Random Bears Thoughts - Offseason Thread

[AZBearsFan]

19 minutes ago, Sugashane said:

Wife gets discharged at 4 so she will be coming home tonight. Kids are going to flip when they find out.

Congrats brotha. Glad to hear it. 

[Madmike90]

Braxton Jones is currently on the CHGO podcast and killing it...incredibly articulate for a young guy and talking some fairly pressing questions in his stride...so far has spoken about how he wants to stay at LT but will do whatever helps the team win...they then read out a scouting report of all the technical issues he had last season in pass pro...not a bit of ego of becoming defensive...took ownership over it and discussed how these issues were caused by a lack of base and that is the thing he is working the most on this offseason.

[dll2000]

41 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

Braxton Jones is currently on the CHGO podcast and killing it...incredibly articulate for a young guy and talking some fairly pressing questions in his stride...so far has spoken about how he wants to stay at LT but will do whatever helps the team win...they then read out a scouting report of all the technical issues he had last season in pass pro...not a bit of ego of becoming defensive...took ownership over it and discussed how these issues were caused by a lack of base and that is the thing he is working the most on this offseason.

LOL

I was about to write almost word for word same thing.

 

[WindyCity]

6 hours ago, Madmike90 said:

Braxton Jones is currently on the CHGO podcast and killing it...incredibly articulate for a young guy and talking some fairly pressing questions in his stride...so far has spoken about how he wants to stay at LT but will do whatever helps the team win...they then read out a scouting report of all the technical issues he had last season in pass pro...not a bit of ego of becoming defensive...took ownership over it and discussed how these issues were caused by a lack of base and that is the thing he is working the most on this offseason.

We need him to take a major step forward in pass pro this year. If he does, and we draft an OT high, the line looks very different.

If the issues persists… they are deal breakers… and we would be left scrambling.

Hopefully it all clicks.

[StLunatic88]

21 hours ago, WindyCity said:

We need him to take a major step forward in pass pro this year. If he does, and we draft an OT high, the line looks very different.

If the issues persists… they are deal breakers… and we would be left scrambling.

Hopefully it all clicks.

Do you think he’s going to regress? Because even if he gives exactly what he did last year, he’s completely fine for 2023. And I know you don’t like hearing the word “fine”, but you need to start getting used to it as that will be the majority of this roster for the immediate future. 

Braxton has already shown that he is at the very least capable of being a Swing Tackle/6th Lineman in the league, and that would be on a team win an OL already set. I’d say he’s already shown way more that that.

So sure, if Jones doesn’t improve at all going forward, we probably are looking for a new LT soon. But writing him off already is an overreaction, and honestly unwarranted 

[Sugashane]

1 hour ago, StLunatic88 said:

Do you think he’s going to regress? Because even if he gives exactly what he did last year, he’s completely fine for 2023. And I know you don’t like hearing the word “fine”, but you need to start getting used to it as that will be the majority of this roster for the immediate future. 

Braxton has already shown that he is at the very least capable of being a Swing Tackle/6th Lineman in the league, and that would be on a team win an OL already set. I’d say he’s already shown way more that that.

So sure, if Jones doesn’t improve at all going forward, we probably are looking for a new LT soon. But writing him off already is an overreaction, and honestly unwarranted 

Jones doesnt concern me. He has enough athleticism and talent to stick around in the league. His ceiling is a top 10-15 LT and floor is a solid swing OT. That's fantastic for a 5th.

I'm actually hoping to see how Leatherwood and Borom play. Leatherwood has a fantastic athletic profile but is (was?) mechanical garbage. Borom isn't a great athlete but was a mauler. It'll be interesting to see who the staff favors and if someone converts inside. Both do have experience at OT and OG after all. 

Honestly if either would go to Chris Morgan and say they want to fight for center too it would be a boon. Both young and strong enough to anchor, and with Whitehair and Patrick they could learn/refine the snapping aspect of the spot. I think they would be better at blocking 1-techs over EDGE players actually. If they can't be starter quality players then at least you're adding more depth and versatility. 

[Madmike90]

5 hours ago, Sugashane said:

Jones doesnt concern me. He has enough athleticism and talent to stick around in the league. His ceiling is a top 10-15 LT and floor is a solid swing OT. That's fantastic for a 5th.

I'm actually hoping to see how Leatherwood and Borom play. Leatherwood has a fantastic athletic profile but is (was?) mechanical garbage. Borom isn't a great athlete but was a mauler. It'll be interesting to see who the staff favors and if someone converts inside. Both do have experience at OT and OG after all. 

Honestly if either would go to Chris Morgan and say they want to fight for center too it would be a boon. Both young and strong enough to anchor, and with Whitehair and Patrick they could learn/refine the snapping aspect of the spot. I think they would be better at blocking 1-techs over EDGE players actually. If they can't be starter quality players then at least you're adding more depth and versatility. 

I’m fairly certain Borom is gone this offseason…even after losing some bad weight last offseason he showed cherry just doesn’t have the movement skills to play in this scheme.

[dll2000]

Happy Easter!

🙏

[AZBearsFan]

14 hours ago, StLunatic88 said:

Do you think he’s going to regress? Because even if he gives exactly what he did last year, he’s completely fine for 2023. And I know you don’t like hearing the word “fine”, but you need to start getting used to it as that will be the majority of this roster for the immediate future. 

Braxton has already shown that he is at the very least capable of being a Swing Tackle/6th Lineman in the league, and that would be on a team win an OL already set. I’d say he’s already shown way more that that.

So sure, if Jones doesn’t improve at all going forward, we probably are looking for a new LT soon. But writing him off already is an overreaction, and honestly unwarranted 

Jones’ biggest problem last year was with struggling to anchor against power. He’s spoken several times this offseason about that being the main focus of his offseason program. If he gets that straightened out not only is he going to be a solid OL, he’s probably going to be a really good one. He’s already a good run blocker. 

[dll2000]

10 hours ago, Madmike90 said:

I’m fairly certain Borom is gone this offseason…even after losing some bad weight last offseason he showed cherry just doesn’t have the movement skills to play in this scheme.

I think Borom would have made a good guard.  They should have moved him IMO.  Maybe they do it this spring. 

[dll2000]

If we going to take Jalen Carter or Tyree Wilson or Devin Witherspoon at 9 I am okay with that.   But we need to have a solid plan for a good OT.   The FA plan didn’t happen.  

If you have to trade up back into first - so be it.  

I would rather trade down and take an OT with our first pick ideally.  

But the defensive talent at 9 may be too difficult for Poles to pass on.  Especially if it’s Carter.

You win with blue chip talent.  They are force multipliers.  

[dll2000]

It is interesting to note that Gipson and Robinson are/were both project and developmental edge players.  

Gipson took a step back last year when he was expected to take step forward and Robinson was unexpectedly thrown into fire in his first year.  

They both basically stunk most of last year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will both stink in 2023.  

Gipson has to play better this year.  Robinson can take another year to get better I think.  On plus side, they both got a lot of reps in 2022. 

Hoping for a pleasant surprise from one of them.  No question to me a draft pick is coming to compete and take reps in addition to signed FAs.

[Superman(DH23)]

3 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

Jones’ biggest problem last year was with struggling to anchor against power. He’s spoken several times this offseason about that being the main focus of his offseason program. If he gets that straightened out not only is he going to be a solid OL, he’s probably going to be a really good one. He’s already a good run blocker. 

I think the thing that most impressed me with Jones was the confidence they had to just stick him on an island and let him sink or swim.  And he won a lot more reps than he lost and he played every single snap.  You put all that in a 5th round rookie from a bad fcs school that is incredible value.  We talk about the QB contract but you need 2 OTs in this league and combined they make just as much as the QB.  If they go out and find a RT in this draft you basically get the same advantage as having a QB on a rookie contract.  And on CHGO he was really impressive in his own self evaluation and his team first attitude.  Said he wants to stay at LT but if plays RT he still has a job so it ain't too bad.

 

Edit:  also did you see the size of the man's hands????

Edited April 9, 2023 by Superman(DH23)

[AZBearsFan]

9 hours ago, dll2000 said:

You win with blue chip talent.  They are force multipliers.

While true, I also think PJJ and Jones are potential blue chip talents. 

[Madmike90]

11 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I think Borom would have made a good guard.  They should have moved him IMO.  Maybe they do it this spring. 

Limited reps but he didn’t look good when he played inside last season…I just think he is a casualty of a regime change.