Thread: Bears Break Camp, Optimism High.................

Originally Posted by Dagan81

I wish we could cut J'Marcus Webb. The only reason we won't is because we don't have anyone else any better than him to play the LT position. WHY NOT PLAY CARIMI AT LT???

Originally Posted by Nick

I think-on paper-the line up of carimi-cwill-Spencer-garza-Webb looks better then what we've seen....so far

They will never cut Webb Dags. At least not this year. He's Tice's main project, followed by Louis, and Tice won't give up on either very easily and given their inherrent athletic talent he probably shouldn't. He just needs to turn them from 320lb-330lb atheletes into good football players.

Nick I'm in agreement with you. Our most obvious need going into the offseason was a LT. Webb was no all-pro at RT last year but he was getting much better towards the end of the season so why move him? We spent our first pick of a LT and then went into FA looking for another. We batted .500 on that score at least getting Carimi so why Tice won't play him or at least give him a shot at LT is beyond me. If Webb was such a lock at LT why would they have ever gone after a young guy like Bushrod to begin with? They wouldn't.

It's true Carimi is a rookie and it's true we had a limited time to prepare him but it wasn't any different in Webb's case either. At the very least they both should have been getting reps at LT from the very start of camp and if they do have to make the switch you suggest that's another three weeks of time they've lost working Carimi at LT. This plan to play the 5 best at their present positions is beginning to crumble at their feet as far as I'm concerned.

Originally Posted by short faced bear

I understand that perhaps Carimi needs to learn RT and some other things before possibly moving to LT. But then again so does Webb. I can't understand where he has made giant strides in pass pro and footwork regardless of his athleticism that warrants him being over there. They don't want Cwill or Carimi but they will even run with OMG before that happens???

It would be understandable perhaps if it were a major rebuilding year. Hell I might even support it but not where the team is at. To me it's the equivalent of Rod playing Peppers at NT.

The only real positive I see in having Carimi on the right side is that along with Garza at RG (he'll be there soon) and a TE on that side of the formation we'll have one hell of a running game going to the right. CWill has already proven that he can get out and pull and we can assume that Webb can still punch out and get in peoples way even if his pass blocking leaves something to be disired so anyway you look at it we should be able to run the football better this year than last. Now all we need is for Martz to recognize that and take advantage.

I'm trying to think of a rationale that they would not want Carimi to LT. The only thing I can think of Soul is not to shatter his confidence as a rook. But Webb is young as well and isn't exactly swelling up on confidence (nor intensity). Plus Cwill is on that side to give some form of small advice. It's just baffling.

Bears camp winners:

- QBs Jay Cutler and Caleb Hanie
- WR Dane Sanzenbacher
- TE Kellen Davis
- RBs Marion Barber, Kahlil Bell and Harvey Unga
- DTs Amobi Okoye, Matt Toeaina and Henry Melton
- DE Vernon Gholston
- CBs D.J. Moore and Mike Holmes
- Ss Chris Harris and Major Wright
- FB Eddie Williams

Bears camp losers:

- DT Marcus Harrison
- OG Lance Louis
- RB Chester Taylor
- WRs Roy Williams and Andy Fantuz
- offensive line (!)

LT Carimi
LG Williams
C Spencer
RG Garza
RT Webb

... please!

Originally Posted by short faced bear

I'm trying to think of a rationale that they would not want Carimi to LT. The only thing I can think of Soul is not to shatter his confidence as a rook. But Webb is young as well and isn't exactly swelling up on confidence (nor intensity). Plus Cwill is on that side to give some form of small advice. It's just baffling.

I can see that side of it shorty but as you point out neither Webb or Carimi are exactly "greybeards" as NFL Olineman go. I think the mistake Tice is making, and hopefully will realize, is that he should have his best blocker playing LT and not his best athlete. It seems to me like he started with a preconceived notion of how it should all go, you know kind of like we do mock drafts. Now that it's not working I think we're all wondering what his Plan B is.

To my way of thinking JA really hung Tice out to dry by failing to get him at least one guy in FA. The other issue is that not giving in over $500k cost us Kruetz, his experience, his leadership and his knowledge of the line calls which obviously by watching the disarray Garza hasn't picked up yet. So our progress gets set even farther back. Now he'll have to spend that much and more just to fix it by bringing in another vet and it may be that he can only get it done by a trade and that will cost us picks too. You really couldn't have done worse if you'd planned to.

Originally Posted by MPBears68

This is so blatantly obvious as the best OLineup that it boggles your mind why the coaching staff doesn't see it. I suppose its a combo of 1) not wanting to throw a rookie into the fire at LT and 2) Tice being in love with Webb's "athleticism".

Problem with their arguement is: Webb is not much more than a glorified rookie anyway in terms of NFL experience at LT, Carimi was a 4yr starter at LT for Wisconsin, and Webb's touted athletic abilities don't count for all that much if his mental toughness & preparation don't match his physical potential.

I hope that this weeks PS game vs. the NYG displays one of two extremes for Webb at LT:
Either he really picks up his game impressively OR
He totally flops again and forces a change

I'm afraid it's gonna be somewhere in the middle--not good enough to instill confidence but not bad enough to force Tice's hand....

All this talk from the staff about Webb's athleticism sounds like a PR handjob to me cuz I don't see it. I "want" to see it but I don't. Maybe I'm wrong but I'll believe it when I see it.

He was much better tonight. Hope he keeps it up.

God, Roy Williams SUCKS