Position Battles

[soulman]

1 hour ago, dll2000 said:

TE is a hard position to find.

They can't seem to find guys who can block and catch both.   They are really good at one or other and not both.   

One of those positions that NFL needs to find a way to develop people at.

 

 

 

 

This kid seems to be more blocker than receiver so my guess is he's competing with Holtz for his spot but more likely than not ends up on the PS this season.  Barrone seemed to do a nice job bringing Kmet along last year and hopefully we'll see another jump this year.

The question becomes where does Kmet end up.  Will they move him to "U" to replace Graham or keep his as a "Y" TE.

And what about Horsted?  Could be the type of pure pass catcher Nagy hoped Burton could be?

Since we no longer have ten TEs in camp this year it seems to me that at least for now they've reached some conclusions about who they're looking at to do what.

[dll2000]

25 minutes ago, soulman said:

This kid seems to be more blocker than receiver so my guess is he's competing with Holtz for his spot but more likely than not ends up on the PS this season.  Barrone seemed to do a nice job bringing Kmet along last year and hopefully we'll see another jump this year.

The question becomes where does Kmet end up.  Will they move him to "U" to replace Graham or keep his as a "Y" TE.

And what about Horsted?  Could be the type of pure pass catcher Nagy hoped Burton could be?

Since we no longer have ten TEs in camp this year it seems to me that at least for now they've reached some conclusions about who they're looking at to do what.

I think fans are over blowing the U vs Y.   It's just how they designate players on a play in a two TE set.   You can't call them both Y.    It doesn't mean U never Blocks or Y never runs routes or Y is never split out, etc.    Biggest difference is Y is probably always on LOS before snap for ease on QB for legal formations and U can be either.   

A lot of time the U is throwing that trap block that Nagy likes to run on IZ.   He is key block on play and under Nagy the U's miss it as much as make it.  

 

 

 

[soulman]

1 minute ago, dll2000 said:

I think fans are over blowing the U vs Y.   It's just how they designate players on a play in a two TE set.   You can't call them both Y.    It doesn't mean U never Blocks or Y never runs routes or Y is never split out, etc.    Biggest difference is Y is probably always on LOS before snap for ease on QB for legal formations and U can be either.   

A lot of time the U is throwing that trap block that Nagy likes to run on IZ.   He is key block on play and under Nagy the U's miss it as much as make it.  

 

 

 

That's a better way to describe it.

I didn't mean to imply that a "U" TE never blocks just more the principal role of each position.

While Kmet has the size to play in line and the speed and athletic ability to play split out or in the slot a kid like Horsted whose about the same size as Trey Burton isn't gonna line up inside as a primary blocker.  That's all I was getting at.

[HuskieBear]

Jake Butt is at minicamp as a tryout player. he was a really good player at michigan, but tore his acl in their bowl game, and at least one more time since. will be interested if they keep him around

[dll2000]

2 hours ago, soulman said:

That's a better way to describe it.

I didn't mean to imply that a "U" TE never blocks just more the principal role of each position.

While Kmet has the size to play in line and the speed and athletic ability to play split out or in the slot a kid like Horsted whose about the same size as Trey Burton isn't gonna line up inside as a primary blocker.  That's all I was getting at.

They design the plays so Y is more of a bruiser and U is more dynamic.

Typically.  Obviously you want a dynamic Y and a bruising U.

 

 

 

[WindyCity]

 

Moses gone. Would have been a nice signing.

 

[dll2000]

Been hearing from blogs and podcasts that Vildor is CB that made most plays in OTA.

https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Article/Kindle-Vildor-Showing-Growth-in-Chicago-Bears-Minicamp-166665464/

[Heinz D.]

On 6/15/2021 at 1:48 PM, HuskieBear said:

Jake Butt is at minicamp as a tryout player. he was a really good player at michigan, but tore his acl in their bowl game, and at least one more time since. will be interested if they keep him around

If he can manage to stay healthy, he'd be a top-notch add.

On 6/19/2021 at 10:15 AM, dll2000 said:

Been hearing from blogs and podcasts that Vildor is CB that made most plays in OTA.

https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Article/Kindle-Vildor-Showing-Growth-in-Chicago-Bears-Minicamp-166665464/

Cool! Vildor steppin' up...

[dll2000]

Okay sounds like from beat reporters starting secondary at moment following OTAs (guys running with first team) is:

CBs : Vildor, Johnson

Slot:  Shelley

Safeties: Jackson, Gipson.

LBs:  Trevathan and Smith (Trevathan has reportedly looked way better than early last year - which isn't saying much)

DL hasn't all shown up, but with Goldman reportedly coming back it should be on a rotation:

OLB: Quinn/Mack/Gipson

NT: Goldman/Pennel

DT:  Hicks/Nichols/Edwards

If Trevathan is back to form that is good news.  He started looking better late last year.  Started about as awful as you can.

Questions are:

What does Goldman look like?

Is Quinn washed up?

Are CBs good enough as a group?  Seem very average talent and undersized on paper, but they are fighters and overachievers.  Will be most interesting position group in my opinion.

Can Mack return to greatness?

On paper front 7/6 is very good.   But injuries, Goldman opt out, Quinn not playing to reputation and Trevathan what I assume was playing out of shape meant they just weren't that good last year.

If front 7 can be better that would be huge for back end.

 

[AZBearsFan]

22 hours ago, dll2000 said:

If front 7 can be better that would be huge for back end.

I thought girls did squats for that. OHHHHHHH… 

(shows self out)

[WindyCity]

48 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I thought girls did squats for that. OHHHHHHH… 

(shows self out)

Suspended 

[Sugashane]

On 6/26/2021 at 11:25 AM, AZBearsFan said:

I thought girls did squats for that. OHHHHHHH… 

(shows self out)

 

On 6/26/2021 at 12:13 PM, WindyCity said:

Suspended 

[MonserinNC]

I know Trufant is always injured and had no hope of starting 17 games, but I thought he would get the starting nod over Vildor to start at least

[dll2000]

14 hours ago, MonserinNC said:

I know Trufant is always injured and had no hope of starting 17 games, but I thought he would get the starting nod over Vildor to start at least

He might still.   It is early.   OTAs mean little.

Even beginning of training camp doesn't mean much.   Burns was starting corner with Fuller at that time last year. 

 

[dll2000]

Locked on Bears talked about O line today.

Was half listening and multitasking, but focus was on RT. 

Host felt Ifedi is presumed starter and will be 3 way competition at camp with other 4 spots locked in.   He really focused on RT position as the weak spot and where competition would be.  

I think all 5 are probably ‘locked’ in at this time or the presumed starters. Jenkins, Whitehair, Mustipher, Daniels, Ifedi.

I will say I think Daniels may be in more danger than people think he is of losing his job.   Or he should be.   

No one was a bigger fan of the Daniels draft pick than me after watching him at Iowa and I thought he was a future all-pro after his rookie year.   But he has been mostly downhill from there IMO.

I think he is most physically gifted OL on the Bears and has all-pro ability, but he just doesn’t play like it a lot of the time.

If I was coach there would be competition at every position, but the closest competition wouldn’t be at RT it would at RG.   I would give Borom and Bars a real shot at starting at RG in camp over Daniels.  I think Bars has played ever bit as good as Daniels despite getting far less reps and playing multiple positions.   Borom has more talent than Bars and I would try him at G.  I think that is his best position anyway.   

That being said I would love for Daniels to prove me wrong now and prove me right about what I thought his career would look like and play like an all-pro.    

Do I think Bears will do that?  I don’t know.  I think Bears/Pace would like to see their higher round picks succeed.  I think the unknown guys will face competition and maybe the higher picks not so much.  

I am of opinion that you play best guy unless you are developing a better talent. But at some point you have to give up on talent and say it is what it is.

I think the biggest thing the Bears discovered that has made them better, finally, is that Whitehair is pro bowl level guard and an average to below average center.   So play him at guard.  

I think Bears need to find competition at center and not just rely on Whitehair to kick back there.   

I thought Bears should have played Daniels at center from day 1 rather than letting him play guard to let him watch and learn.  Who knows what would have happened.  We know he didn’t play well at center when he went there.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by dll2000