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#Post#: 272454--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Jackiejokeman Date: June 1, 2016, 3:33 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Doe's Bullard fit in with the DEFENSE crazy,
F.A. and the Draft the BEARS have committed to?
Gotta lotta motherfkkers coming in to camp.
If you had to review it before training camp ... CHICAGO
DEFENSE,
where's your confidence picker at ?
Think back to the 3 fourth round draftees.
If those don't make it ... we can't make it.
#Post#: 272455--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: boogie Date: June 1, 2016, 3:34 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
So much for this guy:
Bears General Manager Ryan Pace oversaw his first draft in
Chicago in 2015 and added six players to the Bears roster.
On Wednesday, the team parted ways with one of those players.
The Bears announced that tackle Tayo Fabuluje has been placed on
waivers, making him the first player picked by Pace to be
dropped by the team.
Fabuluje was a sixth-round pick in 2015 after playing his
college ball at TCU. He appeared in four games for the team and
also served a four-game suspension for violating the league’s
performance-enhancing drug policy.
The Bears added several offensive linemen to the roster this
offseason, including Bobby Massie, Cody Whitehair, Ted Larsen
and Manny Ramirez. There aren’t many spots on the depth chart up
for grabs with three starters back from last year, but the
competition is a bit thinner with Fabuluje out of the picture.
#Post#: 272463--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: dallasbear Date: June 1, 2016, 4:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Tayo was a long shot but if you know his story you've got to be
disappointed.
Despite what the article says that not many spots are open,
there is no favorite for the swing tackle spot among Nick
Bection, Jason Weaver, Martin Wallace and John Kling.
As Butch Cassidy once said, "Who are those guys?"
#Post#: 272465--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Jackiejokeman Date: June 1, 2016, 4:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Dal,
This is rebuilding on a scale we don't know about.
But it better work out baby. :D
#Post#: 272474--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: WshflThinking Date: June 1, 2016, 5:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Jackie has put us on warning. He will be pissed if we don't have
a backup LOT or Leno flops. ;D ;D
#Post#: 272513--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: Jackiejokeman Date: June 1, 2016, 8:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[font=Verdana][/font][quote author=WshflThinking
link=topic=434.msg272474#msg272474
date=1464820705][font=Verdana][/font]Jackie has put us on
warning. He will be pissed if we don't have a backup LOT or Leno
flops. ;D ;D
[/quote]
Wsh,
Speaking of which ... have you watched any episodes of Jay
Leno's Garage on CNBC ?
#Post#: 272544--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: WshflThinking Date: June 1, 2016, 11:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
NO, but I am guessing that with all those expensive cars he has
in that stable of cars Jay Leno could buy the Chicago Bears.
#Post#: 272564--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: boogie Date: June 2, 2016, 9:43 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Although some have mistaken them for siblings at various points
during their careers, tackle Jake Long and guard Kyle Long
aren’t brothers.
They could be playing together in 2016, however. Adam Schefter
of ESPN reports that Jake Long will spend part of Thursday
working out for the Bears, who employ Kyle Long as their right
guard.
Jake Long played four games for the Falcons last season after
signing with them after the start of the regular season. Long
didn’t start any of those games, but was a longtime starter at
left tackle for the Dolphins, who drafted him first overall in
2008, and the Rams until that point.
Long tore his ACL in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons, however,
and hasn’t generated much interest on the market this offseason.
The Bears signed Bobby Massie as a free agent to play right
tackle and have Charles Leno working with the first team at left
tackle after he finished last season as the starter at that
spot.
#Post#: 272565--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: boogie Date: June 2, 2016, 10:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The Chicago Bears this afternoon conducted the second practice
of organized team activities (OTAs).
With rain covering the entire Chicago area, the Bears practiced
indoors at the Walter Payton Center at Halas Hall. As usual it
was a non-padded practice, with players wearing just jerseys and
shorts.
Injuries
-WR Alshon Jeffery was, once again, not present for today's
session. He's working out on his own and obviously has no
intentions of joining the team until his paychecks are on the
line.
Also absent was OLB Pernell McPhee, who is still recovering from
knee surgery. S Adrian Amos, who did not practice last week as
he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery, did participate in
the individual sessions and the first portion of team drills,
yet sat out the rest of practice.
TE Greg Scruggs, who was too winded to finish practice last
week, did not suit up today. DT Will Sutton, who was sick last
week, was back on the field this afternoon.
The mystery surrounding fifth-round rookie RB Jordan Howard
continues, as he continued to watch from the sidelines today
with an undisclosed issue. I've been privy to four Bears
practices this off-season and I'm yet to see Howard do anything.
Notebook
-After individual drills, head coach John Fox split the field
into two 7-on-7 units, with the starters working in the red zone
on one end and the backups on the other side of the field. Of
note was RB Jeremy Langford, who worked with the second team,
while Jacquizz Rodgers and Ka'Deem Carey worked with the first
team. Later in practice, Langford rotated with the first team,
but it's clear the Bears are going to make Langford earn the
starting role.
-During the dual sessions, QB Brian Hoyer struggled to find open
receivers. His main target was WR Kieren Duncan, with whom Hoyer
failed to connect on three straight passes. On the third
attempt, a deep post, Hoyer threw a poor ball and was
intercepted by S DeAndre Houston-Carson. This is the second week
in a row Hoyer hasn't looked sharp on the field.
-On a jump ball in the front corner of the end zone, ILB Danny
Trevathan was on TE Zach Miller like a glove. Trevathan's
prowess in coverage is well documented and I finally got an
opportunity to see his second-level ability in action. He's an
extremely impressive all-around defender.
-Not to be outdone, fellow ILB Jerrell Freeman also had a
quality pass breakup, reaching in front of WR Marquess Wilson on
a shallow drag to knock the ball away. Freeman is considered a
downhill thumper but he's adept in coverage as well.
-With the first team, QB David Fales tossed a ball that would've
landed 14 rows deep in the stands, while QB Matt Blanchard
missed a wide-open TE Rob Housler on a crossing route in the
back of the end zone. Other than Jay Cutler, the quarterback
play has been sub-par the past two weeks.
-The Bears cut two significant offensive line leaders this
off-season in Jermon Bushrod and Matt Slauson. As such, it
appears Kyle Long has fully accepted and embraced his role as
the leader of the club's front five.
On the sidelines during team drills, I saw him giving rookie
Cody Whitehair advice on his technique. Later, he was working
hard with RT Bobby Massie to help diagnose a defensive stunt and
build chemistry.
Following the first two-minute drill, Long came off the field
yelling: "We gotta get chunks every (bleeping) play!" Then,
after Cutler tossed a TD in team drills, Long became extremely
amped and found Cutler as they walked off the field: "Nice throw
six!"
Long is a natural leader, so seeing him guiding his teammates
now that Bushrod and Slauson are gone is no surprise. Long is
the future face of the franchise and will continue to be a vocal
leader for as long as he's in Chicago.
-Chris Prosinski and Harold Jones-Quartey are still the current
starting safeties. Rookie Deon Bush and Demontre Hurst worked
with the second team.
Also in the secondary, Bryce Callahan continues to man the
starting nickelback position.
-One of the most impressive pass breakups of the day came from
second-year CB De'Vante Bausby, who stayed in the hip of WR Josh
Bellamy, running a mid-tier drag route, and tipped away a high
throw from Hoyer.
-One one snap, first-round rookie OLB Leonard Floyd lined up on
the edge but split out to the slot before the snap. He manned up
on TE Ben Braunecker and let fly a wicked chuck at the line of
scrimmage. Floyd stayed physical through the five-yard chuck
zone, almost to a fault, as he probably would've been called for
pass intereference. Either way, he did not back down in the
least against Braunecker, who is a highly athletic tight end.
Later in the session, Floyd beat RT Nick Becton on a speed rush
around the edge for the sack. Additionally - and I know I've
brought this up before but it's worth mentioning again - no one
pursues the ball from the backside with more aggression than
Floyd. Don't be surprised if a good portion of his tackles this
season are the result of his relentless backside pursuit.
Finally, during a stretch run to his side of the field, Floyd
showed outstanding arm extension against TE Gannon Sinclair. As
the ball carrier approached, Floyd threw Sinclair inside with
ease, yet Sinclair grabbed hold and pulled Floyd to the ground.
It would have been an easy holding call in a real game. After
the play, DL Ego Ferguson got in Sinclair's face and told him:
"You can't do that man."
-CB Taveze Calhoun, a UDFA out of Mississippi State, had a
quality PBU against RB Senorise Perry on a flat route. Two plays
later, Calhoun was in man coverage against Bellamy, who ran a
hitch-and-go. Calhoun bit on the first move and was burned badly
deep down the field. Calhoun has some potential but getting beat
on a double move is a bad play to put on film for the coaching
staff.
On the next play, WR Daniel Braverman caught a bubble screen and
Calhoun crushed him, dropping the rookie to the turf. These are
non-contact practices, yet Calhoun clearly took out his
frustrations on the diminutive Braverman.
-WR Eddie Royal looks very quick and had a good practice. The
highlight came on a deep out pattern during 11-on-11 drills.
Royal was manned up against CB Tracy Porter and used an inside
head fake that left Porter utterly stunned. This allowed Royal
to create easy separation as he broke toward the sideline.
Cutler found the wide-open Royal 25 yards down the field.
During special teams drills, Royal and WR Kevin White worked
with Cutler on slant, in and bubble routes, ostensibly to build
chemistry and fine tune their timing.
-WR Kieren Duncan continues to make plays. During team drills,
working with the third team, Duncan found open space on a deep
drag and made a nice sliding catch. This elicited some love from
the coaching staff, including receivers coach Curtis Johnson.
When watching practice, I always pay attention to the coaches,
particularly the position coaches. If they're talking up a
certain player, that always bodes well for that player's shot at
making the roster. Johnson has been praising Duncan since rookie
minicamp.
-Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is almost always in Jay
Cutler's hip. Those two are borderline inseparable.
-Here is your first team kickoff unit: Senorise Perry, Deonte
Thompson, Lamin Barrow, Sherrick McManis, Chris Prosinski,
Robbie Gould, Josh Bellamy, Jonathan Anderson, Sam Acho,
Demontre Hurst and Jacoby Glenn.
Remember, special teams units are a great way to get a read on
the guys who have the edge at filling out the bottom part of the
roster.
-Also notable was the use of P Ben LeCompte on kickoffs with the
second unit. LeCompte is competing with Patrick O'Donnell for
the starting punter role but he also has a shot at securing
kickoff duties, an area in which Robbie Gould has always
struggled. There may not be any competition for Gould on field
goals but it's clear the Bears are aware of his deficiencies on
kickoffs.
-Both Jones-Quartey and Prosinski had quality pass breakups
during team drills. They are making the most of their
opportunities with Amos halfway on the shelf.
-RB Ka'Deem Cary easily beat OLB Willie Young on a swing route
in the left flat for a red zone touchdown. Young is not great in
space.
-On one snap, Cutler ran a play action naked bootleg and fired a
pass to TE Rob Housler. In coverage was, of all people, DL Eddie
Goldman. I did not see if it was a zone blitz but that's the
only reason that makes sense for Goldman to be covering a tight
end man-to-man.
-The starting defensive line is DE Mitch Unrein, NT Goldman and
DE Akiem Hicks. The second-team defensive line is DE Will
Sutton, NT Ego Ferguson and DE Cornelius Washington. Don't write
off Washington just yet.
-OL Manny Ramirez worked with the second team at RG and with the
third team at C. During team drills, he and Hoyer fumbled a
snap. Not good.
-During the two-minute drill, the defense ran a double A-gap
blitz. The offense countered with a screen play, which was the
perfect call. Out in front of the ball carrier was LT Charles
Leno, who showed good agility and awareness in finding Willie
Young and driving him out of the running back's path.
-There were a ton of play action passes today.
-Late in practice, CB Kyle Fuller was beat for touchdowns on
back-to-back plays. Just par for the course at this point.
-On the final two snaps of the day, Floyd beat RT Jason Weaver
for a sack using an inside counter move. On the next play, he
tried to duck his shoulder and turn the corner, yet Weaver
shoved him four yards past the pocket. That weak stuff won't
work in the NFL son.
#Post#: 272621--------------------------------------------------
Re: 2016 Chicago Bears
By: WshflThinking Date: June 2, 2016, 4:41 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
‘Mountain’ man Akiem Hicks can keep Bears’ LB signees clean
Patrick Finley
@patrickfinley | email
It takes a big man to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
It takes an even bigger one to sing Miley Cyrus.
Yet ask Akiem Hicks — at 6-5, 324 pounds — about fellow
defensive lineman Eddie Goldman, and he practically breaks into
song. He said he serenaded the nose tackle Wednesday, singing
Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” — “because he’s so strong, and he’s just
going forward.”
Any other song selections?
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
“Goodness no,” he said. “Maybe when we starting winning some
games I’ll come back in.”
Hicks would be happy to pay off that bet. He left the Patriots,
despite a last-minute phone call plea from Bill Belichick, to
join the Bears on a two-year, $10 million deal.
While most of the offseason attention was given to inside
linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, Hicks is the
one charged with keeping them clean.
“I think selflessness in the 3-4 defense, especially how we run
it here, is big,” Freeman said. “If he’s holding those
(offensive linemen) up, I don’t want to be the guy not to make
the play, not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. …
“You’re not going to move that guy.”
Freeman finished tied for 20th in the NFL with 112 tackles last
year as a member of the Colts; Trevathan was tied for 26th with
109 with the Broncos.
Both know they can’t reach those numbers again without a
bruising defensive line. Trevathan called Hicks a “mountain,”
and smiled.
“To see him in front of me and to not have linemen come up on
me, it’s a great feeling,” Trevathan said. “That’s what
linebackers want, you want to roam around and just hit and
attack. He’s got the right attitude.”
As a free agent, Hicks narrowed his options to a 3-4 defense. He
struggled at the start of last season when the Saints switched
to a four-man front, and was eventually traded to New England
after only three games.
The difference in his performance was stark.
“You’re way more comfortable when you’re in your zone, your
area,” Hicks said. “It’s just like putting me at corner — All
right, I have no business out there.”
He marveled at the difference between a spending a full
preseason with a team and joining it midseason.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” he said.
He suspects that Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was
undercut. That won’t happen at Halas Hall, where Vic Fangio is
playing Hicks in the same spot where Justin Smith shone for him
as a member of the 49ers.
“He’s got some explosive strength,” Fangio said. “He’s got brute
strength. He’s a very strong guy. And I like the effort he plays
with.”
Guard Kyle Long faced Hicks in 2013 and 2014, with the
then-Saints lineman recording one sack in the second game.
“Gosh, he’s improved leaps and bounds,” Long said. “He’s just so
creative now — he’s got a lot of moves. He’ll get us all better
and they got a lot of guys out there that are making us all
better.”
‘Mountain’ man Akiem Hicks can keep Bears’ LB signees clean
Patrick Finley
@patrickfinley | email
It takes a big man to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
It takes an even bigger one to sing Miley Cyrus.
Yet ask Akiem Hicks — at 6-5, 324 pounds — about fellow
defensive lineman Eddie Goldman, and he practically breaks into
song. He said he serenaded the nose tackle Wednesday, singing
Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” — “because he’s so strong, and he’s just
going forward.”
Any other song selections?
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
“Goodness no,” he said. “Maybe when we starting winning some
games I’ll come back in.”
Hicks would be happy to pay off that bet. He left the Patriots,
despite a last-minute phone call plea from Bill Belichick, to
join the Bears on a two-year, $10 million deal.
While most of the offseason attention was given to inside
linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, Hicks is the
one charged with keeping them clean.
“I think selflessness in the 3-4 defense, especially how we run
it here, is big,” Freeman said. “If he’s holding those
(offensive linemen) up, I don’t want to be the guy not to make
the play, not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. …
“You’re not going to move that guy.”
Freeman finished tied for 20th in the NFL with 112 tackles last
year as a member of the Colts; Trevathan was tied for 26th with
109 with the Broncos.
Both know they can’t reach those numbers again without a
bruising defensive line. Trevathan called Hicks a “mountain,”
and smiled.
“To see him in front of me and to not have linemen come up on
me, it’s a great feeling,” Trevathan said. “That’s what
linebackers want, you want to roam around and just hit and
attack. He’s got the right attitude.”
As a free agent, Hicks narrowed his options to a 3-4 defense. He
struggled at the start of last season when the Saints switched
to a four-man front, and was eventually traded to New England
after only three games.
The difference in his performance was stark.
“You’re way more comfortable when you’re in your zone, your
area,” Hicks said. “It’s just like putting me at corner — All
right, I have no business out there.”
He marveled at the difference between a spending a full
preseason with a team and joining it midseason.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” he said.
He suspects that Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was
undercut. That won’t happen at Halas Hall, where Vic Fangio is
playing Hicks in the same spot where Justin Smith shone for him
as a member of the 49ers.
“He’s got some explosive strength,” Fangio said. “He’s got brute
strength. He’s a very strong guy. And I like the effort he plays
with.”
Guard Kyle Long faced Hicks in 2013 and 2014, with the
then-Saints lineman recording one sack in the second game.
“Gosh, he’s improved leaps and bounds,” Long said. “He’s just so
creative now — he’s got a lot of moves. He’ll get us all better
and they got a lot of guys out there that are making us all
better.”
‘Mountain’ man Akiem Hicks can keep Bears’ LB signees clean
Patrick Finley
@patrickfinley | email
It takes a big man to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
It takes an even bigger one to sing Miley Cyrus.
Yet ask Akiem Hicks — at 6-5, 324 pounds — about fellow
defensive lineman Eddie Goldman, and he practically breaks into
song. He said he serenaded the nose tackle Wednesday, singing
Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” — “because he’s so strong, and he’s just
going forward.”
Any other song selections?
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
The Bears signed Akiem Hicks to a two-year contract this
offseason. (AP)
“Goodness no,” he said. “Maybe when we starting winning some
games I’ll come back in.”
Hicks would be happy to pay off that bet. He left the Patriots,
despite a last-minute phone call plea from Bill Belichick, to
join the Bears on a two-year, $10 million deal.
While most of the offseason attention was given to inside
linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, Hicks is the
one charged with keeping them clean.
“I think selflessness in the 3-4 defense, especially how we run
it here, is big,” Freeman said. “If he’s holding those
(offensive linemen) up, I don’t want to be the guy not to make
the play, not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. …
“You’re not going to move that guy.”
Freeman finished tied for 20th in the NFL with 112 tackles last
year as a member of the Colts; Trevathan was tied for 26th with
109 with the Broncos.
Both know they can’t reach those numbers again without a
bruising defensive line. Trevathan called Hicks a “mountain,”
and smiled.
“To see him in front of me and to not have linemen come up on
me, it’s a great feeling,” Trevathan said. “That’s what
linebackers want, you want to roam around and just hit and
attack. He’s got the right attitude.”
As a free agent, Hicks narrowed his options to a 3-4 defense. He
struggled at the start of last season when the Saints switched
to a four-man front, and was eventually traded to New England
after only three games.
The difference in his performance was stark.
“You’re way more comfortable when you’re in your zone, your
area,” Hicks said. “It’s just like putting me at corner — All
right, I have no business out there.”
He marveled at the difference between a spending a full
preseason with a team and joining it midseason.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” he said.
He suspects that Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was
undercut. That won’t happen at Halas Hall, where Vic Fangio is
playing Hicks in the same spot where Justin Smith shone for him
as a member of the 49ers.
“He’s got some explosive strength,” Fangio said. “He’s got brute
strength. He’s a very strong guy. And I like the effort he plays
with.”
Guard Kyle Long faced Hicks in 2013 and 2014, with the
then-Saints lineman recording one sack in the second game.
“Gosh, he’s improved leaps and bounds,” Long said. “He’s just so
creative now — he’s got a lot of moves. He’ll get us all better
and they got a lot of guys out there that are making us all
better.”
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