Thread: Chris Williams back to LT?

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Chris Williams needs to play LT, that's why we drafted him and in my opinion, he is our best option on the current roster. He is not playing LG because he sucked at LT, he is playing LG because that was the best fit for the strengths of the other 4 guys. A little story to make my point, When I played in HS, I was the starting LT to begin my Senior year. I just barely beat out my best friend for the position, and he played next to me at LG. We were very close in terms of quality at LT, but the closer we came to the beginning of the season, the more the coaches began to realize he just wasn't getting it done at LG. In our offense, the guards would be pulling all the time and he was always missing his assignments. We also ran a lot of traps, and he was really having a difficult time of it. He was not a bad O-Lineman at all, but he was really having trouble with his movement. One practice the coach finally pulled him and switched us, and we stayed that way for the rest of the year. The point is, I see a lot of similarities. I do not believe Chris Williams is playing LG because he sucked at LT at the time of the switch, but rather that the talents of all the other guys around him were better played elsewhere. For all the crap Williams has received for not playing the LT position well when he had the chance, he still did much better than anything Webb has shown anywhere over the last two years. Furthermore, I believe Williams has become a much better pro over the last two years, and that growth could really show even more at LT. From what I have watched, I consider it an absolute no brainer and when Tice moved Webb to the Left side for last year, I actually began to question Tice as an evaluator. I say put Webb at the swing position, put Williams back over at LT, keep Garza at Center, let Spencer and Louis battle out the RG spot (I have little faith in either, but we can't fix everything all at once), and draft a real starting LG and do whatever with Edwin Williams, as he is just a roster spot IMO (Garza saved his ass more than once last year). Carimi at RT goes without saying.

I say if DeCastro is there at 19 and we select him, this alignment will change our O-Line for years to come (we still have to find a Center next year to replace Roberto in a couple). If he's not there and Zeitler get close to us in the second, then go get him (Actually at this point, I would prefer Zeitler in the second over DeCastro in the first). if you get neither, then do the best we can in the third.

+1

Exactly. well, except we don't know if OMG was best friends with Chris Williams.

I believe Chris Williams has now had one training camp hurt, one as a RT one as a LT and one as I LG, and has started similar numbers of games at each. Considering that i, LT is usually the highest paid of he OL, and what his athletic ability seems designed for, I cannot believe he would object to playing it this year. He would have to beat out Webb (hard to do?) to start but as a OG he would have to beat out at least two of LL, Spencer and E. Williams as well as a potential draft pick. Like "4daBers" I suspect the NFL experience, particularly at G will have made him a somewhat improved run blocker, his previous weakness as at LT.

Q for you, 4daBers. Did you see Chris Williams as a significantly better pass blocker as as LG than E. Williams? or at rooting out DTs? I thought he was only somewhat better at those two (critical) jobs (no question C. Williams was much better as a pulling guard). And, (another Q) how did they compare to Spenser? I didn't watch the interior of the line much as I have an abiding interest in LLs as a, "agile, mobile, and hostile" OL and I like watching him (admitting that NFL coaches may have 'figured him out' a little so the heavy diet of double moves on him got him to bite too often ... but heck, he isn't even supposed to be out at Tackle.

If the rumor is true, its a good move since this will be his walk year. Worst case scenario you have your swing tackle in place.Who knows maybe he surprises us. A potential big contract motivates even the unlikeliest of players.

4daBers, thanks for the info. I hate to be too dang agreeable, :) but I like your take on LL. (and for giving me a pass on the abiding interest ... pure admiration for a golden pick in the seventh round, I assure you ;). He only played one year at RT at San Diego State, where he presumably did not see much NFL level competition. (TE and OG the other years). His training with the Bears has been at OG. When suddenly thrown into RT in game 3 he did amazingly well for several games then got figured out a little on pass rush moves. A full training camp (vs some of Peppers! some of Melton, some of Url and other excellent pass rushers) could work wonders. That gives me serious hope that he could turn into a good RT. I like the idea of Carimi at LT okay but think (without much justification, admittedly) that the chance of his being merely an okay LT while a excellent RT makes me prefer the C. Williams to LT move. Of course, if LL is meh as a OG then that sucks a bit. I also still have hope for E. Williams. He went from "not ready to play" up to passable backup who can play if need be. That is serious progress. He just may not be a fast learner ... anyway, that's my hope as he is under contract for 2013 unlike all the Bears other OGs and the Bears don't have enough draft picks for everything this year ... darn it.

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Good questions. Of course, just my opinion, but I think Chris Williams was much better in terms of pass blocking than Edwin, but only marginally better at run blocking.

I hate too sound like a dick, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Chris is miles ahead of Edwin in the ground game, at absolutely every level. Their pass blocking, though, was pretty much a draw between them.

Originally Posted by lklrlolnlilklsox

I hate too sound like a dick, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Chris is miles ahead of Edwin in the ground game, at absolutely every level. Their pass blocking, though, was pretty much a draw between them.

I agree. Even Tice pointed this out last year. A lot of folks like to dog Chris Williams, but he was outstanding as a run blocker last year.

There seems to be a huge misconception around here the Chris Williams sucked at tackle.

Just from my memory he was out most of his rookie season from his back injury then he came in and played some RT and showed a lot of power run blocking and did quite well.

2009 started at RT the next season across from Orlando Pace and he didn't do bad at all. I'm not gonna look up the stats but I'm pretty confident in that.

Next season 2010 Pace was gone and Williams won the job at LT. With Omiyale starting next to him at LG I think, or across at RT? Anyway this was our first season in the Martz offense and he got schooled in preseason by Kamerion Wimbley. After that though he looked pretty good and the OL as a unit wasn't TERRIBLE until a few weeks in Chris went down against the Cowboys (hamstring I think) and then I believe Omiyale was moved to LT from LG and Edwin Williams or Lance Louis came in at LG. The Bears OL actually did alright that game but after that once Williams was gone it was just FUCKED. I think Garza got injured too so we had a line of OMIYALE WILLIAMS KREUTZ LOUIS SHAFFER....This stretch without Chris must've been the worst time of Cutler's life. It led to the NYG game where they got 100 sacks and Cutler got concussed.

When Chris came back rather than put him back in at LT they didn't wanna move Omiyale because he was a terrible guard and they thought it more important to have Chris playing Guard over rookie UDFA Edwin Williams than playing LT and moving Omiyale back. So they put him in at LG and from then on it's history, he's a guard.


Chris's body type is definitely suited to playing LT. And he's got great athleticism. There's a reason he was a 1st round pick. The only knock against him is he keeps getting injured (though he hasn't had any recurring injuries so maybe it's just bad luck).

Basically..Chris has shown a lot of potential, and has the athleticism of a 1st round LT. His injuries and a lack of depth at OL have held him back, but he's done well at LG especially considering his physique.

If I were Tice, I'd push for us drafting Cordy Glenn or Decastro in the 1st and let Williams battle for LT with Webb. If Williams can't win against Webb move him back to Guard opposite Glenn or Decastro and use Lance Louis as a swing backup.