The secondary getting some love

[Wesson44]

Said Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo, “I feel good about the secondary, if we can stay healthy. I like the safeties. Craig Steltz should take a step this year. Kevin Payne got a lot of playing time last year. I even like the guy we took in the sixth round [Al Afalava]. We picked up Josh Bullocks, who has a good play history as well.”

[DABEARSDABOMB]

We heard a lot about Stelz when they drafted him and how much the Bears loved him. Than he kind of fell out of favor most of last year and was pretty meh in general. He definately lacked speed on the field as he was always a step or two slow in coverage. I wonder if he's improved this year or if the Bears are just talking out there butts knowing that they have mediocre safeties and nothing more. But in coverage our safeties, until they prove otherwise, are below average.

[Guest TerraTor]

Said Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo, “I feel good about the secondary, if we can stay healthy. I like the safeties. Craig Steltz should take a step this year. Kevin Payne got a lot of playing time last year. I even like the guy we took in the sixth round [Al Afalava]. We picked up Josh Bullocks, who has a good play history as well.”

 

Josh "fuggin" Bullocks... are you kidding me...

[Wesson44]

Josh "fuggin" Bullocks... are you kidding me...

 

Hey who knows, maybe in a different system like our he might be ok

[balta1701-A]

We heard a lot about Stelz when they drafted him and how much the Bears loved him. Than he kind of fell out of favor most of last year and was pretty meh in general. He definately lacked speed on the field as he was always a step or two slow in coverage. I wonder if he's improved this year or if the Bears are just talking out there butts knowing that they have mediocre safeties and nothing more. But in coverage our safeties, until they prove otherwise, are below average.

I'm still one of the opinion that even the best safeties look mediocre if you can't get pressure on a QB, and mediocre safeties will be all over the field if the opposing QB is scrambling and doesn't have time to look around.

[madlithuanian]

There's lots of truth to that...

 

As they say, it's all won and lost in the trenches.

 

I'm still one of the opinion that even the best safeties look mediocre if you can't get pressure on a QB, and mediocre safeties will be all over the field if the opposing QB is scrambling and doesn't have time to look around.

[nfoligno]

I am not sure my expectations for Bullocks is very high, yet w/ what we have, I just hope he can be decent.

 

I think, at FS, there are a few keys going into the season, outside of simply the man starting.

 

One. Pass rush. That is first and foremost. If we get a solid pass rush, even lesser players in the secondary can look good.

 

Two. CBs. If our CB play can return to form, it would make the job of the FS much easier.

 

Three. Development of Graham, who is reported to be looking at a move to FS. Sorry, but I have minimal faith in Steltz ability to play FS, or Afalava. To me, both are simply SS'. I do not expect Graham to instantly become a starting grade FS, but if he can show enough development, we might be able to avoid FS being a need heading into next year.

 

Hey who knows, maybe in a different system like our he might be ok

[defiantgiant]

I am not sure my expectations for Bullocks is very high, yet w/ what we have, I just hope he can be decent.

 

I think, at FS, there are a few keys going into the season, outside of simply the man starting.

 

One. Pass rush. That is first and foremost. If we get a solid pass rush, even lesser players in the secondary can look good.

 

Two. CBs. If our CB play can return to form, it would make the job of the FS much easier.

 

Three. Development of Graham, who is reported to be looking at a move to FS. Sorry, but I have minimal faith in Steltz ability to play FS, or Afalava. To me, both are simply SS'. I do not expect Graham to instantly become a starting grade FS, but if he can show enough development, we might be able to avoid FS being a need heading into next year.

 

I agree that Graham's development is key. It makes a lot of sense to move him to FS - his speed and ball skills are a little below average for a corner, but they'd be more than adequate for a safety. Plus, he's got the frame to play safety if he adds a little weight, he's very physical in run support, and he has good form/takes good angles as a tackler. He stepped in reasonably well at corner when Vasher started to slump, and I think there's reason to believe he'd do even better as a safety.

 

The thing that gives the Bears some really nice flexibility is Danieal Manning's performance as a nickel back. The fact that he emerged as a nickel means that our backups to Vasher/Tillman are just that: backups. If you consider the nickel corner a starter, which I do, then they're not starters. Graham was basically a backup who ended up pushing Vasher due to the latter's poor performance: I'm fine with DJ Moore doing the same thing in 2009. That would free Graham up to push Bullocks for the starting job at FS.

[Pixote]

I agree that Graham's development is key. It makes a lot of sense to move him to FS - his speed and ball skills are a little below average for a corner, but they'd be more than adequate for a safety. Plus, he's got the frame to play safety if he adds a little weight, he's very physical in run support, and he has good form/takes good angles as a tackler. He stepped in reasonably well at corner when Vasher started to slump, and I think there's reason to believe he'd do even better as a safety.

 

The thing that gives the Bears some really nice flexibility is Danieal Manning's performance as a nickel back. The fact that he emerged as a nickel means that our backups to Vasher/Tillman are just that: backups. If you consider the nickel corner a starter, which I do, then they're not starters. Graham was basically a backup who ended up pushing Vasher due to the latter's poor performance: I'm fine with DJ Moore doing the same thing in 2009. That would free Graham up to push Bullocks for the starting job at FS.

 

Has it been reported that Graham is being looked at as a possible FS? I thought this was just our (BearsTalk's) banter. I thought it was Zach Bowman that was reported by the Bears to be moving from CB to FS?

[AZ54]

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/corey_graham/

 

Q: I am glad to learn that the Bears are considering Corey Graham to be the free safety this coming season because I have long felt Charles Tillman or Graham would be the best option on the roster. Why has it taken the team so long to reach this possible conclusion? Sometimes these things seem so obvious.

 

Phil S., Concord, N.H.

 

A: This isn't a revelation the coaching staff just arrived at, the possibility that Graham could fill a role at free safety. Steve Wilks, the defensive backs coach, said during training camp summer that the idea of trying Graham at safety and nickel back had been kicked around in meetings. Graham was actually introduced to safety during December 2007 when injuries were once again making a mess of the safety position. Well, injuries and the ill-conceived effort to revive Adam Archuleta's career. The Bears were short on bodies at the position at the end of the season. But how was the team going to get Graham up and running at safety last season? Remember, Tillman missed the bulk of training camp to be with his family as his daughter went through serious health issues. The Bears had to operate with what they had and that meant using Graham at left cornerback. He showed real strides from his rookie season. It was Trumaine McBride, who was drafted two rounds after Graham in 2007, who started as a rookie that season. But Graham moved ahead of him on the depth chart in training camp and made the kind of strides necessary for him to replace Nathan Vasher when injuries struck early in the season. We've given an awful lot of attention to the safety position--and for good reason--but issues at cornerback can be far more troubling. That's why the move of Graham to free safety will not be a possibility unless the team feels comfortable in Vasher or rookie D.J. Moore manning the job at right cornerback. There is going to be plenty of time to sort this out. OTA's begin two weeks from today on May 20, and this could easily carry into training camp and preseason but the hope would be the coaching staff would have an idea what the starting lineup will look like by then. It just seemed awkward going into the third preseason last summer when Brandon McGowan was benched and they started shifting parts around in the secondary.

[nfoligno]

I believe Angelo himself mentioned Graham to FS. Bowman was mentioned in the move, but I am not sure what level of expectations are there. Angelo said, basically, he was being moved to S because it was his best chance to make the roster, implying we were loaded at CB and his odds of making the roster at CB were not great, but when looking at our S talent, his odds were much improved.

 

But when he talked about Graham to FS, I got the impression that was more w/ a greater level of expectation.

 

Has it been reported that Graham is being looked at as a possible FS? I thought this was just our (BearsTalk's) banter. I thought it was Zach Bowman that was reported by the Bears to be moving from CB to FS?

[Pixote]

I believe Angelo himself mentioned Graham to FS. Bowman was mentioned in the move, but I am not sure what level of expectations are there. Angelo said, basically, he was being moved to S because it was his best chance to make the roster, implying we were loaded at CB and his odds of making the roster at CB were not great, but when looking at our S talent, his odds were much improved.

 

But when he talked about Graham to FS, I got the impression that was more w/ a greater level of expectation.

 

Thanks AZ54 & Nfo, I did not remember all this info on Graham. I am still somewhat surprised as the talk was that Graham was to push Vasher if he did not return to form. Why would they say this one day and talk of him moving to FS the next day? Guess we will just have to wait and see.

[nfoligno]

Could be wrong, but I think it was after the draft Graham was talked about at FS. I think the staff is VERY high on Moore, and may believe he has a greater upside at CB than Graham.

 

Further, I think it may come down to this. Take Graham out of the equation for a moment. Where are we weaker? CB or FS? I think most all would say FS, and by a landslide. Whether it is Vasher, Moore, or even McBride, our outlook at CB is better than our outlook at FS. Thus, you look at Graham there.

 

Thanks AZ54 & Nfo, I did not remember all this info on Graham. I am still somewhat surprised as the talk was that Graham was to push Vasher if he did not return to form. Why would they say this one day and talk of him moving to FS the next day? Guess we will just have to wait and see.

[defiantgiant]

Could be wrong, but I think it was after the draft Graham was talked about at FS. I think the staff is VERY high on Moore, and may believe he has a greater upside at CB than Graham.

 

Further, I think it may come down to this. Take Graham out of the equation for a moment. Where are we weaker? CB or FS? I think most all would say FS, and by a landslide. Whether it is Vasher, Moore, or even McBride, our outlook at CB is better than our outlook at FS. Thus, you look at Graham there.

 

Yeah, exactly. We'd still have pretty good depth at corner sans Graham, with Tillman playing opposite Vasher/Moore, Danieal Manning as the nickel back, Trumaine McBride as the dime back, and either McBride or Bowman as Tillman's backup.

 

I think there's a lot of justification for how high the Bears are on Moore. A lot of draft publications had Moore as the 4th or 5th best corner in the draft, and Angelo has had an exceptional track record picking defensive backs in later rounds. I think we're going to find out that they got a steal there.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Interesting, hopefully Vasher returns to form and Moore looks like the player a lot of people think he might be (and he seems like a great fit in the cover 2, where size isn't that important in the secondary) as Manning/Mcbride are nice Nickel and Dimebacks. And Graham, well he could be a bluechipper at FS.

[AZ54]

Graham move to FS looking permanent:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/be...-052109.article

 

 

BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

The Bears didn’t waste any time getting a jump on moving Corey Graham to free safety.

 

That’s where he opened the organized team activity Wednesday, running with the second team alongside Josh Bullocks, while Craig Steltz handled first-team duties next to Kevin Payne. If the experiment goes as the Bears hope, Graham will not be a reserve for long.

 

‘‘For now, it’s my position,’’ Graham said. ‘‘I don’t know beyond that.’’

 

Before the switch, it appeared Graham would battle at right cornerback with former Pro Bowl performer Nathan Vasher, but the move makes it clear the team has faith that Vasher will return to form.

 

Graham has better range than anyone the Bears have had at free safety for some time, and he’s a willing participant in run support. It comes down to whether he has the instincts to make the transition. He played safety as a senior in high school and for two games at New Hampshire.

 

‘‘Once I start to learn what I am doing, I’ll play faster,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s more mental than anything. It’s a lot of different techniques, and there is a lot more stuff going on. You’re involved on the inside core, so it’s a lot different. It’s not only picking up what I am doing, but what everyone around me is doing, too.’’

 

Vasher has appeared in only 12 games in the last two seasons since his contract year. He was slimmed down in the March minicamp and looked good. He said he feels good, too, which is key after groin and hand injuries derailed him.

 

‘‘I’m coming out working every day,’’ he said when asked if he expects to reclaim his starting job. ‘‘We’ll just see what happens.’’

[nfoligno]

I'm confused about something. The way I read this, Steltz was 1st string FS and Payne 1st string SS. Then it mentions Graham alongside Bullocks as 2nd string.

 

Assuming Graham was playing FS, why the hell are we running Bullocks at SS? I really just do not understand the continued belief Steltz is a FS. Just move his ass to SS and see if he can develop there.

 

IMHO, we should be heading into camp w/ Payne and Steltz in a wide open competition at SS, and Graham/Bullocks at FS.

 

One more point. I hope we do not screw around w/ Graham as we did DM. Graham was a CB, learned and developed there, and now we are moving him to FS. Fine. But I wonder if this is a permanent move, or one we are just sort of looking at. Point is, I hope we don't shuffle this kid around too much, hurting his ability to develop at any one position.

 

Graham move to FS looking permanent:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/be...-052109.article

 

 

BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

The Bears didn’t waste any time getting a jump on moving Corey Graham to free safety.

 

That’s where he opened the organized team activity Wednesday, running with the second team alongside Josh Bullocks, while Craig Steltz handled first-team duties next to Kevin Payne. If the experiment goes as the Bears hope, Graham will not be a reserve for long.

 

‘‘For now, it’s my position,’’ Graham said. ‘‘I don’t know beyond that.’’

 

Before the switch, it appeared Graham would battle at right cornerback with former Pro Bowl performer Nathan Vasher, but the move makes it clear the team has faith that Vasher will return to form.

 

Graham has better range than anyone the Bears have had at free safety for some time, and he’s a willing participant in run support. It comes down to whether he has the instincts to make the transition. He played safety as a senior in high school and for two games at New Hampshire.

 

‘‘Once I start to learn what I am doing, I’ll play faster,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s more mental than anything. It’s a lot of different techniques, and there is a lot more stuff going on. You’re involved on the inside core, so it’s a lot different. It’s not only picking up what I am doing, but what everyone around me is doing, too.’’

 

Vasher has appeared in only 12 games in the last two seasons since his contract year. He was slimmed down in the March minicamp and looked good. He said he feels good, too, which is key after groin and hand injuries derailed him.

 

‘‘I’m coming out working every day,’’ he said when asked if he expects to reclaim his starting job. ‘‘We’ll just see what happens.’’

[defiantgiant]

I'm confused about something. The way I read this, Steltz was 1st string FS and Payne 1st string SS. Then it mentions Graham alongside Bullocks as 2nd string.

 

Assuming Graham was playing FS, why the hell are we running Bullocks at SS? I really just do not understand the continued belief Steltz is a FS. Just move his ass to SS and see if he can develop there.

 

IMHO, we should be heading into camp w/ Payne and Steltz in a wide open competition at SS, and Graham/Bullocks at FS.

 

One more point. I hope we do not screw around w/ Graham as we did DM. Graham was a CB, learned and developed there, and now we are moving him to FS. Fine. But I wonder if this is a permanent move, or one we are just sort of looking at. Point is, I hope we don't shuffle this kid around too much, hurting his ability to develop at any one position.

 

I've been wondering about this as well. I assume the Bears are doing it so they can have a look at both Graham and Steltz at FS, since it'd be a position switch for both of them. They've got enough tape on Bullocks to know roughly what he brings to the table as a FS; this way, they can evaluate Steltz and Graham to see if either is a viable option to compete with him. Bullocks will probably start getting reps at his real position somewhere down the road. My feeling is that they determine Steltz is better at SS, then they go forward with Bullocks as the starting FS, Graham as his backup, and Steltz/Payne at SS. I'd be surprised if Corey Graham beat Bullocks out for the FS job this year, but if they give him a year to learn the position, he'll probably take over in 2010.

[madlithuanian]

That makes three of us...

 

The musical chairs game this staff is playing w/ our secondary definitley has me concerned...

 

Maybe Manning's failure is the anomoly. I sure hope it is...

 

I've been wondering about this as well. I assume the Bears are doing it so they can have a look at both Graham and Steltz at FS, since it'd be a position switch for both of them. They've got enough tape on Bullocks to know roughly what he brings to the table as a FS; this way, they can evaluate Steltz and Graham to see if either is a viable option to compete with him. Bullocks will probably start getting reps at his real position somewhere down the road. My feeling is that they determine Steltz is better at SS, then they go forward with Bullocks as the starting FS, Graham as his backup, and Steltz/Payne at SS. I'd be surprised if Corey Graham beat Bullocks out for the FS job this year, but if they give him a year to learn the position, he'll probably take over in 2010.

[AZ54]

I'm confused about something. The way I read this, Steltz was 1st string FS and Payne 1st string SS. Then it mentions Graham alongside Bullocks as 2nd string.

 

Assuming Graham was playing FS, why the hell are we running Bullocks at SS? I really just do not understand the continued belief Steltz is a FS. Just move his ass to SS and see if he can develop there.

 

IMHO, we should be heading into camp w/ Payne and Steltz in a wide open competition at SS, and Graham/Bullocks at FS.

 

One more point. I hope we do not screw around w/ Graham as we did DM. Graham was a CB, learned and developed there, and now we are moving him to FS. Fine. But I wonder if this is a permanent move, or one we are just sort of looking at. Point is, I hope we don't shuffle this kid around too much, hurting his ability to develop at any one position.

 

 

I wondered about that too but after giving it some thought I came to the conclusion that the staff did this because Steltz is the only safety with experience at FS. In the drills they wanted the first team defense to be a first team defense so they could get a better evaluation of what we had with our WR and Cutler. On top of that it gave Graham and Bullocks a chance to watch the first team D and see how it's done and then go out with the second team. At least that logic made sense for Graham. For Bullocks and why he got reps at SS I have no idea other than the staff definitely wanted Graham to get a lot of reps at FS yet they still wanted Bullocks to get on the field so he can start learning the D play calls and get accustomed to working with his new teammates. I'd certainly expect Graham and /or Bullocks to slide in with the first team shortly as they get more reps and Steltz to get more looks at SS. Outside of knowing their assignment you can't tell much at SS anyway because no contact is allowed.

[azbearsfan]

This is nothing to worry about. In our scheme, the safeties are expected to know and play both positions.

[nfoligno]

Sorry, not buying.

 

Okay, if the idea is to use the guy who has experience at FS, would that not be DM?

 

That aside, you have Bullocks, who has several years at FS (albeit w/ another team) vs Steltz?

 

I don't know. At the end of the day, we are talking about a dang OTA, and an early one at that. it is possible it is no more than the staff more wanting to see the players they have little tape on, where as they have plenty of tape on a player like Bullocks. But while that would explain Steltz as the 1st string FS, it still doesn't totally explain Bullocks at SS.

 

 

I wondered about that too but after giving it some thought I came to the conclusion that the staff did this because Steltz is the only safety with experience at FS. In the drills they wanted the first team defense to be a first team defense so they could get a better evaluation of what we had with our WR and Cutler. On top of that it gave Graham and Bullocks a chance to watch the first team D and see how it's done and then go out with the second team. At least that logic made sense for Graham. For Bullocks and why he got reps at SS I have no idea other than the staff definitely wanted Graham to get a lot of reps at FS yet they still wanted Bullocks to get on the field so he can start learning the D play calls and get accustomed to working with his new teammates. I'd certainly expect Graham and /or Bullocks to slide in with the first team shortly as they get more reps and Steltz to get more looks at SS. Outside of knowing their assignment you can't tell much at SS anyway because no contact is allowed.

[nfoligno]

Dude, the hair on the back of my neck just went up. Possibly more than any other single thing our staff says, that ticks me off.

 

Besides the exceptions to the rule, such as a S like Mike Brown was, how many safeties are truly capable of playing either positions? For years, we have drafted SS', while talking about how the S position is interchangable, only to see that player who could play SS fail at FS. Whether you are talking about Mike Green, Harris, Payne, McGowan, Steltz, or a host of others, I think it is obvious the two positions simply are not as interchanble as the staff would like. Its one thing to craete an ideal player on paper and say that player can be either a FS or a SS, but another to find that player in real life.

 

Sorry, but just as some SS' struggle in coverage, so is true on how many FS' would struggle to play similar to a 4th LB in the box, which is what a SS often is.

 

 

This is nothing to worry about. In our scheme, the safeties are expected to know and play both positions.

[Connorbear]

I think we all need to remember that last yr was Steltz's rookie yr. I am not saying he will be a starter FS in the future but he will most likely improve.

 

Peace

[defiantgiant]

Sorry, not buying.

 

Okay, if the idea is to use the guy who has experience at FS, would that not be DM?

 

That aside, you have Bullocks, who has several years at FS (albeit w/ another team) vs Steltz?

 

I don't know. At the end of the day, we are talking about a dang OTA, and an early one at that. it is possible it is no more than the staff more wanting to see the players they have little tape on, where as they have plenty of tape on a player like Bullocks. But while that would explain Steltz as the 1st string FS, it still doesn't totally explain Bullocks at SS.

 

Well, I assume they weren't running a third team, so if they wanted to get a look at both Steltz and Graham, the only way to get Bullocks on the field is to put him at SS. Again, they're probably doing it just to get a look at what other options they have, since they assume that Bullocks will be one of the guys in the mix at FS.

 

I wouldn't read TOO much into an OTA depth chart: remember that Brandon Rideau is getting snaps with the first team, Idonije is back at DT because Harris and Harrison are out, and Zack Bowman is at first-team corner since Tillman is out. None of those guys are going to be in their current spot on the depth chart come September. By the same token, I'd be VERY surprised if we went into the season with two free safeties who just changed positions and our only veteran free safety playing at second-string SS.