Bears Look For Bullard To Add Size and Strength...

I think this article is especially interesting since another Jonathan keeps popping up relative to our 1st pick in 2017 draft and it bears some looking at if only because if our experience to date with Bullard.

Despite his Combine measurements Bullard is not a natural 290-300lb 3-4 DE. I think even his Combine weight of 285lbs is above his normal playing weight and it looks to me like he's been playing at far less than the 290lbs he's listed at on the Bears website.  If I had to guess and based on how he compares to McPhee I'd say 270-275lbs is more accurate and that's too light for a 3-4 DE in this defense therefore his struggles to stay on the field.

Lamarr Houston is another example of a guy who was bulked up to play DT/DE in the NFL at 300lbs and has done much better as a 270lb OLB or at least he has when he can stay uninjured.  With question marks surrounding his return based on those injuries and his cap costs I have to wonder if rather than bulking Bullard up to play DE we wouldn't be better off converting him to an OLB as well.  It's something to at least think about.

Now, along come Jonathan Allen and I think it's been belli whose pointed that he is another SEC DE whose not a natural 290-300lb guy either and that somewhere around 265-270lbs is a more natural weight for him.  So I have to ask, are we reaching for DL to play in a 3-4 at DE who are better fits as 3-4 OLBs or 4-3 DTs like an Aaron Donald? 

We've done this before asking Melton to bulk up from 260lbs to 295lb to play DT and a knee injury has pretty much ended his career.  How much damaged did Lamarr Houston do to his knees playing at 300lb before he was converted to OLB and could that have put him at risk for his current knee injuries.  Pernell McPhee has gone through a similar ordeal having to drop his weight significantly following his knee surgery last winter.

We seem to be seeing a lot of knee and leg injuries with our top guys and here we may be looking at drafting another DL who may also have issues with playing above his true weight in the NFL.  It has me asking questions.

Good point since Mo has always been a natural 315lbs like Hicks goes 330lbs naturally.

I agree but taking it like belli did is it wise to ask guys whose frames aren't built to carry that much weight to do it?  I think he has a good point.  Houston was much better and more athletic at 270lbs than at 300lbs and it showed in both his run defense and his pass rush.

With a DL it's all about that initial burst off the snap, getting leverage, and keeping it.  The first two he was getting but he couldn't match an OT in strength so he couldn't hold that leverage.  Even if he can retain his quickness how does that added weight effect his career?

We may be drafting guys who are too small to be used this way and need bigger guys who go 300lbs plus naturally.  I'm just thinking out loud here.

Playing off this idea, I think of the guys we retained from our days as a 4-3 defense, we're seeing injuries pile up. Will Sutton, Lamaar Houston, Ego Ferguson are all examples of this. These are undersized OR incorrect fits for our scheme and for what we're asking them to do and all of them have issues staying healthy. Could be a coincidence or any number of other things, but it is striking.

Regarding Bullard, I don't know how I feel about this pick. He's not a clear fit to this system. He's that prototypical 3-technique. He's undersized but has agility and burst. Not that he's of the same caliber as Aaron Donald, but he is a similar style player.

I think the big questions the coaches need to ask about players like this are: what's his best playing weight - what's his natural playing weight and
1. Does our scheme accomodate that?
2. Can our scheme accomodate that?
3. Can our roster accomodate that?

I don't want to project Bullard as a 3-4 OLB cause he's never played that position and while his build might suggest that, do the coaches honestly believe he can handle the responsibilities of a 3-4 OLB?

I'm certainly no expert on NFL nutrition or conditioning. Hell, I struggle staying healthy and competetive as a runner so I don't have the answers but seeing these players forced into positions they are unaccustomed to and undersized for OR oversized for doesn't logically make a ton of sense to me. Maybe my logic's just screwed up.