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#Post#: 271763--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Sportster Date: May 25, 2016, 5:46 pm
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We do have a pretty solid group of DT's now. Hopefully this will
translate into wins come fall...
#Post#: 271774--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Jackiejokeman Date: May 25, 2016, 8:06 pm
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Sporty,
How do you want to play this angle ?
OFFENSE on the field to keep our DEFENSE off the field ...
or the other way around ?
We don't know what we have in either category ... it'll be
interesting though.
Hey ... did we draft super secret Special Teams ?
Hell yeah I could like the next Hester !
#Post#: 271805--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: boogie Date: May 26, 2016, 9:47 am
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The Chicago Bears conducted the second practice of Organized
Team Activities (OTAs) this morning. It was the first practice
open to the media.
The weather at Halas Hall was absolutely gorgeous, with
temperatures in the mid 80s and occasional cloud coverage. It
was a hot day, which appeared to have an effect on a number of
players.
Players not in attendance: WR Alshon Jeffery, OLB Pernell
McPhee, OL Tayo Fabuluje and DL Will Sutton. Jeffery is working
out on his own and McPhee is still recovering from an off-season
knee scope, while Sutton and Fabuluje are sick.
Present but not participating were RB Jordan Howard and S Adrian
Amos. Howard did not practice the final two days of rookie
minicamp and is still sidelined for an undisclosed reason. Amos
is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.
Practice Notebook
-Joseph Sommers, a UDFA out of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, is listed as a
tight end on the depth chart. Yet today, he played exclusively
at the fullback position, both in individual drills and team
drills.
This is an interesting development, as it appears Sommers will
compete with Paul Lasike for a spot on the roster as the club's
fullback, assuming they keep one. Lasike is far bigger and more
powerful but Sommers is taller and moves much better. It's a
battle worth watching.
-The heat in Lake Forest took its toll on TE Greg Scruggs. The
310-pound, fourth-year tight end walked off the field after the
first set of team drills and never returned. Not a good start
for a fringe player trying to earn a roster spot.
-One big positional change of note: Christian Jones is now
working with the outside linebackers. Jones started 13 games at
inside linebacker last season and led the team in tackles. Yet
he's now working in the OLB group.
Remember, Jones was an edge rusher his senior year at FSU, so he
has experience lining up out wide. Early in team drills, Jones
was giving RT John Kling fits and was consistently beating him
around the edge. Later in 11-on-11s, Jones picked up an easy
sack after collapsing hard on a naked bootleg.
Jones is going to struggle to earn a roster spot at such a
crowded position but, based on what I saw today, it appears OLB
is the right spot for him.
-With the first team defense, Jerrell Freeman is calling the
plays, something he did with the Colts as well.
"It’s not hard," Freeman told me after practice. "You get the
call, you give the call. It’s pretty simple. Once you get it in
your ear, you’ll probably have a little this, a little that, to
tell different people but it’s pretty simple."
-With Amos not participating, the starting safeties were Chris
Prosinski and Harold Jones-Quartey. Of note was one snap in
which Jones-Quartey was covering WR Deonte Thompson. Thompson
wasn't happy with Jones-Quartey's active hands and, as they
walked back to the huddle, Jones-Quartey got in Thompson's face
and challenged him to speak up. Thompson walked away.
Like I said, the heat got to a few guys today.
-WR Kevin White looks 100-percent healthy, yet he was rusty,
both physically and mentally. On the second snap of team drills,
White ran a deep out and beat CB Kyle Fuller. The pass from Jay
Cutler was perfect but White dropped it.
Later, I noticed at least three occasions in which White had
trouble lining up properly.
In general, White and Cutler struggled to connect. Cutler fired
three deep passes to White during 11-on-11s and none of them
were completed. In fact, White didn't even get a hand on any of
the three passes. Obviously, those two are still developing
chemistry.
-The starting nickelback is still Bryce Callahan. During team
drills, he had a very impressive interception.
Cutler rolled out on a naked bootleg and was pressured by OLB
Lamarr Houston. Cutler made a hurried throw into the right flat
and Callahan dove to pick it off.
-On offense, coordinator Dowell Loggains was using a walkie
talkie to call in plays to Cutler's head set. On defense, the
coaches were using a combination of hand signals and numbered
cards held up by an assistant. I've never seen Bears coaches
using cards before.
-Speaking of interesting drills, the QBs worked off to the side
during special teams drills. New quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone
took two large inflated balls and fired them at the quarterbacks
as they dropped into the pocket. The QBs had to avoid the balls
and fire a pass into a net with targets.
Of note is that Brian Hoyer badly overthrew the target on both
of his reps. In fact, Hoyer had a very poor day overall. He was
hesitant to release the ball and fired passes into coverage on a
number of snaps. On the second snap of second-team 11-on-11s,
Hoyer was picked off by ILB John Timu on a crossing route. It
was a solid play by Timu but a pass Hoyer should have never
thrown.
-Loggains was definitely in charge of the offense today, barking
orders to players and assistant coaches from all over the field.
He's far more vocal than Adam Gase.
-Bears starting offensive line: LT Charles Leno, LG Ted Larsen,
C Hroniss Grasu, RG Kyle Long, RT Bobby Massie. Noteworthy is
the presence of Larsen, and not rookie Cody Whitehair, at left
guard. Whitehair worked with the second team at LG. Larsen also
took snaps at center with the third team.
Second-team offensive line: LT Nick Becton, LG Whitehair, C
Cornelius Edison, RG Manny Ramirez, RT Jason Weaver. Ramirez
also rotated at center with the third team.
-QB David Fales' arm strength has not improved. He threw two
passes today that were high-school level.
-On one snap during team drills, TE Rob Housler ran a wheel
right down the right sideline. OLB Willie Young was in man
coverage and ran stride for stride with Housler. His body
positioning never allowed Housler to make a play on the ball.
This was a very impressive snap from Young, showing good speed
and coverage ability.
Later, Housler ran another wheel route and was able to beat CB
Jacoby Glenn on the deep go. Cutler dropped in a beautiful touch
pass to Housler in stride.
-The heat got to WR Marquess Wilson, who was sidelined about
halfway through the practice. Again, not a great sign for a
player whose job is nowhere near secure.
-On special teams, here were the players returning punts: Marc
Mariani, Eddie Royal, Daniel Braverman, Kieren Duncan and Omar
Bolden.
-Impressive catches were made today by WR Cameron Meredith, who
made a contested grab across the middle with Callahan in his hip
pocket, and WR Josh Bellamy, who hauled in a difficult ball on a
sideline hitch in which CB Tracy Porter was all over him.
Bellamy was very vocal in today's practice, something I've never
seen from him before. He's clearly stepped up his leadership
game.
-CB Kyle Fuller was beat at least a handful of times today. It's
deja vu all over again, as he was routinely torched in OTAs last
year, only this time it's not Jeffery beating him but pretty
much whoever lines up across from him.
-S Deon Bush had a solid pass breakup during 11-on-11s,
undercutting a deep out pass intended for Bellamy. Bush has more
range than most give him credit for.
-C Hroniss Grasu definitely looks bigger, particularly in the
chest and stomach area. The weight gain the coaches have talked
about is real.
-First-round OLB Leonard Floyd didn't do much today but I was
impressed with his never-ending hustle. He chases down every
play, no matter the drill. He's also extremely good at working
through the wash of bodies, where his slight frame allows him to
maneuver through small gaps.
Floyd did have one play in which he used an inside head fake to
help turn the corner against LT Nick Becton, which would have
likely earned him a sack.
-LT Charles Leno owned OLB Lamarr Houston all afternoon. The
pads aren't on, so it's tough to truly gauge linemen, but
Houston never got close to the quarterback all morning.
-Third-round DL Jonathan Bullard had one very impressive snap,
working right past OL Martin Wallace and penetrating into the
backfield for a sack. When Bullard flashes, he's beastly.
#Post#: 271810--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: BearHit Date: May 26, 2016, 10:24 am
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High humidity will beat them down
#Post#: 271811--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: dallasbear Date: May 26, 2016, 10:49 am
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Nice article boogie.
Looks like the best battles will be for the WR spots - I see
these 9 contenting for 6 spots:
Kevin White
Alshon Jeffery
Marquess Wilson
Eddie Royal
Marc Mariani
Daniel Braverman
Josh Bellamy
Cameron Meridith
Deonte Thompson
I think Eddie Royal may not make the team and Meridith, Bellamy
and Mariani battle for the last spot. Yeah, I think Deonte
Thompson is one of the 6.
Glad to see Grasu starting over the FAs - looks like Whitehair
is going to have to beat out Larsen at LG.
Still really concerned about CB depth and TE depth also. I like
Housler better than Khari Lee. And I don't know why Scruggs is
still at 310lbs if he expects to play TE.
Interesting move for Christian Jones to OLB. You figure the
backup MLB spots will go to the rookie Kwiatkowski and either
Timu or Jon Anderson. Jones might make it as a backup OLB if
they keep 5.
#Post#: 271812--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: BearHit Date: May 26, 2016, 10:53 am
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And Hoyer and Fales battle for the clipboard carrying duties?
#Post#: 271815--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: dallasbear Date: May 26, 2016, 11:00 am
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I'd be stunned if Hoyer isn't the backup. Blanchard and Fales
battle it out for #3 or more likely a practice squad spot.
If the Bears are serious about adding a FB that means one less
WR, TE or QB on the 53 man.
#Post#: 271818--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: boogie Date: May 26, 2016, 11:02 am
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And it is only the second OTA, but not so good to see Fuller is
getting lit up.
#Post#: 271835--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Sportster Date: May 26, 2016, 2:24 pm
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Definitely concerned with Fuller. Kid is sounding more and more
like a bust....not good....
#Post#: 271839--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: dallasbear Date: May 26, 2016, 2:45 pm
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Come on, it's only May...and OTAs! Plus wasn't he a starting CB
on the NFL's 4th best pass defense last year?
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