Jeff Otah to chicago still a possibility

Outside of Webb, Carimi & C.Will, here are our tackles that we have under contract:

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.......Name, ...........Height,......... Weight, ........School, .. Experience,..... Age
Brandon, Cory .......... 6'7" ............324 ...........Oklahoma .....1 ............. 24
Greene, A.J. * .......... 6'5" .............298 ..........Auburn .........R ..............22
Hendrickson, T ......... 6'8" .............313 ...........Concordia .....R ..............23

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Greener than gourds. Even if they have all the potential in the world, none of these 3 are NFL material this season. These are not high 1st round picks, but "projects" that may be able to play tackle in the NFL if they are properly developed for a few years.

When I looked at this list it was pretty sobering for me to think about. If we'd have a couple of tackles go down to injury - this - is our backup plan. I just about crapped myself when I looked at this list. No wonder the Bears made C.Will a tackle this year!!!

Yeah, NOW I understand why the Bears pursued another veteran tackle.

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

Outside of Webb, Carimi & C.Will, here are our tackles that we have under contract:



Greener than gourds. Even if they have all the potential in the world, none of these 3 are NFL material this season. These are not high 1st round picks, but "projects" that may be able to play tackle in the NFL if they are properly developed for a few years.

When I looked at this list it was pretty sobering for me to think about. If we'd have a couple of tackles go down to injury - this - is our backup plan. I just about crapped myself when I looked at this list. No wonder the Bears made C.Will a tackle this year!!!

Yeah, NOW I understand why the Bears pursued another veteran tackle.

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Bingo. Emery said all spring long and has been saying all week in his interviews that this process of building the roster is ongoing. He's never ruled out getting other players and we've yet to hear Lovie utter those immortal words "we like the guys we have" even once this year.

It's pretty obvious by now that was a euphemism for, "Jerry Angelo thinks he's done a great job of getting me players but I have to polish some of these turds into diamonds so excuse me I have work to do". "A lot of work by the looks of it". JA seemed to think that maybe the coaches weren't doing enough to "develop" the talent he brought. He said as much on national television during the first Lions game last year. My question is how many of those guys even were able to be developed!

And when he brought in vet help it was often guys on their way down rather than guys who may have a lot of upside. Emery's approach is more aggressive and it's filled with more risk but man if even a few of these mid level vet acquisitions pay off he'll be a candidate for NFL GM of the year.

We could use another vet OT because if Webb does win out and CWill plays better at LG than Spencer it would just make good sense to return him to LG and put another experienced guy in the swing OT spot. The trouble is we don't have anyone who fits that description. So if Otah doesn't come on board and none of these rookies look like they're ready for the job don't be surprised if he doesn't find someone else once teams starting making cuts. In fact I'd almost bet on it.

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Originally Posted by soulman

Bingo. Emery said all spring long and has been saying all week in his interviews that this process of building the roster is ongoing. He's never ruled out getting other players and we've yet to hear Lovie utter those immortal words "we like the guys we have" even once this year.

It's pretty obvious by now that was a euphemism for, "Jerry Angelo thinks he's done a great job of getting me players but I have to polish some of these turds into diamonds so excuse me I have work to do". "A lot of work by the looks of it". JA seemed to think that maybe the coaches weren't doing enough to "develop" the talent he brought. He said as much on national television during the first Lions game last year. My question is how many of those guys even were able to be developed!

And when he brought in vet help it was often guys on their way down rather than guys who may have a lot of upside. Emery's approach is more aggressive and it's filled with more risk but man if even a few of these mid level vet acquisitions pay off he'll be a candidate for NFL GM of the year.

We could use another vet OT because if Webb does win out and CWill plays better at LG than Spencer it would just make good sense to return him to LG and put another experienced guy in the swing OT spot. The trouble is we don't have anyone who fits that description. So if Otah doesn't come on board and none of these rookies look like they're ready for the job don't be surprised if he doesn't find someone else once teams starting making cuts. In fact I'd almost bet on it.

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QFT

You nailed it.

Yeah this and other articles/interviews I've read suggest maybe tice isn't thrilled about the lt spot...we shall see

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

We seem to have a lot of excellent interior linemen, and too few LT's who can play well. Spencer is a better guard than he ever was as a center for Seattle (although he was certainly a decent center too). Lance Louis has evolved into a really solid lineman now too. Garza does an excellent job at center, and is playing the best football of his career. And we have some real talent backing these 3 guys up now.

At tackle, we are thin.

It's not so much that we can't put 2 decent tackles on the field, I think it's more of a problem of depth. That's why they pulled an excellent LG (C.Will) to bring him back to his original tackle position. He's got the talent to do this. His absence from the interior line position won't be missed at all. Even though he was a great LG (IMHO).

Now that I've had a day to think this over, it does make sense to bring in another guy for depth at tackle. An older experienced tackle can be picked up pretty cheap (relatively speaking) and he does not have to be a 16 game starter. Just solid insurance in case injuries take out tackles this year.

Otherwise, when injuries hit, we're back to switching oline players all over - and out of their "normal" position - in crisis mode. And this kills our oline every year. Get the players in their BEST position, and leave them there, so they can excel. If an injury takes out a guy, then just play the backup at that position, instead of moving everyone around. The 5 oline positions at the NFL level are very different. It's a "big deal" to move them around (it takes awhile to get up to speed at a different oline position).

It actually makes GREAT sense to bring in a solid backup, or if he CAN beat out Carimi or C.Will (or Webb) let him start and the guy who got beat out can be a great backup. The Bears are trying (for once, now that Emery is here) to be pro-active, and NOT let injuries tank our season. There are, in fact, two other older tackles still available who we could go after if we wanted, but time is running short for that kind of move. You need them in camp NOW.

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Not sure why you quoted me but the point I was making is that if Cwill cannot hold the LT position he should go back to LG where he is the best G that we have. Spencer can battle it out for Louis for RG. I am all for us getting a LT if one can't be had in house.

Never been an Otah fan as he's strictly an RT, but the fact that Phil is out there picking around for veteran depth at positions of need means a lot to me.

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Originally Posted by soulman

Yeah, I'd agree. One thing I think we've all noticed is that Phil Emery is very big on continuing to look at potential upgrades and/or guys who can provide experienced depth. Guys like Otah or Price come pretty cheap as far as their salaries go and you get a guy with NFL starting experience as a backup or a rotational guy for little more then a rookie or 2nd year guy would run you.

So Otah has had some injury issues, meh. If he didn't he wouldn't be available. Guys around here have been saying we need more OLineman so here's one who can play and has played RT at a pretty high level. Sorry but starting caliber lineman without a history of injuries or other issues aren't just walking around waiting to be picked up or available for a 7th round pick. We don't release guys who can play and are healthy and neither does anyone else.

Plays for guys like Otah, Price, Rachal, Hayden, Hayes, etc are smart moves. Just because a guy didn't pass another teams physical doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with the guy. That team may just be looking for an excuse to unload him and that's it. Case in point. Price failed the Bucs "conditioning test" not his physical and he passed the Bears physical just fine. Hayden has a neck injury that made the Bears wary last year so this year when they signed him they did it with an "injury waiver" to protect themselves and if he stays healthy we got a badly needed physical, veteran CB to compete with Jennings and/or backup both.

Any of these "tests" are subjective. The guidelines are whatever the team says they are. The Bucs didn't want Price any longer so they test him after he tweaks a muscle running, he's slow because of it and they trade him. That's all the excuse they need to let him go. The Bears do that shit too. Happens all the time.

If the Jets queer the deal and the Panther's release him then maybe we bring him in to see what he's got to offer. Can a one legged Jeff Otah be any worse than a two legged Frank Omiyale? Nobody even says he'll make the team! We have plenty of rookies and second year guys competing so we bring in a vet to add to the mix. If he's healthy enough to backup at RT for a vet minimum salary he's probably a better option than an inexperience rookie or anyone else whose last name starts with an O.

I don't get it. Earlier this spring some of you wanted the Bears to sign Marcus McNeil who has some real serious issues with a neck injury. One that could permanently disable him. When healthy he was a pretty good LT and a guy we could have used to create vet competition for Webb without having to move CWill. If you've noticed so far no other NFL team has touched him either. How often to NFL teams ignore healthy, viable, experienced LT's????

So you wanted McNeil despite a career and possibly lifestyle threatening injury but not Otah?

Just sayin'.

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Good post Soul. A lot of good points.

Henry Burris was the one making all that noise about McNeill. lol Henry has a man crush on that guy.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...not-go-through

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Jeff Otah trade to New York Jets will not go through

Well, it looks like it's Wayne Hunter vs. The World again.
The New York Jets' lauded trade for Carolina Panthers tackle Jeff Otah will not go through, a source with knowledge of the situation told NFL Network on Tuesday.
The Jets got a lot of positive press in dealing for Otah to try to solve their right tackle problem, but there's a reason the Panthers essentially were willing to give him away.
The guy just can't get healthy. Otah couldn't pass a physical to complete the trade.
We can't fault the Jets for trying at all. They didn't lose anything but a little time. With that said, they are back to square one at a troublesome position. Hunter looks like the favorite to start at right tackle, but we wouldn't be surprised if the Jets pick up another veteran through free agency or waivers.
Otah, meanwhile, is property of the Panthers again. Panthers general manager Marty Hurney later confirmed the voided traded, via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
It's worth wondering if he will be able to play this year.

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d...act-terminated

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Jeff Otah's Carolina Panthers contract terminated

The Carolina Panthers have run out of patience with offensive tackle Jeff Otah.
The team terminated the contract of the oft-injured former first-round draft pick Thursday, three days after his trade to the New York Jets was voided for health reasons.

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said Otah's health was too much of question mark to keep him around.
"Any time you let go of a player as good as Jeff is, it's a hard decision," Hurney said, according to The Charlotte Observer. "After he came back and talking to him and going through the last few days, he doesn't feel like he's gotten over the injuries of the past two seasons and really doesn't know when he'll be ready. It was a decision that was probably best for both sides to move forward."
Otah has played in just four games over the past two seasons as he has dealt with chronic knee problems. He became an unpopular figure in Carolina, earning a reputation as a player who wasn't necessarily determined to return to the field.
Otah's agent, Jonathan Feinsod, said the offensive lineman will "definitely" play again, the newspaper reported.
The ESPN NFC South blog reported the Panthers must absorb a $218,750 salary-cap hit for Otah, but the team still frees up about $800,000 in cap space with the release. Cornerback Nate Ness was signed to take Otah's place on the roster.

The Jets targeted Otah to fill a need at right tackle, but he was unable to pass the team's physical in the provided one-week window. Once Otah was stamped "return to sender," it was expected the Panthers would cut ties with the player they took No. 19 overall in the 2008 draft.
Now the expected is a reality.

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Originally Posted by soulman

I don't get it. Earlier this spring some of you wanted the Bears to sign Marcus McNeil who has some real serious issues with a neck injury. One that could permanently disable him. When healthy he was a pretty good LT and a guy we could have used to create vet competition for Webb without having to move CWill. If you've noticed so far no other NFL team has touched him either. How often to NFL teams ignore healthy, viable, experienced LT's????

So you wanted McNeil despite a career and possibly lifestyle threatening injury but not Otah?

Just sayin'.

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I was all in favor of kickin' McNeil's tires, when healthy- key word healthy- he was pretty good. Obviously NFL teams believe that he is no longer physically able to play at that level, otherwise someone would have snatched him up. Maybe somebody will still take a chance later on due to an injury or some such. Having said that, I am all for Otah too. Anytime you can get a vet with something left for very little, I am not opposed to bringing them in and seeing what they can do. I wouldn't bet the farm on Otah somehow being the future of the position, but he can still be a capable backup or situational/rotational player, if nothing else.