-
Bears receiving corps boasts size, speed
Bears receiving corps boasts size, speed
By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 5/16/2012 4:07 PM
With newcomers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery joining Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox, the Bears may have the best combination of size and speed at the receiver position in the NFL.
After playing together with the Broncos from 2006-08, Brandon Marshall has reunited with Jay Cutler.
“I think we’ve totally balanced it,” said receivers coach Darryl Drake. “We’ve got two giraffes outside and we’ve got some cheetahs inside. I’m looking forward to those guys doing things they’re capable of doing.”
While the “cheetahs” were already in place, the Bears added the “giraffes” this offseason in the 6-4 Marshall via a trade with the Dolphins and the 6-3 Jeffery in the second round of the draft. The two figure to create match-up problems against smaller defensive backs.
“When you have guys with that kind of ability and that kind of size, the ball doesn’t always have to be perfect,” Drake said. “Jay [Cutler] doesn’t always have to put it right there. He can throw the ball up in the air, and the guys have the ability to go up and get it. It makes a difference.”
A three-time Pro Bowler, Marshall is one of just three NFL receivers to catch at least 80 passes for more than 1,000 yards each of the last five seasons. His 494 career receptions in six seasons are two more than Bears all-time leader Walter Payton and 138 more than the top wide receiver on the list, Johnny Morris (356).
Participating in the Bears’ offseason program, Marshall has impressed his new coaches and teammates.
“It’s been a joy to have Brandon Marshall out there,” Drake said. “He’s just a joy to be around, period. He’s a joy in the meetings. He’s a student of the game first and foremost. He is the one that’s forcing Earl and Devin and Dane [Sanzenbacher] and those guys to raise their games.”
Drake is equally excited about the opportunity to work with Jeffery, a young dynamic playmaker who ranks second among receivers in SEC history with 3,042 yards.
“He’s a very confident young man. I saw that early,” Drake said.
“He took some games over in the SEC. I’ve been part of that family for six years when I was at Georgia, so I know how they throw the football there and I know the type of competition and the level of defensive backs that have come through that conference. He did those things against Alabama, he did those things against LSU, he did those things against Georgia.”
As far as Hester is concerned, Drake believes that the Bears' record-breaking return specialist can also thrive as a receiver if he’s utilized correctly.
“The talent has always been there,” Drake said. “It’s just a matter of not having him play 70 plays a game and throw to him twice. Play him 15 and let him touch it 13. That’s always been my stance. If he’s going to play 70, the ball needs to come his way 10, 12 times a game easily.
“For him to be effective, we don’t need to have him out there playing that many plays. We need to have that package and I promise you [offensive coordinator] Mike Tice is going to do it and let him do things. When he’s out there, put the ball in his hands.”
With the deepest and most talented group of receivers he’s had to work with since joining the Bears as part of Lovie Smith’s original coaching staff in 2004, Drake is eager to see how the competition unfolds.
“I’m very excited about this group because I think there’s an awful lot of talent, there’s an awful lot of potential, and it’s my job to make sure that potential comes out,” Drake said.
“Competition breeds success and I really do think we’ve got some competition out here. We’re going to put the guys out there that are going to do things right and are going to make plays. If you want to play, go out there and make plays and do things the right way.”
Bears wide receivers possess size, speed
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
-
Junior Member
I think the issues Marshall has had in the past on and off the field is solely based on poor chemistry with his teammates and staff. Now, reuniting with Cutler I see nothing but upside. Bears coaching staff will do wonders for him and Jay will get him the balls he has been longing for since their time in Denver. Great post, SFB.
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
Originally Posted by
Hugogo 
I think the issues Marshall has had in the past on and off the field is solely based on poor chemistry with his teammates and staff. Now, reuniting with Cutler I see nothing but upside. Bears coaching staff will do wonders for him and Jay will get him the balls he has been longing for since their time in Denver. Great post, SFB.
It goes even deeper than that with his bipolar disorder. But, it sounds like since he was diagnosed, he has really worked hard at learning how to manage it, which should in turn help his chemistry with teammates and staff. I cannot wait to see this revamped offense. The homer in me wants to see record breaking numbers, but I'd settle for an offense that looks like it belongs in the big leagues. 
"Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that." - Ron Swanson
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
I'm sure playing with a franchise calibur qb and a team that is a playoff contender helps the situation also
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
I'd say our past problems at WR are just that.....in the past. When teams look at what Cutler was able to accomplish with this offense with far less WR talent than he has now, TE's he can finally throw to, and a running game with three backs capable of starting in the NFL you know that they're doing some heavy duty planning already as to how to stop this offense from killing them.
The line will improve enough that along with a better pass blocking scheme and by allowing Cutler to use his mobility they won't be able to just tee off on the rush as they did in the past. We should also see far fewer blitzing if Cutler is permitted to audible out of plays that have too much risk to run against an all out blitz. If he can give himself the option to put a receiver in position to make the catch on a "hot read" he can stop the blitzing almost altogether.
He also is a master at "back shoulder" throws and now instead of only one guy who can make that kind of catch he has three and at least one of them will be on the field all of the time. If they can finally "get it right" with this "Hester Package" we're four deep and WR without Knox or Sanz to say nothing of the added depth we get from guys like Weems or Thomas who are there primarily as ST guys.
It's gonna be fun to watch this offense develop for a change.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
" “We’ve got two giraffes outside and we’ve got some cheetahs inside. "Since when did the Bears become a zoo?
I think Marshall will learn to control his bipolar much better, and I hope that the chemisty him and Cutty has will improve it a lot and the results will be noticeble.
-
Originally Posted by
ZifanQ " “We’ve got two giraffes outside and we’ve got some cheetahs inside. "Since when did the Bears become a zoo?
I think Marshall will learn to control his bipolar much better, and I hope that the chemisty him and Cutty has will improve it a lot and the results will be noticeble.
It's always been a zoo Zif you just haven't been around long enough to have seen the whole menagerie. The 80's Bears were an entire three ring circus with Ditka and Buddy Ryan as their ringmasters.
By the way, Marshall has a Borderline Personality Disorder not a Bi-Polar Disorder. Both can make you do stupid crazy things but there's a slight difference in the number of different characters you tend to become. A BPD is also more of a psychological disorder whereas Bi-Polarity is a physiological disorder. There, aren't you glad I cleared that up. Just more relatively useless information that clutters up my mind. 
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
-
High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
-
Originally Posted by
soulman It's always been a zoo Zif you just haven't been around long enough to have seen the whole menagerie. The 80's Bears were an entire three ring circus with Ditka and Buddy Ryan as their ringmasters.
By the way, Marshall has a Borderline Personality Disorder not a Bi-Polar Disorder. Both can make you do stupid crazy things but there's a slight difference in the number of different characters you tend to become. A BPD is also more of a psychological disorder whereas Bi-Polarity is a physiological disorder. There, aren't you glad I cleared that up. Just more relatively useless information that clutters up my mind.
Ahh thank you for clearing that up Soul, I don't know what to do without yooooou! No information is useless, you oh so wise Soul you of all should know that! 
-
Junior Member
Originally Posted by
soulman It's always been a zoo Zif you just haven't been around long enough to have seen the whole menagerie. The 80's Bears were an entire three ring circus with Ditka and Buddy Ryan as their ringmasters.
By the way, Marshall has a Borderline Personality Disorder not a Bi-Polar Disorder. Both can make you do stupid crazy things but there's a slight difference in the number of different characters you tend to become. A BPD is also more of a psychological disorder whereas Bi-Polarity is a physiological disorder. There, aren't you glad I cleared that up. Just more relatively useless information that clutters up my mind.
Well, he'll only have one character to focus on being this season: Cutler's go-to-guy
-
Originally Posted by
soulman It's always been a zoo Zif you just haven't been around long enough to have seen the whole menagerie. The 80's Bears were an entire three ring circus with Ditka and Buddy Ryan as their ringmasters.
By the way,
Marshall has a Borderline Personality Disorder not a Bi-Polar Disorder. Both can make you do stupid crazy things but there's a slight difference in the number of different characters you tend to become. A BPD is also more of a psychological disorder whereas Bi-Polarity is a physiological disorder. There, aren't you glad I cleared that up. Just more relatively useless information that clutters up my mind.
Doh! Good catch. lol
"Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that." - Ron Swanson
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
