Dan Pompei says WR a want not a need

[bradjock]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...,4048044.column

 

Interesting article. I agree with parts of it. To me it comes down to o-line & d-line being more of a priority.

 

That and he doesn't mention Greg Olsen who is technically a TE, but he's a big contributor in the receiving department.

 

Two things I disagree with:

1. "I have heard so much bashing about the Bears receivers that I started to question my own judgment. So I went to a pro scout I respect from another team who has studied them extensively. Here's his assessment:

'They are all different, and it's an above-average group. They are difficult to defend and probably second in the NFC North after the Packers.'"

 

That's WAY off. Assuming the Vikings bring all three back, I'd MUCH rather have Percy Harvin, Sydney Rice & Bernard Berrian over our 3.

 

As for Detroit, I'd take Mega-Tron and anybody else over our guys.

 

2. Pompei really likes Knox. I lost confidence in him after he disappeared at the end of the season and caused more harm then good. Hopefully he'll bounce back, but I'm not optimistic.

[balta1701-A]

That's WAY off. Assuming the Vikings bring all three back, I'd MUCH rather have Percy Harvin, Sydney Rice & Bernard Berrian over our 3.

I'm certainly not sold on the Bears' WR's...but the amount of time the vikings WR's missed, plus the fact that Berrian stinks, didn't help. Give you an example: Hester, Knox, and Bennett combined for 137 catches on the year. The Vikings top 3 combined for 116.

[bradjock]

I'm certainly not sold on the Bears' WR's...but the amount of time the vikings WR's missed, plus the fact that Berrian stinks, didn't help. Give you an example: Hester, Knox, and Bennett combined for 137 catches on the year. The Vikings top 3 combined for 116.

 

Who would you rather have? Harvin, Rice & Berrian or Bennett, Hester, & Knox? If all 6 are healthy, nobody is choosing our 3.

[balta1701-A]

Who would you rather have? Harvin, Rice & Berrian or Bennett, Hester, & Knox? If all 6 are healthy, nobody is choosing our 3.

Yeah, but if you ask "Which ones are likely to get hurt", Harvin and Rice are at the top of that list.

[Guest TerraTor]

Earl Bennett is the only NFL caliber WR on the team and he is a #2 at best..... Mortage the farm on Jay Cutler and give him no Oline and no WR... smart

 

[balta1701-A]

Earl Bennett is the only NFL caliber WR on the team and he is a #2 at best..... Mortage the farm on Jay Cutler and give him no Oline and no WR... smart

Come on man, you're better than this.

 

I'll totally agree there's no #1 WR, and that's a big problem.

 

Seriously though, Knox put up 960 yards last year in his 2nd season.

 

For comparison, Berrian put up 954 yards for the Bears in the year before he got his big contract with Minny, and 964 yards in his first year with Minny.

 

Give you another one. Vincent Jackson didn't put up 1000+ yards until his 4th season.

 

He's not a #1 WR, but he's absolutely an NFL caliber WR.

[flea]

Who would you rather have? Harvin, Rice & Berrian or Bennett, Hester, & Knox? If all 6 are healthy, nobody is choosing our 3.

 

 

the problem is Harvin with the migraines will never be always healthy & ya just don't know when they'll pop up so it's an unrealistic question

[jason]

Basically what I've been saying for a while.

 

The WRs are not bad. They are above average, a pretty good group. The OL is just so shitty that the team can't implement the proper offensive gameplan and run routes that take more than 2 seconds to develop. An offensive game plan is severely limited with an OL that can't run or pass block very well, and all pass routes are essentially limited to a 3-step drop if any semblance of success is desired.

[jason]

Who would you rather have? Harvin, Rice & Berrian or Bennett, Hester, & Knox? If all 6 are healthy, nobody is choosing our 3.

 

Honestly, I'd take the Bears' trio

 

Knox > Berrian

Hester > Harvin

Bennett

 

The improvement from Berrian and Harvin to Knox and Hester is about the difference between Bennett and Rice, IMO. Factor in Harvin's migraines, and I'd rather have the Bears' WRs.

[balta1701-A]

Basically what I've been saying for a while.

 

The WRs are not bad. They are above average, a pretty good group. The OL is just so shitty that the team can't implement the proper offensive gameplan and run routes that take more than 2 seconds to develop. An offensive game plan is severely limited with an OL that can't run or pass block very well, and all pass routes are essentially limited to a 3-step drop if any semblance of success is desired.

I don't think I'd say they're above average or "pretty good". I'd say they're "adequate". The big problem is that there's no go-to guy in there. There's no guy you can constantly count on being open, nor is there a guy that you can constantly count on as a killer threat. Even when you get protection, you can't count on guys having been where they're supposed to be or figured out a way to get open.

 

Without a #1 guy, it's not an above average group to me. For all I know though, Knox or Bennett could take that next step next year; they're still darn young.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Simply put: the "need" is OL. Otherwise you got noone to throw

 

The "want" is that potential #1 big body receiver to draw attention away from the other, very capable, receivers (Hester, Knox and Bennett). Each has their own unique skills and (the bigger positives) are young and not injury prone.

 

Hester is not only fast but VERY elusive. Pretty good slot receiver actually. Knox has pure and raw speed. Just needs to fight more for the ball and complete his routes. And Bennett is a true clutch receiver. Lacks speed but has some pretty strong will. How many times this last year did we see, after he caught the ball, Bennett continue upfield while bouncing off defenders like a pinball then drag one or two for another yard?

 

I'd say the core receivers are pretty good but with the "need" and "want" filled could be exceptional.

 

[bradjock]

Hester is not only fast but VERY elusive.

 

Disagree. When has he been elusive as a WR? I've argued this before. Hell make a guy miss once in a while as a WR, but not often. Not many big plays as a WR.

 

Knox has pure and raw speed. Just needs to fight more for the ball and complete his routes.

 

Agreed. He'll get even better. But with his size he'll never be the "go-to" guy.

 

"And Bennett is a true clutch receiver. Lacks speed but has some pretty strong will. How many times this last year did we see, after he caught the ball, Bennett continue upfield while bouncing off defenders like a pinball then drag one or two for another yard?"

 

I REALLY agree. Bennett doesn't get nearly enough love here. If we need a 1st down, he's our guy. He reminds me of Deion Branch when he was first with the Patriots. He's not great at anything, but he does everything pretty damn good and he'll get the job done.

 

I'd say the core receivers are pretty good but with the "need" and "want" filled could be exceptional.

 

If there's a guy we think could be a #1 when we pick at 29, we'd better jump all over him. Take the best player available. But we're not bad at WR.

[defiantgiant]

I don't think I'd say they're above average or "pretty good". I'd say they're "adequate". The big problem is that there's no go-to guy in there. There's no guy you can constantly count on being open, nor is there a guy that you can constantly count on as a killer threat. Even when you get protection, you can't count on guys having been where they're supposed to be or figured out a way to get open.

 

Without a #1 guy, it's not an above average group to me. For all I know though, Knox or Bennett could take that next step next year; they're still darn young.

 

Yeah, this is exactly it. They're a pretty good group that looks worse than they are because of the protection issues, but even if the protection were good, there's no go-to guy there.

 

Knox, ideally, is their deep threat #2 receiver. Hester has a lot of talent, but it seems like he's better off as a full-time returner with a set package of plays on offense. Both those guys can get open against an NFL corner no problem, but they seem to struggle with being in the right place at the right time. I think Knox definitely has the potential to keep improving, but I don't see him turning into a go-to receiver. He's just not physical enough fighting for the ball, and he doesn't run his routes consistently enough.

 

Bennett, on the other hand, is very consistent in terms of hands and route-running, but his lack of speed and shiftiness means that good corners can stick to him no problem. I don't think he'll ever be a guy who can reliably beat a team's #1 or #2 CB...you want him in 3WR sets matched up on a linebacker or a nickel corner. In that role, he can be a very valuable possession receiver, but he's not going to be an Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall...a possession receiver who can be your go-to guy against a team's best corner.

 

None of those three can consistently get loose from coverage AND make a play. They all either do one or the other, but not both. Once they get their o-line fixed, the Bears need to concentrate on getting a receiver who can do both.

[LT2_3]

Yeah, this is exactly it. They're a pretty good group that looks worse than they are because of the protection issues, but even if the protection were good, there's no go-to guy there.

 

Knox, ideally, is their deep threat #2 receiver. Hester has a lot of talent, but it seems like he's better off as a full-time returner with a set package of plays on offense. Both those guys can get open against an NFL corner no problem, but they seem to struggle with being in the right place at the right time. I think Knox definitely has the potential to keep improving, but I don't see him turning into a go-to receiver. He's just not physical enough fighting for the ball, and he doesn't run his routes consistently enough.

 

Bennett, on the other hand, is very consistent in terms of hands and route-running, but his lack of speed and shiftiness means that good corners can stick to him no problem. I don't think he'll ever be a guy who can reliably beat a team's #1 or #2 CB...you want him in 3WR sets matched up on a linebacker or a nickel corner. In that role, he can be a very valuable possession receiver, but he's not going to be an Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall...a possession receiver who can be your go-to guy against a team's best corner.

 

None of those three can consistently get loose from coverage AND make a play. They all either do one or the other, but not both. Once they get their o-line fixed, the Bears need to concentrate on getting a receiver who can do both.

 

I did just read at PFT that Rice may get a RFA tender.

[defiantgiant]

I did just read at PFT that Rice may get a RFA tender.

 

Yeah, it depends on the new CBA, whether UFAs have to have four years in the league or five. The players want four, the NFL wants five. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[madlithuanian]

Pompei need to stop letting the Bears pull his puppet strings...

 

He's so pro bears these days that I cannot trust a word he writes anymore sadly...

 

OL is such a glaring need that Stevie Wonder can see it.

 

However, as many have mentioned, our WR crew aren't all that. Pompei seems to be happy as a pig in slop with all the potential. I, and many others, are not. As you mention, our division rivals have better crews- taking Hester out as a return man. It's not like our guys are the paragons of health. Devin, Johnny and Edgar have all missed some time due to injury. Otherwise, we'd never have been teased with Aromashodu...

 

I do a gree that the line is a priority on O, and then next so on D. But WR is also a priority...and should be so as a free agent only. We need it now.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...,4048044.column

 

Interesting article. I agree with parts of it. To me it comes down to o-line & d-line being more of a priority.

 

That and he doesn't mention Greg Olsen who is technically a TE, but he's a big contributor in the receiving department.

 

Two things I disagree with:

1. "I have heard so much bashing about the Bears receivers that I started to question my own judgment. So I went to a pro scout I respect from another team who has studied them extensively. Here's his assessment:

'They are all different, and it's an above-average group. They are difficult to defend and probably second in the NFC North after the Packers.'"

 

That's WAY off. Assuming the Vikings bring all three back, I'd MUCH rather have Percy Harvin, Sydney Rice & Bernard Berrian over our 3.

 

As for Detroit, I'd take Mega-Tron and anybody else over our guys.

 

2. Pompei really likes Knox. I lost confidence in him after he disappeared at the end of the season and caused more harm then good. Hopefully he'll bounce back, but I'm not optimistic.