The Coward-DL-to-OL-conversion project looks like its running out of runway. This is his shot to nail down a starting job on the OL and if he can't get it done this season (and he didn't last year either), it's probably time to move on.
Yeah, we should definitely cut bait on him after that one play. I mean, what's taking so long for him, he's 25 years old and has been an OL for two whole years after playing D his whole life!? How dare we keep him around beyond 11 starts. This one play is indicative of everything of Coward represents and brings to the table.
Yeah, that's it. I said its time to cut bait after one play. That's what I said. Straw man much?
Coward started most of last season. He was NOT good, which is why they brought in Ifedi. He's (apparently) starting again for the rest of this year too unless they bring a new FA in. So, he's gonna have roughly 20 starts over 2 seasons to evaluate. He's also a RFA in 2021. If he can't nail down the job by then then yeah it's probably time to move on.
Yeah, we should definitely cut bait on him after that one play. I mean, what's taking so long for him, he's 25 years old and has been an OL for two whole years after playing D his whole life!? How dare we keep him around beyond 11 starts. This one play is indicative of everything of Coward represents and brings to the table.
Yeah, that's it. I said its time to cut bait after one play. That's what I said. Straw man much?
Coward started most of last season. He was NOT good, which is why they brought in Ifedi. He's (apparently) starting again for the rest of this year too unless they bring a new FA in. So, he's gonna have roughly 20 starts over 2 seasons to evaluate. He's also a RFA in 2021. If he can't nail down the job by then then yeah it's probably time to move on.
THAT'S what I said.
He's a backup, do you know what backups are? Not good enough to be a starter. They are mostly developmental guys with traits and projections that coaches like. No, he wasn't good enough in 2019, he had also been playing OG for a total of zero real games and a whole year of his life when he stepped in for Long. We would have been fools not to bring in a more proven plan A, there.
Yeah, that's it. I said its time to cut bait after one play. That's what I said. Straw man much?
Coward started most of last season. He was NOT good, which is why they brought in Ifedi. He's (apparently) starting again for the rest of this year too unless they bring a new FA in. So, he's gonna have roughly 20 starts over 2 seasons to evaluate. He's also a RFA in 2021. If he can't nail down the job by then then yeah it's probably time to move on.
THAT'S what I said.
He's a backup, do you know what backups are? Not good enough to be a starter. They are mostly developmental guys with traits and projections that coaches like. No, he wasn't good enough in 2019, he had also been playing OG for a total of zero real games and a whole year of his life when he stepped in for Long. We would have been fools not to bring in a more proven plan A, there.
He has nailed down a job, primary backup at OG.
Backups are replaceable. There's no need to long term a backup if they aren't progressing towards starter. Moving from one position to another is no excuse to hold on.
Unless, of course, it's Brad Sowell. Then, pining for what could have been is acceptable.
He's a backup, do you know what backups are? Not good enough to be a starter. They are mostly developmental guys with traits and projections that coaches like. No, he wasn't good enough in 2019, he had also been playing OG for a total of zero real games and a whole year of his life when he stepped in for Long. We would have been fools not to bring in a more proven plan A, there.
He has nailed down a job, primary backup at OG.
Backups are replaceable. There's no need to long term a backup if they aren't progressing towards starter. Moving from one position to another is no excuse to hold on.
Unless, of course, it's Brad Sowell. Then, pining for what could have been is acceptable.
And going from never playing OL to primary backup in two calendar years isn't progressing? I value him a lot moving forward. He was definitely a long-game guy and he may never start, but there are much worse backup options moving forward.
(1) Believe that drafting anything except a LT early (like first round early) is criminally wrong. (2) That since we tried drafting the best college center once, we shouldn't try again (3) Consider draft picks other teams used on players that Pace signed in FA to be picks invested by the Bears (4) Consider a line that goes FA-FA-2nd-2nd-7th to indicate an investment of resources (pre-Daniels injury. Its FA-FA-2nd-UDFA-7th if you go with Bars or Coward) (5) Believe that outside of maybe Edge, every other position can be addressed late in the draft an an after thought.
and then we wonder why the OL struggles. I know there have always been other priorities but the bill comes due eventually.
Unless these people work in scouting/draft board building and have an actual say in the draft, none of 1-5 have anything to do w/why the OL is struggling. I know it's hard to believe, but NFL teams don't give 2 shits about the fans opinion unless it's somehow costing them viewership.
The OL is struggling b/c Pace comes from a system that believes in interior OL > exterior OL, and a HC that hasn't apparently tried to set him straight as to why the system he runs needs to be the opposite.
People need to remember that Leno got his extension bc of how well he played in his contract year, got a pro bowl invite, and at the time was paid around 15th for LT's; and his contract is now closer to 17th-20th. That is probably dead on to a little low for his actual play. He's still a middle of the road LT.
Massie never made sense though, that's a top 10-12 contract for a RT who's play is replaceable at best. That's money poorly spent, and IMO he only got that b/c he was Longs buddy and the team wanted to keep him happy(fat lot of good that did them).
Bonus, both Leno/Massie are a cap savings of 2 to 6 or8 mil depending on when they cut them. You get 16mil from those 2 bums and you can likely get a RT and RG upgrade in FA and it might not even cost you all 16mil; and that means LT/QB/ILB in rounds 1-3 instead of LT/RT/RG/ILB in rounds 1-3 and 5. Opens the draft greatly for bpa.
+1
And I think the Bears got some good mileage out of Leno for their 7th round draft pick investment in him. No complaints from me anyway about the past... I'm letting it go as water over the dam. I just think it is time to be looking for a replacement of our tackles. For that matter, we could have done worse than Massie too (in past years as a guy who was better than nothing I guess). And actually (at the time) I was all for Leno getting the new contract at the time. As you said he was a Pro Bowl selection (an alternate anyway) but I'm not so sure that means much anymore. He was decent back then though. He got his new contract and hasn't been much since. He looks like a 7th round pick now.
I think the Bears have tried very hard to put together a solid interior OL. I can't fault their effort there. But in recent games the interior isn't getting it done either. Why, I don't know. FWIW, I don't expect an OL of 1st round draft picks, although sure that would be nice. I just want to see something better - performance wise - than what we see now on game days. It's on Pace to figure that out. LOL, how he does it isn't our problem. But it is his.
Unless these people work in scouting/draft board building and have an actual say in the draft, none of 1-5 have anything to do w/why the OL is struggling. I know it's hard to believe, but NFL teams don't give 2 shits about the fans opinion unless it's somehow costing them viewership.
The OL is struggling b/c Pace comes from a system that believes in interior OL > exterior OL, and a HC that hasn't apparently tried to set him straight as to why the system he runs needs to be the opposite.
People need to remember that Leno got his extension bc of how well he played in his contract year, got a pro bowl invite, and at the time was paid around 15th for LT's; and his contract is now closer to 17th-20th. That is probably dead on to a little low for his actual play. He's still a middle of the road LT.
Massie never made sense though, that's a top 10-12 contract for a RT who's play is replaceable at best. That's money poorly spent, and IMO he only got that b/c he was Longs buddy and the team wanted to keep him happy(fat lot of good that did them).
Bonus, both Leno/Massie are a cap savings of 2 to 6 or8 mil depending on when they cut them. You get 16mil from those 2 bums and you can likely get a RT and RG upgrade in FA and it might not even cost you all 16mil; and that means LT/QB/ILB in rounds 1-3 instead of LT/RT/RG/ILB in rounds 1-3 and 5. Opens the draft greatly for bpa.
+1
And I think the Bears got some good mileage out of Leno for their 7th round draft pick investment in him. No complaints from me anyway about the past... I'm letting it go as water over the dam. I just think it is time to be looking for a replacement of our tackles. For that matter, we could have done worse than Massie too (in past years as a guy who was better than nothing I guess). And actually (at the time) I was all for Leno getting the new contract at the time. As you said he was a Pro Bowl selection (an alternate anyway) but I'm not so sure that means much anymore. He was decent back then though. He got his new contract and hasn't been much since. He looks like a 7th round pick now.
I think the Bears have tried very hard to put together a solid interior OL. I can't fault their effort there. But in recent games the interior isn't getting it done either. Why, I don't know. FWIW, I don't expect an OL of 1st round draft picks, although sure that would be nice. I just want to see something better - performance wise - than what we see now on game days. It's on Pace to figure that out. LOL, how he does it isn't our problem. But it is his.
Got good mileage out of Leno and Massie. Leno earned that contract extension to, it just seems he decided he was going to sit back and enjoy the contract instead of continuing to work on his craft, even if just to maintain that lvl of play. It's shocking, I really thought after getting blasted last year he would have gone back to that play, but sadly no.
Massie never was great and definitely didn't deserve an extension, but again I really think that had more to do w/the Bears wanting to appease Long then actually thinking he deserved to be re signed.
Backups are replaceable. There's no need to long term a backup if they aren't progressing towards starter. Moving from one position to another is no excuse to hold on.
Unless, of course, it's Brad Sowell. Then, pining for what could have been is acceptable.
And going from never playing OL to primary backup in two calendar years isn't progressing? I value him a lot moving forward. He was definitely a long-game guy and he may never start, but there are much worse backup options moving forward.
A player can make a living as a backup, that's true. Especially if they can play special teams. That's more for swing tackle, but you can play guard and do it.
But, I'm not seeing the flashes of quality play I would hope to by this time. I didn't see it last year either, and I really hoped to. I'm a fan of Big Cat Williams, and he took RT and never gave it back when he got his chance to start in 94.
There's a need at guard right now, and this is Cowards chance. This year. I'm not saying cut him, but he's not playing at a replacement level right now. You can get another guard off the street and get the same production.
If he can't improve by the end of the year, I don't see the value in keeping him around.
And going from never playing OL to primary backup in two calendar years isn't progressing? I value him a lot moving forward. He was definitely a long-game guy and he may never start, but there are much worse backup options moving forward.
A player can make a living as a backup, that's true. Especially if they can play special teams. That's more for swing tackle, but you can play guard and do it.
But, I'm not seeing the flashes of quality play I would hope to by this time. I didn't see it last year either, and I really hoped to. I'm a fan of Big Cat Williams, and he took RT and never gave it back when he got his chance to start in 94.
There's a need at guard right now, and this is Cowards chance. This year. I'm not saying cut him, but he's not playing at a replacement level right now. You can get another guard off the street and get the same production.
If he can't improve by the end of the year, I don't see the value in keeping him around.
I believe our problem is that the offensive linemen's arms actually have shrunk! Leno's in particular. His Pro Bowl season he had arms like an orangutan. But watch closely now (pause the video when you get a good angle of 'em). Clearly he has regressed and now has arms in the ~28" length range. Alligator arm guys now... sad.
Backups are replaceable. There's no need to long term a backup if they aren't progressing towards starter. Moving from one position to another is no excuse to hold on.
Unless, of course, it's Brad Sowell. Then, pining for what could have been is acceptable.
And going from never playing OL to primary backup in two calendar years isn't progressing? I value him a lot moving forward. He was definitely a long-game guy and he may never start, but there are much worse backup options moving forward.
We will see. He's an RFA after this season so we will see how much more they want to invest in their project-backup guy.
More than Coward, I'm really disappointed in Bars. If he can't beat out a DL-convert then maybe he isn't very good either.