Thread: The Bears OL by the Numbers

Webb is only a seventh round pick, and lucky to be that. It takes time to develop a kid like him into something of quality.
I'm excited for him. His future is very bright. Now that his football career is amlost over, he can move on with his life. I'm sure in a few short years he will make someone a fine hatrack, or even ashtray.

Originally Posted by little bear

Shaffer is definitely a better RT than Webb IMO.

Sorry, but no way is that true lb.

Originally Posted by KML

Shaffer is what he is...a solid 6th OL who is serviceable in spot duty and he's getting up there in age.

Webb is young and has some tools to work with. He's got good (not great) feet & athleticism and once he refines his technique, I think he could be a solid (if unspectacular) starter at RT. Might not be ideal, but the RT position isn't the first thing that needs to be addressed on our OL and I think Webb is worth giving an opportunity to develop.

Right, he's not talented enough to be a starter and he won't ever be at this point in his career. Webb on the other hand has proven to Tice that he's a better option than Shaeffer despite his many penalties and other rookie mistakes. Actually I thought he played a pretty good game against the Packers and Clay Matthews. Shaeffer would have got eaten alive is he had played.

The big reason Webb is still starting, other than trying to get him reps to maximize his potential quickly, is that he is far and away our best power run blocker, IMHO. Seriously, one on one the kid just wins an absolute ton of battles in the trenches in short time. It's rare to see him get knocked back in the run game (can't think of any noticeable ones off the top of my head) and it takes playing on your heels and diving into lanes to beat him in isolation. His trap and seal blocks on the edge have sprung more than a few of Forte's big runs and he is even getting some looks at pulling off the edge. I give him a consistently solid A as a run blocker, and that's something we just don't have otherwise.

Here is some good news: Raiders guard Robert Gallery will be a FA this year. He is not happy about the firing of Cable and word is he doens't want to be with the Raiders anymore. Gallery was a bust at LT but turned out to be a beast of a guard, especially when it comes to run blocking. He is getting up there, turning 31 this year, but I reckon he has at least a few good years left in him.

In addition Michael Bush will be a UFA too, could be the inside runner we need here in Chicago.

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– Punter Shane Lechler, who said Monday he wasn’t interested in having another new coach, thinks Cable’s ouster will have a negative effect on free agency.

“It’s going to influence a lot of guys’ decisions on free agency,” Lechler said by phone. “You’re going to for darned sure lose Robert Gallery now. You’re going to lose Michael Bush now, for sure. You’re going to lose a bunch of guys that are great football players and just because of this move . . . I already know what those guys are going to do. I’ve talked to them, I’m friends with them, and I know what’s going on.”

More Lechler: “It’s going to be a huge setback because you heard the locker room just like I did. It’s hard to understand how or why the decision was made when it seemed it was in the best interest of players and we finally felt like we were headed in the right way, and owner goes and pulls the (plug).”

– With regard to Bush, he may not even be an unrestricted free agent when a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. Bush spent his first season rehabbing a broken ankle and then played three seasons. His contract has expried, but the Raiders could end up with a right of first refusal in a new CBA _ just like with Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard last season.

As for Gallery, I talked to him on the phone and he was extremely disappointed while stopping short of saying he was heading for the door when free agency beckons.

“I really haven’t processed that yet,” Gallery said. “It’s definitely something to think about. Coach Cable and everyone else knows how I feel about him and the things he did as far as getting my career back on track. He’s a guy I wanted to play for. We’ll have to see what happens when free agency does come.”

More Gallery: “I think this is going to hit 99 percent of the locker room really hard because people respected how he dealt with us and where we were headed. It’s definitely a step back from what we’ve done going forward the last year or two.”