Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2016 15:28:55 GMT -6
Bears see bright future for confident, long-armed Deiondre' Hall
Dan Wiederer; Contact ReporterChicago Tribune
On the first series of his first NFL exhibition game, Deiondre' Hall offered a glimpse into his promise. On consecutive plays, both Trevor Siemian passes, both directed at Hall and thrown into the end zone, the Bears cornerback kept his vision sharp, looked for Broncos receivers Bennie Fowler and Jordan Taylor to cue that the ball was coming, then unfurled his seemingly elastic arms to hatchet at the receivers' hands.
Two would-be Broncos touchdowns instead skidded harmlessly into the Soldier Field grass.
In that brief snapshot, Hall demonstrated exactly why the Bears feel bullish about his skill set. His 34 3/8-inch arms and nose for the ball are obvious.
Yet it was in the following days that the fourth-round pick out of Northern Iowa showed a side that has his coaches even more encouraged. Disinterested in celebrating two mere pass breakups in the second quarter of an August exhibition, Hall studied his pro debut with a critical eye. And even within his two highlight-reel contributions he found errors.
His patience in man coverage, he detected, had not been dialed in properly on either play. That has been a focal point for the rookie since as he learns to be aggressive yet not hurried in press coverage. Against the Broncos, Hall saw his shortcomings — how he gave Fowler and Taylor a free release and how he failed to get his head around before the ball arrived.
"The first rep, (I was) too patient," Hall said. "The second one, not patient enough."
Had Hall been more assignment sound, he said, the throws should have never come his way.
"It's getting at those little corrections," Hall said. "(It's recognizing) those real small things you might not see that still need fine-tuning."
Previewing Bears vs. Chiefs
The Tribune's Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer preview the Bears' Saturday preseason game vs. the Chiefs at Soldier Field.
The Bears are preparing for Saturday's exhibition game against the Chiefs at Soldier Field intent on establishing some stability at cornerback. With Kyle Fuller sidelined indefinitely after a knee scope and Bryce Callahan working through a hamstring injury, Hall could be positioned to start alongside Tracy Porter if he can overcome an illness that kept him out of Wednesday's practice.
Even when Callahan returns, Hall figures to become an integral cog in the defense before long, a potential No. 3 corner who would ideally play outside in nickel packages with Callahan sliding inside to the slot.
Hall knows there's work to be done and experience to be gained to earn and keep such a prominent role. But he already has caught the eye of his teammates with his intelligence, drive and fearlessness.
"Deiondre', man, he's always been that competitor," Porter said. "Now it's just trying to clean up little technique issues."
Added quarterback Jay Cutler: "He's a confident guy. And you see those guys (who are) very confident. Whether they get burned or not, they come right back the next play and stay confident."
Most notable, of course, are Hall's comic-book arms. They're so eye-catching, he said, that during an interview at the NFL combine in February, one scout asked whether he could scratch his knees while standing straight up.
The answer? "Nah," Hall said. "Almost though. Almost."
Hall knows his length can be an equalizer, a tool to help him recover when he isn't perfect. Now he's learning to maximize that strength without overrelying on it.
Still, assistant defensive backs coach Sam Garnes insists it would be reckless for Hall to forget about his God-given gifts as he develops.
Said Garnes: "I told him early on, 'We didn't bring you in here because we want to teach you how to play like a short-armed player. We bring you here because we like the way you use your arms. Now we've got to teach you how to use it at this level.'"
Much of that now is about patience with Hall learning how to be disciplined in how he disrupts receivers as they begin their routes.
Hall's physicality should be an asset in press coverage. But, he's learning now, he doesn't have to attack immediately at the snap.
The Bears also know Hall's swagger and confidence can be contagious. So it was no surprise, after those back-to-back big plays against the Broncos, that the rookie corner emphatically waved his arms to confirm the incompletions.
"He has such a confident energy," Garnes said. "You might think he's cocky. But it's not that. He's not cocky, not brash. He wants to have fun. And he's one of these guys who walks in a room or on the field and lights it up."
dwiederer@chicagotribune.com
