Thread: Bears Need to Upgrade Oline..............

OLT help arrives in this mock

Posted by Bob LeGere on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 21:50


In Pro Football Weekly’s latest mock draft, they enlisted the “expertise” of their correspondents around the league, including yours truly, and had them make the selection for the team they cover.


I don’t necessarily believe the draft will fall this way, but at No. 19, I had my choice of Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus and Iowa OLT Riley Reiff, and I took blind-side pass protection for Jay Cutler. There is some concern that Reiff doesn’t have outstanding OLT characteristics. He lacks great movement skills, and his arms aren’t the ideal length to keep pass rushers at bay, but he started all 26 games the past two seasons at OLT and was a first-team all-Big Ten pick. (Reiff is beginning to drop just because some are having trouble projecting him at LT because of his physical limitations)


Stanford OLT Jonathan Martin was another consideration at 19, but a lot of the draft gurus seem to believe he’s highly overrated. He wasn’t selected at all in this first-round mock. (The closer we get to the opening of the draft the more Reiff and Martin fall. Martin is no longer in round one of many mocks. This OT class isn't even as good for LT's as last years which is why drafting one high needs to be avoided)


To see all the picks with explanations for each selection, go to:
http://www.profootballweekly.com/201...ents-mock-draf...

I don't deny that we need to start the rebuilding of our Oline and I see it as much that way as I do the need to upgrade. There is enough talent everywhere but at OT to squeeze by given that these guys have another year experience under their belts, we get two starters we lost to injury back and guys who may have played out of position won't be.

This year should be the beginning of that rebuilding process but the lack of top talent at OT leads me more in the direction of OG's like Zeitler who could also play OC in the NFL. Somewhere in the first four rounds we need and OG or an OT and if it is an OT I wouldn't take one until the middle rounds. The value there is as good as it is in two or three. JMHO.

Originally Posted by motownbear

was this story from 2007?

Hahahahahah ... but but but they used a 1st rounder in 08 and 11, and they do have one pro bowler.....so that should be goo enough.

Originally Posted by Zelezo Vlk

The Bears line needs to be upgraded? That's news to me.

Originally Posted by motownbear

was this story from 2007?

It's from the Daily-Herald guys. They still deliver by Pony Express.

I can't just keep posting Dline threads can I? Gotta create some editorial balance.

I still wouldn't mind seeing Spencer and Garza moved back to their traditional positions. I truly believe Garza at LG will help in the development in Carimi as the potential long term LT that the team has needed since Tait filled the role.

Originally Posted by motownbear

Spencer was one of the worse rated C in the league when he was with Seahawks and as a G rated out to be one of the worse G. Cant wait for his contract to expire

Garza at least actually upped his game at C rather then RG

Yeah I think Spencer is not much more than a guy who was signed to fill the gap created when we didn't bring Olin back. He played OK at a journeyman level but of all the OG's he the one most easily replaceable.

They extended EWill so my guess is Tice sees potential in him and very possibly sees him as Garza's understudy to the OC gig in a couple of years. Louis should have no problem taking back his RG spot now that Carimi will be back but unless we leave CWill where he is we'll end up needing another OG on the roster.

The Bears moved Ricky Henry to the roster from the PS last year to protect him so we can probably assume they see some potential there but with those rookie OG crop as strong as it is I think it would be a mistake not to take one fairly early.

I guess there's always an outside chance that we take Glenn if all of our Dline prospects are taken but I see that as unlikely. So that leaves us with the guy quite a few of us have been clamoring for and that's Zeitler. Gotta have another Badger don't we? Despite the knock against his skills as a pass protector he's a rugged kid with a nasty side to him much like Carimi and he's projected to be able to handle OC as well as OG so he fits with that concept the Bears have of dual purpose Olineman. OT's who can move to OG and OG's who can move to OC.

If he falls far enough in two he could be a very good pick to us there. CWill, Spencer and Louis are all in their "contract years" and I'd be willing to bet one of them won't be asked back so even if the immediate need for an OG isn't there we'll have one soon enough to spend a pick on a good one. I'd bet Zeitler in the second and Jeff Allen in the third are guys the Bears are looking at.