David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune objects to the release of offensive guard Matt Slauson. The Bears were apparently trying to upgrade their athleticism at the position:
“During his victory lap Saturday after the NFL draft, Bears general manager Ryan Pace reveled in revealing how coach John Fox urged him to find tough, ‘throwback players.”
“One day later, Pace cut starting guard Matt Slauson, the guy teammates considered the toughest player in the locker room, a veteran who could not have epitomized a throwback player any more without wearing a leather helmet.
“That message confuse anyone else?”
“Whoever starts at left guard, rest assured the Bears will tout his athleticism and ability to block downfield ‘in space.’
“Those are nebulous terms, things you hear thrown out when football people try to sound convincing.”
Haugh describes the process of determining which player will stay as if it’s considerably more one dimensional than it obviously is. Toughness is one trait. But there’s a lot that goes into it.
I don’t know what Haugh is implying. If it wasn’t Slauson’s athleticism, for what reason is he proposing that the Bears released the player? Was there some conspiracy against him?
I understand that Slauson, the recipient of the 2015 Good Guy Award presented by the Chicago chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America, was popular amongst members of the media. But enough is enough. These things happen in football and no one knows that better than Slauson. Time to let it go.