BECAUSE I KEEP BEING EMAILED/ASKED ABOUT IT… 

J’Marcus Webb is going to be the starter at left tackle for the Bears in 2012. Right or wrong decision I have continually cited Mike Tice’s comments on the position as my rationale for the belief. Brad Biggs did a nice job digging up the quotes for his almost absurdly long post-draft column:

“Here is what I saw with him: Second-year player playing one side one year and one side another,” Tice said. “I thought he was adequate. I thought his consistency grade — how many times does he block his guy – his consistency grade was actually solid. What grade was bad was the critical errors, the sacks, penalties, not really a ton of quarterback hits. When he made a critical error, everyone knew what it was. But, what you look at is the development of a second-year, seventh-round draft pick. Is he a guy we can move forward and win with?

“Well, if you change your drops and you’re not always in the deep drops. If you change your philosophy of making sure the guy gets chip help from a back or a tight end. If you change and move the release point of the quarterback, you’re going to already make him better without making him better. And then you have an entire offseason and now you have a chance to make him better there. So there are two ways I just told you we can get him better in. And then already I think he is a very good run blocker. That is an area that doesn’t get talked about. Do I think he is the guy moving forward? Yes, I do unless some miracle happens and an elite first-round pick that we couldn’t pass up fell in our lap which I doubt. Yeah, he’s our guy moving forward.”

Tice blames Martz and the Martz system for Webb’s public failings in 2011. And this team is not going to cut ties with the monster tackle until they’ve given him an opportunity to succeed in a simpler, more manageable system.

RASHAAN SALAAM DIDN’T WORK HARD

I remember being down Gunnel Oval in Kearny, New Jersey. Little League baseball. I was in blue pinstripes for Kearny Florist and a buddy ran over to me to tell me the Bears had drafted Penn State’s great running back Rashaan Salaam. I was convinced the second coming of Walter Payton had arrived. It hadn’t. Salaam gives some telling quotes to Fred Mitchell in the Trib:

“I didn’t realize coming up how much work you had to put in once you got to the NFL,” he said. “It’s a whole different lifestyle. You have to change the way you live. You have to change who you hang out with. You have to totally get focused on your game. You have the athletic ability, but if you don’t put the work behind it, nothing will come from it.”

Salaam admitted many years ago that his partying and use of marijuana contributed to his downfall as a player.

“I had no discipline. I had all the talent in the world,” he said. “You know, great body, great genes. But I had no work ethic and I had no discipline. The better you get, the harder you have to work. The better I got, the lazier I got.”

It is so easy to trash general management when draft picks go awry. But there are very few tests one can apply to know whether an individual cares about the game. Salaam didn’t. And he squandered the opportunity for a brilliant care and legendary status in Chicago.

WHERE WILL SHEA MCCLELLIN LINE UP?

A lot of people have been guessing where 19th overall selection will line up for the Chicago Bears. Some have guessed he’ll be starting for Nick Roach and operating as a blitzing backer. Some have wondered if he’s the heir apparent to Brian Urlacher. My guess? He’s just a plain old defensive end. Nothing fancy at all. In the Bears system the defensive end is a three-down player that must be solid against the run and rush the passer. That’s the role McClellin will fill. The Bears are looking for him to be Alex Brown with more sacks.

T-SHIRTS AND KOOZIES FOR SALE

The 2012 Bears Blog t-shirt and koozie will go on-sale simultaneously on the blog by the end of May. The site will on vacation (I’m going to Ireland) from May 10-19. After that we’ll get the system set up to accept orders. Unlike previous years we’ll be doing all the orders at once. The first orders will be filled before July 4th. The second set of orders will be filled by Labor Day.

There were safer picks than Boise State’s Shea McClellin available with the nineteenth selection of the 2012 NFL Draft. Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus and Syracuse’s Chandler Jones both seemed logical choices to put their hands on the ground as 4-3 edge rushers in Lovie Smith’s system but Phil Emery and the folks at Halas Hall instead opted for a speed threat most had projected to OLB in a 3-4. (Ironically, or perhaps not, Mercilus and Jones ended up in the 3-4 systems of Wade Phillips and Bill Belichick respectively.) It was a move made without fan and media consensus and signaled a change in draft day philosophy at the highest levels of the Chicago Bears organization.

I don’t know if Shea is going to be a great player, worthy of first round status. I don’t know if Alshon Jeffery is going to be the go-up-and-get-it red zone threat Emery targeted when trading up in the second room. I don’t know if Brandon Hardin’s remarkable speed and athleticism will enable him to overcome the injuries that plagued his career at Oregon State. I don’t know if Evan Rodriguez will be the Aaron Hernandez/Chris Cooley type Emery believes will be a participant in the base offense – a coup for a fourth round pick. (I can’t go crazy with Isiah Frey, Greg McCoy or UFA James Brown. If they produce anything for the Bears my applause will be deafening.)

What I do know is Phil Emery placed a premium on that which he reiterated ad nauseum during his introductory press conference: playmaking ability. The Bears chose four players, in four positions of need, they believe are going to alter the course of football games. McClellin and Hardin disrupting the high-powered pass games of Green Bay and Detroit. Jeffery and Rodriguez  providing General Cutler with battlefield artillery and displaying the almost miraculous, newly discovered commitment to supporting the franchise quarterback.

Also telling were the decisions NOT made. Until signing feel good (I knew that he would) free agent tackle James Brown of Troy, Emery and company ignored the pleas of the fans and media and ignored the offensive line for seven rounds. As Mel Kiper-adored Bobby Massie of Ole Miss plummeted round-after-round, Emery had every opportunity to offer an olive branch to those clamoring for the head of J’Marcus Webb. He balked. Right or wrong this team believes in their offensive line. They believe in the unit that anchored 2,014 yards rushing among three backs in 2011. They believe in the unit that allowed only five sacks over Cutler’s last five games. They believe the return of Chris Williams and Gabe Carimi from injury will mean significant improvement in 2012.

This was Emery’s draft. These were his guys and he’s staked his reputation on them. His first four draft picks for the Chicago Bears bear his stamp by their unpredictability and  the all-too-common risk/reward factor. If they fail on (or off) the field  the pressure next spring will be thicker and tenser than Emery’s ever experienced in his professional career. If they hit the moping and complaining that have filled the Chicagoland air over these past few days will sound like the puny cries of kitten on a crowded city street in years to come. If you draft well, and you win, you’re given years to fail. That goes for football drafting and movie directing and cocktail mixing.

Should Emery’s picks need to succeed in 2012? No. Do they? Most likely. The Jerry Angelo tenure has forced most of the Bears faithful to look at whomever is making the personnel decisions with a raised eyebrow. Too much Dan Bazuin and Michael Haynes. When camp opens in Bourbonnais this summer most media members and fans will have their eyes fixed on four individuals: McClellin, Jeffery, Hardin, Rodriguez. How they perform there and beyond will tell us whether Phil Emery is the man to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Chicago.

Well this report sure doesn’t make it sound like he’s making a professional football team. But who the hell knows in the 7th round. In this video I kind of liked him. (Motherfucker can sing!)

From PFW:

Undersized cornerback whose biggest impact will be on special teams — gained 30.6 yards per return on kickoffs as a senior and had three career touchdowns, including two in 2011. Has good top-end speed, as well as a 38-inch vertical leap, and clocked a 3-cone drill time of 6.62 seconds. Overcame stacked odds to have success in college.

The video posted here are Frey’s high school highlights. Why not?

From National Football Post:

A taller corner with good size and overall length for the position. Possesses average bend when asked to sit into his stance and when asked to turn and run does a decent job keeping his pad level down and cleanly getting out of his transition. However, isn’t real quick footed or physical. Struggles off the line to slide his feet laterally and stay in front of his target. Too often is forced to extend his arms with his feet stuck in the mud and gets overextended off the line. For his size doesn’t play as physical as he should when trying to re-route because of his struggles with balance. Is easily slipped on contact and has a tough time collecting himself and getting back up to speed. Displays solid straight-line speed for his size, but not the kind needed to make up for a false step.

Gets upright when trying to re-direct laterally and simply doesn’t exhibit the kind of initial burst need to close on the football and eliminate initial separation off the line. Does possess a great feel in zone coverage either. Has a tendency to get caught with his eyes in the backfield and take false steps away from the action allowing receivers to slip behind him. For his size isn’t a great tackler and doesn’t breakdown well when attacking downhill.

Impression: Possesses solid speed and god size, but lacks ideal balance and quickness when trying to hold his own off the line in man.

Talk about a selection that signals the offensive philosophy change.

If Rodriguez makes the team he will most likely take Tyler Clutts’ roster spot. He can line up at fullback, tight end, H-back…etc. He’s a versatile talent but an unconventional type player. I will hopefully have more to say by the end of the weekend once I’ve made a few calls. (I know his high school football coach in North Bergen, NJ.)

The decision to pass up on Massie here is a simple one: Massie is a right tackle in the NFL. He does not translate at all as a left tackle in the league. And the Bears believe Gabe Carimi will be their right tackle for the next decade.

Q: Will the Bears look at the quarterback position on day three of the NFL draft?

I think it would be fascinating if Kirk Cousins is still on the board when the Bears pick in the fourth round. Cousins is not a special-type quarterback but he reminds some folks, including me, of Jon Kitna. With the Bears only signing Jason Campbell to a one-year contract and Josh McCown being mediocre the Bears may be looking to develop Jay Cutler’s longterm backup.

Q: Why haven’t the Bears addressed the offensive line?

The answer is simple: they like their offensive line and they love their offensive line coach, Mike Tice. The Bears rushed for 2,014 yards in 2011 and you simply can’t achieve those kinds of numbers with bad line play. This is especially true when you consider the Bears had three backs record 100-yard rush games even after opponents realized Caleb Hanie was incapable of completing a pass.

Yes they struggled in pass protection but they only allowed five sacks in Cutler’s last five games under center. Two of those were admittedly Cutler’s fault. The question of the 2012 season may very well be this: will J’Marcus make significant improvement from year one at left tackle to year two? If he does the Bears are going to have one of the most dynamic passing games in the sport. If he does not the Bears will need to supply assistance on the left side of the line continually and look to find a longterm answer at the position next offseason.

Q: Why has Ole Miss tackle Bobby Massie slid to the third day of the draft?

Nobody knows. Mel Kiper looked stunned on ESPN and Mike Mayock admitted, on camera, he needed to revisit the tape in order to understand how a player’s draft stock could decline so majestically. (He did not use the word “majestically” but he should have.) Whatever the case may be I think the Bears should find a way to grab him in the fourth round. Not because I know anything about the player but because I can’t imagine he won’t enter the NFL with a rather massive chip on his shoulder. Massie came out early. Articles were written Wednesday that he might go in the first round. Now he’s available on the weekend and will most likely be a longshot to make an NFL roster in 2012. I’d like to see him fighting for that spot in Bourbonnais.

Q: What position might the Bears surprise fans by attacking?

Running back. There are three or four talented backs still available in this draft, especially Washington’s Chris Polk and Miami’s Lamar Miller. We know Michael Bush and Kahlil Bell will be arriving at Bears camp this summer. We do not know about Matt Forte. Phil Emery and the organization might be best served to send the Double Deuce a clear message they are prepared to move on without him.

From PFW:

Positives:

Excellent size and athletic ability. Has played corner and safety and has extensive experience locked in man coverage. Good balance, hip flex, change of direction and body control for his size. Can turn and run vertical. Zone-aware. Supports the run aggressively. Heavy hitter. Plays with awareness and football intelligence. Has the traits and mentality for special teams. Outstanding character and makeup.

Negatives:

Could improve press technique. Average pedal fluidity. Lacks ideal explosion and recovery burst to survive on an island. Stressed by smaller, quicker receivers (gives up separation at the top of stems). Minimal ball production. Does not always arrive under control to tackle. At times gets wired to blocks. Relatively inexperienced (only one full season as a starter).

Summary:

Intriguing size-speed prospect who looks like a safety and was athletic enough to play corner in college. Has desirable intangibles and at worst should be a versatile, valuable backup and core special-teams player. Has more upside than former OSU safety Sabby Piscitelli, who was overdrafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007.

The Bears have added the complementary weapon for Brandon Marshall they desired. Big man. Terrific red zone threat for Cutler. Bears will have an exciting offense this year, folks. Enjoy the video.

I’m fully expecting a run on offensive linemen and wide receivers early in the second round tonight. With those two positions clearly on the Bears radar it will be interesting to see if they attempt to move forward.

I will be back with some information once Phil Emery makes his first selection of the evening. The Bears pick 50th and 79th.

PS. Thanks to the boys from the blog for coming last night. It was a damn good time and we, um, mildly escaped a barroom brawl.

Does Shea McClellin fit the Lovie Smith’s defense? I’m not sure. But selecting him with the 19th pick in last night’s first round sends a clear message to those who hadn’t yet heard it: Phil Emery is in charge.