Kevin White ends preseason on a high note, but questions rem

[Deleted]

Sept 2, 2016 10:13:48 GMT -6 JABF said:

Sept 2, 2016 9:17:58 GMT -6 @soulman said:

Yeah it is and there's not much hope for any help from the outside either.  At this point in time teams won't be letting many OL hit the street who could help.  Sullivan might draw some interest if his back isn't an issue and if he's not asking too much money but both are distinct possibilities.

Maybe the best we can hope for is for the backups to improve as the season goes on but it looks to me like we have that exact same wish for the starters.  This leaves little doubt in my mind that Pace's first steps next spring should be to secure more talent and depth for that OL.

I have been looking over the cut OL players from other teams, in hopes that there might be something worth picking up.  But I couldn't see anything.  There were a lot of raw, young OL cut loose.  A lot of UDFA's and stuff like that.  

Pretty much as expected.  Drafting OL from teams running a spread offense seems to have created a steeper learning curve for these guys and teams are holding onto more vets because some of their younger guys aren't ready to start yet.

We had that last year with Grasu and this year it's Whitehair's turn to have his growing pains.

All I've seen so far is pretty the same stuff we just released.  Lot's of quantity but little or no quality.

[Deleted]

Sept 2, 2016 11:44:42 GMT -6 riczaj01 said:

Sept 2, 2016 9:28:39 GMT -6 @soulman said:

I certainly would.  I think by now it's pretty clear that with McPhee's health in question as early as this past spring we needed a pass rusher and the pickin's were slim in this draft.  I might have preferred Shaq Lawson but right now he's on the PUP so he wouldn't have helped either and we drafted Bullard later instead and probably got a better player albeit a slightly different one.

I was opposed to the Floyd pick if only because I didn't see how with his lack of size he'd be able to contribute much soon enough to justify that high of a pick.  What's even more confusing to me is the division in the opinions of Pace and Fangio.  Pace says they want him to play somewhere around the 244lbs he's listed at while Fangio says he'll play at 230-235lbs just like he did in college.  Some days I wonder if the two of them even agreed on the pick.

I truly hope they keep Christian Jones around because right now what looked to be a very strong OLB unit two months ago doesn't look so much that way any longer with McPhee a likely candidate for the PUP and Floyd looking like it will take the better part of a year before he can contribute much to the pass rush. I never did like these SEC "tweener" type guys.

I think that's the thing w/OLB and why they went w/Floyd. I was very much against going w/a pass rusher this year b/c it wasn't a good crop, but they got the best they could and now he'll need some time to add strength(if not weight) and work on his technique. Having one position will help a lot but it's not going to come naturally for him. If McPhee isn't ready to start the year, I don't see how you don't keep Jones on the team. He wasn't great last night, but he was around the ball a lot and making some big hits. He'll need some time to adjust to another new position also.

And yet some say he's on the bubble.  The guy who surprised me is Acho.  Moving Jones to OLB and drafting Floyd sure lit a fire under him.  He may end up on the roster instead of Jones if we can't find a way to keep both but Jones has all kinds of upside as an OLB.

[riczaj01]

Sept 2, 2016 13:11:35 GMT -6 @soulman said:

Sept 2, 2016 11:44:42 GMT -6 riczaj01 said:

I think that's the thing w/OLB and why they went w/Floyd. I was very much against going w/a pass rusher this year b/c it wasn't a good crop, but they got the best they could and now he'll need some time to add strength(if not weight) and work on his technique. Having one position will help a lot but it's not going to come naturally for him. If McPhee isn't ready to start the year, I don't see how you don't keep Jones on the team. He wasn't great last night, but he was around the ball a lot and making some big hits. He'll need some time to adjust to another new position also.

And yet some say he's on the bubble.  The guy who surprised me is Acho.  Moving Jones to OLB and drafting Floyd sure lit a fire under him.  He may end up on the roster instead of Jones if we can't find a way to keep both but Jones has all kinds of upside as an OLB.

Acho really has played well. Jones as been invisible most of pre season, but again he's learning another position. I thought it started to come together for him this week. Jones was just laying wood and hitting guys everywhere. Guy's not his responsibility, he's still getting the tackle b/c the other guy missed. 

Not saying he was perfect, he was behind on some of his own coverages, but I definitely felt like he was catching on.

[brasilbear]

I think overall team talent has risen, I just don't think its at an overall level that will let them compete well. On DEF the entire seconrdary to me is a big question mark. An improved pass rush will help them out but who are the ball hawks? On OFF I have questions about the depth on the OL, about the ability of the TE to be integral parts of the OFF, and about the ability of the OFF to score points.

[riczaj01]

Olin and Big cat spent a couple morning w/the 670 crew and they asked a simple question; who are the best players on the Bears that are better or close to the best at their positions? Back in the day they had Urlacher and Tillman and Briggs(I would add Olin). This team you can say probably Long and no one else.

There is lies the problem, the team has failed so badly in the draft that they haven't gotten any special players. They are behind the eight ball in terms of talent just w/in the div behind GB and Minny in that regard.

[MartianBearsFan]

Sept 2, 2016 18:25:02 GMT -6 riczaj01 said:

Olin and Big cat spent a couple morning w/the 670 crew and they asked a simple question; who are the best players on the Bears that are better or close to the best at their positions? Back in the day they had Urlacher and Tillman and Briggs(I would add Olin). This team you can say probably Long and no one else.

There is lies the problem, the team has failed so badly in the draft that they haven't gotten any special players. They are behind the eight ball in terms of talent just w/in the div behind GB and Minny in that regard.

Right now yes.. I do blame the poor draft picks and FA signing of old players who were no longer useful.

[Deleted]

I feel like a contrarian on this board at the moment. I wasn't high on the Floyd pick originally (wasn't down on it either) but I'm really starting to like it. Floyd plays with a ton of energy and has been used in a lot of different places this offseason. I think Fangio's got some unique blitz packages and disguises he's going to use with Floyd. At the beginning of the year I think he's gonna be an infrequent sub for the traditional 3-4 OLB role but I see him being an extra pass rusher in blitz (6 pass rusher) scenarios. If Fangio can find ways to utilize his speed early without him having to handle skilled lineman - i.e. Working against TEs - Floy's speed and athleticism is going to be very useful in getting to the QB faster than the standard 3 seconds.

[shortfacedbear]

I really don't believe White finds his footing until late in the season given the fact he's only played the X receiver position in college. Even with the "redshirt" injury year, he still needs actual game reps to vett himself out imo.

[mpbears68]

Sept 2, 2016 20:02:32 GMT -6 shortfacedbear said:

I really don't believe White finds his footing until late in the season given the fact he's only played the X receiver position in college. Even with the "redshirt" injury year, he still needs actual game reps to vett himself out imo.

Hopefully when the games matter he will remember where to line up and what route he's supposed to run.

[zif]

Sept 2, 2016 18:08:40 GMT -6 brasilbear said:

I think overall team talent has risen, I just don't think its at an overall level that will let them compete well. On DEF the entire seconrdary to me is a big question mark. An improved pass rush will help them out but who are the ball hawks? On OFF I have questions about the depth on the OL, about the ability of the TE to be integral parts of the OFF, and about the ability of the OFF to score points.

Amen. Amos might be an average safety, but he is not ball hawk, nor is HJQ. Porter not so much either, so we are left with Fuller who I really wouldnt call a ballhawk either. I dont think we will see an increase in INT's this year. 

It was really good to see White catch some balls, hopefully he will just do that in RS as well. He might not be as good as Cooper but he needs to be up there for sure.