Thread: Bubble Battles to watch tonight.

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Cutler needs to speak up for TC like he did for Sanz. It will be Jay's ass on the ground when blitzes aren't picked up.

I don't understand how they could even THINK of letting Clutts go. It would serve them right if Green Bay picked up Clutts and ripped our butts in both games with Clutts/Benson. With our effeminate tackling right now, they'd run through us like they were speeding down I-55.

I have no problem with them keeping Adams, but don't cut a weapon like Clutts.

Originally Posted by MPBears68

KAdams can and will make the PS. Clutts will be gone for good. There's no doubt who we need to keep and why.

This is the way I'd go as well. If we can get him there Adams would be the perfect TE for the PS just because of his versatility. He could cover three different injury contingencies; HBack/TE/FB in the event that we lose won of the guys at any of those positions. The key is getting him through waivers.

I think Clutts is a package on intangibles we don't have in any other player whereas Adams is pretty similar to Rodriguez as an HBack and a smaller version of Davis as an inline TE. It's true that Adams is more versatile but what Clutts does we ll he does as well as any other FB in the NFL.

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Cutler needs to speak up for TC like he did for Sanz. It will be Jay's ass on the ground when blitzes aren't picked up.

Another good point. While Forte may not run as well out of a traditional two back set we do use him a lot in the passing game so having a guy like Clutts staying home to block either chipping on the DE to help Webb or picking up blitzes makes more sense to me than lining up a second TE next to Webb.

I'd even keep Clutts over Spaeth all the more so since Spaeth has been injured most of camp anyway. I know Tice won't do that but keeping Clutts and his blocking abilities over Adams receiving abilities is the smart move here. We duplicate Adams primary role with Rodriguez but there is no one to duplicate Clutts role. Adams isn't anywhere near as good of a pure blocker.

With a line like we have this isn't a time to get cute and look at how much more clever you could be with Adams flexibility. This is where you look for ways to offset some of the weaknesses you see in the front five.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Didn't we think C Summers would make the PS also? Those are not definates.

True Ric. Anyone you cut is at risk to be picked up elsewhere but when you cut a guy like Clutts he will get picked up and he will make somebody's team so the risk there is 100%. When you cut more unproven players like Summers or Adams you have at least a 50/50 shot they'll clear through waivers and you can add them to the PS after you set your 53 man roster.

With some of these guys you just have to roll the dice.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Didn't we think C Summers would make the PS also? Those are not definates.

Ric, you hit the nail on the head in one of your earlier posts. We just have better players now, and we can't keep them all. I'm sure not used to that. It's like they're taking one of my kids away, when one of these good players gets cut.

I guess it's a good problem to have.

I do know that I got livid in recent years when we repeatedly failed to punch the ball into the end zone - sometimes it was crazy like 1st and 4 or 5 yards on the goal line. And we'd end up settling for FG's. Bush will help us. Clutts would make us unstoppable with Bush & him both. In my pea-brained world, it just seems like that would be a weapon to kill for.

If I were a coach, I'd think I'd died and went to heaven, if I could solve the goal line woes we've been having. In fact, if someone suggested to me that I'd cut Clutts, and keep Adams instead, I'd think they were nuts.

It sounds like Clutts is a GREAT special teams player AND backup LS'er. He's a better blocker than Adams. Heck, I looked up his 40 times and he's FASTER than Adams, even though he's a bit heavier (built like a sherman tank). Sounds like he's just a better all-around athlete (played DE before the NFL).

OK, here's a stupid question (so I'm sure I'll hear about it ), but if the H-back is something we just have to have, and Clutts is a faster/stronger/better blocker and overall athlete -- then can HE be an H-back? He's caught some balls for us last year. If he's made the switch from DE to FB, maybe he's a gifted enough athlete to play H-back too.

LINK to the article

Preseason finale could be huge for Tyler Clutts -- again

By Mark Potash on August 27, 2012 2:35 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks




The Bears-Browns final preseason game made all the difference for Tyler Clutts last year.
Clutts was a Browns fullback on the roster bubble who played special teams in that game. He was cut by the Browns and signed to their practice squad. But, as allowed by NFL rules, the Bears signed him off the Browns practice squad onto their 53-man roster.


Clutts, who didn't join the team until Wednesday of Week 1, quickly made an impact in the season-opener against the Falcons -- besides stellar play on special teams, he had key blocks on a 56-yard touchdown run and a 53-yard catch by Devin Hester and also blocked on Jay Cutler's one-yard touchdown pass to Matt Spaeth in the Bears' 30-12 victory. That was the start of a productive rookie season in the NFL.


That's why players go all out in the final preseason game regardless of their roster status -- the whole NFL is watching.


''Looking back on it, that was probably the biggest game of my entire football career,'' said Clutts, who was called for an illegal block on a punt return in the game -- a call he disputed. ''I went into the [preseason finale] feeling really good about my position in Cleveland. But the team had other plans. Luckily I played well enough for Chicago to sign me.''



Clutts said he thought he had made the Browns' 53-man roster when he attended a team meeting on the Monday before the season opener. But ''at the last minute they made a decision to go a different way.


''It was stressful, because I wanted to play. I was an older rookie -- 26 years old, turning 27 that season. It was important for me to play.''
He wasn't disappointed for long. The Bears called on Tuesday and offered hi a spot on their active roster (According to NFL rules, players claimed off the practice squad by other teams must be put on the claiming team's 53-man roster.) The Browns offered Clutts more money, but he chose to sign with the Bears.
''It was 1 o'clock and I had 30 minutes to make a decision. They said we want to sign you. Cleveland had made an offer to try and keep me. It was just an opportunity I couldn't pass up -- the city of Cjhicago, the tradition ... it was something I felt I needed to be in.


''And I needed to play. I'm not in this for the money. I don't want to sit on the sideline and collect a check. I want to be involved and I want to play.''


Clutts likely is back in a similar situation this season. He has obvious value to the Bears. But his fullback position doesn't really exist in Mike Tice's offense. The "H-back" type of tight end has more of the blocking responsibilities. So all he can do is play hard and hope for the best. As he knows, you never know who will notice.