Jaguars select Luke Joeckel, Grade B

Joeckel was arguable the best player on the board, but was he the best for the Jaguars? The Jaguars have a dominant left tackle in Read more

Kansas City Chiefs select Eric Fisher, Grade: A-

It's tough to get too excited about Eric Fisher as the No. 1 pick, but it's a solid fit and fills a need. Fisher may Read more

Offseason Needs: Minnesota Vikings

1. Wide Receiver The Minnesota Vikings need to upgrade the talent around Christian Ponder. Michael Jenkins has already been cut, and to make matters worse, Read more

Offseason Needs: Cincinnati Bengals

1. Weak-side linebacker The Cincinnati Bengals have relatively few glaring holes to fill. As a result, their primary needs are fairly specific. Vontaze Burfict is Read more
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Bears

Offseason Needs: Chicago Bears

1. Offensive Line
If the Chicago Bears could pull it off, they would love to tear down the offensive line and start over in 2013. Even 2011 first-round pick Gabe Carimi’s job is in jeopardy, as he may be moved inside to guard in the near future. They have to come away with at least one starting lineman in free agency and another within the first three rounds of the draft.

2. Tight End
The Bears have some of the best blocking tight ends in the league in Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth, but with Mike Martz long gone it’s time to find another pass catcher. Tyler Eifert would be a great addition in the first round.

3. Linebacker
The Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs era is nearly over, and no one on the current roster is ready to fill their shoes. Both could be back in 2013, but youth and depth are definitely needed.

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears, Team Needs 1 Comment

Evan Rodriguez excelling in fullback role with Bears

The Chicago Bears spent an early 4th-round pick on Temple’s Evan Rodriguez, a tight end who they intended to convert to fullback. It would have been an early selection for any fullback, but especially for one with limited experience at the position.

But so far it’s worked out brilliantly. Pro Football Focus, which grades players at each position, currently has Rodriguez as the highest-rated fullback through two games.

It’s probably unrealistic to expect Rodriguez to keep up that pace, but it’s definitely encouraging to see him excel in this role early in the season.

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears, Rookie Notes 2 Comments

Alshon Jeffery loses his temper, again

Chicago Bears 2nd-round Alshon Jeffery was ejected from his final collegiate game for fighting with Nebraska conerback Alfonzo Dennard. On Saturday, in just his second preseason game, he was again mixed up in an altercation with Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Jeffery was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

Penalties are part of the game, but Jeffery has shown a tendency to lose his cool far too often on the field. The Bears have undoubtedly spoken with him about this issue – likely before they even drafted him. If it continues to be an issue it could affect his playing time.

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears, Rookie Notes 6 Comments

Alshon Jeffery makes strong impression vs Redskins

Chicago Bears 2nd-round pick Alshon Jeffery made his case for a starting job on Saturday with three catches for 62 yards in the Bears second preseason game.

Jeffery should be one of Cutler's favorite targets

Jeffery caught a 16-yard pass from Jay Cutler in the 1st quarter. He then caught passes from Jason Campbell on consecutive plays – a 12-yard reception (despite defensive pass interference) followed up by a 42-yard play.

I was skeptical of Jeffery during the draft process primarily because of his poor conditioning and occasional lack of effort, but he’s made a strong impression so far with the Bears. He will definitely crack the 53-man roster, but the only question remaining is how much action he will see. Physically, he’s similar to Brandon Marshall, which could limit his role in the Bears offense.

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Bears using McClellin as pass-rush specialist

The Chicago Bears are easing 1st-round pick Shea McClellin into their defensive system, primarily giving him reps with the second team defensive unit. However, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, McClellin has been getting on the field with the first team in nickel packages.

The Bears haven’t publicly acknowledged that McClellin will be their the pass-rush specialist, but this news certainly seems to indicate that he will fill that role. More often than not, the nickel (or dime) package is used in passing situations which will allow McClellin to play to his strengths early in his career. Presuambly, McClellin will step in for Isreal Idonije, creating a formidable pass-rush duo between himself and Julius Peppers.

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears Leave a comment

Draft Grades: Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears addressed their most glaring need by trading for Brandon Marshall earlier this offseason, but continued an aggressive approach during the draft. They made some bold moves in an effort to catch the Packers and keep pace with the Lions. But if they don’t pan out, it could prove to be a rough start to GM Phil Emery’s career.

I jumped aboard the Shea McClellin bandwagon this offseason, but he’s not a top 20 talent and I’m not sure how he fits in Chicago. McClellin excelled in 2011 based on his performance in a hybrid end/linebacker role at Boise State. In Chicago, however, he’ll likely revert back to playing the traditional 4-3 end role. When playing with his hand on the ground, McClellin looked simply ordinary, so I’m not sure what the Bears thought they saw. He would  have been better off landing in a 3-4 defense.

Alshon Jeffery was worth a 2nd-round pick, but I’m not sure he had value here for the Bears. Their receiving corps is suddenly crowded and it’s tough to imagine him playing a significant role as long as Brandon Marshall is ahead of him on the depth chart. He does have some developmental value, but if they’re trying to win now, there were other impact players on the board.

Brandon Hardin was a definite reach in the 3rd round. He’ll compete for playing time at strong safety, but will need to beat out Major Wright and Craig Steltz.

Evan Rodriguez was also a reach. He’ll likely shift to fullback, and it’s tough to justify filling that need as early as the 4th round.

Isaiah Frey and Greg McCoy will compete for a job in the Bears secondary, but it’s fairly crowded back there. The top four corners are essentially set in stone, leaving Frey and McCoy to compete for one roster spot. It’s tough to imagine both players surviving the final cuts in training camp.

The Bears potentially added two starters in this draft class, but both McClellin and Jeffery are big risks. Neither players put together a consistent collegiate career, which raises some concern. Emery’s approach to this draft felt like a desperate attempt to make a splash. It may pay off down the road, but he did very little to help them in the immediate future. Overall, this was a very average haul for the Bears.

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bears, Draft Grades - 2012 Leave a comment