Post by Deleted on May 3, 2018 23:43:04 GMT -6
Bears Q&A: Is there enough depth at outside linebacker? Why move James Daniels to guard?
Brad BiggsContact ReporterChicago Tribune
The Tribune’s Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
I can't see how one can take stock of the work Ryan Pace
has done to address the Bears’ pass rush deficiencies thus far and not
come to the conclusion that the OLB group is shaping up to be as much a
liability in 2018 as the WR corps was in 2017. For all the potential on
offense, I'm not going to take much comfort from losing games 31-24. Are
there still pathways for the Bears to markedly improve their pass rush
before the next offseason cycle? — David D., Rogers Park
Concern over the depth chart at outside linebacker and the pass rush was
overwhelmingly the most popular topic this week, and that is
understandable. It’s a fair question, but I think there has been some
overreaction, and some faith in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is
probably needed.
First, let’s take inventory of the pass rush from
last season, how it did and what’s missing from that group. The Bears
had 42 sacks in 2017, their most since they had 48 all the way back in
2001, and that ranked tied for seventh in the NFL.
With two more sacks the Bears would have been fifth, and they were only
six behind the vaunted Rams defense. So not that far off from some of
the best defenses in the league.
Gone from that group are five players who combined for 14½ sacks — Lamarr Houston (4), Pernell McPhee (4), Mitch Unrein (2½), Willie Young(2) and Christian Jones (2). Jones is the only player who logged major
playing time last season (58.9 percent of the snaps), and that was
because of injuries to Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan.
Unrein was on the field for 36.8 percent of the snaps. McPhee had 36.4
percent, and Houston (21.4 percent) and Young (11.3 percent) played
small roles. So we’re not talking about replacing a ton of playing time
either.
What jumps out is the Bears wound up with three of the top
51 picks in the draft and they didn’t address what was, going into the
draft, their greatest need. That being said, I don’t believe they had
enough picks to satisfy every need, at least not that high. I say that
because there would have been questions had they not added pieces to the
interior of the offensive line, wide receiver and inside linebacker.
They were going to be light at one of those spots and it wound up being
outside linebacker, which makes sense from the standpoint that it was a
particularly weak position in the draft. The player that sort of stands
out is Boston College’s Harold Landry, who slipped — reportedly because of some medical
concerns and a poor final season — to No. 41 overall when the Titans
scooped him up. If Landry is a major producer in Tennessee, the Bears
will have missed on that one. They drafted Iowa offensive lineman James
Daniels at No. 39.
The Bears do a nice job of getting some pass rush push from their interior players in the sub package. Akiem Hicks
led the team with 8½ sacks, and while Eddie Goldman had only 1½ sacks,
he had 16 combined quarterback hurries and knockdowns and helps collapse
the pocket. They have effectively replaced McPhee with Aaron Lynch, who
has familiarity with the Fangio and the scheme. It’s also important to
note that Sam Acho is coming off what was easily his best season since his rookie year in
2011. Acho played with more confidence last season and the Bears’ belief
in him was reflected in the contract he signed after he played on
minimum deals for three consecutive years. I imagine Acho will have the
first shot at nailing down a starting job in the base defense and Lynch
will have an opportunity to work into the rotation.
If one of Isaiah Irving, Howard Jones or sixth-round draft pick Kylie Fitts can
emerge, Fangio will have another piece to plug into the pass rush. In an
ideal world would the Bears have more and exciting options to pair with
Leonard Floyd? No question. But the position was lacking in free agency and the talent
pool was shallow in the draft, and it’s not like they’re trying to
replace one player who had 14½ sacks last year or two players who had
seven sacks apiece in 2017. They need to account for five role players
who made modest contributions to the pass rush. If you believe in Fangio
and what he can do schematically, there is reason to believe this
isn’t analogous to the wide receiver situation in 2017 or the cornerback
situation in 2016. Will there be a focus on the position group and
needs throughout the year? Most likely. Will the Bears be monitoring
potential options that become available? I’d be very surprised if they
were not. Will this position group hold the team back from success in
2018? I think that’s a bit of an extreme take.
Nick Kwiatowski for Shane Ray? Two players that could use a different scheme. Any chance? — @mikeylillo
have been doing. What I’m sure he would like is a clearer path to
competing for a starting role entering his third season. He appears
blocked now with the addition of first-round pick Roquan Smith and
veteran Danny Trevathan. It’s not like Kwiatkoski no longer fits what
the Bears are doing defensively. Ray has been mentioned as a guy who
might no longer fit in Denver, especially after North Carolina State
defensive end Bradley Chubb fell into the Broncos’
lap at No. 5 in the first round. Ray had eight sacks in 2016, his
second season, and fell off last season when he was limited to eight
games. It’s possible the Broncos look to move him, but I’m not sure they
would view Kwiatkoski as the fit they want. If Ray remains with the
Broncos, the Bears will be able to get a close look at him in the joint
practices the team will hold in Denver this summer before the exhibition
meeting between the teams. You’re thinking along the right lines in
looking at players who might no longer fit with their current clubs.
The Bears have added tons of bodies and talent at the WR position. When
Week 1 rolls around which 5 (6?) WR would you expect to make the roster? — @kao__1989
That’sa difficult question to answer before they get through the spring
program and get to training camp. Five players look like near locks
assuming they remain healthy — Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony
Miller, Kevin White and Bennie Fowler. Of those five, White was the only one with the
organization last season, backing up what general manager Ryan Pace said
at the scouting combine, when he declared the position could be
overhauled quickly. My hunch is the Bears will keep six wide receivers
and in the mix for No. 6 will probably be Josh Bellamy, for his value on
special teams, and seventh-round pick Javon Wims. DeMarcus Ayers,
Marlon Brown and Tanner Gentry are also on the roster.
If James Daniels is a center, why cross train him at guard instead of putting Cody Whitehair at guard? — @firehawk1313
That’s a fair question and one that a number of folks inquired about this
week. The first thought that comes to mind is the Bears have a young
quarterback and they want him to develop a comfort level with his
center. Mitch Trubisky played with Whitehair last season and they’ve
been working together already this offseason. It’s important for the
center and quarterback to have experience with one another. The second
thought is I have to believe offensive line coach Harry Hiestand either
proposed this idea or endorsed it. The Bears believe they have hired one
of the finest offensive line coaches in the game at any level, and if
you have an expert on staff, you’re going to lean on him for direction,
right? Some have suggested Whitehair is more natural at guard and while
he certainly was coming out of Kansas State, he has played more center
in the NFL than he has guard. I think it’s fair to say Whitehair was
more consistent during his rookie season than he was last year, although
that is possibly a product the team moving him around a decent amount.
I don’t believe the Bears would have drafted Daniels 39th overall and
then proposed this scenario if they didn’t believe he could develop into
an elite guard. The announced plan right now is for Daniels to compete
with veteran Eric Kush at left guard. Let’s see how that plays out. If
Daniels is the player the Bears imagine, he should ascend quickly.
Can someone please explain the fourth-round draft choice to me? There were
so many logical choices there (Josh Sweat?) and they take an ILB? Hello?
— @zhiwa57
I’ll admit wondering something similar when the Bears announced Western Kentucky’s Joel
Iyiegbuniwe was the fourth-round pick. I’m not going to pretend like I
watched a lot (any) Hilltoppers football last fall, so I called around
to get some opinions from folks I respect.
“He’s a good player,” a national scout for another team said. “Smart, tough, can run. He’s a
lot better than what they had (in reserve) there and it’s not a reach to
say this kid will be starting for them down the line. He’s way better
than Christian Jones and they took him right about where I figured he
should go. Good football player.”
The simple answer has to be that Iyiegbuniwe had a higher grade than potential edge rushing options,
including Sweat, who went at the end of Round 4 to the Eagles. If you’re
going to put in the extraordinary amount of work that goes into
creating grades and then stacking a draft board, what good is it if you
don’t follow it? Remember that Jones was a pretty valuable piece for the
Bears in that he could handle a few different roles and he was a core
special teams player. I don’t see Iyiegbuniwe being able to line up at
outside linebacker like Jones did, but it’s not like Jones was super
effective there. I think the Bears potentially have a more instinctive
reserve now at inside linebacker and a player who ought to shine on
special teams immediately. Starter Danny Trevathan has had some
durability issues and is under contract through 2019. After this season,
the Bears will have to make a call on whether or not they want to pay
him $6.4 million in 2019 when he will be 29. If Iyiegbuniwe develops as a
rookie, perhaps his presence could factor in that decision.
Has Pat O’Donnell really been that bad? Don't know why they want to replace him. — @mickfuller85
The Bears haven’t replaced the veteran O’Donnell, but they’re certainly
preparing to at least have him compete for the role this season. It’s
important to follow the money, and the Bears signed him to a one-year,
$1.5 million contract. The only guarantee in the deal is a $500,000
signing bonus, so it’s not like he’s tethered to the roster for the
season. The Bears brought in Pitt punter Ryan Winslow for a pre-draft
visit, and when you consider teams get only 30 of those, that signaled
they were serious about at least exploring other options. Winslow
received a $12,500 signing bonus as an undrafted free agent, so the deck
is obviously stacked a little in O’Donnell’s favor, but I’d expect a
legitimate competition under new special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.
Remember, the Bears nearly replaced O’Donnell when they attempted to
sign Britton Colquitt before the start of the 2016 season. Winslow will get the first shot
to compete against O’Donnell and we’ll see if the Bears turn to other
options. It’s not like O’Donnell is out the door. The best man will win
the job.
Generally you see teams make a small handful of roster moves between the end of
the draft and the start of training camp, and that could be one position
that is addressed, but it looks like the team went pretty heavy with
defensive backs with undrafted free agents. I don’t think there is a
pressing depth need there right now just because there isn’t a ton of
name recognition when it comes to guys at the bottom of the depth chart.
A lot of times, in fact most of the time, veterans signed in May and
June end up being washed out by late August/early September.
Understanding that Roquan Smith supplants
Nick Kwiatkoski, is it really possible that they move Kwiatkoski to
OLB? Don't they still need depth at ILB? — theeemarteen77
I would be a little surprised if the Bears were to transition Kwiatkoski
to outside linebacker. He’s listed at 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, and not
only is he a little light for that transition, I think he lacks the
ideal length you desire at that spot. You can’t rule it out, but I would
agree that they are going to desire some depth on the inside and that
seems like something Kwiatkoski and Joel Iyiegbuniwe can provided this
season. Yes, that means John Timu and Jonathan Anderson are probably in a
tough spot when it comes to competing for roster spots.
What do the Bears do with Hroniss Grasu now that they drafted a center and have Cody Whitehair starting at center? — @r4one
Grasu will be in the mix for a backup job. It could be a bit of an uphill
climb with the presence of veterans Eric Kush, Bradley Sowell, Earl
Watford and last year’s fifth-round pick, Jordan Morgan, among others.
Ryan Pace seemed to make much more traditional picks this year. Is this Matt
Nagy's influence or Pace realizing he only has a few more drafts to get
this right before losing his job and taking Division II tight ends
might not be the safest bet? — @jackmarchetti
I think the
Bears took the best available player at No. 8 in Roquan Smith and I
don’t know if that’s really the presence of a new head coach or just a
smart move by the Bears. They didn’t look to small schools for players
in the draft before getting Delaware defensive tackle Bilal Nichols in
the fifth round. I wouldn’t write Shaheen off yet either after a rookie
season that didn’t have a ton of production. He can still fit into what
they’re doing and play a real role in the offense. I wouldn’t say Pace’s
job status factored into decisions either. The Bears backed him in
January with a two-year contract extension that carries through 2021.
And to be fair, what GM isn’t a few bad drafts away from being in big
trouble?
I’m sure you’re going to get this question a lot,
but with the much-publicized lack of depth at edge rusher, what chances
do you think that we see one or both of Willie Young and Lamarr Houston
back with the Bears for training camp? — @rocketfoz
You
are right that a few people were wondering about that this week, and
Young and Houston both remain available. I guess you can’t rule out a
return by one of them, but I would be really surprised if both were back
in a Bears uniform. Aaron Lynch suffered what coach Matt Nagy said was
an ankle injury in the voluntary minicamp last month. Provided he’s
going to heal up just fine, I’d be a little surprised if they turned to
Young or Houston anytime soon. They will want to see what they have in
place first.
Which Day 3 pick do you think has the potential to be an impact starter either this year or within three years? — @concinvingppl
It’s
a little rare that a Day 3 pick — Rounds 4 through 7 — becomes an
“impact” starter as a rookie. I can’t project one of their Saturday
selections being an impact starter in Year 1. Joel Iyiegbuniwe could
project as a starter down the line and outside linebacker Kylie Fitts
tested really well at the scouting combine. If he can remain healthy, he
should have a chance to compete for time in the rotation. We’ll have to
see how he performs if and when that happens. Day 3 picks are largely
based on traits and skill sets that could be matches. It’s going to take
time to see how these players turn out.
Do you think the Bears could pry Shane Ray loose from Denver? — Jack K., Parts Unknown
He’s
worth keeping an eye on. A wrist injury forced him to miss half the
season last year and it seems likely the Broncos decline the fifth-year
option in his contract. That doesn’t mean they’re going to cut him or
seek to trade him immediately.
I have seen some criticism on Ryan Pace
trading next year's second-round pick to move up for Anthony Miller. But
really can't he just trade up next year again using his 2020 2nd round
pick? (And, eventually, getting an additional pick by trading down
sometime in the future?). — Brian C., Parts Unknown
Sure,
Pace could continue to put together trades to move into Round 2, but
keep in mind the cost of a 2019 second-round pick will be a 2020
second-round pick plus more. Picks in the current years always hold more
value, substantially more value than picks further down the line.
Eventually, Pace will have to sit out the round or do as you suggested
and look to trade down in Round 1 in order to recoup some draft capital
in later rounds. Right now, I’d plan as if they Bears will be sitting
out the second round in 2019 and that will be just fine if Miller is the
productive wide receiver the Bears envision.
Will the addition of Roquan Smith as a cover linebacker help Leonard Floyd in freeing him up to rush the passer more? — Aerahan S., Oak Park
That’s
a good question. According to Pro Football Focus, Floyd was used in
coverage for 68 of 582 snaps last season (11.7 percent), so we’re not
talking about an overwhelming number of plays in coverage when he could
have been rushing the passer. Smith is an interesting piece for
defensive coordinator Vic Fangio because he has good speed and showed
some proficiency as a blitzer at Georgia for former Bears defensive
coordinator Mel Tucker. Having more athletic players on the field will
give Fangio more options and chances to be creative.
Joel Iyiegbuniwe in the fourth round was the only real head-scratching
selection for Ryan Pace. Why draft another ILB at that point, one that
would probably have still been available in Round 6? Why not Josh Sweat
at that pick? — @mike__chicago
As I explained above, it’s
obvious the Bears had a solid grade on Iyiegbuniwe and they probably
view the loss of Christian Jones in free agency to the Lions
as a greater departure than a lot of folks. Iyiegbuniwe has
characteristics that could lead to him being a starter one day. Let’s
see how he pans out before we reach the conclusion this was a
fourth-round pick that went awry.
building any depth in the secondary this offseason. While we all agree
the Bears nickel defense is stacked in the secondary, there's not much
competent depth behind them. — @gumm006
I don’t know that
you can say the Bears skipped building depth when they ponied up in a
big way to re-sign starters Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara at cornerback. They also brought back special teams ace Sherrick McManis
and recall they signed CFL standout Jonathon Mincy, who we did not see
on the field during the voluntary minicamp last month. They’ve got some
depth at cornerback and you have to figure that at least one of the trio
of safeties selected in the 2016 draft — Deon Bush, Deiondre’ Hall and
DeAndre Houston-Carson — is ready to step forward into a bigger role.
There’s no such thing as having too many good cornerbacks, but I don’t
think the Bears are critically short here by any stretch.
With
all the new additions, I think the only thing that could keep this team
from .500 is injuries. People, including media, in the past have
somehow blamed the Bears’ rash of injuries on management. Is that really
a fair criticism? — @stewart_errol
I don’t know that
there has been overwhelming criticism of injuries placed on management.
Sure, injuries really hit the Bears hard the last three seasons and the
team reacted by hiring a new head athletic trainer and a new strength
and conditioning coach. You have to factor durability when constructing a
roster. The Bears were hit with some tough luck and it lasted longer
than anyone would have liked. The team ultimately is to blame if it’s
stuck in a rut with too many players landing on injured reserve or stuck
in the training room. The Bears are hopeful some changes to the program
will make them more durable in 2018.
Do you see the Bears completing contract extensions for Eddie Goldman and Adrian Amos before
opening day? Is this draft without the annual safety pick a belief in
the Eddie Jackson-Adrian Amos duo or just how the board fell? — @jtbarczak
You
would expect the Bears to at least broach the topic of an extension
with Goldman and his representatives at some point this summer. I don’t
know if the team will take that approach with Amos. The Bears might want
to see another season of starting production from him before deciding
how he might fit in long-term plans. It’s probably a reflection of how
the board fell when it comes to no safety being drafted this year. It
was the first time since 2013 the Bears have not drafted a safety and
only the second time since 2004, but I’d expect a healthy amount of
undrafted free agents at that position competing in rookie minicamp next
week.
Am I the only one concerned with the depth at
cornerback? I thought for sure the front office would draft one of the
young talented defensive backs in the first three rounds. It's not a
matter of if Prince Amukamara gets injured but when. Especially in a
division with Rodgers/Stafford/Cousins. — @raulybabe
Amukamara played in 14 games after missing the first two weeks last year with a
sprained ankle. You’re not the only one wondering about depth at
cornerback, but I would point out had the Bears used one of their top
three picks on a cornerback, there would have been similar questions
this week wondering why the Bears didn’t draft an inside linebacker, an
interior offensive lineman or a wide receiver in the first three rounds.
There simply were not enough picks in the first two days of the draft
to cover all of the spots that folks would have had questions about.
Noticed the Bears took a flier on UDFA Nick Wilson of Arizona. 1,000-yard
rusher as a freshman, but injuries limited his career. Would you say he
or Ryan Nall have a legit chance to beat out Benny Cunningham as the
third running back? — @tbo41fan
Never say never, but I
think the Bears hold Cunningham in relatively high regard. He was good
for them on third down last season and proficient as a pass blocker. He
was also solid on special teams. Let’s see how it plays out, but
Cunningham is a low-cost option and the kind of player that makes
coaches feel comfortable.
What is the upcoming schedule
now? How much time do coaches really have with the players, I'm talking
about actual field time, not classroom with the current CBA? — @grizzlykurt
The
Bears will hold rookie minicamp at Halas Hall from May 11-13. That will
lead into the beginning of OTAs the following week. The offseason
program will be wrapped up with mandatory minicamp from June 5-7. The
Bears report to training camp on July 19 and will hit the practice field
the next day, about a week ahead of 30 other teams because of the date
in the Hall of Fame Game against the Ravens. In other words, football
will be here soon.
You're fine going into a season where
the Bears are hoping to be competitive or even good with a kicker who
has been on three teams in four years and was not good in bad-weather
Cleveland? No competition? — @austing183
The Bears could
bring in a camp leg to compete with Cody Parkey if they wanted, but they
guaranteed him $9 million in the four-year, $15 million contract he was
signed to, indicating that he’s going to be their kicker in 2018 and
likely 2019, at the minimum. His annual average of $3.75 million ranks
eighth, putting him in the top quarter of the league. Parkey was 20 for
25 on field goals playing for the Browns
in 2016 for current Bears special teams coordinator. That’s 80 percent
and means he was one missed kick away from being at 84 percent. As a
rookie in 2014, he made 32 of 36 field goals playing for the Eagles and I
wouldn’t classify that as a warm-weather spot to kick in. He’s the guy
for at least two seasons and possibly beyond.
Provide someclarity. Anthony Miller is a slot guy, but so is Taylor Gabriel. Who is
the starter opposite Allen Robinson? Don’t say Kevin White. — @hollywood1114
and there’s no such thing as a starting depth chart at this point.
That’s what the remainder of the offseason, training camp and preseason
are for. I would focus less on who starts and more on who nets the most
playing time. And if Miller is the receiver the Bears believe he is, he
should certainly contribute. I would expect Matt Nagy’s system to
involve a lot of different combinations that will provide opportunities
for many skill-position players, far more than the team has used with
regularity in the recent past. Gabriel got pretty good money in his
contract, so they must have significant plans for him, but they didn’t
draft Miller thinking about 2019 and beyond. They want to see what he
can do this season. White will be in the mix, but they’ve done a nice
job of overhauling this position with players who bring a variety of
skill sets to the huddle.
Twitter @bradbiggs