Why I pray one of the LTs fall to the Bears

[rockren]

They are 4th round picks though. Melton looks like he can be an above average DT in this league. If you get that out of a 4th round pick, you hit the jackpot. In terms of Wooten, he might get cut. Clearly injuries got him, but I haven't exactly since the Bears invest a top pick in a dlineman since Tommie (and prior to that Michael Haynes, who was drafted based upon Jauron's system, IIRC).

 

Heck, as a franchise, the Bears haven't had many draft picks in the past few years that were in meaningful spots (e.g,. 1st/2nd round + early 3rd round). This year they will actually be in a decent position and it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

It's a shame because Tank and Tommie could still be in the middle for the Bears if it weren't for Tommie's health and Tank's brain farts. However, guys like Gilbert (3rd), Harrison (3rd), Bazuin (2nd) in recent drafts just haven't panned out for the Bears and that's okay. I'd rather the Bears keep exhausting these routes to put next to Peppers/Melton and company rather than using a 1st Round pick at this point in time when the Offense has bigger holes to fill.

 

 

[bradjock]

They are 4th round picks though. Melton looks like he can be an above average DT in this league.

 

Yes, but when you're spending a 2nd round (Paea, Tank, Dan Bazuin, Gaines Adams) 3rd round (Gilbert, Harrison, Davoracek) 4th round (Wootton & Melton) Occasionally you need to hit on these guys like when we drafted Alex Brown. Granted, the jury is still out on Paea and Melton, but we've had so many misses that I'm not optimistic.

 

If you get that out of a 4th round pick, you hit the jackpot. In terms of Wooten, he might get cut. Clearly injuries got him

 

I don't know what's going on with Wooton but for the majority of the season he was 100% and considered a "healthy scratch" for most games.

 

Heck, as a franchise, the Bears haven't had many draft picks in the past few years that were in meaningful spots (e.g,. 1st/2nd round + early 3rd round). This year they will actually be in a decent position and it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Agreed, but we've had too many later picks do nothing.

 

[rockren]

They are 4th round picks though. Melton looks like he can be an above average DT in this league.

 

Yes, but when you're spending a 2nd round (Paea, Tank, Dan Bazuin, Gaines Adams) 3rd round (Gilbert, Harrison, Davoracek) 4th round (Wootton & Melton) Occasionally you need to hit on these guys like when we drafted Alex Brown. Granted, the jury is still out on Paea and Melton, but we've had so many misses that I'm not optimistic.

 

If you get that out of a 4th round pick, you hit the jackpot. In terms of Wooten, he might get cut. Clearly injuries got him

 

I don't know what's going on with Wooton but for the majority of the season he was 100% and considered a "healthy scratch" for most games.

 

Heck, as a franchise, the Bears haven't had many draft picks in the past few years that were in meaningful spots (e.g,. 1st/2nd round + early 3rd round). This year they will actually be in a decent position and it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Agreed, but we've had too many later picks do nothing.

 

Agree 100% with your assessment.

[AZ54]

Cliff Avril is still out there. Lions said they don't want to tag him but that doesn't mean they won't. I think his speed off the edge is exactly what we need but he's not a 3-down DE IMO. No doubt the Lions see it the same way.

 

 

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/02/2...g-franchise-tag

Posted Feb. 25, 2012 @ 2:14 p.m. ET

By Mike Wilkening

The Lions and DE Cliff Avril have something in common: Neither likes the idea of the franchise tag. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said the club wants to sign Avril to a multiyear contract and to avoid giving him the franchise tag. "I think it's the best thing for him and the best thing for us," Mayhew told reporters.

[jason]

They are 4th round picks though. Melton looks like he can be an above average DT in this league.

 

Yes, but when you're spending a 2nd round (Paea, Tank, Dan Bazuin, Gaines Adams) 3rd round (Gilbert, Harrison, Davoracek) 4th round (Wootton & Melton) Occasionally you need to hit on these guys like when we drafted Alex Brown. Granted, the jury is still out on Paea and Melton, but we've had so many misses that I'm not optimistic.

 

Precisely.

 

IF the tables were turned and the Bears had given that much attention at OL I would have been completely placated. At that point it would have been on the coaches to develop some of those picks/acquisitions into on-field results. Instead, it's been the following disparite between OL and DL:

 

2011: 1st------------------------------2nd

2010: 7th------------------------------4th

2009: 7th------------------------------3rd, 4th

2008: 1st, 7th, 7th-------------------3rd, 7th

2007: 4th, 7th------------------------2nd

2006: 6th-----------------------------3rd, 5th

2005: NA------------------------------NA

2004: NA------------------------------1st, 2nd, 5th

2003: 7th------------------------------1st, 4th, 5th

2002: 1st, 3rd-------------------------4th

 

That's ridiciulous.

 

12 OL picks :: 16 DL picks

15% of all picks were OL :: 20% of all picks were DL

6 7th Round OL picks :: 1 7th Round DL pick

Excluding 7th Rounders, 7% of all picks were OL :: 18% of all picks were DL

***Considering the OL and DL each make up approximately 20% of the starters (i.e. 22 on O/D + 2 Kickers, Holder, Long Snapper) the 18% is about right when you factor in FAs.

Average 4.8 Round for OL picks :: Average 3.4 Round for DL picks

 

JA got burned by Colombo and Metcalf in 2002 and decided to ignore the position for pretty much the rest of his tenure.

[LT2_3]

Jason - That disparity of picks sounds about right to me since the DL rotates and the OL does not. I'm also pretty sure it lines up with the number of spots on the 53 man roster that they dedicate to each side of the line as well.

 

Not saying it's the best way to go, but at least it's consistent with their philosophy.

[chwtom]

I think LT and WR are holes too big to leave open until the draft. You can't go into a draft needing to fill an important starter spot.

 

If we want Floyd in the draft, we still need to sign another WR so it isn't quite so obvious a need. Maybe we don't sign Vincent Jackson or Colston, but we should at least get a Meachum or Reggie Wayne.

 

Same goes for LT. We may not find our LT of the future in free agency, but we should at least try to find a stopgap who is better than Webb. Worst case scenario we then draft a LT in the first and Mr. FA LT becomes Carimi insurance or a swing tackle.

 

Too many times Angelo went into a draft needing to find a starter and ended up getting leapfrogged for his guy, then he had to reach for the next best player. He got leapfrogged for the DT whose name escapes me (and ended up settling for Haynes, on whom they'd done almost no research), Santonio Holmes, Joe Staley, and most recently the safety Burnett who went to the Packers.

[LT2_3]

Too many times Angelo went into a draft needing to find a starter and ended up getting leapfrogged for his guy, then he had to reach for the next best player. He got leapfrogged for the DT whose name escapes me (and ended up settling for Haynes, on whom they'd done almost no research), Santonio Holmes, Joe Staley, and most recently the safety Burnett who went to the Packers.

 

I think you might be mis-remembering a few things. The one that stands out in that scenario was ending up with Terrell instead of Koren Robinson and the Seahawks leapfrogged us. Only thing there is that it happened before Angelo took over.

 

In 2003 regarding Haynes, Angelo traded down 1 spot with the Patriots to let them take Ty Warren and we took Haynes. Or were you referring to Jimmy Kennedy? The Rams took him with their regular pick. I think it was a surprise, but they didn't trade up to get him.

 

In 2006 regarding Santonio Holmes, he was picked right before our pick, but the Steelers didn't trade to get in front of us. Maybe you are remembering the trade down after that to pick up extra picks, but we weren't leapfrogged.

 

You might have a point about Staley. The 49ers DID trade to get ahead of us, but that's the year we took Olsen and I've always thought that he was the target all along. We had just come off our SB run with Tait playing well as our OLT and only the Die Hard "DRAFT AN OLT!" guys would think that Staley was the target that year.

 

In the case of Morgan Burnett, you may have a point. Everyone knew we needed a Safety and the Packers traded up to pick 71 when our first pick that year was pick 75. That being said though, everyone and their brother was predicting us to take Major Wright before the draft had even started. The fact that Burnett was even available at that point was a shock in and of itself. Add that to the slim pickings in FA at Safety and that's a wee bit nitpicky.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I think you might be mis-remembering a few things. The one that stands out in that scenario was ending up with Terrell instead of Koren Robinson and the Seahawks leapfrogged us. Only thing there is that it happened before Angelo took over.

 

In 2003 regarding Haynes, Angelo traded down 1 spot with the Patriots to let them take Ty Warren and we took Haynes. Or were you referring to Jimmy Kennedy? The Rams took him with their regular pick. I think it was a surprise, but they didn't trade up to get him.

 

In 2006 regarding Santonio Holmes, he was picked right before our pick, but the Steelers didn't trade to get in front of us. Maybe you are remembering the trade down after that to pick up extra picks, but we weren't leapfrogged.

 

You might have a point about Staley. The 49ers DID trade to get ahead of us, but that's the year we took Olsen and I've always thought that he was the target all along. We had just come off our SB run with Tait playing well as our OLT and only the Die Hard "DRAFT AN OLT!" guys would think that Staley was the target that year.

 

In the case of Morgan Burnett, you may have a point. Everyone knew we needed a Safety and the Packers traded up to pick 71 when our first pick that year was pick 75. That being said though, everyone and their brother was predicting us to take Major Wright before the draft had even started. The fact that Burnett was even available at that point was a shock in and of itself. Add that to the slim pickings in FA at Safety and that's a wee bit nitpicky.

I thought the year we were leapfrogged was when the Bears wanted Andre Carter (DE from Cal) and everyone knew it and we than missed out on him. But I might be remembering incorrectly. This was the same year we ended up with Terrell. Koren Robinson was picked right after DT.

[jason]

Jason - That disparity of picks sounds about right to me since the DL rotates and the OL does not. I'm also pretty sure it lines up with the number of spots on the 53 man roster that they dedicate to each side of the line as well.

 

Not saying it's the best way to go, but at least it's consistent with their philosophy.

 

True. The defensive rotations may make it more digestable in their (i.e. Lovie and his disciples) minds. Mine? No freaking way. Jay Cutlers? Highly doubtful.

 

Since this is an O > D league, I think the OL and DL should get at least equal attention, if not more on the OL side of the equation.

[jason]

I thought the year we were leapfrogged was when the Bears wanted Andre Carter (DE from Cal) and everyone knew it and we than missed out on him. But I might be remembering incorrectly. This was the same year we ended up with Terrell. Koren Robinson was picked right after DT.

 

Yeah, that's how I remember the leap-frogging as well.

[LT2_3]

Yeah, that's how I remember the leap-frogging as well.

 

Ah - that's right. But still it was 2001 - before Angelo took over.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Ah - that's right. But still it was 2001 - before Angelo took over.

Yep. It was under Hatley.

[bradjock]

Damn good memory LT. I'd just add that I typically think teams are nuts for the trade up. You're always giving up one helluva a lot to get a little more. Not worth it. Here's a few things I'd add to what you said:

 

Morgan Burnett: We couldn't have moved up to get him because of the Cutler deal. Is he better than Major Wright? They seem pretty similar to me. The Green Bay secondary sucks but he did play every game last year.

 

Gabe Carimi: Isn't this a good example of why you don't trade up? We were certain KC would take an OT, so we give up our 4th rounder. Only we botch the deal, KC takes Baldwin (who sucked last year) and we get Carimi (who was hurt)

 

2006: Everyone is pissed we don't take a TE. We trade our 1st to Buffalo. They draft a guy who's out of the league. We have the flexibility to take D Manning and Hester and Olsen falls to us the next year. Damn good work by JA. Unfortunately, this is where he peaked.

 

 

 

I think you might be mis-remembering a few things. The one that stands out in that scenario was ending up with Terrell instead of Koren Robinson and the Seahawks leapfrogged us. Only thing there is that it happened before Angelo took over.

 

In 2003 regarding Haynes, Angelo traded down 1 spot with the Patriots to let them take Ty Warren and we took Haynes. Or were you referring to Jimmy Kennedy? The Rams took him with their regular pick. I think it was a surprise, but they didn't trade up to get him.

 

In 2006 regarding Santonio Holmes, he was picked right before our pick, but the Steelers didn't trade to get in front of us. Maybe you are remembering the trade down after that to pick up extra picks, but we weren't leapfrogged.

 

You might have a point about Staley. The 49ers DID trade to get ahead of us, but that's the year we took Olsen and I've always thought that he was the target all along. We had just come off our SB run with Tait playing well as our OLT and only the Die Hard "DRAFT AN OLT!" guys would think that Staley was the target that year.

 

In the case of Morgan Burnett, you may have a point. Everyone knew we needed a Safety and the Packers traded up to pick 71 when our first pick that year was pick 75. That being said though, everyone and their brother was predicting us to take Major Wright before the draft had even started. The fact that Burnett was even available at that point was a shock in and of itself. Add that to the slim pickings in FA at Safety and that's a wee bit nitpicky.