Bears working out Jake Long?

[adam]

per Schefter: Former Falcons, Rams and Dolphins OT Jake Long is working out today for the Chicago Bears, per source.

 

Somewhat surprising considering we cut Slauson. I guess we are content with interior line but are still looking for outside help.

[Stinger226]

per Schefter: Former Falcons, Rams and Dolphins OT Jake Long is working out today for the Chicago Bears, per source.

 

Somewhat surprising considering we cut Slauson. I guess we are content with interior line but are still looking for outside help.

I suspect we may grab a vet LT if they dont think we have depth there with just Leno. There will keep increasing there options until the team gets good. Always looking to upgrade is a good way to fly. What I like about this regime is they dont care where a player comes from, if he can play, they will play him.

[AZ54]

I wonder if we're serious about signing him now or if we're taking an early look to see how his health is and then we'll keep his number handy in case some of the young guys don't develop as we hope. I'm not a big fan of signing him because he's done nothing in the last few years but if he's the backup plan there's a lot less risk than with the young players and his experience couldn't hurt.

 

Tayo being cut now is either because he just wasn't close to doing what was required for his job so the coaches made an example of him, or he is performing the same as he did last year and we have players who are better. I hope it's the latter.

[Stinger226]

I wonder if we're serious about signing him now or if we're taking an early look to see how his health is and then we'll keep his number handy in case some of the young guys don't develop as we hope. I'm not a big fan of signing him because he's done nothing in the last few years but if he's the backup plan there's a lot less risk than with the young players and his experience couldn't hurt.

 

Tayo being cut now is either because he just wasn't close to doing what was required for his job so the coaches made an example of him, or he is performing the same as he did last year and we have players who are better. I hope it's the latter.

I would say either Becton or Kling has their attention. Maybe this is a good sign.

[jason]

I for one love this move. I wanted it when he became a FA. Long at 50% is probably better than Leno. And even if he plays a handful of games, it's probably better overall for the team than Leno. Long is a #1 overall pick and a four time probowl. He was an absolute monster, destined for the HOF before injuries derailed him. This is all leaps and bounds above any Leno will ever do. Because of that, it's worth a shot to see if he has fuel in the tank.

 

I do agree, however, that it's odd to go with age at LT and cut age at LG.

[BearFan PHX]

I think we didnt cut Slauson so much for age as style. He isnt a zone blocking guy, and I think they want to leverage Kyle Long's athleticism with a zone blocking system. In that context, Grasu makes more sense too.

 

We moved from a 4-3 to a 3-4, but we are also changed our blocking system, so this all makes sense from that point of view.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Long was good 4 years ago. This is purely a depth move. He isn't a starter and isn't as good as Leno. Any delusions of that are misleading. He has proven over the past few years that he isn't healthy enough to be the player he once was and we shouldn't assume he's capable. Brett Favre was once amazing, doesn't mean I want us to sign him to be a solution now. Long is a quality vet who could teach Leno but any idea where we'd be bringing him at this point to be a starter is delusional. Leno, while not great, was solid last year for what he once and the coaching staff sees upside in him. He was a better player last year than Long has been in a number of years and is much younger with potential to actually get better.

[jason]

Long was good 4 years ago. This is purely a depth move. He isn't a starter and isn't as good as Leno. Any delusions of that are misleading. He has proven over the past few years that he isn't healthy enough to be the player he once was and we shouldn't assume he's capable. Brett Favre was once amazing, doesn't mean I want us to sign him to be a solution now. Long is a quality vet who could teach Leno but any idea where we'd be bringing him at this point to be a starter is delusional. Leno, while not great, was solid last year for what he once and the coaching staff sees upside in him. He was a better player last year than Long has been in a number of years and is much younger with potential to actually get better.

 

That's nonsense. He got offered a monster contract before the 2013 season (even after a season-ending tricep tear in 2012) and played 15 games that season. He was definitely better than Leno then in 2013. He came back from the ACL tear to start WK1 in 2014, and played 7 games until he tore the ACL again. He was definitely better than Leno in that season. So, one season being better than Long is the best Leno can possibly be, and that's mostly because everyone was scared off by Long's injuries and he didn't get signed until a team needed depth.

 

Recap: 2012 bicep tear, IR. 2013 AND 2014 with ACL tears, IR. There's no way he'd be fully ready to return to form in 2015. We saw the same thing with several of our players last year, where they returned to form in the later parts of the season, but were hindered in the first part of the season. Dude's body was a wreck the last few years.

 

Unless he suddenly lost all his skill, ability, and freakish talents that made him one of the best young linemen in history, which is possible with that many injuries in a row, then he's likely better than a 7th rounder in 2014.

 

Of course, all of this is moot now that someone else was signed.

[Stinger226]

That's nonsense. He got offered a monster contract before the 2013 season (even after a season-ending tricep tear in 2012) and played 15 games that season. He was definitely better than Leno then in 2013. He came back from the ACL tear to start WK1 in 2014, and played 7 games until he tore the ACL again. He was definitely better than Leno in that season. So, one season being better than Long is the best Leno can possibly be, and that's mostly because everyone was scared off by Long's injuries and he didn't get signed until a team needed depth.

 

Recap: 2012 bicep tear, IR. 2013 AND 2014 with ACL tears, IR. There's no way he'd be fully ready to return to form in 2015. We saw the same thing with several of our players last year, where they returned to form in the later parts of the season, but were hindered in the first part of the season. Dude's body was a wreck the last few years.

 

Unless he suddenly lost all his skill, ability, and freakish talents that made him one of the best young linemen in history, which is possible with that many injuries in a row, then he's likely better than a 7th rounder in 2014.

 

Of course, all of this is moot now that someone else was signed.

There not signing someone to take Leno's place, this is clearly trying to find depth with a vet as a swing tackle. I think Leno has a lot to prove, but I think there are ready to let him play himself to be better or lose his job. I think its a moot point that he was a 7th rounder, he got on the field. When Bushrod was ready to come back from injury, he didnt get his job back. It is not that I think Bushrod was good at that point, but going with a seasoned vet would have been a logical choice. The point here is they think Leno is better than we do. We will see what happens.

[jason]

There not signing someone to take Leno's place, this is clearly trying to find depth with a vet as a swing tackle. I think Leno has a lot to prove, but I think there are ready to let him play himself to be better or lose his job. I think its a moot point that he was a 7th rounder, he got on the field. When Bushrod was ready to come back from injury, he didnt get his job back. It is not that I think Bushrod was good at that point, but going with a seasoned vet would have been a logical choice. The point here is they think Leno is better than we do. We will see what happens.

 

Their intention I don't know, but I suspect you're right. They're trying to find a swing tackle.

 

My point about him being a 7th rounder is that he wasn't that great to begin with, otherwise he would have been drafted earlier. The fact that he's still young means he still has a ton to work on. A #1 overall guy doesn't have nearly as much to work on. All Long has to work on is conditioning and health, two things that may not be controllable. Make no mistake, however, Long is way more talented, and a better player. Whether a lesser percentage of his abilities is better than a 100% Leno is difficult to to measure, but I'd guess it is.