Bears Vets Whom Draft Picks May Have Put On The Bubble......
Apr 30, 2018 12:46:55 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2018 12:46:55 GMT -6
Chicago Bears: Veterans in danger following 2018 NFL Draft
by Ryan Heckman3 hours agoFollow @ryanmheckman
dawindycity.com/2018/04/30/chicago-bears-veterans-danger-draft/
Following the 2018 NFL Draft after the Chicago Bears filled several needs, there are already certain players in danger of not making the final roster.
Over the weekend, the Chicago Bears had arguably the best draft haul they have had in quite some time. Ryan Pace filled needs and gave his team at least three day-one impact players, if not more. Of course, all of this is on paper, but with the coaching staff in place, I am confident this will be the case.
It began when former Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith was selected with the no. 8 overall pick. The clear-cut number one linebacker in the entire draft class is obviously who people are most excited about — and they should be. Smith is great in every aspect of the game, with the only downside being his size.
Patrick Willis would have something to say about that.
The Bears not only got a force on defense, but one they can plug in right away on their offensive line as well in James Daniels out of Iowa. Having the ability to play multiple positions up front, and play them well, gave Matt Nagy another versatile big man in the trenches.
Pace went on to make picks at wide receiver, outside linebacker and defensive line while adding more talent via the undrafted free agent market. The competition will heat up in the next couple of months as we approach training camp, but already the writing may be on the wall for a few veterans.
Here are five current Bears who, after looking at this year’s rookie class, may already be in danger of losing out on a roster spot.
Center Hroniss Grasu
Count this as one of the more head-scratching decisions Pace has made in the draft since joining the Bears. While it may have looked good originally, especially noting that Grasu was college roommates with Kyle Long at Oregon, the pick hasn’t panned out.
Also head-scratching was the comment made by Chris Simms when assessing the Daniels pick in the second round over the weekend. I like Simms, but I’m unsure of why he would call Grasu a “pretty good center” when looking at the Bears’ offensive line.
Grasu has been anything but that.
The former Oregon Duck is going to need to show out in a big way over training camp if he’s going to stick on the roster. With Daniels and Whitehair being able to play center, along with Eric Kush being brought back who can also play multiple positions, it doesn’t seem like Grasu’s time with the Bears is going to continue much longer.
Daniels is a day-one starter. Kush is a solid backup. The Bears also want to give Jordan Morgan more time and seem to like Bradley Sowell enough to keep him around. Grasu looks like the odd man out at this point.
Wide Receiver Bennie Fowler
A couple of weeks ago when the Bears signed Bennie Fowler, I tweeted that he would merely be a camp body. Some folks took issue with that. But, here we are, looking at two draft picks spent on receivers and having to dive into some future decisions to be made at the position.
With the additions of second-round pick Anthony Miller and seventh-round selection Javon Wims, you’d have to believe these guys will make it through camp and onto the roster, barring any hiccups between now and then. Typically, players taken in the draft, regardless of position, are given at least a year on the team unless they have a horrendous camp.
So, looking at Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Kevin White, Miller and Wims, you have five receivers who will most likely make the team. Unless White’s health fails him again, he should be on the team. Pace and Nagy have shared a lot of faith in him and want to give him a clean slate.
If the Bears carry five receivers, that’s what you’d be looking at. They will probably carry six, if I had to guess, though. So, for the sixth guy you’re looking at picking out of Fowler, Josh Bellamy, Marlon Brown, Tanner Gentry as well as some other names that include undrafted free agents.
Fowler looks like one of the odd men out before even playing a game with the team, unless he has an outstanding camp.
Cornerback Cre’von LeBlanc
Cre’von LeBlanc is a great story. He made it onto the team after being cut as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots back in 2016. Over his two years with the team, he’s had some good moments. But, with the flurry of re-signings this offseason at the position, I’m wondering if he ends up on the team.
Locks to make the roster, at this point, include Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara and Bryce Callahan. I would throw in Sherrick McManis and Marcus Cooper as well, simply because the Bears invested new contracts into both of them this offseason.
One of the biggest reasons I wonder if LeBlanc sticks around is due to a couple of 2018 UDFA corners the Bears scooped up. Kevin Toliver out of LSU was looked at as a potential mid-round to late-round selection but fell off the draft board completely.
In addition, I see some potential in both Nick Orr out of TCU and Michael Joseph out of Dubuque. LeBlanc would likely be more of a special teams guy anyway, and if the Bears see some potential in any of these undrafted free agents, he could be an odd man out.
Outside Linebacker Howard Jones
This was a pretty easy one, especially because Howard Jones hardly played for the Bears last year and we couldn’t even find a legitimate photo of him in a Bears uniform. Believe it or not, Howard did appear in four games in 2017 and made three tackles to go along with a sack.
Jones had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well, where he appeared in 20 games over his two seasons with the team. The 28-year-old former Shepherd product is likely a goner by the time the season starts, especially with the rumors of Nick Kwiatkoski being moved over to outside linebacker.
Joel Iyiegbuniwe was drafted in the fourth round as well, and could end up panning out to be a solid rotational piece in the defense, if not a starter at some point in the future. The Bears, of course, have Leonard Floyd, Aaron Lynch and Sam Acho on the outside as well.
Jones could still have a shot to potentially make the practice squad if he were to clear waivers, but with his age still being relatively young and having in-game experience, he’d likely get a shot with another team if he were to be let go by the Bears.
Wide Receiver Josh Bellamy
One of the most common post-pick reactions I saw from fans on Twitter following Pace trading up to select Miller was something like this:
“Does this mean Josh Bellamy is finally gone?”
I phrased most of the reactions I saw as a question — a much more pleasantly-stated question than some of the tweets I witnessed that night. Needless to say, most fans were not only thrilled because Miller was a fine selection, but because the thought of letting go of Bellamy is enough to cause for celebration.
I, like many Bears fans, don’t understand Pace’s infatuation with Bellamy over the last couple of years. Sure, he’s fine on special teams. But, special teams players should be much more than just a wide receiver known for his ability to drop passes more than anything else.
I am not sure how many passes one needs to drop before getting cut the following day becomes a reality. For some reason, though, Pace has kept this guy on the roster.
I’m done hearing all of the special-teams excuses — they aren’t enough.
Already noted, the Bears invested heavily in the receiver position via the draft and brought in some undrafted guys to compete as well. I would not be shocked to see Bellamy’s time in Chicago come to an end this summer.
by Ryan Heckman3 hours agoFollow @ryanmheckman
dawindycity.com/2018/04/30/chicago-bears-veterans-danger-draft/
Following the 2018 NFL Draft after the Chicago Bears filled several needs, there are already certain players in danger of not making the final roster.
Over the weekend, the Chicago Bears had arguably the best draft haul they have had in quite some time. Ryan Pace filled needs and gave his team at least three day-one impact players, if not more. Of course, all of this is on paper, but with the coaching staff in place, I am confident this will be the case.
It began when former Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith was selected with the no. 8 overall pick. The clear-cut number one linebacker in the entire draft class is obviously who people are most excited about — and they should be. Smith is great in every aspect of the game, with the only downside being his size.
Patrick Willis would have something to say about that.
The Bears not only got a force on defense, but one they can plug in right away on their offensive line as well in James Daniels out of Iowa. Having the ability to play multiple positions up front, and play them well, gave Matt Nagy another versatile big man in the trenches.
Pace went on to make picks at wide receiver, outside linebacker and defensive line while adding more talent via the undrafted free agent market. The competition will heat up in the next couple of months as we approach training camp, but already the writing may be on the wall for a few veterans.
Here are five current Bears who, after looking at this year’s rookie class, may already be in danger of losing out on a roster spot.
Center Hroniss Grasu
Count this as one of the more head-scratching decisions Pace has made in the draft since joining the Bears. While it may have looked good originally, especially noting that Grasu was college roommates with Kyle Long at Oregon, the pick hasn’t panned out.
Also head-scratching was the comment made by Chris Simms when assessing the Daniels pick in the second round over the weekend. I like Simms, but I’m unsure of why he would call Grasu a “pretty good center” when looking at the Bears’ offensive line.
Grasu has been anything but that.
The former Oregon Duck is going to need to show out in a big way over training camp if he’s going to stick on the roster. With Daniels and Whitehair being able to play center, along with Eric Kush being brought back who can also play multiple positions, it doesn’t seem like Grasu’s time with the Bears is going to continue much longer.
Daniels is a day-one starter. Kush is a solid backup. The Bears also want to give Jordan Morgan more time and seem to like Bradley Sowell enough to keep him around. Grasu looks like the odd man out at this point.
Wide Receiver Bennie Fowler
A couple of weeks ago when the Bears signed Bennie Fowler, I tweeted that he would merely be a camp body. Some folks took issue with that. But, here we are, looking at two draft picks spent on receivers and having to dive into some future decisions to be made at the position.
With the additions of second-round pick Anthony Miller and seventh-round selection Javon Wims, you’d have to believe these guys will make it through camp and onto the roster, barring any hiccups between now and then. Typically, players taken in the draft, regardless of position, are given at least a year on the team unless they have a horrendous camp.
So, looking at Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Kevin White, Miller and Wims, you have five receivers who will most likely make the team. Unless White’s health fails him again, he should be on the team. Pace and Nagy have shared a lot of faith in him and want to give him a clean slate.
If the Bears carry five receivers, that’s what you’d be looking at. They will probably carry six, if I had to guess, though. So, for the sixth guy you’re looking at picking out of Fowler, Josh Bellamy, Marlon Brown, Tanner Gentry as well as some other names that include undrafted free agents.
Fowler looks like one of the odd men out before even playing a game with the team, unless he has an outstanding camp.
Cornerback Cre’von LeBlanc
Cre’von LeBlanc is a great story. He made it onto the team after being cut as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots back in 2016. Over his two years with the team, he’s had some good moments. But, with the flurry of re-signings this offseason at the position, I’m wondering if he ends up on the team.
Locks to make the roster, at this point, include Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara and Bryce Callahan. I would throw in Sherrick McManis and Marcus Cooper as well, simply because the Bears invested new contracts into both of them this offseason.
One of the biggest reasons I wonder if LeBlanc sticks around is due to a couple of 2018 UDFA corners the Bears scooped up. Kevin Toliver out of LSU was looked at as a potential mid-round to late-round selection but fell off the draft board completely.
In addition, I see some potential in both Nick Orr out of TCU and Michael Joseph out of Dubuque. LeBlanc would likely be more of a special teams guy anyway, and if the Bears see some potential in any of these undrafted free agents, he could be an odd man out.
Outside Linebacker Howard Jones
This was a pretty easy one, especially because Howard Jones hardly played for the Bears last year and we couldn’t even find a legitimate photo of him in a Bears uniform. Believe it or not, Howard did appear in four games in 2017 and made three tackles to go along with a sack.
Jones had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well, where he appeared in 20 games over his two seasons with the team. The 28-year-old former Shepherd product is likely a goner by the time the season starts, especially with the rumors of Nick Kwiatkoski being moved over to outside linebacker.
Joel Iyiegbuniwe was drafted in the fourth round as well, and could end up panning out to be a solid rotational piece in the defense, if not a starter at some point in the future. The Bears, of course, have Leonard Floyd, Aaron Lynch and Sam Acho on the outside as well.
Jones could still have a shot to potentially make the practice squad if he were to clear waivers, but with his age still being relatively young and having in-game experience, he’d likely get a shot with another team if he were to be let go by the Bears.
Wide Receiver Josh Bellamy
One of the most common post-pick reactions I saw from fans on Twitter following Pace trading up to select Miller was something like this:
“Does this mean Josh Bellamy is finally gone?”
I phrased most of the reactions I saw as a question — a much more pleasantly-stated question than some of the tweets I witnessed that night. Needless to say, most fans were not only thrilled because Miller was a fine selection, but because the thought of letting go of Bellamy is enough to cause for celebration.
I, like many Bears fans, don’t understand Pace’s infatuation with Bellamy over the last couple of years. Sure, he’s fine on special teams. But, special teams players should be much more than just a wide receiver known for his ability to drop passes more than anything else.
I am not sure how many passes one needs to drop before getting cut the following day becomes a reality. For some reason, though, Pace has kept this guy on the roster.
I’m done hearing all of the special-teams excuses — they aren’t enough.
Already noted, the Bears invested heavily in the receiver position via the draft and brought in some undrafted guys to compete as well. I would not be shocked to see Bellamy’s time in Chicago come to an end this summer.
