears’ snaps, the second-highest total among the team’s receivers, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Unofficially, the Bears targeted Hester on only 68 of the 646 total plays he was on the field for.

“That’s the pivot point Smith said he hopes to address this offseason. He didn’t put it in so many words, but if I had to read the tea leaves, it would go something like this: More targets, less plays.”

Elsewhere

  • Tom Hauser at KSTP is reporting that the Vikings stadium bill will include “a surcharge on pro football player incomes”.  That should go over well with free agents.
  • Seifert comments upon the “decision-makers” and takes a shot at former Vikings head coach Brad Childress in the process:

“Vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman has run the team’s draft for the past four years, although former coach Brad Childress had considerable influence when it came to quarterbacks. That’s a big part of the reason why the Vikings are all but barren at the most important position in the game, and that’s why it’s been almost a singular focus for Spielman and his staff over the past few months.”

I’m not a big Childress fan but you can bet he had a lot of influence at more than just quarterback.  Percy Harvin comes to mind as a player that Childress gave the definite impression that he pushed hard for.

For the record, I’m not a Spielman fan either but that dates back to his time with the Bears and, to a lesser extent, with the Dolphins.  Its now years later so I’m trying to keep an open mind.

I’m a big believer in Bears general manager Jerry Angelo‘s approach to the draft (just not his execution).  Angelo has said on multiple occasions that you can’t afford to fall in love with one player.  It almost always gets you in trouble.  But having said that, I do wonder if the quarterback position isn’t the exception…

  • The Jaguars are on the clock at ESPN:

  • Omar Kelly at the South Florida Sun Sentinelreviews the top running backs in the draft, including video footage.  The Dolphins figure to have a need there.  Kelly’s also not a fan of quarterback Chad Henne:

And its obvious that he thinks speed will be the theme for the Dolphins this year:

“To me, if the Cowboys do anything with a player who wears a number lower than 50 in the first two rounds, I will think they made a mistake. Their needs are clear. Offensive line and defensive line. Everything else can wait.”

  • They say that men with large video boards are compensating for a small…  something else.  If that’s the case the Dallas Morning News has some bad news for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
  • People love to pick on the Raiders but I’m with them on this one.  Via Ian R. Rapoport at the Boston Herald:

“Given the choice between former Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour or the No. 1 draft pick his team traded to acquire him, Raiders coach Hue Jackson left no doubt: ‘I’m taking Richard Seymour.’”

One Final Thought

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson stars in this clever commercial:

Draft Strategy Around the League and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Pat Kirwan at NFL.com doesn’t think the Bears are going to be filling their needs along the line of scrimmage in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.  He has them picking Texas cornerback Aaron Williams in the first round and Boise State wide receiver Titus Young in the second round.
  • Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune writes a profile of Matthew Smith, who is Bears head coach Lovie Smith‘s son and his agent:

“It’s valid if you disagree with a particular play call, but to say my dad is dumb because he doesn’t do what you do in a situation, that’s what gets my blood boiling.  Nobody gets to my dad’s position being dumb. My dad is very, very smart.”

  • The Tribune‘s Brad Biggs makes the point that the Bears, who have excellent special teams, will be hurt by the new kickoff rules which are being proposed by the Competition Committee.
  • The Bears are lucky in some respects.  Bart Hubbuch at the New York Post thinks its a good year to need a corner in the draft.
  • Bear fans who are still hurting from the Chris Williams fiasco won’t be too happy to hear that Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi has knee problems.  Many mock drafts have the Bears taking Carmi in the first round.  Via Dan Pompei writing for The National Football Post.

Elsewhere

  • Sad news as doctors have discovered that NFL Films president Steve Sabol has a tumor on the left side of his brain.
  • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert answers your questions.  Here’s a really good one:

“Andy of Chicago writes: Much has been made about the Packers’ roster depth. Along with the 53 they had at the end of the season, they could return as many as 15 players from IR and perhaps Johnny Jolly from suspension. Throw in another 8 or 9 draft picks, and those first-year gems that Ted Thompson seems to find outside of the draft before the season (Sam Shields, Frank Zombo, Ryan Grant, etc.) and that’s a lot of bodies in camp. Figuring they’ll probably lose 7 or so players to free agency, do you think Thompson might change his strategy and package picks in the draft to prioritize quality over quantity, i.e., move up on the board?”

Seifert:

“If the Packers think (Texas A&M linebacker Von) Miller is as good as media analysts suggest, would it be worth them to trade multiple picks to get into the top 5 and draft him? The idea would be that any players the Packers take on the second and third days of the draft are going to have a hard time making their roster.

“It makes some sense, but I it would require a significant departure from the way Thompson has built the team in the first place. I think the chances of him staying course — adding more and more talent on annual basis — are much higher than a one-time philosophical shift.”

“I think that guy is going to be a great player.

“You can’t win without one, and trust me, when I lost them, I got fired.”

“I can teach a guy to get up under center.  But I can’t teach a guy to throw. He has a tremendous arm, and I think he’s going to be really effective no matter what he was doing in college.”

“The concept of trading for next year’s picks value wise is pretty good.  Generally speaking, if you can bump up a round, that’s pretty good value.”

“General manager Martin Mayhew has long championed taking the best player — within reason. For instance, the Lions won’t take a quarterback in the first round.

“But if that yields an offensive lineman as most mock drafts suggest, the Lions could be left with the same gaping holes at linebacker and defensive back they finished with last season.”

“A number of coaches throughout the NFL have been turned off by the overall way Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert has handled himself this post-season. They did not like the fact he didn’t workout at the NFL Combine and cited his overall demeanor and body language as turnoffs. The more info I gather on Gabbert the less I feel like he’s being endorsed as a high first round pick. He could end up being the one quarterback to slide a lot further than many think come April.”

  • Well, the Packers didn’t lose defensive coordinator Dom Capers as I’d hoped they would after he did such an excellent job in 2010.  But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a significant shake up in the Green Bay staff.  Pro Football Weekly‘s Dan Arkush reports:

“But team insiders believe [new wide receivers coach Edgar] Bennett, in particular, will have a very tough act to follow in Jimmy Robinson, who left for a position on Jason Garrett‘s staff in Dallas. Robinson, who commanded great respect as a former NFL receiver, is widely considered to be the best WR coach in the business. While Bennett could not be more eager to prove himself in his new role, the consensus seems to be that he definitely will have his work cut out for him.”

  • Can’t imagine Staley doing this.  And I don’t want to:

One Final Thought

Fred Mitchell and David Kaplan at the Tribune quote Bears linebacker Lance Briggs on the departure of defensive tackle Tommie Harris:

“We know the business and we know that one day we all won’t be together.  It was tough to see Alex (Brown) go last year, and now it is tough to see that Tommie is not going to be there in the locker room and sharing laughs. I have been in Chicago ever since Tommie was drafted, and we developed a relationship on and off the field. That’s how football players grow, being able to trust that man next to you to do his job.”

Devin Hester Will Be Using His Time Off Well and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Pete Williams at The Bleacher Report released his latest mock draft.  I found this one of interest not because I think its at all accurate (or even realistic) but because there were some new names on it to consider.  The Bears take a guard off the board in this one but because its one I didn’t expect:  Stefan Wisniewski out of Penn State.  Most drafts have former Baylor lineman Danny Watkins as the first guard going off the board in the first round after Florida’s Mike Pouncey, who might not last until the Bears pick.  In fact, Williams doesn’t even have Watkins in the first round.  He has Jason Pinkston as his next guard going to the Steelers.
  • In what’s probably a more realistic assessment, Dan Pompei, writing for The National Football Post, has the Bears taking defensive tackle Corey Liuget out of Illinois.
  • But Mel Kiper at ESPN thinks that the Bears should go offensive line instead and wait to address the defensive line:

“You can definitely get players in the second round area at the defensive tackle spot that could be a factor for you.  At offensive tackle, not as much.”

  • Despite using pick after pick on the defensive line and despite spending a fortune to sign Julius Peppers to help them, Matt Williamson at Scouts Inc. still deservedly ranks the Bears pass rush last in the division.  There is no more shameful statement I could make about the Bears draft record than that.

“When Jim Harbaugh came to the Bears as a rookie in 1987, he wasn’t good enough to step in at quarterback and improve the team. But he still made the team better by raising the level of competition on the practice field, in the weight room and in the meeting rooms with his hunger, his intensity and his work ethic.

“What I remember is that the Bears locker room a little less comfortable place to be in with Harbaugh around.

I fully expect he’ll have the same effect as a rookie head coach in 2011 for the 49ers.”

  • I thought this was a nice profile of George Halas from ESPN.  It obviously not recent but its interesting:


Elsewhere

“The combine medical re-check will be big for Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Front office men I’ve talked with have serious concerns about his knee.”

There’s also a reminder that teams won’t be able to sign undrafted free agents in there as well.

“Rookies take more effort and time to groom, and by teaching rookies at the same rate you’ll invest less over the course of time, and possibly receive a greater upside. It almost guarantees that someone will elevate themselves, somehow. And sometimes you get lucky and both players – think Sean Smith and Vontae Davis – turn out to be studs.

“It’s a genius approach that I think other NFL teams will soon adapt.”

  • I don’t know how I missed this but apparently Luke Driscoll, a St. Louis Rams scout, was arrested during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis for exposing his genitals to a female police officer (via the Huffington Post).  According to Pro Football Weekly Driscoll’s job likely isn’t in any danger.  When describing his attitude toward the job, one insider described him as being “very passionate”.  Perhaps the visible evidence of that had something to do with why she arrested him.

One Final Thought

Bears wide receiver Devin Hester’s first column on raising kids will appear in Chicago Parent Magazine in April. Hester will write about places he takes his son in Chicago.  Via the Associated Press:

“There can be so much negative as far as growing up and being on the streets. When you get a father figure in your life, kids shy away from that stuff, they’re not staying on streets, skipping school.

“This is something real important and a way I can set an example. I have a newborn kid and I have that mentality. Maybe it will affect others positively.”

Angry Birds NFL Style and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times tracks 25 mock drafts to see who they have the Bears picking.  It seems clear that a lineman of some type would be the ideal.  He quotes ESPN‘s Mel Kiper on why the Bears should take an offensive tackle instead of a defensive tackle in the first round:

“You can get defensive players in the second round area at the defensive tackle spot that can be a factor for you.  At offensive tackle, not so much. … It’s just slim pickings. You have a better chance to getting a defensive tackle than an offensive tackle at that point.”

  • Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune documents the (somewhat belated) response of wide receiver Johnny Knox to criticism that former NFL runningback Marshall Faulk leveled at him last month:

“‘I do understand what he was trying to say: There are things I can do a better job of in terms of protecting myself and Jay,’ Knox said. ‘I honestly see what he was talking about.'”

Elsewhere

  • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert goes over how a work stoppage will affect teams in the NFC North in terms of football-related issues.  He thinks it will be disastrous for the Vikings.  They will have no offseason with a new offense, a new quarterback and no NFL monetary commitment towards a new stadium.  This entry is a good read.
  • Darin Gantt at the Charlotte Observer thinks the labor stoppage could actually help Panthers quarterback Matt Moore.  Moore is the most experienced quarterback on the roster and a long lockout could prevent them from upgrading in free agency.  Any drafted quarterback might not be NFL ready.
  • Charlie Sheen responds to the NFL labor stoppage.
  • Seifert wonders if fans will be renewing their season tickets.  Renewing on time basically contributes towards the owner’s lockout fund.
  • Gary Myers at The New York Daily News points out that if franchise tags are not determined to be valid in court, Peyton Manning is set up to become one of the most lucrative free agents in history.
  • Prominent sports agent Gary Wichard died Friday morning.
  • Former Cincinnati Bengals star Cris Collinsworth and 82 others were rescued from a seafood barge eatery on that broke free from gangplanks and floated down a flooded Ohio River.
  • Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather provides further evidence for the adage that nothing good happens when you are out at two o’clock in the morning.
  • On a related note, rumor has it that former Bear and current Patriots safety Brandon McGowan will be a free agent.  Via Pro Football Weekly.
  • Former NFL safety Matt Bowen breaks down the four verticals versus the cover two.  He uses the Bears defense of the Patriots at the end of the first half of their game last season as an example of how not to defend it.  As you can see from the diagram, right corner Charles Tillman fails to re-route the receiver inside at the line of scrimmage.  Free safety Major Wright also bites on an inside pump fake.

  • Bob Sturm at the Dallas Morning News is breaking down big Cowboys special teams plays.  In this entry he also highlights the almost impossible job that special teams coaches all over the league have.  Really good stuff.
  • Omar Kelley at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel explains why the Dolphins are “overpaying” Paul Soliai.  If the 3-4 has done one thing it has made nose tackle the hardest position to find outside of quarterback.  That will show during the draft as teams scramble to find them.
  • Former Colorado tackle Nate Solder had his pro day last week.  Matt Russell, who is Denver’s director of pro scouting and who played for the Buffaloes before being drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL draft took on Solder.  The results weren’t pretty:

One Final Thought

The Sports Pickle has designed an NFL version of Angry Birds.  Here’s a screen shot:

    Ron Rivera Welcomed as a Bear, Will Always be a Bear and Other Points of View

    Bears

    • Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bears won’t use the franchise tag.  Not a big surprise, first because Angelo is known not to like ot use it and second because none of the Bears free agents warrants it.
    • Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune ends his positional analysis with special teams.  He points out that.  the unit’s top six tacklers all will be unrestricted free agents: Corey Graham, Garrett Wolfe, Brian Iwuh, Rashied Davis, Rod Wilson, and Josh Bullocks.
    • Biggs’ bottom line:  “The faces change but the helmet doesn’t and the Bears remain among the best in the NFL on special teams.” When is someone going to wake up and offer special teams coach Dave Toub a head coaching position?
    • Dan Pompei, also at the Tribune, answers your questions.  He continues the wide receiver talk:

    “Do you think we will make a play for free agents Sidney Rice or Vincent Jackson? Also, will the newly signed CFL WR Andy Fantuz make the team and make an impact? — Mike Ockhurtz, Frederick, Md.

    “I don’t believe the Bears will go for a free-agent wide receiver with a big price tag. They have other positions that are more pressing. I am very intrigued by Fantuz, but it’s difficult to say how much of an impact he will have until we see him padded up and competing with NFL players. He looked great in Canada, but that’s a different game, and he was playing against inferior competition.

    “What’s with Devin Aromashodu? Why didn’t the coaching staff let him play almost all year? Is he going to come back? — Mario, Eagle Pass, Texas

    “I think Aromashodu is done with the Bears. He and offensive coordinator Mike Martz clearly were not on the same page. Aromashodu is a gifted player who never has been able to consistently realize his abilities, going back to his college days. His substandard blocking attempts did not endear him to the coaching staff.”

    Yes, I had a feeling that this was the case.  It wasn’t just the blocking.  I don’t think Aromashodu liked contact much and Martz obviously felt he would be a liability when asked to go over the middle, something he was bound to be required to do.

    “Any rumors how the Bears will respond to Caleb Hanie‘s RFA status? I imagine his agent’s phone has started ringing already. I don’t envision him being a career backup. — Mike, Forney, Texas

    “I would expect the Bears to protect themselves with Hanie, assuming they can’t sign him to a contract prior to the start of free agency. But I don’t think they need to be concerned about another team offering him starter’s money. While Hanie has obvious potential, I don’t think he’s had enough opportunity to create that kind of market for himself.”

    I expect that Pompei is completely right here but Hanie is never going to be a Martz favorite.  Its obvious that he prefers a quarterback who will stand in the pocket, make a quick read and throw.  That’s apparently not Hanie’s forte (though in fairness he hasn’t really had a chance to show that).

    “Loads of history. Great players. Great coaches. Fantastic fans. But they have no Super Bowl victories since 1985. That hurts. Even so, this is a storied franchise that will always seem to be near the top of these rankings. Their pre-Super history is loaded with successes.”

    Elsewhere

    “There are smart people still not convinced that Brett Favre, 41, will remain retired and that he could surface next season not with the Vikings but perhaps the Carolina Panthers. Favre’s ego might force him back after his ill-fated finish last season.”

    “We’ll just stay true to our mantra on offense and defense and special teams, and that’s less volume, more creativity.”

    • Mel Kiper at ESPN talks draft.  ESPN seems to have picked up on Cam Newton their “story” for the draft, thus setting some team up for major disappointment.  Accuracy is still the name of the game and I just don’t see it.  The Jake Locker comments are interesting, though.

    “To me, there are two issues with this kid. Issue number one is he came out of a shotgun [formation], and if you watch the tape it’s basically a very simple offense. One read and either the ball was out or he was out. Can he adapt to, can he process and assimilate a very structured and complex pro offense against a complex pro defense? And secondly, and most importantly, when you get to a certain skill level in the NFL, which this kid certainly has, at the quarterback position what kind of kid is he? Is he going to be the first guy in the building? Is he a gym rat? Is he football smart? Is he a leader of men? All of those things to me are way more important than any workout in shorts.”

    One Final Thought

    Tom Sorenson at the Charlotte Observer relates this story about how Walter Payton greeted former Bear and current Carolina head coach Ron Rivera:

    “‘I’m Walter Payton. Welcome to the Bears,’ he said.

    “Payton, 5-10, offered his hand and Rivera took it. Payton began to squeeze. Rivera, who towers above Payton in the picture, squeezed back.

    “‘He wants to see your knees buckle,’ says Rivera. ‘I knew that.’

    “They stood there, squeezing. Rivera’s knee didn’t buckle.

    “They continued to squeeze. Rivera’s knee continued not to buckle.

    “Payton was relentless but Rivera was a linebacker. You think a linebacker’s knee is going to give first?

    “Well, yes. The pressure was such that Rivera’s knee buckled.

    “This meant he officially was a Bear. Like Payton, he would play for no other NFL team.”