Honest assessment of the current Bears roster
Aug 24, 2021 16:51:19 GMT -6
AlexM, shark86, and 3 more like this
Post by mpbears68 on Aug 24, 2021 16:51:19 GMT -6
We have been having a vigorous discussion of this topic so let's have at in in it's own thread. I'm not gonna "grade on a curve" with regards to "potential". 2nd year players like Kmet, JJ, and Mooney who showed promise as rookies need to follow-thru and produce before they can be considered major contributors. Maybe they will, maybe they won't.
Here's my realistic assessment of the roster as it sits right now. Feel free to weigh in:
A=top-notch unit
B=above-average
C=roughly NFL average
D=below average
F=just plain bad
RB [Monty, Williams, Cohen (PUP), Herbert (R)]
This is probably the Bears best position group on offense.
B+
QB [Dalton]
I'm not gonna talk about Fields since we have done that to death. Only 1 QB plays per game barring injury and Nagy has all but said who the week 1 starter is gonna be. Dalton is solid #2 QB but that's it. He was a starter in Cincy for 8 years so has been fully vetted and has no upside left. He's also immobile which will be a problem behind a leaky OL.
D+
OL [Peters, Whitehair, Mustipher, Daniels, Ifedi, Wilkerson, Bars, Borom (R)]
The interior looks solid but the tackles are weak. Only 2 of the starting 5 have been practicing regularly so far. We hope Peters can hold down LT but he's 39 yo and had ended his last 2 seasons on IR so that is unlikely for an extended period of time.
C-
WR [Robinson, Mooney, Goodwin, Byrd, Adams, Newsome (R)]
Best offensive player on the team here but he's a FA next year. Rest are JAGs and/or unproven. Too easy for skilled defenses to take away one weapon and not let him beat you.
C-
TE [Kmet, Graham, James, Holtz]
Kmet has potential but unproven, Graham is a RZ weapon only as he lacks the speed to stretch the field at 35 yo and can't block, James is a solid depth piece.
D+
OVERALL OFFENSE
With Nagy's well-documented issues as a play caller and gameplanner, I see the Bears 2021 offense again struggling to sustain drives and score points. I expect only modest improvement from the awful results of the last 2 seasons.
D+
DL [Hicks, Goldman, Nichols, Blackson, Edwards, Tonga (R)]
Probably the best position group on the entire team.
B+
EDGE [Mack, Quinn, Gipson, Attoachu]
Quinn and Mack need to bounce back from down years but looks decent.
B-
LB [Smith, Trevathan, Jones, Ogletree]
Solid unit but question marks remain with Trevathan who is aging and struggled to start last season.
B+
SAFETY [Jackson, Gipson, Bush, DHC]
Jackson needs to return to form as a ballhawk as he sucks at open field tackling. Everyone else is a JAG.
C+
CB [Johnson, Trufant, Burns, Vildor, Shelley, Graham (R)]
Losing Fuller was a major blow. JJ had promising rookie year but needs to prove he can be a #1. Trufant hasn't been able to stay healthy. Everyone else is a JAG.
C-
OVERALL DEFENSE
Desai has a lot to prove to recapture the magic they had under Fangio from 2017-18. The defense is aging and needs major contributions from (some older) vet players like Mack, Quinn, Trevathan, and Eddie Jackson who have been slipping.
C+
OVERALL STs
Santos is an excellent K and O'Donnell is a solid P but return game has slipped mightily with Cohen and Patterson out. Coverage teams have looked awful so far.
D+
Given the strength of schedule as it appears right now, I see this team struggling to get to 500. After 7 full offseasons--that's 7 drafts + 7 FAs--with Pace at the helm, I find it pretty disheartening that the roster isn't better positioned to compete with the best teams in the NFC (Packers, Rams, Bucs, etc.) It shouldn't take 7 offseasons just to get to mediocre and that's what the Bears are RIGHT NOW. A truly excellent GM would have us much further up the ranks than this.
Here's my realistic assessment of the roster as it sits right now. Feel free to weigh in:
A=top-notch unit
B=above-average
C=roughly NFL average
D=below average
F=just plain bad
RB [Monty, Williams, Cohen (PUP), Herbert (R)]
This is probably the Bears best position group on offense.
B+
QB [Dalton]
I'm not gonna talk about Fields since we have done that to death. Only 1 QB plays per game barring injury and Nagy has all but said who the week 1 starter is gonna be. Dalton is solid #2 QB but that's it. He was a starter in Cincy for 8 years so has been fully vetted and has no upside left. He's also immobile which will be a problem behind a leaky OL.
D+
OL [Peters, Whitehair, Mustipher, Daniels, Ifedi, Wilkerson, Bars, Borom (R)]
The interior looks solid but the tackles are weak. Only 2 of the starting 5 have been practicing regularly so far. We hope Peters can hold down LT but he's 39 yo and had ended his last 2 seasons on IR so that is unlikely for an extended period of time.
C-
WR [Robinson, Mooney, Goodwin, Byrd, Adams, Newsome (R)]
Best offensive player on the team here but he's a FA next year. Rest are JAGs and/or unproven. Too easy for skilled defenses to take away one weapon and not let him beat you.
C-
TE [Kmet, Graham, James, Holtz]
Kmet has potential but unproven, Graham is a RZ weapon only as he lacks the speed to stretch the field at 35 yo and can't block, James is a solid depth piece.
D+
OVERALL OFFENSE
With Nagy's well-documented issues as a play caller and gameplanner, I see the Bears 2021 offense again struggling to sustain drives and score points. I expect only modest improvement from the awful results of the last 2 seasons.
D+
DL [Hicks, Goldman, Nichols, Blackson, Edwards, Tonga (R)]
Probably the best position group on the entire team.
B+
EDGE [Mack, Quinn, Gipson, Attoachu]
Quinn and Mack need to bounce back from down years but looks decent.
B-
LB [Smith, Trevathan, Jones, Ogletree]
Solid unit but question marks remain with Trevathan who is aging and struggled to start last season.
B+
SAFETY [Jackson, Gipson, Bush, DHC]
Jackson needs to return to form as a ballhawk as he sucks at open field tackling. Everyone else is a JAG.
C+
CB [Johnson, Trufant, Burns, Vildor, Shelley, Graham (R)]
Losing Fuller was a major blow. JJ had promising rookie year but needs to prove he can be a #1. Trufant hasn't been able to stay healthy. Everyone else is a JAG.
C-
OVERALL DEFENSE
Desai has a lot to prove to recapture the magic they had under Fangio from 2017-18. The defense is aging and needs major contributions from (some older) vet players like Mack, Quinn, Trevathan, and Eddie Jackson who have been slipping.
C+
OVERALL STs
Santos is an excellent K and O'Donnell is a solid P but return game has slipped mightily with Cohen and Patterson out. Coverage teams have looked awful so far.
D+
Given the strength of schedule as it appears right now, I see this team struggling to get to 500. After 7 full offseasons--that's 7 drafts + 7 FAs--with Pace at the helm, I find it pretty disheartening that the roster isn't better positioned to compete with the best teams in the NFC (Packers, Rams, Bucs, etc.) It shouldn't take 7 offseasons just to get to mediocre and that's what the Bears are RIGHT NOW. A truly excellent GM would have us much further up the ranks than this.