Juan Castillo - New Oline coach

[Alaskan Grizzly]

https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2020/1/1/21045849/chicago-bears-hire-juan-castillo-as-offensive-line-coach-news-nfl-harry-hiestand

[BearFan PHX]

I like it. He has been OL and run coordinator successfully before.

Now the question is whether Nagy will listen when it's 2nd and 8, down 6, early in the 4th quarter. He's going to want to pass, but can he stay with the run? History says no, but he will apparently get one more chance to prove he can change.

This will be the most likely scenario for him to be able to do it, but will he? I have my doubts. I hope Im wrong.

[AZ54]

https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2019/1/1/18164486/buffalo-bills-fire-offensive-line-coach-juan-castillo-per-report-lesean-mccoy

Reads a lot like us firing Hiestand.  However his background also has a lot of success in it and having worked with Nagy before they know each other.  That could help if Castillo uses that relationship to keep Nagy's head on straight when calling plays.  I still would have preferred to have our new OC in place first with hopes he builds the running game to his liking.  I'm not sure what this means for the OC hiring.  Either we have already got someone on the hook and we're waiting to announce it, or Nagy just doesn't care.   

[BearFan PHX]

it's possible that they have someone they want, but if they cant get him, at least theyve got Castillo to provide the role if not the title.

And there is probably some possibility he becomes OC if they cant get whoever theyre thinking about.

its a good early hire to shore up the run game and provide insurance so they can wait into the playoffs to find their guy at OC if they want to without too much risk if they dont land him.

[adam]

One name to watch is Mike Kafka, KC QB Coach. He played HS ball at St. Rita and college ball at Northwestern, and obviously has ties to Nagy in KC.

[AZ54]

10 hours ago, adam said:

One name to watch is Mike Kafka, KC QB Coach. He played HS ball at St. Rita and college ball at Northwestern, and obviously has ties to Nagy in KC.

What we really want to know is does he have a Walter Payton jersey?  

[BearFan2000]

I think it's a good hire, but changing coaches doesn't improve the level of talent or lack thereof on our line itself aside from the possibility of getting more out who we have.  That would more likely be a marginal improvement at best.  Hopefully this is the start of addressing one of the biggest issues with our offense in 2019.  You can change the driver but if the car is falling apart it won't matter.  Our current line doesn't pass block or run block well we get dominated in the trenches making it harder for our RB's and Mitch to succeed.  If we enter 2020 with virtually the same line the offense will be doomed again.  

[AZ54]

On 1/7/2020 at 9:22 AM, BearFan2000 said:

I think it's a good hire, but changing coaches doesn't improve the level of talent or lack thereof on our line itself aside from the possibility of getting more out who we have.  That would more likely be a marginal improvement at best.  Hopefully this is the start of addressing one of the biggest issues with our offense in 2019.  You can change the driver but if the car is falling apart it won't matter.  Our current line doesn't pass block or run block well we get dominated in the trenches making it harder for our RB's and Mitch to succeed.  If we enter 2020 with virtually the same line the offense will be doomed again.  

If this new Oline coach can get his players to know who to block on every play they will be much improved even with the same talent.   Keep in mind we're coming from deep down in the Mariana Trench in terms of Oline play, long way to go but that would be step 1.  

[adam]

From some articles I have read, Castillo will not start someone just because of their contract. If dudes are slacking (Leno, Massie), they won't last long under Castillo. So this hire is also a direct shot at them, and probably, to an extent, at Daniels. 

At this point, we can't get any worse. Something had to change. It may be a coach now, but I still see a few personnel changes coming.

Massie is a lock for 2020 with 12M in Dead Money, but Leno could be a post June 1 cut if he does not improve. I would be all for cutting him if there is no visible improvement seen my the end of May. The best scenario would be to trade one or both of them and cut your losses now. For how bad Leno was, I would almost want him gone before Massie. 

[AZ54]

8 hours ago, adam said:

From some articles I have read, Castillo will not start someone just because of their contract. If dudes are slacking (Leno, Massie), they won't last long under Castillo. So this hire is also a direct shot at them, and probably, to an extent, at Daniels. 

At this point, we can't get any worse. Something had to change. It may be a coach now, but I still see a few personnel changes coming.

Massie is a lock for 2020 with 12M in Dead Money, but Leno could be a post June 1 cut if he does not improve. I would be all for cutting him if there is no visible improvement seen my the end of May. The best scenario would be to trade one or both of them and cut your losses now. For how bad Leno was, I would almost want him gone before Massie. 

With Leno the money is spent either way so if he can't perform well (again) and someone else can we have to go that down that path.  Money is one thing, losing games is another.   

IIRC Daniels went back to school last year in the spring to finish his degree.  Kudos to him for that BUT he wasn't in the training facility improving his craft.  Maybe he felt working out at Iowa was all he needed.  To be fair they produce good Oline players but as a young player switching positions he needed to be studying.   Hopefully he can correct these issues with improved focus on his job.   

[BearFan PHX]

5 hours ago, AZ54 said:

With Leno the money is spent either way so if he can't perform well (again) and someone else can we have to go that down that path.  Money is one thing, losing games is another.  

Bingo. Someone understands the idea of sunk costs.

There should be ZERO chance that Leno plays another snap for us period.

Any coach that thinks he needs another chance should be fired immediately. Hopefully there are no coaches on the Bears that think that.

Leno is bad at football.

[adam]

14 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

Bingo. Someone understands the idea of sunk costs.

There should be ZERO chance that Leno plays another snap for us period.

Any coach that thinks he needs another chance should be fired immediately. Hopefully there are no coaches on the Bears that think that.

Leno is bad at football.

Leno just got lazy. He got paid, got married, and has a baby on the way. There is no way football is his top priority with all that going on. It just sucks that it happened after he signed his contract. I will be very happy if Leno and Floyd are gone in 2020. 

[BearFan PHX]

9 minutes ago, adam said:

Leno just got lazy. He got paid, got married, and has a baby on the way. There is no way football is his top priority with all that going on. It just sucks that it happened after he signed his contract. I will be very happy if Leno and Floyd are gone in 2020. 

I hear ya. I'd be OK with keeping Floyd at a lower price as a backup, but if they have the money or picks to replace him with someone with a better upside, that'd be great too.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

5 minutes ago, adam said:

Leno just got lazy. He got paid, got married, and has a baby on the way. There is no way football is his top priority with all that going on. It just sucks that it happened after he signed his contract. I will be very happy if Leno and Floyd are gone in 2020. 

And Miller has a baby on the way. 

Floyd will depend on the money. No way they pay him his 5th yr money. Pay him as a rotational OLB and then maybe.

Leno will be back. LT is almost as hard to find as a QB.  I hope they find valid competition, but it takes usually rookie OL a year or more to get strong enough.  Find one technically sound and they might get by.  They haven't drafted OT forever it feels.  Should be done almost every other year. 

I hope the new coach earns his pay and turns the line around.  It would be more beneficial to have that.  

 

[BearFan PHX]

No way Leno is our starting LOT next year. No way.

I dont care what they are paying him. We will have someone else at that position.

If not, they need to fire everyone immediately, from Pace on down.

That guy has no business playing another down for the Bears.

[adam]

3 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

I hear ya. I'd be OK with keeping Floyd at a lower price as a backup, but if they have the money or picks to replace him with someone with a better upside, that'd be great too.

So if you could keep Trevathan or Floyd for the same money, who would you keep? 

[Mongo3451]

Floyd

[AZ54]

42 minutes ago, adam said:

So if you could keep Trevathan or Floyd for the same money, who would you keep? 

Floyd

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Two positions make it difficult to choose. Smith is a lock and Kwit and KPL fill in fine, so Trevathan is easier to let go. Floyd may not be glamour, but he does just enough besides get sacks. Have to say make Floyd an offer if he refuses use the money to lock the ILB down.

[Bill]

On 1/7/2020 at 8:22 AM, BearFan2000 said:

I think it's a good hire, but changing coaches doesn't improve the level of talent or lack thereof on our line itself aside from the possibility of getting more out who we have.  That would more likely be a marginal improvement at best.  Hopefully this is the start of addressing one of the biggest issues with our offense in 2019.  You can change the driver but if the car is falling apart it won't matter.  Our current line doesn't pass block or run block well we get dominated in the trenches making it harder for our RB's and Mitch to succeed.  If we enter 2020 with virtually the same line the offense will be doomed again.  

With the lose of Long early this year they were stuck plugging in what.  A def. lineman and a journeyman at best.  I also believe they had three different philosophies on ol play.  What Nagy wanted, Heistads, and Helfrichs.  All of which were different.  Now they have hired coaches that are all on the same page I hope.  We'll see what happens next.  But they do need an influx of new talent no matter what.

[BearFan PHX]

8 hours ago, Bill said:

With the lose of Long early this year they were stuck plugging in what.  A def. lineman and a journeyman at best.  I also believe they had three different philosophies on ol play.  What Nagy wanted, Heistads, and Helfrichs.  All of which were different.  Now they have hired coaches that are all on the same page I hope.  We'll see what happens next.  But they do need an influx of new talent no matter what.

What I saw was a staff that all agreed not to call any power running plays. They were busy pulling people for trap blocks all the time, and no one knew who to block, or how to block. It was remarkably consistent in it's stinkiness.

[Stinger226]

Floyd gets a deserved rap for not being a pass rusher but he plays well with everything else. It's the 13 mil that gets in the way. He's not responsible for being drafted to high. Give him a 3 year 26 mil contract and bring in a situational PR and that position will workout.  His ceiling is 6-8 sacks.  Lots of people getting paid with that kind  of production. We were still 8th ranked in the league with all the problems we had . Better offense will do wonders for our defense. 

[AZ54]

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Floyd gets a deserved rap for not being a pass rusher but he plays well with everything else. It's the 13 mil that gets in the way. He's not responsible for being drafted to high. Give him a 3 year 26 mil contract and bring in a situational PR and that position will workout.  His ceiling is 6-8 sacks.  Lots of people getting paid with that kind  of production. We were still 8th ranked in the league with all the problems we had . Better offense will do wonders for our defense. 

What he said.