Category: Dallas Cowboys

Labor Problems Decreasing Interest in the Draft? And Other Points of View

Bears

  • Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune passes on comments Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall made last week in which he calls Bears quarterback Jay Cutler a “clown”. I don’t know what’s at the root of it but I’ve never seen a player so disliked by his peers.
  • Cutler and Kristin Cavallari are engaged according to Perez Hilton.  So at least someone seems to love him.
  • Mike Mulligan at the Chicago Sun-Times notes that, like special teams coordinator Dave Toub, offensive coordinator Mike Martz turned down an offer for a contract extention that didn’t include a significant raise. He makes this point about Martz’s philosophical change mid-season after he let the offensive statistics fall for the good of the team. The Bears started running the ball more behind a subpar offensive line:

“So the maverick coordinator reeled in his flamboyant tendencies and ran the most balanced offense in the league in terms of run and pass plays, keying a five-game winning streak as part of a 7-2 close to the season.

“Apparently subjugation of ego is appreciated during the season, but not rewarded after it.”

  • Biggs says that Bears kicker Robbie Gould has an escalator in his contract for touchbacks on kickoffs. The league moved the kickoff line 5 yards closer to the goal line in an off season rule change meaning Gould likely will have more touchbacks than in the past.
  • Mulligan and I see eye-to-eye on the Bears draft history:

“The Bears, however, aren’t a draft-driven team. Roughly half their starters were selected by other teams. The Bears have garnered their success by making a big trade for quarterback Jay Cutler one year and adding defensive end Julius Peppers in a free-agent deal the next. They still have enough talent to win consistently, but their inability to develop younger players soon — and perhaps for a long time — will be a major problem, especially with the Packers in the NFC North.”

By the way, when Mulligan says “roughly half their starters” that includes the starters at the three most important positions on the field – pass rushing defensive end, left tackle and quarterback.

  • John Mullin at CSNChicago.com makes a good argument against the Bears trading out of the first round.
  • Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times talks about the Bears need at defensive tackle. He quotes director of player personnel Tim Ruskell on the Bears draft philosophy, similar to what they were looking for when Ruskell was with GM Jerry Angelo in Tampa Bay:

“’We were looking at players that weren’t the rest of the league’s No. 1 choice. Rod was always a guy that kind of favored the undersized guy inside — he didn’t have to be 6-4 — whereas some teams say, ‘I need a giant in there.’ So we had a little bit of an advantage.’

“Angelo hasn’t always taken advantage of that advantage. From Jarron Gilbert to Marcus Harrison, Dusty Dvoracek and Michael Haynes, the Bears have struggled in recent years to find productive players at the position.”

“In view of the fact that Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins is already 26, do you think the Bears would consider drafting him? I can’t believe they would use a first-round pick on someone who is five years older than most of the other prospects.

“Mark S.
“Palatine, Illinois

“I’m not sure what the Bears think of Baylor’s Danny Watkins as a player. But when Jerry Angelo was asked about Watkins last week, it didn’t seem like the Bears general manager had a problem with the lineman’s age. Said Angelo: “Players play into their 30s at that position, you could even say into their mid-30s and still play good football. We’ve had a few here and have a few here. I don’t think it’s a red flag. We use the terms red flag and yellow flag. Obviously, red flags are a real concern. A yellow flag, you’d be cautious, but it wouldn’t stop you from taking a guy.” Watkins, by the way, didn’t play football until enrolling in junior college. He played hockey and rugby while growing up in Canada.”

Elsewhere

“It will be interesting to see if teams continue to look at the Draft as a long-term proposition without free agency preceding it. There will be teams where long-term planning is pushed aside to address short-term needs without having had the opportunity to address them in free agency.”

“All I know is that in the last four years there were 17 chosen in the first round, with four sticking as full-time starters. That would be Chris Long of St. Louis, Washington’s Brian Orakpo, Denver’s Robert Ayers and Anthony Spencer of Dallas, though Spencer and Orakpo are outside linebackers in 3-4 defenses.”

  • Wes Bunting at the National Football Post writes about five late risers in the NFL draft. Here is one name he mentions which I have heard connectd to the Bears:

“WR Randall Cobb: Kentucky

Possesses the ability to consistently separate vs. a two-way go from the slot, is a natural plucker of the football and will create after the catch. Could mature into one of the league’s better slot men and now looks like a solid second-round pick.”

  • Todd McShay at ESPN talks about some pre-draft rumors. As usual there’s lots of talk about quarterbacks flying off the board:


“Smart coaches have a plan, and all the early PR on [Cowboys head coach Jason] Garrett praises his leadership and organizational skills. Does he also have a quarterback, his quarterback, picked out? I wonder because Andy Dalton‘s name lies quietly among all the offensive tackles, cornerbacks and defensive ends on Dallas’ visit list. The Cowboys have worked out Dalton and like him.

“If Dalton slides to pick 40, I would not be shocked if the Cowboys draft opened like this:

“1. Patrick Peterson, 2. Andy Dalton
“1. Tyron Smith, 2. Andy Dalton”

“When I didn’t get called that first day, honestly, I was angry,” Avril said. “I walked into the house, my mom was trying to talk to me, trying to calm me down, and that’s the first time I actually got an attitude with my mom and was like, ‘I don’t want to talk to anybody.’ That’s the first time ever and she knew it had to be something serious.”

“After months of preparing for the birth of the new Mannings, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning announced Tuesday he will carefully assess his newborn twins in the coming weeks before he names one of his offspring as the starting child.”

One Final Thought

Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com says that he hasn’t seen the usual spike in traffic at his site because interest in the NFL draft is down:

“Though traffic is still solid, that [usual] bump hasn’t been seen. And it meshes with the sense we’ve obtained from others in the business that people simply aren’t as interested in a draft that occurs under a cloud of uncertainty as to whether there will even be a season.”

I have also noted this lack of interest locally in Chicago but have chalked it up to the fact that the Bears are picking so late in the first round.  Nevertheless, people in bars and on mailing lists that I can usually count on for good NFL talk have been unusually silent this year.  I couldn’t even get enough people together to run a decent mock draft.

I have to wonder if Florio doesn’t have a point.  The NFL labor problems may already hurting the sport.

Saying It All About the Draft and Other Points of View

Bears

BEARS: There are several good offensive tackles in this draft, and the Bears should be able to get one with the 29th pick. USC’s Tyron Smith will be long gone, but Mississippi State’s Derek Sherrod or Colorado‘s Nate Solder might be on the board. The Bears also could use a defensive tackle — maybe Baylor’s Phil Taylor or North Carolina‘s Marvin Austin — to fill the Tommie Harris void.

I’m astounded at the number of people who seem to think Phil Taylor is a viable fit for the Bear defense. He’s a nose tackle and though I’ve heard he can play the three-technique, I just don’t see it. Could be wrong.

  • Here are the five names Rob Rang at CBSSports.com has on the Bears draft board:

–CB Brandon Harris, Miami (Fla.)
–CB-FS Aaron Williams, Texas
–OT Nate Solder, Colorado
–OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
–OL Danny Watkins, Baylor

Elsewhere

There’s a team in the draft that has a deal on the table — I’m guessing New England (surprise!) — with a team trying to come back into the first round. The deal will net the team dealing the first-rounder the following: a second-round pick in 2011 and a first-round pick in 2012. The deal, I hear, is contingent on the player the trade-up team wants still being there. Could it be Tennessee trading into the bottom of the first round, at 28, to get Jake Locker or Andy Dalton? Stay tuned.

  • Farmer continues with the Vikings needs:

VIKINGS: They need a quarterback and likely have to trade up from No. 12 if they want Auburn’s Cam Newton or Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert. However, there’s a good chance Washington’s Jake Locker, TCU’s Andy Dalton and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett will be around. Locker is enticing at that spot. Cornerback is a glaring area of need, too, as is defensive tackle, where the Williams Wall once stood.

I think the chances are better than “good” that those quarterbacks will be around when the Vikings pick. Locker would be a reach – which is not to say the Vikings still wouldn’t do it. But I would hardly call him “enticing” that early.

  • Speaking of Locker, Greg Gabriel at the National Football Post breaks him down and he’s not pulling any punches:

“At the Senior Bowl practices, it was more of the same. He flashed but overall he was indecisive with his reads. He just didn’t trust what he was seeing and would be late getting the ball out of his hand. This caused accuracy problems and also gave defenders time to make plays. Overall, Locker is going to need a lot of time and good coaching. Because of his football character, I would never want to bet against him but he is a long ways away from being a starting NFL quarterback. He will do whatever it takes to improve, but I’m not sure his lack of natural instincts will ever be able to be overcome. Needless to say I would never draft him in the first round. Because of his intangibles I might want to take a chance in the third if I really had a need at the position.”

  • Bill Parcells tells ESPN a little bit about the week of preparation leading to the draft as he previews his draft special tomorrow night:

  • ESPN also does one of its “Sports Science” features on Florida’s Mike Pouncey:

“And this is supposed to surprise me how?”

Marshall was stabbed by his wife Friday.

One Final Thought

Also from King:

“Finally, this Tweet from our friend Greg Cosell of NFL Films, after examining all the quarterbacks in the draft: ‘Very anxious to see where QBs go. A bad draft but many teams need one. Could be lot of reaches. Not a top 20 QB in draft. It’s about hope.’ That just about says it all.

Only the Players Get Younger. And Other Points of View

Bears

“As much as the critics will argue they need an offensive lineman I’m not sure that’s something that’s at the top of their list,” the former executive for the Redskins and Texans said Wednesday. “You might see a good defensive player fall to them, whether it’s a guy like [Purdue defensive end Ryan} Kerrigan as an outside pass rusher, maybe somebody along those lines.”

  • Jeff Dickerson at ESPNChicago.com gives the Bears Derek Sherrod in his mock draft.  He’s got them passing on Akeem Ayers, who’s probably a better player and who might fill a hole at strong-side linebacker.  But that’s not a value position.
  • Mel Kiper and Todd McShay at ESPN talk Bears draft:

Elsewhere

“There is no way to sugar coat a team that went on to fire its coaching staff and to release many of its best defensive players and just start over – including making no effort to retain Ryan. But after breaking down a few of their finer efforts, I have come to the conclusion that Ryan’s creativity and motivational skills are two of his finest traits. And I submit to you that both of those are the two traits that I felt were sorely missing in Dallas the last few years.”

I’d have to quote virtually the entire article to hit upon all of the interesting strategical points here.  Its great reading.

“Q: Is Stephen Jones the only person in the Cowboys organization who has influence over his father?
“Reginald Smith, Dallas

“TAYLOR: He has more influence than anyone else. I think Jason Garrett is high on the list, too. Jason is a smart guy, and I think Jerry truly respects him. That respect is the reason Jason really has a chance to succeed here. The key to winning in Dallas is being able to tell Jerry, ‘No. We don’t need to do it that way.’”

  • The Bengals are on the clock at ESPN:

  • as are the Bills:

  • and Kiper and McShay:

Strong Side:

“Leads the league in blog posts about how he should be the MVP.”

Weak Side:

“Still technically a bust for a first pick.”

One Final Thought

Welcome to the rest of your life, Kevin Seifert, who just realized that players born in 1990 are eligible for the NFL Draft:

“Every generation reaches that point. We’re at the point where babies born during the Bell Biv Devoe period are headed to the NFL. It’s time to pass the Geritol around. Wasn’t it just yesterday that we watched the Jim Harbaugh-led Chicago Bears win the NFC Central, all while dreaming about the Cradle of Love girl? “

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.’”

 

It’s Good Year to Be Drafting Late in the First Round. And Other Points of View.

Bears

  • Nice to see Jay Cutler back in the public eye.  Most of us would like to see him back in Halas Hall working with offensive coordinator Mike Martz.  He told Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times that the players will start working out on their own if the lockout continues:

“‘Right now, we’re not in a huge rush,’ Cutler said, noting that the emphasis is for players to begin getting in shape. ‘April was still a month that we ran and lifted.

“‘If we’re locked out by May, we’re definitely going to have to make something happen.’”

Jensen goes on to do one of his personal profile specialties by describing the lessons learned in Cutler’s trip to Kenya.

“[Matt] Forte produced rather well behind the same blocking, averaging 4.5 yards per rush. In fact, I am having a difficult time coming up with a running back who had a worse 2010 season than Taylor. He will turn 32 during the 2011 season, and it is conceivable that we have already seen the best that Taylor has to offer and that his signing in Chicago will go down as a massive mistake.

“In a way, Taylor is too much like Forte — but lesser in all regards. Taylor has been at his best when he can thrive on third downs and use his receiving skills. But Forte is the superior route runner and overall weapon in this department, which is of extra importance in Mike Martz’s offensive scheme.”

“’You might have five players you’re comfortable with in the top five, and the other guys are a projection based on potential,’ said an AFC personnel director. ‘But 17-32, it’ll be very strong. You could get a defensive lineman who could start immediately at 25. You could get a left tackle at 27 or 28 who’ll start for you. And those are premium positions. They’re not elite, but there are guys who’ll play and play for you for a long time in those groups.’

“The NFC personnel exec said there are ‘Jordan Grosses, not Jonathan Ogdens’ to be had late in the first round. Good if you’re, say, the Steelers with a need for a tackle at No. 31. Not so good if you have that same need and you’re the Bills at No. 3, though it might mean teams in that position can wait until the second round to get their man.”

  • Chad Reuter at NFLDraftScout.com asks one of the most vital questions about the draft if you are a Bears fan:  How many quarterbacks will be drafted early?  Teams looking to get a QB will a) provide potential trading partners for the Bears at the end of the first round and/or b) gobble up picks in front of the Bears leaving better non-quarterback prospects to fall to them.
  • We welcome back ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert from vacation by citing his look at who was taken in the last seven drafts in the positions that the NFC North teams currently sit in.  I generally agree with his take on the Bears spot at 29:

2010: Cornerback Kyle Wilson (New York Jets)
2009: Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants)
2008: Defensive end Kentwan Balmer (San Francisco 49ers)
2007: Offensive guard Ben Grubbs (Baltimore Ravens)
2006: Center Nick Mangold (New York Jets)
2005: Defensive back Marlin Jackson (Indianapolis Colts)
2004: Wide receiver Michael Jenkins (Atlanta Falcons)

ANALYSIS: The bottom of the first round is a great place to find starting-caliber guards and centers. The top tackles are usually off the board. Fortunately for the Bears, they could use a guard or center just as much as a tackle. While coach Lovie Smith wants to bring back veteran center Olin Kreutz, a free agent, he will have to be replaced some day. And more depth at guard could allow the Bears to move 2008 first-round draft pick Chris Williams back to left tackle.

  • Rafael Vela at the Cowboys Nation blog rates the tackle prospects.  Bear in mind that the Cowboys really need someone for the right side.  J’Marcus Webb is a known quantity on the right and an unknown quantity on the left.  In addition, Chris Williams also probably better at right tackle than than anywhere else.  So the Bears are stacked there and if they draft a tackle, they should probably be looking left or not at all.
  • You can add defensive back Mistral Raymond to the list of prospects which has developed due to rumors of a South Florida-Chicago Bears connection.  He’s got a scary story coming from what sounds like a scary neighborhood.  Via Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune.
  • Mullin, again, this time as he wonders if Da’Quan Bowers could drop into the Bears range.  If he did it would be a mixed bag because it would mean that he got very bad news on his NFL Combine medical re-check.

Elsewhere

“’We talked a lot about that,’ said former Green Bay Packers strength and conditioning guru Dave Redding, who retired in February, fully turning over the reins to associate Mark Lovat. ‘Some guys who don’t have structure are going to have problems.

“’I’m not naming names, but you’re going to have guys who shut it down and don’t do anything. Then when they come back, I think you’ll see an issue in training camp. The bigger linemen will have more problems. You’ll have muscle pulls and more fatigue injuries. You’ll see issues with hamstrings and quads.’”

“10. Offensive and defensive linemen with a wrestlers background get bonus points. That’s the hardest sport on earth because there’s no six minutes in sports that’s tougher. Those with wrestling backgrounds (I wrestled in high school) know how important leverage and hand placement is, and so do position coaches. So if you’re a former state wrestling champion you get brownie points.”

  • Dave Birkett at the Detroit Free Press addresses an interesting and on going debate amongst NFL experts and fans about whether the Detroit Lions need an offensive tackle.  Few draft gurus have offensive line ranked higher than third on their list of needs and even then its usually to call for an interior lineman.  Birkett quotes Pro Football Weekly’s Nolan Nawrocki:

“I think they’ve had a glaring need at left tackle for a number of years, but they feel comfortable with Jeff Backus there, and they’re going to have to live with an injured quarterback if they continue to believe he’s going to be able to hold that left tackle position for them.”

  • As are the Dallas Cowboys:

  • I guess baseball fans at the ball park have to take their entertainment wherever they can get it. From the Sports Pickle:

One Final Thought

In the “ask a stupid question…” department , we have this Tweet from a UConn fan on the day of their NCAA tournament game (again via the Sports Pickle):

Vick Huskies.jpg

 

Hypocritical Madden Game Causing Head Injuries. And Other Points of View.

Bears

“How much change does Toub expect on Sundays in the fall? He says half the kickoffs in the NFL could be touchbacks.

“’We’ve invested in a lot of money in Devin (Hester) and our return game and players and they’ve basically devalued that for us,’ Toub said. ‘I don’t think there is any question. You’re hurting the teams that are good in the return game and you are rewarding teams that aren’t very good in kickoff coverage. With just the rule change, they got better on kickoff coverage. To me, it’s not real fair. That’s the way it is. We’ll play it out.’”

“If Corey Liuget and Marvin Austin are there when Chicago picks in the first round, which one do you go with and why? Shaun, Anchorage, Ak.

“I would go with Liuget in a second, and that probably explains why Liuget won’t be available when the Bears are picking. Liuget is a much safer pick, and he’s more talented. Austin could develop into a fine pro. He has the talent to be even better than Liuget. But picking him high is risky because he has been inconsistent on and off the field. Teams have more concerns about his personality and coachability than his athleticism, and the fact that he hasn’t played in a year is troubling.”

“Dan, why are we not hearing more about Drake Nevis, the DT from Louisiana State?”
“—Tony, Arlington Heights”

“Nevis would be a good fit in the Bears’ scheme. The only hesitation with him is he is a little smaller than ideal. Some teams fear he will wear down against bigger competition, and might be best suited as a wave player who takes maybe 40 snaps a game. He also had only one season of top production. For those reasons, Nevis is not considered as desirable a prospect as Liuget and some of the other top tackles.”

“I was just young and immature. But at the end of the day, I learned the valuable life lessons that attitude will take you everywhere you want to go in life, and to be prepared when your number is called.”

“Last season, Bennett caught five or more passes in a game only twice. But though he lacks a lot of home run potential, the Bears should target him more often. It goes against [offensive coordinator Mike] Martz’s nature, but a controlled passing game featuring Bennett, [tight end Greg] Olsen and running back Matt Forte with some deep shots downfield could be a winning formula, considering how strong the Bears’ defense and special teams are.”

“It’s difficult [for them].  You don’t know what to do, nobody’s telling you what to do so you’re kind of out on your own, and you feel like you’re alone in this situation but I always give my phone number to everyone to call me if they want to. Other guys in their respective positions [do the same], so if the wide receivers are feeling some type of way, they can call Rashied [Davis], or defensive linemen they can call myself.”

  • Finally, Smith talks offseason with Chicago reporters in this video.  From Vaughn McClure at the Tribune:

Elsewhere

  • The Detroit Lions are on the clock at ESPN:

  • So are the Minnesota Vikings:

  • Speaking of Minnesota, democracy is apparently dead there.  Along with the populace.
  • Joe Reedy at the Cincinnati Enquirer wonders if the Bengals will end up taking Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert in the draft.  In the process he states that the first two picks in the draft are “nearly set”.  That’s news to me.
  • Bob Sturm at the Dallas Morning News documents the fall of cornerback Terence Newman in 2010.  Newman’s play will be a critical factor in determining the their degree of success in 2011.
  • The Cowboys apparently handle their visits with players a bit differently than most teams.  As far as I can tell, most teams seem handle therse visits one or two players at a time.  However, David Moore, also at the Dallas Morning News reports that the Cowboys had 16 players in at once including potential first or second round picks Tyron Smith, J.J. Watt, Nick Solder, Aaron Williams, and Rahim Moore.
  • Rafael Vela at the Cowboys Nation blog takes a fascinating look at how the Cowboys approached drafting offensive tackles last year.
  • Ryan Grant’s car service is obviously run by a Bears fan.  Via Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • Todd McShay at ESPN is releasing a new mock draft.  Here are picks 1-10:


“Myth Buster

“LeGarrette Blount is a budding star

“Character wasn’t the only reason Blount went undrafted. And there’s a reason the Titans cut him after training camp.  Blount has little speed and struggles to change directions. That’s fine for a power runner. But Blount’s not a power runner. He’s just a runner who happens to weigh 250 pounds. To his credit, Blount broke a lot of tackles in 2010 (it was amazing the way defenders would slowly trickle off of him). But far too often he left yards on the field by bracing for contact or not pressing his holes. And he couldn’t be counted on in the passing game or short-yardage situations. It will be difficult for Blount to carve out a long-term niche in the N.F.L.”

One Final Thought

With the news that Madden Football video game will include removing players with concussions as part of the game, we have this disturbing report from The Onion on the effect of Madden upon the real players:

“Examining MRIs and PET scans of Madden football veterans, scientists discovered severely damaged neural pathways in parts of the brain associated with motivation and attention, malformations that might explain the common inability among players to perform such basic tasks as maintaining hygiene and preparing meals for themselves.”

When will E.A Sports realize that players safety must come first?

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:

Many Prospects Connected to Bears “Overrated” and Other Points of View

Bears

“Wilson competes with Nevada outside linebacker Dontay Moch as this year’s most impressive workout warrior linebacker. Wilson struggles locating the football, making him significantly slower on the field than the 6-4, 250-pounder timed at the combine (4.46-second electronic time). This is particularly troublesome for Wilson considering he’s played linebacker for three seasons with the Illini, as opposed to Moch, who starred as a defensive end. Wilson might measure like a first-rounder, but his tape says he’s closer to a third-round pick.”

Amongst the other potential Bears picks that Rang thinks are overrated are Titus Young, Nate Solder and Mike Pouncey.  Not good.  Amongst the potential underrated players, Rang has Ricki Stanzi as being undervalued.  The Bears probably are looking for a developmental quarterback but Stanzi may go higher in the middle rounds than they’d like.

  • The Bears are not known to take chances on players with character issues but former NFL safety Matt Bowen at the National Football Postthinks that if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith fell into the late first round, he might be hard to pass up.
  • On a related note, the experts at NFP take a look at the Bears draft room in a couple videos here.  For those who aren’t familiar with the staff at the Post, former Bears director of college scouting Greg Gabriel and Bowen, a former safety (and a Chicagoan) who played previously under head coach Love Smith with the Rams are on this panel.  Let’s just say they know the Bears pretty well.  This video is well worth watching.  Its a shame they won’t allow it to be embedded here.
  • Gabriel also breaks down offensive tackles Solder and Tyron Smith.  Some mock drafts have Solder falling to the Bears.  Gabriel has this interesting comment about him:

“Because of his narrow frame, you have to question whether or not he will get much stronger in the lower body. Over the years I have seen players like this make weight room gains but not functional strength gains.”

Elsewhere

  • Andy Benoit at The New York Times does another one of his “What the Film Revealed” studies, this time of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Here’s an interesting take:

“Myth Buster

“3-4 defensive ends are just run anchors

“For most teams, this is true. But for the Steelers, the defensive end position is where favorable defensive mismatches in the run game are created. Brett Keisel’s agility, more than his power, makes him a force. (This is also true for Aaron Smith…when he’s healthy.) Keisel creates congestion along the line of scrimmage primarily through lateral movement and penetration. Having this kind of mobility at defensive end gives [defensive coordinator Dick] LeBeau more variations in his scheme.”

“Joe Flacco, the prototype quarterback,  continued his growth, but he still wasn’t consistent between the numbers. Far too much of the passing game took place underneath and outside, where the reads tend to be simpler… The running game sputtered a bit compared with 2009, largely because the offensive line occasionally struggled to generate raw power. Michael Oher, moving to the left side, was disconcertingly average, at least given the hype around him. At this point, saying Oher is a budding star is akin to  nominating a folksy but cliché-ridden feel-good family sports movie for Best Picture simply to appease the mainstream audience.”

One Final Thought

Mike Freeman at CBSSports.com interviews former NFL quarterback Warren Moon who believes ciriticism of Newton is “racially biased” and that he is “extremely angry” about it.  Which makes me extremely angry.  Fortunately Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com does a good job of debunking this nonsense so I don’t have to.

Five Apps Every Sports Fan Needs and Other Points of View

Bears

“Asked if [Jay] Cutler would still be a Bronco if he were in charge at the time, Elway said, ‘There’s a good possibility, yeah.

“’I would say that. But I don’t know. I wasn’t in the middle of that. I didn’t know Jay real well.

“’But I would have done everything I can, especially when you have a talent like you have in Jay. Those guys don’t come around very often.’”

  • ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert answers your questions: including this one about whether the Bears need for a receiver:

“melliott74 writes: I remember a few years ago the Steelers were looking for a bigger receiver, and they drafted a ‘steal’ in the 2nd round named Limas Sweed. You’re welcome to take him.

“Kevin Seifert: Well, to be fair, Sweed’s career has been derailed for reasons other than being a big receiver who didn’t play that way. Most notably, he ruptured an Achilles tendon last spring.

But I understand what you’re saying. As they prepare for the draft and free agency, I don’t think the Bears should over-prioritize height for receivers. All I’m saying is that coach Lovie Smith is right to note that he doesn’t have a big receiving threat.

Tight end Greg Olsen could fill that role sometimes, but it’s not the same as having a speed-based threat who can ‘go up and get it.'”

Elsewhere

“Scouts say as many as nine outside linebackers are getting no worse than third-round grades from most teams, which is astounding.”

“I would say that one thing you definitely miss is that team camaraderie.  There’s a few guys that come out here daily, so we get a little bit of it. But it’s not the same as a traditional offseason, where it’s 50 guys out there and you’re all working towards one purpose. For the most part, though, we’ve been pushing each other very well.”

“The Jerry 2.0 years started with seemingly effectiveness, as he has retained many of the player templates installed in the [Bill] Parcells years.  Every player from Dallas ’08 draft remains in the league and the one player Dallas cut, 6th rounder Erik Walden, just earned a Super Bowl ring with the Packers.

“That said, the high-round gambling which dogged Jerry 1.0 [between Jimmy Johnson and Parcells] appears to be creeping back into the Cowboys drafts.  Martellus Bennett is a physically imposing, but equally immature tight end, a fact the ’08 Hard Knocks made plain.  Bennett continues to progress slowly, but thus far represents a poor return for a 2nd round pick.”

  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the clock at ESPN:

  • Of interest to Bears fans is this entry in the Whispers feature at Pro Football Weekly:

“Not many people expect the Patriots to keep both their first-round picks (Nos. 17 and 28). The Pats also start the second round with the 33rd overall selection. The 28th appears to be the one for sale, and a report surfaced from the owners meeting in New Orleans that the Chargers could be a suitor. The Patriots have more holes to fill than you would think for a team coming off a 14-2 record, with a young defense and an aging offensive line. However, that shouldn’t end the Draft Day tradition of Bill Belichick making a deal and trading an early pick for a future pick.”

The Bears have the 29th pick, the one immediately after the relevant Patriots spot.

One Final Thought

This time of year the news in the press (and subsequently much of what you find referenced in this blog) is dominated by what people say about the draft.  So these statements by Bears director of college scouting Greg Gabriel in the National Football Post have particular relevance, especially to the teams fans:

“I used to tell people in the last few weeks leading up to the draft that the first thing I have to do when the draft is over is go to confession and beg for forgiveness for all the lies I told the previous two months.”

“While I was with the Bears, I would change things every year so the media could not be certain as to why we were doing things. One year I may bring in for visits many of the players we were interested in and the next year not bring in any and then the next year only guys we may want as potential free agents. Of course then there were some years when you would bring in the big “smoke screen” candidate only to let other clubs “think” we were interested in that player. I felt you could never have a pattern on how you did business; you have to change from year to year especially when dealing with the draft. If I was ever asked about a certain player’s injury, I would always say that it was a concern even if it wasn’t. If that answer would throw off what a few clubs thought we may want to do then it was the right answer.

“The bottom line is the only things that you can really believe is what you know to be true.”