Devin Hester was almost a Titan (1 Viewer)

[Sweetness_34]

I heard a lot of people say that the Bears reached for Hester and even Manning. I tried to tell them on draft day that, trust me, some team would have picked these guys. The exact same thing happened with Nick Collins last year (people thought GB reached for him and the Ravens said they were going to pick him one pick later). The exact same thing was said about Charles Tillman and Mike Brown too when the Bears got them in the 2nd round.

Now read this article where the Titans almost picked him up in the 2nd round (even before the Bears 1st pick), and hopefully some of you will understand that you have no clue about the draft although some of you think you know where the players should be drafted etc etc

The same applies about DOnte Whitner and the Bills. Yeah, on the surface it looked like they reached but there are no guarantees that a team like the Lions would not have picked him. If youhave done your scouting well, you should take the player when you can based off your bored, not based off what Kiper or Gosselin or some other hack who has no clue about the draft thinks.

===============================

Hope for Hester: Many happy returns

April 30, 2006

BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter

Miami's Devin Hester got a puzzling welcome to the NFL.

According to a reliable source, the 5-10, 186-pound speed demon got teased with the most suspenseful telephone call of his life Saturday before the Tennessee Titans changed their minds about drafting Hester and chose talented but controversial USC running back LenDale White with the 45th pick.

That left the Bears to select Hester at No. 57 roughly an hour later. They already had selected another defensive back and return specialist, Abilene Christian's Danieal Manning, at No. 42.

"Devin is a great player with his hands on the ball as a returner,'' Bears coach Lovie Smith said, "and he will do a good job at the corner position.''

Hester, who was impressed by Smith during their personal meeting, sounded like he couldn't be happier to be a Bear.

"It's like meeting a girl and [falling in] love at first sight,'' Hester described his first impression of last season's NFL coach of the year. "Just his character and the way he carries himself and the way he opens up to his players. That's the kind of [coach] that a [player] wants. A coach that will open up his heart for a player and make you feel like he's another father figure ... that has a lot to do with the performance of a player.''

According to Hester, it might have been predestined that the Titans passed on him.

"Going through the draft and everything,'' Hester said, "everybody I talked to in my family said, 'Watch -- Chicago is going to be the team that's going to pick [you] up.' And that's just the team I've been dwelling on and looking forward to [playing for].''

An hour earlier, the Titans were making arrangements to fly Hester to Nashville. Like most teams, Tennessee was reluctant to draft White, whose stock had fallen because of concerns about his work ethic and reports that he had failed a drug test. But with one minute left in their limit, the Titans decided to gamble on White and told Hester -- who had been holding on another line -- that they had changed their minds.

Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and college scouting director Greg Gabriel both praised the tremendous speed and athleticism Hester brings to the table. Also a talented sprinter on Miami's track team, Hester clocked 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash and has a 38-inch vertical leap. In his three seasons with the Hurricanes, he also saw action at wide receiver (10 catches for 196 yards) in addition to his duties as a nickel back and return specialist.

Still, Hester's main contributions, at least early in his career, figure to come in the return game. That area was a nightmare for the Bears last season, when they endured Bobby Wade's chronic dropped punt returns, though Smith said he was pleased with the job Bernard Berrian did after Wade was released.

"We wanted to increase speed in our defensive secondary and also improve our return game,'' general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We feel we did that.''

lbanks@suntimes.com

 

[Chaos Commish]

No need to be so sour Sweetness. Some of us defended the Hester pick.

I think he's just misunderstood, and I think that's understandable. No need to get chippy about draft day criticism. We'll find out in a few years. Actually, we'll find out what kind of pick Hester was next year.

There's no way 32 teams were going to pass on him three times. #57 might have been early, but if they wanted him it was then or never.

 

[GRIDIRON ASSASSIN]

I don't think either team was in a position to draft a return specialist in the 2nd round. It's idiotic.

Neither team has that luxury.

Billy White Shoes Johnson, Mel Gray, Brian Mitchell and Dave Meggett were amongst the best returners this game has ever seen. Other than Gray (after the USFL folded and they had a 'special' draft) none of them was drafted earlier than the 5th round.

 

[msommer]

Agree - FWIW White may be a complete bust - but I`d have killed Reese if he had drafted a KR specialist in the 2nd

 

[ericttspikes]

I don't think either team was in a position to draft a return specialist in the 2nd round.  It's idiotic.

Neither team has that luxury.

Billy White Shoes Johnson, Mel Gray, Brian Mitchell and Dave Meggett were amongst the best returners this game has ever seen.  Other than Gray (after the USFL folded and they had a 'special' draft) none of them was drafted earlier than the 5th round.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, what were they thinking? This is the second round, they should of gotten a Troy Auzenee, Carl Simpson, Marcus Spears, Pat Riley, John Allred, Russell Davis kind of guy.

 

[Sweetness_34]

I don't think either team was in a position to draft a return specialist in the 2nd round.  It's idiotic.

Neither team has that luxury.

Billy White Shoes Johnson, Mel Gray, Brian Mitchell and Dave Meggett were amongst the best returners this game has ever seen.  Other than Gray (after the USFL folded and they had a 'special' draft) none of them was drafted earlier than the 5th round.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is where you are mistaken Gridiron. He is not only a KR/PR. The guy has speed & athleticism that very few players have in the NFL. You cannot teach speed & athlethicism. Hence, he can be a solid slot WR/CB if he is coached well.Also, people like Desmond Howard and Dante Hall are huge in helping their teams win games. In a given game, there are at least 5 kick off and punt returns. You think an extra 5 yards in every one of those chances is not important?????

See this highlight of Devin (agreed there are some missed tackles but still he has speed & athleticism)

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Hence, he can be a solid slot WR/CB if he is coached well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Miami coaching staff is pretty solid the last time I checked. Its not like this is Tarvaris jackson who didnt really even have a QB coach in college. Hester was given a chance to be a CB or WR at Miami and failed. He is an excellent return specialist, but that's it. So is Jeremy Bloom and he went on the second day. Ill take Bloom (no relation ) where he went over Hester where he went any day.

 

[BlueOnion]

I heard a lot of people say that the Bears reached for Hester and even Manning. I tried to tell them on draft day that, trust me, some team would have picked these guys. The exact same thing happened with Nick Collins last year (people thought GB reached for him and the Ravens said they were going to pick him one pick later). The exact same thing was said about Charles Tillman and Mike Brown too when the Bears got them in the 2nd round.

Now read this article where the Titans almost picked him up in the 2nd round (even before the Bears 1st pick), and hopefully some of you will understand that you have no clue about the draft although some of you think you know where the players should be drafted etc etc

The same applies about DOnte Whitner and the Bills. Yeah, on the surface it looked like they reached but there are no guarantees that a team like the Lions would not have picked him. If youhave done your scouting well, you should take the player when you can based off your bored, not based off what Kiper or Gosselin or some other hack who has no clue about the draft thinks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said and this is an aspect often overlooked by the spectators. It is easy to read mock drafts and draft reports but everybody except the 32 expert teams actually working in the NFL and project the players.After which, the Monday Morning Quarterbacks like to throw out unsubstantiated statements like, "They reached for him" or "They should have traded down".

Who before hand had an idea Shanahan was going to go after Cutler? That the Vikings were high on Jackson? That Parcells was ready to move on Maroney should he have fell? Buffalo really wanted Whitner?

 

[Joseph]

I heard a lot of people say that the Bears reached for Hester and even Manning. I tried to tell them on draft day that, trust me, some team would have picked these guys. The exact same thing happened with Nick Collins last year (people thought GB reached for him and the Ravens said they were going to pick him one pick later). The exact same thing was said about Charles Tillman and Mike Brown too when the Bears got them in the 2nd round.

Now read this article where the Titans almost picked him up in the 2nd round (even before the Bears 1st pick), and hopefully some of you will understand that you have no clue about the draft although some of you think you know where the players should be drafted etc etc

The same applies about DOnte Whitner and the Bills. Yeah, on the surface it looked like they reached but there are no guarantees that a team like the Lions would not have picked him. If youhave done your scouting well, you should take the player when you can based off your bored, not based off what Kiper or Gosselin or some other hack who has no clue about the draft thinks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said and this is an aspect often overlooked by the spectators. It is easy to read mock drafts and draft reports but everybody except the 32 expert teams actually working in the NFL and project the players.After which, the Monday Morning Quarterbacks like to throw out unsubstantiated statements like, "They reached for him" or "They should have traded down".

Who before hand had an idea Shanahan was going to go after Cutler? That the Vikings were high on Jackson? That Parcells was ready to move on Maroney should he have fell? Buffalo really wanted Whitner?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard that Billick was planning on taking Whitner in the first if he was there for them.This "reach" thing is ridiculous to me.

If the Bills had drafted:

1.08 - Winston Justice

2.42 - Ashton Youboty

3.70 - Ko Simpson

Everyone would be saying they had a solid draft, when in reality each of those guys went approximately an entire round later.

 

[Chaos Commish]

I'll keep defending this pick. Hester is the most dangerous player in space this side of Reggie Bush (in this draft). There's a bunch of fine looking return men in this draft. There's only one as incredible as Hester. Teams regularly kicked the ball away from him, and rightly so. More than once last year he never got a return in a game, because they'd just kick it out of bounds. He is unbelievably good with the ball in his hands. The worst you get from Hester is a great return man. Chicago had big problems in that area last year and that offense is desperate for field position. His return skills are not a maybe, they are a definite, so the risk of this pick goes down dramatically. But that's just half the story on Hester.

As a sophomore he played nickel behind Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings. He led the team in interceptions as a SOPHOMORE, more than Rolle, more than Jennings, playing nickel. Not starting in front of a top 10 and a late 1st rounder is nothing to get worried about. The truth is he's better in coverage than Jennings. But, the coaching staff had a goofy idea this year. Maxey, a pretty solid 5th rounder, would start so they could use Hester in a wider variety of roles. They wanted the ball in the hands of their best player, so they switched him around from defense to offense and played a bunch of games with him. Not Devin's fault this caused a perceived drop in his value. It was only perceived, obviously. The guy has incredible ball skills, great hands, and fahgeddabout how dangerous he is with it. He's praised for those mysterious fluid hips they seek in corners. It just means he can run at full speed and change directions sharply and in stride. There's no better athletic hips on a DB in this draft. Not Hill, Joseph, Huff or Cromartie, and certainly not Jennings. Those guys have more experience (mostly), but there's no guarantee any are better corners, certainly not Jennings.

Bloom says there's a reason he didn't start and the coaches are solid. Yep, and there's a reason the coaches went nuts when word leaked out Hester might declare. They offerred him the world. Told him they'd make him Reggie Bush. Anything he wanted. Well, Devin had talked to the scouts. He knew they already loved him. He went for the money and he went early.

ETA: When I listed him among my favorite players in this draft, I was serious. I love game changing playmakers with crazy moves and speed. Especially when they get hosed by coaches and the media.

 

[flooredyas]

I'll keep defending this pick.  Hester is the most dangerous player in space this side of Reggie Bush (in this draft).  There's a bunch of fine looking return men in this draft.  There's only one as incredible as Hester.  Teams regularly kicked the ball away from him, and rightly so.  More than once last year he never got a return in a game, because they'd just kick it out of bounds.  He is unbelievably good with the ball in his hands.  The worst you get from Hester is a great return man.  Chicago had big problems in that area last year and that offense is desperate for field position.  His return skills are not a maybe, they are a definite, so the risk of this pick goes down dramatically.  But that's just half the story on Hester. 

As a sophomore he played nickel behind Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings.  He led the team in interceptions as a SOPHOMORE, more than Rolle, more than Jennings, playing nickel.  Not starting in front of a top 10 and a late 1st rounder is nothing to get worried about.  The truth is he's better in coverage than Jennings.  But, the coaching staff had a goofy idea this year.  Maxey, a pretty solid 5th rounder, would start so they could use Hester in a wider variety of roles.  They wanted the ball in the hands of their best player, so they switched him around from defense to offense and played a bunch of games with him.  Not Devin's fault this caused a perceived drop in his value.  It was only perceived, obviously.  The guy has incredible ball skills, great hands, and fahgeddabout how dangerous he is with it.  He's praised for those mysterious fluid hips they seek in corners.  It just means he can run at full speed and change directions sharply and in stride.  There's no better athletic hips on a DB in this draft.  Not Hill, Joseph, Huff or Cromartie, and certainly not Jennings.  Those guys have more experience (mostly), but there's no guarantee any are better corners, certainly not Jennings. 

Bloom says there's a reason he didn't start and the coaches are solid.  Yep, and there's a reason the coaches went nuts when word leaked out Hester might declare.  They offerred him the world.  Told him they'd make him Reggie Bush.  Anything he wanted.  Well, Devin had talked to the scouts.  He knew they already loved him.  He went for the money and he went early.

ETA:  When I listed him among my favorite players in this draft, I was serious.  I love game changing playmakers with crazy moves and speed.  Especially when they get hosed by coaches and the media. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

More insight like this may turn my feelings about this pick around.

 

[Daggeth]

I'll keep defending this pick.  Hester is the most dangerous player in space this side of Reggie Bush (in this draft).  There's a bunch of fine looking return men in this draft.  There's only one as incredible as Hester.  Teams regularly kicked the ball away from him, and rightly so.  More than once last year he never got a return in a game, because they'd just kick it out of bounds.  He is unbelievably good with the ball in his hands.  The worst you get from Hester is a great return man.  Chicago had big problems in that area last year and that offense is desperate for field position.  His return skills are not a maybe, they are a definite, so the risk of this pick goes down dramatically.  But that's just half the story on Hester. 

As a sophomore he played nickel behind Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings.  He led the team in interceptions as a SOPHOMORE, more than Rolle, more than Jennings, playing nickel.  Not starting in front of a top 10 and a late 1st rounder is nothing to get worried about.  The truth is he's better in coverage than Jennings.  But, the coaching staff had a goofy idea this year.  Maxey, a pretty solid 5th rounder, would start so they could use Hester in a wider variety of roles.  They wanted the ball in the hands of their best player, so they switched him around from defense to offense and played a bunch of games with him.  Not Devin's fault this caused a perceived drop in his value.  It was only perceived, obviously.  The guy has incredible ball skills, great hands, and fahgeddabout how dangerous he is with it.  He's praised for those mysterious fluid hips they seek in corners.  It just means he can run at full speed and change directions sharply and in stride.  There's no better athletic hips on a DB in this draft.  Not Hill, Joseph, Huff or Cromartie, and certainly not Jennings.  Those guys have more experience (mostly), but there's no guarantee any are better corners, certainly not Jennings. 

Bloom says there's a reason he didn't start and the coaches are solid.  Yep, and there's a reason the coaches went nuts when word leaked out Hester might declare.  They offerred him the world.  Told him they'd make him Reggie Bush.  Anything he wanted.  Well, Devin had talked to the scouts.  He knew they already loved him.  He went for the money and he went early.

ETA:  When I listed him among my favorite players in this draft, I was serious.  I love game changing playmakers with crazy moves and speed.  Especially when they get hosed by coaches and the media. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CC, while I agree with you that Hester has all sorts of talent, I don't think he was a 'better' corner than all of the guys you talked about. Hester has some good hands, which coupled with his speed and quick reactions netted him a lot of picks as a sophomore. He also got burned a few times that year too by overreacting or biting on a fake. I think that he needs some work and time to become a good or great CB in the pros. I can't name particular plays but a number of times in the stands we've looked at each other and commented that Hester blew his coverage or just plain looked lost in the secondary. I really can't agree that he was better in coverage than Jennings. In fact I'm not positive I would say he’s a better corner than Maxey honestly, though I'm sure I would say that if the coaches had kept Hester at corner this year and given him more experience.I think our staff the last couple years has been good but not great and have been coaching with some fairly outdated schemes. I have absolutely no idea why the they took him away from CB other than I heard a lot of people bad mouthing them for not doing everything in their power to put the ball in his hands more often. I can only assume that they were trying to create a Reggie Bush type player and I don't think they had any idea how to do that. They few times they had him lined up at WR that I recall he didn't seem to be very comfortable running routes. Maybe they didn't give him enough time to learn them, maybe he just couldn't learn them. Maybe he couldn't learn the defense well enough and thats part of the reason they switched him around like they did. Maybe the UM coaching staff just couldn't figure out how to best use him and screwed it all up.

Regardless, I agree that Hester is one hell of an athletic talent who is incredibly dangerous with the ball. I don't think he’s ready to step right into a starting CB role in the NFL quite yet, and I'm not 100% positive that he ever will be.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Regardless, I agree that Hester is one hell of an athletic talent who is incredibly dangerous with the ball. I don't think he’s ready to step right into a starting CB role in the NFL quite yet, and I'm not 100% positive that he ever will be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can definitely buy this. CC, you defend him very well and make the pick seem justified even though the Bears spent a second on a very similar player earlier in the 2nd.

 

[Chaos Commish]

I'll keep defending this pick.  Hester is the most dangerous player in space this side of Reggie Bush (in this draft).  There's a bunch of fine looking return men in this draft.  There's only one as incredible as Hester.  Teams regularly kicked the ball away from him, and rightly so.  More than once last year he never got a return in a game, because they'd just kick it out of bounds.  He is unbelievably good with the ball in his hands.  The worst you get from Hester is a great return man.  Chicago had big problems in that area last year and that offense is desperate for field position.  His return skills are not a maybe, they are a definite, so the risk of this pick goes down dramatically.  But that's just half the story on Hester. 

As a sophomore he played nickel behind Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings.  He led the team in interceptions as a SOPHOMORE, more than Rolle, more than Jennings, playing nickel.  Not starting in front of a top 10 and a late 1st rounder is nothing to get worried about.  The truth is he's better in coverage than Jennings.  But, the coaching staff had a goofy idea this year.  Maxey, a pretty solid 5th rounder, would start so they could use Hester in a wider variety of roles.  They wanted the ball in the hands of their best player, so they switched him around from defense to offense and played a bunch of games with him.  Not Devin's fault this caused a perceived drop in his value.  It was only perceived, obviously.  The guy has incredible ball skills, great hands, and fahgeddabout how dangerous he is with it.  He's praised for those mysterious fluid hips they seek in corners.  It just means he can run at full speed and change directions sharply and in stride.  There's no better athletic hips on a DB in this draft.  Not Hill, Joseph, Huff or Cromartie, and certainly not Jennings.  Those guys have more experience (mostly), but there's no guarantee any are better corners, certainly not Jennings. 

Bloom says there's a reason he didn't start and the coaches are solid.  Yep, and there's a reason the coaches went nuts when word leaked out Hester might declare.  They offerred him the world.  Told him they'd make him Reggie Bush.  Anything he wanted.  Well, Devin had talked to the scouts.  He knew they already loved him.  He went for the money and he went early.

ETA:  When I listed him among my favorite players in this draft, I was serious.  I love game changing playmakers with crazy moves and speed.  Especially when they get hosed by coaches and the media. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CC, while I agree with you that Hester has all sorts of talent, I don't think he was a 'better' corner than all of the guys you talked about. Hester has some good hands, which coupled with his speed and quick reactions netted him a lot of picks as a sophomore. He also got burned a few times that year too by overreacting or biting on a fake. I think that he needs some work and time to become a good or great CB in the pros. I can't name particular plays but a number of times in the stands we've looked at each other and commented that Hester blew his coverage or just plain looked lost in the secondary. I really can't agree that he was better in coverage than Jennings. In fact I'm not positive I would say he’s a better corner than Maxey honestly, though I'm sure I would say that if the coaches had kept Hester at corner this year and given him more experience.I think our staff the last couple years has been good but not great and have been coaching with some fairly outdated schemes. I have absolutely no idea why the they took him away from CB other than I heard a lot of people bad mouthing them for not doing everything in their power to put the ball in his hands more often. I can only assume that they were trying to create a Reggie Bush type player and I don't think they had any idea how to do that. They few times they had him lined up at WR that I recall he didn't seem to be very comfortable running routes. Maybe they didn't give him enough time to learn them, maybe he just couldn't learn them. Maybe he couldn't learn the defense well enough and thats part of the reason they switched him around like they did. Maybe the UM coaching staff just couldn't figure out how to best use him and screwed it all up.

Regardless, I agree that Hester is one hell of an athletic talent who is incredibly dangerous with the ball. I don't think he’s ready to step right into a starting CB role in the NFL quite yet, and I'm not 100% positive that he ever will be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can agree with all that. I'm not saying he's better than the corners taken before him, just that there's no guarantee he isn't. This thing is a crapshoot, and Hester is a worthy gamble where he went. My protest is against the protest. Give him a shot and some time. He is a ton of fun to watch, and has great potential.

 

[Pygmy Marmoset]

Okay, I've never seen that return before. That's a sick stutter move he pulls in that video.

 

[GregR_2]

On the one hand I think the Bears had enough needs on upgrading their offense the pick could have been better spent.

But there is also part of me that is cognizant of the fact that there were games that Jerome Mathis seemed to almost single-handled keep the Texans competitive in with his kick returns.

I suppose I'd say it's a bit of a gamble when they have as many other needs as they do... but I'll stop short of saying it was a mistake given how much a top returner can impact your team... if he does turn out to be one.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Regardless, I agree that Hester is one hell of an athletic talent who is incredibly dangerous with the ball. I don't think he’s ready to step right into a starting CB role in the NFL quite yet, and I'm not 100% positive that he ever will be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can definitely buy this. CC, you defend him very well and make the pick seem justified even though the Bears spent a second on a very similar player earlier in the 2nd.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Manning is a safety in the end. I wonder if Steve Smith's 200 yarder had something to do with this too. Hester can run with him as well as any unchosen player at #57 in the draft. I respect a team smart enough to take a couple cracks at filling a void. Denver did it at corner last year and it worked out. We saw them do it at wr this year and I think it's smart again. It increases the odds of solving the problem. It reduces the bust risk. It really intensifies the camp competition too. If they both make it all the better, but Hester is the return man, not Manning. I'm pretty sure of that. I just watched that video. I love that stuff. It's my favorite part of the game.

 

[Pygmy Marmoset]

On the one hand I think the Bears had enough needs on upgrading their offense the pick could have been better spent.

But there is also part of me that is cognizant of the fact that there were games that Jerome Mathis seemed to almost single-handled keep the Texans competitive in with his kick returns.

I suppose I'd say it's a bit of a gamble when they have as many other needs as they do... but I'll stop short of saying it was a mistake given how much a top returner can impact your team... if he does turn out to be one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

IF both of these guys pan out, I'll be ecstatic. No safe picks there, though. Boom or bust.

 

[trader jake]

the beras draft left a lot to be desired. any one of the picks can be justified and many of them may end up being fine NFL players, but AS A WHOLE THE BEARS DRAFT LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED

first question: why didn't the team upgrade at TE? passing on the number of TE's that they did was criminal

 

[Iron_Far]

People forgot how many games Dante Hall won for KC 2 years ago (although he has admittedly dropped off a bit as STs are keying on him).

Solid Pick by the Bears even though the 3 games I saw Hester play in, he looked pretty clueless in space on defense. I truly don't think he has the wherewithal or smarts to play corner in the NFL.

And those talking about the "Offense Help" that they should've gotten - this was it.

 

[boubucarow]

the beras draft left a lot to be desired.  any one of the picks can be justified and many of them may end up being fine NFL players, but AS A WHOLE THE BEARS DRAFT LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED

first question: why didn't the team upgrade at TE?  passing on the number of TE's that they did was criminal

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Bears do not use the tight end as much more than a last option in their passing offense. Their offense showed signs of being drastically improved with a healthy Grossman and now they have Griese. When the Panthers beat the Bears, it wasn't becuase the offense faultered. The offense played well enough to win the game. It was the defense that faltered. The free safeties were no where to be found on the deep passes and the corners were overmatched by Steve Smith. In addition, the pass rush was inconsistent like it was all season.

I know the typical reaction to what I just said. 1st, the defensive playcalling was the main culprit in the loss to the Panthers. 2nd, the Bears pass rush was the best or close to the best in the league.

Both are true in part. But, during the year the safeties were often late on deep balls. It was a significant problem exposed by the teams that could take advantage like the Bengals. In addition, there were plenty of large time periods in numerous games when the Bears could not put pressure on the quarterback. They dominated at times but were non existent at others.

Danieal Manning, Dusty Dvorcek, and Mark Anderson all will help to diminish those defensive issues. Manning could be the plus range safety the Bears do not have and could be huge in games versus speed receivers. Dvorcek fits the one-gap system much better than Scott and Boone. He will be able to rush the passer and also give Harris more rest. Anderson is already a better pass rusher than the Bears other backup DE's and should be productive when Brown or O-Gun are resting.

Do you help the offense get to the middle of the pack or make sure your defense is top 3 at worst? I think that is debatable enough for people not to bash the Bears' draft. In addition, Hester could make a huge difference for this team. Manning will not return kicks if he wins the starting free safety job which is very possible. Hester will take over for a returning crew that hurt the team significantly in many games.

As for the TE's, I feel that Tim Day is an upgrade over the Bears backup tight ends. Clark is a blocker and Day can block and find holes in the zone. If he can do that, that will help the Bears almost as much as the other TE sans Davis in this draft.

I am saying this thinking that all these players do what they are suppose to do. Of course, it may not work out like that. But the Bears did address needs in this draft.

 

[Ned]

im curious about all the cb talk for hester. is he definitely not gonna play at wr for the bears??

 

[Chaos Commish]

im curious about all the cb talk for hester. is he definitely not gonna play at wr for the bears??

I think this has a two year gestation period. For now, he is returning punts and kicks and concentrating on cornerback. I think he's enough of an athlete to start on either side of the ball... eventually. His man coverage skills are solid and his potential in man coverage is very high. He is lost in zone coverage. They drafted him as a CB and want to develop him there. If it doesn't work out, there is no questioning his potential on offense. He already runs sharp routes and has great hands. Once he has the ball in his hands... fun stuff.

 

[Ned]

im curious about all the cb talk for hester.  is he definitely not gonna play at wr for the bears??

I think this has a two year gestation period. For now, he is returning punts and kicks and concentrating on cornerback. I think he's enough of an athlete to start on either side of the ball... eventually. His man coverage skills are solid and his potential in man coverage is very high. He is lost in zone coverage. They drafted him as a CB and want to develop him there. If it doesn't work out, there is no questioning his potential on offense. He already runs sharp routes and has great hands. Once he has the ball in his hands... fun stuff.

thanks!

 

[flapgreen]

Here's hoping to the Bears again winning many more games with the defense alone.