Bears backups will sort themselves out on defensive line

**short faced bear** · 08-15-2012, 09:08 PM

There will be plenty of competition in final exhibitions for spots on roster

By Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune reporter

7:55 p.m. CDT, August 15, 2012
BOURBONNAIS — The Bears are getting to the end of training camp at Olivet Nazarene University and they still are looking for some defensive linemen to sort themselves out.

Backup jobs are on the line and will be won in the final three exhibitions. The team has two more practices here — Thursday and Friday — before breaking camp and returning to Halas Hall with the regular season 31/2 weeks away.

First-round draft pick Shea McClellin has come on to allay fears he would not contribute as a rookie. He projects to be the third defensive end, and after him there could be one and possibly two spots remaining if someone jumps out. Corey Wootton has responded with a strong training camp in his third season. Chauncey Davis is a veteran who played in six games at the end of last season and has the most experience.

After them there is a group of young players hoping to stand out. Cheta Ozougwu had a sack against the Broncos and Thaddeus Gibson, who was signed to the practice squad midway through last season and promoted to the 53-man roster for Week 17 has done well in 1-on-1 pass rushing drills despite playing with a cast on his right hand to protect a broken ring finger. Gibson, who projected as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme for a lot of teams when he came out of school, had nine sacks in his final two seasons at Ohio State.

"Going out there in 1-on-1's is a good opportunity to show I can pass rush and keep it going," Gibson said. "For a guy in my position, (final cuts) is always something to think about in the back of your mind. … I compete and work my best and pray at the end of the day."

At defensive tackle, Nate Collins has shown up in practice and the first exhibition. Newly acquired Brian Price is also in the mix for potential fourth and fifth spots with John McCargo and Jordan Miller. It's a crowded field that will be separated in game action.

Opportunity arises: Linebacker J.T. Thomas has a chance to impress with a partially torn groin muscle sidelining Dom DeCicco, a four-phase starter on special teams. Thomas has been plugged into all of his spots.

"J.T. is coming on a lot better than last year," special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. "He has really matured and he is taking my end of it, the special teams, a lot more seriously. You can see it on the field. He is going to have the next three games before Dom gets back to show what he can do."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,7914693.story

**soulman** · 08-15-2012, 11:31 PM

Good post shorty. Time to look at the other line for a change. There's just as much going on there or more with some pretty fierce competition and some tough decisions to be made. Here's the way I'd go if I were making those decisions today.

DLine: I'm keeping five DT's because we have five good ones who can all play at an NFL level and at least four of the five can rush. "Toe" may actually end up on the bubble because he's not a great rusher. So for me it's Melton, Paea, Collins, Price and "Toe". Price may see quite a bit of time on the inactive list on Sundays for now but once he gets him game back on track he's the guy who could end up being a very good rusher to pair with Melton and Paea. So he stays.

I'd like to keep five DE's too but one will end up on the PS almost for sure. Pep, Izzy, McClellin and Wootton are my Sunday roster guys and I'd probably go with either Gibson or Ozougwu in place of keeping Davis. Davis is a good all around player but not much of a rush guy and I think we need to keep the best rushers over the best all around. But if somebody gets hurt he'd be the first guy I'd ring up and bring back if he was still available.

LBs: I think Thomas is earning himself a roster spot and we need to keep DeCicco around unless that groin pull lands him on the IR. He's a great STeams player and call me crazy but I still think he's the guys they think may be able to take over at MLB eventually. So other than those two you have Costanzo the three starters and Hayes and Costanzo better one hell of a STeams guy because he sure as hell can't play MLB worth shit.

So the keeper as I see them are;

DTs -
Melton
Paea
Collins
Price
"Toe"

DEs -
Pep
Izzy
Wootton
McClellin
Gibson or Ozougwu

LBs -
Urlacher
Briggs
Roach
Hayes
Thomas
Costanzo

**short faced bear** · 08-16-2012, 12:17 AM

Yeah, I thought this article would be a break from the O line saga. Getting rid of Toe would be shocking to me. I still think we need solid run-stopping ability. I know that we will generate more pressure with Paea in there but splitting reps w/Toe (and having Paea at 3tech) may suit the bill.

I think Collins is ahead in the race to stay. The odd man out-Price perhaps, may just wind up on the PS. Same for Gibson and Ozougwu.

**MPBears68** · 08-16-2012, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by soulman

Good post shorty. Time to look at the other line for a change. There's just as much going on there or more with some pretty fierce competition and some tough decisions to be made. Here's the way I'd go if I were making those decisions today.

DLine: I'm keeping five DT's because we have five good ones who can all play at an NFL level and at least four of the five can rush. "Toe" may actually end up on the bubble because he's not a great rusher. So for me it's Melton, Paea, Collins, Price and "Toe". Price may see quite a bit of time on the inactive list on Sundays for now but once he gets him game back on track he's the guy who could end up being a very good rusher to pair with Melton and Paea. So he stays.

I'd like to keep five DE's too but one will end up on the PS almost for sure. Pep, Izzy, McClellin and Wootton are my Sunday roster guys and I'd probably go with either Gibson or Ozougwu in place of keeping Davis. Davis is a good all around player but not much of a rush guy and I think we need to keep the best rushers over the best all around. But if somebody gets hurt he'd be the first guy I'd ring up and bring back if he was still available.

LBs: I think Thomas is earning himself a roster spot and we need to keep DeCicco around unless that groin pull lands him on the IR. He's a great STeams player and call me crazy but I still think he's the guys they think may be able to take over at MLB eventually. So other than those two you have Costanzo the three starters and Hayes and Costanzo better one hell of a STeams guy because he sure as hell can't play MLB worth shit.

So the keeper as I see them are;

DTs -
Melton
Paea
Collins
Price
"Toe"

DEs -
Pep
Izzy
Wootton
McClellin
Gibson or Ozougwu

LBs -
Urlacher
Briggs
Roach
Hayes
Thomas
Costanzo

We must be reading each others' minds. I was thinking the same things about the DL players. My only question is about the LBs. I assume we will keep 6 and you left off DeCicco, whom I'm sure is going to make the team and play STs as soon as his groin pull is healed up in a few weeks. And what's up with Costanzo? Wasn't he supposed to be Toub's handpicked ST demon? Haven't heard a peep about him all TC so are you thinking JT > BC or JT > DeCicco?

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