Bears sign Blanchard, Toliver to futures contracts

Blanchard looks like he could be a solid "project" .....he was with us this summer at camp.

He's 6'3" and 225 pounds.

He's a "project" from a small school, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

He went undefeated at U of W-Whitewater (they won 3 National Championships)

His completion percentage was 70.4 percent

He threw 44 touchdowns - and only 5 ints
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I am so hoping that we finally install a coaching staff that can develop talent like this in-house.

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LINK to the article


The Chicago Bears solidified their passing-game depth Monday by signing quarterback Matt Blanchard and wide receiver Terrence Toliver to reserve/futures contracts.
Blanchard, an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin-Whitewater, impressed coaches during training camp last summer and could be a factor if backup quarterbacks Jason Campbell and Josh McCown are not retained.

Toliver, a former LSU standout, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Texans in 2011 and also has spent time with the Detroit Lions.

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Terrence Toliver (WR) Height:6'4" Weight:212 lbs. Arm Length: 32 in. Hand Size:10 in. College:LSU Conference:SEC

· 40 Yard Dash4.59 sec
· Bench Press- -
· Vertical Jump32.0 inch
· Broad Jump122.0 inch
· 3 Cone Drill 6.48 sec
· 20 Yard Shuttle 4.03 sec
· 60 Yard Shuttle11.4 sec


National Football League: NFL Draft 2011 - Terrence Toliver

Don't know where a big go up and get it WR fits in w/the current group considering we already have 3 he's not getting in front of.

As for Blanchard, eh nice developmental piece, but probably a fail. But I'd still like to see one drafted in the mid rounds.

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

Blanchard looks like he could be a solid "project" .....he was with us this summer at camp.

He's 6'3" and 225 pounds.

He's a "project" from a small school, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

He went undefeated at U of W-Whitewater (they won 3 National Championships)

His completion percentage was 70.4 percent

He threw 44 touchdowns - and only 5 ints
.................................................. .......................

I am so hoping that we finally install a coaching staff that can develop talent like this in-house.

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JABF, didn't you see Blanchard at TC last summer and say that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his throws?

seems that he has some talent to develop... need better coaching to do that

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

His completion percentage was 70.4 percent

He threw 44 touchdowns - and only 5 ints

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Sorry 99, I'm a Bears fan, I don't understand that last sentance.

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Originally Posted by MPBears68

JABF, didn't you see Blanchard at TC last summer and say that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his throws?

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To be honest, I don't remember. I did find this from pre season:

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LINK to the article

Matt Blanchard Shines in Pre-Season Bears Opener


Lake Zurich’s Matt Blanchard performed well in the pre-season Bears opener, last week, against the Denver Broncos, completing 6 of 7 passes, which included a 28-yard pass to rookie Chris *Summers.

The 2007 LZHS graduate is fighting to be a backup quarterback on the Chicago Bears.Blanchard is battling Josh McCown to be the Bears No. 3 QB. Although Blanchard is considered a longshot by some, he has garnered some favorable reviews in his debut.

The Chicago Tribune says: “He showed poise and delivered some nice passes, especially when you consider the reps he’s receiving in training camp have been very limited.
Bears quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates told the Tribune: “He handled himself well. I think the big question mark always with a Division II or III quarterback is how do they handle the center stage? Man, he took it right on. I am very proud of him. He is an athletic, smart quarterback that we are excited about and still has room to grow.”

Bears GM Phil Emery had this to say about Blanchard in the Chicago Sun-Times: ‘‘To walk into a stadium that was holding more people than he’s *probably ever been in front of in his life . . . ‘to throw that long ball and be accurate in the short area and to carry himself with poise under duress in a very charged environment says everything about him.’’

Blanchard’s former coach at UW Whitewater, Lance Leipold, continues to have a lot of confidence in him. Blanchard led the team to back-to-back national championships. Leipold told ChicagoSide “I’m not gonna try to tell (the Bears) how to go about their business, but when I look at Matt I see a guy whose best football is still ahead of him,” Leipold said. “He’s self-motivated and he is just as hard on himself as any coach would be, and those are the type of intangibles you want in a quarterback.

The Bears next pre-season game is Saturday against the Redskins at Soldier Field.

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Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Terrence Toliver (WR) Height:6'4" Weight:212 lbs. Arm Length: 32 in. Hand Size:10 in. College:LSU Conference:SEC

· 40 Yard Dash4.59 sec
· Bench Press- -
· Vertical Jump32.0 inch
· Broad Jump122.0 inch
· 3 Cone Drill 6.48 sec
· 20 Yard Shuttle 4.03 sec
· 60 Yard Shuttle11.4 sec


National Football League: NFL Draft 2011 - Terrence Toliver

Don't know where a big go up and get it WR fits in w/the current group considering we already have 3 he's not getting in front of.

As for Blanchard, eh nice developmental piece, but probably a fail. But I'd still like to see one drafted in the mid rounds.

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Things can change in a year or two. Injuries happen. It's nice to have someone there to fall back to.

I can't remember when the Bears have been able to develop solid offensive talent. Wouldn't it be great to finally have a coaching staff that could do this?

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

To be honest, I don't remember. I did find this from pre season:

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I remember thinking that I would rather have Blanchard than McCown as the 3rd QB.

It was really hard to judge with such little time that he had on the field, but he did not make a bad impression.

I was thinking I'd rather have Benj out there then McCown, so Blanchard would have been an easy hell yes over that dude.