-
Williams has his guard up for Seahawks
Williams has his guard up for Seahawks
He's getting more comfortable in Bears' retooled line
Before practice Monday, offensive line coach Mike Tice flipped on some game tape of the Bears' first meeting with the Seahawks.
He didn't need to get too far for one thing to stick out — Chris Williams has made some real strides since that game on Oct. 17, the first start the former first-round draft pick made at left guard.
The Bears were about two-thirds of the way through their line makeover and the decision was made to slide Williams inside because Frank Omiyale had settled in at left tackle and the team wanted to develop rookie seventh-round pick J'Marcus Webb at right tackle.
It was an interesting decision because the team was moving the 14th pick of the 2008 draft in order to accommodate the 218th pick of the 2010 draft, but Tice saw traits that led him to believe Williams could excel inside. It wasn't pretty at first, but nothing has been with this line.
Now, Williams prepares with more confidence for his 11th start at the position in Sunday's divisional round meeting with the Seahawks at Soldier Field. Webb will be making his 12th start at right tackle.
"Those guys have progressed at a nice pace and we're looking for continued improvement because neither one of them are at a stage right now where things are coming easy to them," Tice said. "Really, just looking at the footwork of Chris, there were a couple of times (against the Seahawks) where he spread his feet and never stepped or anything.
"I think it's that technique 'A guy is on me real quick,' instead of him stepping. That takes time and repetition. We've had weeks to repeat the technique and do it over and over to where now he's better. He still has a moment or two, but he's really improved."
It's hard to imagine the Bears making this move — after Williams had missed four games with a pulled hamstring — without considering it a semi-permanent home for him. But nothing has been mentioned about where he'll be in the long run, and he answers all of those questions by saying he just wants to play.
That means he's not bothered by the knowledge that left tackles are traditionally the biggest earners on the line. If the move bothered him personally, Williams did a good job of keeping his feelings out of the equation.
"We have to sit down as an organization and decide where we want him full-time," Tice said. "If he was to stay at guard, with the repetition of the footwork and the hand placement in a full offseason, you could see him with his athletic ability and his knee bend making a big jump."
The Seahawks sacked Jay Cutler six times in their 23-20 upset of the Bears, confusing them with a flurry of blitzes by defensive backs. Seattle had an off week to make extra preparations for that game. Don't expect to see rushers coming free off the edge this time. Williams believes he'll be much better this time.
"There was a lot of thinking," Williams said. "Olin (Kreutz) and Roberto (Garza) did a great job of helping me settle down and kind of simplifying things. As you play more, you pick up more. I like to think I've gotten better, think I am more consistent with my technique."
bmbiggs@tribune.com
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
-
I'd like to see him back at OLT doing what we drafted him for and then getting as guy like Pouncey in the draft to play OG while he understudies to replace Kruetz. If he can't make it there I'd say let's develop him at OG and use a high draft pick to get a guy like Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi if Pouncey isn't around when we pick or we can't move up to get him. We we already know Carimi's a "people mover" in the running game but he also held his own as a pass blocker in that offense as well.
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...kings/TSX/2011
This is CBS's list of 2011 NFL Draft Prospects. Gabe Carimi is projected to be the 11th best available player in the first round (I assume this means he would most likely be drafted 11th overall). There is a OG from the University of Miami, though, projected to go 25th in the first round (Orlando Franklin).
As far as drafting Mike Pouncey, that is doable too, but we may have to trade up to get him. He's projected to go 40th in the draft, or in the 2nd Round.
-
Junior Member
Originally Posted by
Dagan81 
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...kings/TSX/2011
This is CBS's list of 2011 NFL Draft Prospects. Gabe Carimi is projected to be the 11th best available player in the first round (I assume this means he would most likely be drafted 11th overall). There is a OG from the University of Miami, though, projected to go 25th in the first round (Orlando Franklin).
As far as drafting Mike Pouncey, that is doable too, but we may have to trade up to get him. He's projected to go 40th in the draft, or in the 2nd Round.
You realise that list is only of seniors, not juniors that have declared...? Thought it would be pretty obvious since it's missing 2 of the best players in the draft AJ Green and Da'Quan Bowers.
Besides that the player rankings are just wrong...seem like they were made at the start of the season or soemthing.
-
Originally Posted by
soulman I'd like to see him back at OLT doing what we drafted him for and then getting as guy like Pouncey in the draft to play OG while he understudies to replace Kruetz. If he can't make it there I'd say let's develop him at OG and use a high draft pick to get a guy like Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi if Pouncey isn't around when we pick or we can't move up to get him. We we already know Carimi's a "people mover" in the running game but he also held his own as a pass blocker in that offense as well.
Agreed SOUL. not sure if Pouncy lasts that long in draft( 32nd a ways to go..lol) and you know from tice's coaching on balt,jax andvikes, he loves the 'road graders" and people lovers and always had them on his teams
-
Junior Member
Originally Posted by
soulman I'd like to see him back at OLT doing what we drafted him for and then getting as guy like Pouncey in the draft to play OG while he understudies to replace Kruetz. If he can't make it there I'd say let's develop him at OG and use a high draft pick to get a guy like Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi if Pouncey isn't around when we pick or we can't move up to get him. We we already know Carimi's a "people mover" in the running game but he also held his own as a pass blocker in that offense as well.
I also agree with moving Williams back to LT...that's his natural fit. Physically, he's got what it takes: he's very athletic, he's got great feet, he's got the flexibility you look for...he just needs to refine things like his technique, maintaining a strong base and not getting knocked off balance, using his hands more, etc. He's got the ability that can't be taught, he just needs to fine-tune the skills that can be taught.
IMO though, the staff needs to decide where he's gonna play long term before the draft because I think that will dictate who we draft. I'm right there with ya though on sliding Williams back out to LT and bringing in Pouncey at LG and/or C...that's the route I'd take. But if they decide to leave Williams at LG, I'd take Sherrod in the first and try to get Wisniewski (who can also play OG or C) in the 2nd.
-
I'd also like to see Cwill at LT but since Omiyale can't play LG and Webb is RT he makes too much to sit. That may factor in to weather Cwill is moving to LT. Would like to see Carimi (or Wisc LG) drafted but I think some of this depends on what they do with Omiyale.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
-
Originally Posted by
dabears54 Agreed SOUL. not sure if Pouncy lasts that long in draft( 32nd a ways to go..lol) and you know from tice's coaching on balt,jax andvikes, he loves the 'road graders" and people lovers and always had them on his teams
I'd like to think that the Bears will win the Super Bowl this year, and thus be forced to pick 32nd in the draft.
The list I provided, though not a perfect example by a long shot since apparently it only included seniors, shows Pouncey as going 40th overall in the draft. Unless those rankings were formulated early on in the season, I really don't know if Pouncey is even a first-round draft pick. Carimi, while attractive, is slated to go 11th overall.
BTW, what are "road graders" and "people lovers" in your analysis of Mike Tice's teams?
-
Many of these draft rankings will change dramatically before April. In one I saw recently they had Colorado's Nate Solder as the #1 OT (top 15 pick) followed by Sherrod at #2 (15-20 overall) and then Carimi as #3 (20-25) overall. The same ranking had Wisniewski (mid 1st) ranked far ahead of Pouncey (high-mid 2nd) and believe it or not Cam Newton was ranked 29th overall. Maybe the Vince Young stigma is sticking to Cam although it shouldn't be.
By the time all is said and done and all of the underclass declarations have been made, and after the combine, I'm sure things will shake out much differently. FA will have come and gone, maybe a CBA will be signed (but I doubt it) and team needs will also alter drastically. That doesn't even account for any trades that may or may not happen. Should be an interesting offseason eh?
-
Junior Member
Originally Posted by
Dagan81 I'd like to think that the Bears will win the Super Bowl this year, and thus be forced to pick 32nd in the draft.
The list I provided, though not a perfect example by a long shot since apparently it only included seniors, shows Pouncey as going 40th overall in the draft. Unless those rankings were formulated early on in the season, I really don't know if Pouncey is even a first-round draft pick. Carimi, while attractive, is slated to go 11th overall.
BTW, what are "road graders" and "people lovers" in your analysis of Mike Tice's teams?
Yeah, like soulman said, there are literally dozens of those rankings and mock drafts compiled by people and groups of people...some of which are very informed, some not so much. Opinions and projections always differ, sometimes drastically so (i.e. the link you posted has Pouncey projected at 40 without underclassmen factored in while ESPN's Scouts Inc has him at 16 with a 93 grade WITH underclassmen figured in).
Regardless, alot of these rankings will look alot different after the Senior Bowl, the combine, the interview process etc, but I can almost guarantee you Mike Pouncey will go in the first round. There were alot of people that didn't think his brother would go in the first last year and I said the same thing then. A year later, he's a Pro-Bowler as a rookie and has already established himself as one of the best C's in The League. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Steelers try to get him too to pair him up with his brother. They've played alongside each other all their lives (aside from this year of course) and have a great chemistry together, plus the Steelers could use help on the interior of their OL.
Bottom line is, it's not how these "experts" value them, but how teams' front offices and coaches do...and in the scouting/drafting game, misinformation and disinformation are commonplace. Teams often send out smokescreens to disguise their intentions.
Oh and "road graders" and "people movers" (pretty sure he meant "movers") are terms used to describe dominant run-blockers that open holes...and Mike Pouncey is one.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
