Bears Rebuilding Plan

[patryk7754]

The bronco's have pulled their offer from Von Miller. Maybe they're open to a trade now? I'm not sure what the cap rules on trades are but if we have to keep from going in the negative this trade would do it:

Houston, Floyd, and Royal for Miller

[fleet]

The top 5 linebackers in tackling efficiency last season:
1. Kuechly
2. CHRISTIAN JONES
3. Woodyard
4. Freeman
5. Trevathan

Really interesting. Jones has a ton of upside. The other 4 guys are also great in coverage. Jones is a good tackler and a good pass rusher. Once he develops in coverage he should be able to take over a starting job eventually.

http://sportsmockery.com/2016/05/three-chicago-bears-linebackers-among-best-nfl/

I had thought ue had a future here. They have moved him outside now though. Lots of competition out there to start. Floyd, Houston, Young, McPheee. Something has to happen for Jones to have a significant future here

I didn't know he moved to OLB, haven't read about it. Do you have a link or did you just see at an open practice?

Bears linebacker making switch from inside to outside
Jones embracing change

Published: Friday, June 17, 2016 12:24 a.m. CDT


By ARTHUR ARKUSH Shaw Media

LAKE FOREST – The Bears added tantalizing length and athleticism to their OLB stable this offseason – and not just spending the ninth overall pick on Leonard Floyd.

Christian Jones, a 13-game starter at inside linebacker a season ago and one of Chicago’s most impressive physical specimens, has a new number and a new position.

“This is a team sport and I said this before, even when I got picked up here: It’s a blessing to be here and be in this building,” Jones, now donning jersey No. 52 after prize free-agent ILB Danny Trevathan took No. 59, said following Wednesday’s minicamp practice.

“... That’s why every guy wants to play a sport – you want to win – so, like I said, if moving me and trying me in different spots will help me, I’m all for it.

After going undrafted in 2013 out of Florida State, where he spent time at ‘Sam’ and ‘Will’ linebacker, Jones played both outside spots as a rookie in Mel Tucker’s 4-3. He moved inside last offseason, securing a starting role alongside Shea McClellin in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 and pacing Chicago in tackles while making 13 starts. But Jones was a healthy scratch in Week 15 after Fangio called him “inconsistent.”

The position switch should allow him to play faster, he said.

“I probably showcase a lot more of my ability, running and tracking down the ball and stuff like that,” Jones explained.

Tackling in space, Jones said, was one of his strengths last season, though it appeared a lack of instincts worked against him. He gained experience dropping in coverage, a role he’ll again be asked to do outside. The biggest difference likely will be the increase in his rush opportunities – a premium role in a passing league and potential positive for his growth, as Jones sees it.

“I think right now, we have a lot of athletic guys, which is great for us,” he said. “You need guys who can pass rush. Not every pass rusher, they don’t play the whole game. Everyone is rotating in, so that’s another good thing. It’s a chance for me to get snaps. I think it’s great.”

But transitioning from Chicago’s most-improved position to arguably its deepest – with the presence of Floyd, defensive captain Pernell McPhee, and Willie Young and Lamarr Houston, both coming off strong second halves of 2015, plus special-teamer Sam Acho – means Jones is entering a more crowded competition than he’s faced in his first two NFL campaigns.

Jones has embraced the influx of defensive talent, however, and takes pride in being one of former GM Phil Emery’s few defensive holdovers.

“I’m a positive person. There’s a lot of guys from last season that are not here, and I’m still here,” said Jones. “So that shows right there that they have faith in what I can do. ... And I know what I can do. Competition’s good for sports, man. It brings out the best in everybody. I’m excited and happy to be here, and I’m ready to see where we can go.”
http://www.saukvalley.com/2016/06/16/bears-linebacker-making-switch-from-inside-to-outside/a6npcqf/

[fleet]

“I think right now, we have a lot of athletic guys, which is great for us,”

Indeed. The Bears are finally turning the corner on youth and athleticism on that defense. Took long enough. How about guys like this filling it out? Sounds like the definite plan is to get tall and athletic in the DBs:

Chicago Bears: Rookie Corner Becoming a Star at Practice
by Erik Lambert 1 day ago Follow @ErikLambert1

Few things can light a fire under a football player more than going undrafted, and that seems to have happened for Chicago Bears rookie Taveze Calhoun.

One can understand. He played well for Mississippi State in college, starting for three years and never looking like he didn’t belong. The defense looked to him as a leader and he carried himself that way. He’s big, strong, tough and physical with a knack for tackling. Yet because he didn’t have the best time in the 40-yard dash, a 4.58, teams didn’t think his entire body of work was worth noting. That is often how players go undrafted and to say Calhoun was disappointed would be an understatement.

Seems he’s decided to take out those frustrations on the practice field, taking advantage of every opportunity he gets and making a significant number of impact plays that are slowly piling up. Jeremy Stoltz of Bear Report first caught wind of the buzz early in OTA practices.


“CB Taveze Calhoun, a UDFA out of Mississippi State, had a quality PBU against RB Senorise Perry on a flat route. Two plays later, Calhoun was in man coverage against Bellamy, who ran a hitch-and-go. Calhoun bit on the first move and was burned badly deep down the field. Calhoun has some potential but getting beat on a double move is a bad play to put on film for the coaching staff.

On the next play, WR Daniel Braverman caught a bubble screen and Calhoun crushed him, dropping the rookie to the turf. These are non-contact practices, yet Calhoun clearly took out his frustrations on the diminutive Braverman.”
Clearly the young man plays with urgency and a chip on his shoulder. Competitive as well from the look of it. That manifested again in the teams’ most recent mandatory minicamp.

“CB Taveze Calhoun had arguably the best performance of the day. On one of the early snaps in team drills, he had a solid PBU against WR Kieren Duncan. Calhoun broke hard on an underneath in route, reached around the receiver and knocked the pass away.

Later, Calhoun anticipated a bubble screen, broke forward into the passing lane and intercepted the pass. He then went untouched to the end zone for a pick-six. This elicited a loud round of cheers from his defensive teammates and coaches. Calhoun is an undrafted free agent who is buried on the depth chart but plays like these will surely catch the eye of the coaching staff.”
Keep in mind the Bears defense was painfully light on takeaways in 2015. As a unit they managed just 17, ranking them 28th in the league. That isn’t going to cut it if they want to make the playoffs and compete for Super Bowls. Calhoun grabbed six interceptions and forced two fumbles his final three years at Mississippi State. He’s aggressive, smart and doesn’t back down from anybody. The confidence he carries in himself is hard to miss, and that is the makeup of a good NFL defensive back.

https://nflmocks.com/2016/06/15/chicago-bears-rookie-corner-becoming-a-star-at-practice/

[RedBulls23]

Been hearing great things about Daniel Braverman. Both him and White have been really impressive it seems.

I'm predicting Bears will part ways with Marquees Wilson. He can't stay healthy.

[clancyphile]

You know, linebacker is getting crowded, and I like a lot of the guys we have.

Does it make sense to make Houston and McPhee DEs again, have Floyd and Young as the starting OLBs, Trevethan and Freeman as the ILBs, with Jones as the top backup at all four spots? Acho could be a backup OLB in that scenario.

[CjayC]

You know, linebacker is getting crowded, and I like a lot of the guys we have.

Does it make sense to make Houston and McPhee DEs again, have Floyd and Young as the starting OLBs, Trevethan and Freeman as the ILBs, with Jones as the top backup at all four spots? Acho could be a backup OLB in that scenario.

Mcphee already plays DE in some of the Bears packages. Versatility has been his M.O. since he was on the Ravens. Not sure about Houston, but I wouldn't doubt it. The interesting thing about switching over from the 4-3 is that it has allowed us some surprising versatility on D.

Floyd not ready to start yet. Probably next year though. The other team see's Floyd out there get ready for all kinds of exotically designed run plays in his direction to test how strong he is in run support. Run support will probably never be his thing, but we don't want to put too much on his plate just yet.

[heir_jordan22]

Thanks for sharing. I think Jones will find a place. Really athletic and really good tackler when he gets there. Needs to develop awareness in the system

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[heir_jordan22]

You know, linebacker is getting crowded, and I like a lot of the guys we have.

Does it make sense to make Houston and McPhee DEs again, have Floyd and Young as the starting OLBs, Trevethan and Freeman as the ILBs, with Jones as the top backup at all four spots? Acho could be a backup OLB in that scenario.

Mcphee already plays DE in some of the Bears packages. Versatility has been his M.O. since he was on the Ravens. Not sure about Houston, but I wouldn't doubt it. The interesting thing about switching over from the 4-3 is that it has allowed us some surprising versatility on D.

Floyd not ready to start yet. Probably next year though. The other team see's Floyd out there get ready for all kinds of exotically designed run plays in his direction to test how strong he is in run support. Run support will probably never be his thing, but we don't want to put too much on his plate just yet.

I've been saying since we got Fangio that Houston should play DE in the 3-4. He was too heavy and slow to play DE in 4-3. Same as an OLB in 3-4, plus hesaid just not good in space

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[CjayC]

I've been saying since we got Fangio that Houston should play DE in the 3-4. He was too heavy and slow to play DE in 4-3. Same as an OLB in 3-4, plus hesaid just not good in space

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Yeah he's a poor fit. He still had 8 sacks fwiw so the guy is talented, but I'd still look to see what you could get for him in a trade. Fangio designs his schemes around players strengths though so overall we could do worse than him, but he definitely isn't that ideal every down player in this scheme.

Pace and Fangio seem to be building an explosive team that can fly off the ball on defense instinctively and they all have big play potential. Houston is just too slow.

[heir_jordan22]

But he'd be fast for a DE. It just doesn't make sense to me

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[patryk7754]

We've claimed Connor shaw. Could be used like tebow is some packages