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Kromer Can Teach But Can Webb Learn?.............
Bears' Kromer lauded for teaching ability
New offensive coordinator sent five of his Saints offensive linemen to the Pro Bowl
 Aaron Kromer with the Saints in 2012. (Chris Graythen/Getty Photo / January 26, 2013) |
By Dan Pompei and Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune reporters 9:25 p.m. CST, January 26, 2013
MOBILE, Ala. — If you are expecting Aaron Kromer to turn J'Marcus Webb into Jermon Bushrod, you probably are dreaming.
But Kromer did turn Bushrod, a fourth-round draft pick from Towson, into a two-time Pro Bowl tackle for the Saints.
So there's something about the Bears' new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach that should give hope to fans and Webb alike.
"You look at the way we have turned our offensive line over," Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt said. "He has taken Jermon Bushrod as a rookie, now he's a two-time Pro Bowler. You see what he has done with Jahri Evans. You see what he has done with Brian De La Puente. You see what he has done with Zach Strief when Jon Stinchcomb left."
Kromer has a track record for player development. In his four seasons as the Saints' offensive line coach, five players combined for 10 Pro Bowl selections.
None of those blockers went to Honolulu with poor fundamentals.
"He is all about technique," De La Puente said. "He has some different techniques that he coaches that I enjoyed learning."
De La Puente came into the league as an undrafted free agent. In three years, he bounced around four teams and was cut eight times before finally landing in New Orleans. That's where Kromer turned him into a starter.
Kromer didn't develop De La Puente exactly the way he did Bushrod. He does not take a cookie-cutter approach to coaching.
"He coached guys on an individual level to your strengths, and that is a good way to go about it because guys are different," De La Puente said. "Jahri and Ben (Grubbs) are different players than I am. He knew that and he coached to our strengths. That is something he is going to bring to the Bears — individualized coaching and really maximizing each player."
Kromer won't force-feed players into doing things the way he thinks they should be done.
"He didn't try to change the player, his technique too much," said Evans, a fourth-round pick who will be playing in his fourth Pro Bowl on Sunday. "He's a guy that molds you into making the right block. He's not trying to change your mechanics, but he will work with you. He has different techniques to try to make you better instead of trying to change you into something that you're not going to be."
The 6-foot-4 Kromer, a former offensive tackle and captain at Miami (Ohio), carries himself with a swagger. But he isn't a yeller.
"His strong point is his ability to teach," Vitt said. "Not scream and holler, but teach."
Kromer also has gotten his line to play well together. The Saints received two of the last three Madden Most Valuable Protectors Awards, given to the league's best offensive line.
Kromer is considered a players' coach. De La Puente, whom Kromer called last week to wish well, said he always had the feeling Kromer had his back.
"He's not only a good coach, but he's a good mentor and a good man," De La Puente said.
He also had better be a good game planner. Though head coach Marc Trestman is expected to be the main man behind the Bears offense, Kromer is in charge of the running game. He will have a say in how plays are designed, which ones are in the playbook and which ones are used from week to week.
"He does a great job of formatting runs," Vitt said. "It's one thing to run the ball. It's another thing to know how to format runs. He has great communication skills with everybody on the offense. He's really adept at the passing game protections."
Kromer appears to have the complete trust of Trestman, who worked with Kromer in Oakland. In 2001, Trestman was the Raiders' quarterbacks coach while Kromer was the assistant offensive line coach, fresh off a stint at Northwestern. The next two years, Trestman was the Raiders' offensive coordinator while Kromer was the offensive line coach.
Kromer has been considered head coaching timber by some. He interviewed with the Rams and Colts after the 2011 season, and when Sean Payton was suspended for the season and Vitt was suspended for the first six games of 2012, Kromer served as the Saints' interim head coach.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis chose Kromer ahead of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who had head coaching experience, and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, who interviewed for the Bears' head coaching position.
Under Kromer, the Saints lost their first four games before winning their next two. Given the bounty scandal and subsequent suspensions, no one was too hard on Kromer for the inconsistency.
Payton said he hated to lose Kromer but figured he would have to eventually. He considers Kromer a future NFL head coach.
"This is just the next step for him to offensive coordinator," Vitt said. "Between his knowledge of the game, his people skills, his ability to teach, motivate and inspire, it's unbelievable."
dpompei@tribune.com
Twitter @danpompei
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.
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High Fives / Like - 3 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Really thinking we need to quit thinking first about Webb when asking "what's wrong with the line?" Because, Willaims notonly couldn't beat him out, but he never played poorly enough to pull the trigger and bench him. However, don't think I am praising him; I am merely stating he has about as much worth as every other starter, and if we'd be in a position to replace he or Garza, and his replacement would be a reach, it wouldn't be disappointing that they used a first on a center.
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It will be fascinating to see how this guy goes to work fixing our oline woes. I'm keeping an open mind regarding our existing talent. Maybe he'll find some guys worth keeping (if Tice hasn't ruined them yet). My gut feeling is that Tice has screwed up Carimi. But hopefully Carimi can unlearn the Tice crap and be salvaged.
Brian Urlacher
Thanks For The Memories
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Originally Posted by
soulman 
Something keeps gnawing at me and that something is that we won't end up getting a FA LT. It won't be because we didn't try but because the one or two who Emery, Trestman and Kromer feel are worth signing either return to their own teams or get priced out of our range.
If that's the case we may end up drafting one and with Kromer's rep for developing lineman which is no less than Trestman's for developing QB turn him looses on Webb and that rookie to see if he can make a serviceable pass protector out of one of them. If the list of available vet LTs shrinks greatly as guys are franchised or sign with their former teams the price for those left may be steep and yet the value not so great. This could happen.
So I'm sure Emery, Trestman and Kromer spent a good deal of time looking at some LT prospects to form some opinions for a Plan B in the event that we're not successful filling that role in FA. I still believe Bushrod is a likely target because of his connection to Kromer but we swung at him and missed once before and it may happen again.
I have no doubt that we'll add lineman to the camp roster this year from several different sources but the onus is still one Kromer to get this group playing better as a unit and to discover the key if any exists to unlocking Webbs ultimate upside and to get Carimi back on track which now that Krpmer is here I think stands a much better chance of happening.
I also like the fact that Kromer will design and implement the running game. To be honest I thought Tice did a completely shitty job of that last year. Fortes production declined both in total yds and YPC and Bush was woefully underused all year long. I'm sure that didn't make Phil Emery very pleased given what we paid Bush. If there's one area that has to even stronger and more consistent in order for the pass protection to improve it's getting more consistency out of the running game on a carry by carry basis. We were lacking that much of the time last year.
Overall you have to be pretty happy with this hire. Kromer is without a doubt one of the premier line coaches in the league and probably a perfect compliment to Trestman as his OC. Confidence builds.
I was thinking about that too, Soul. I'd hope we could sign a FA LT but it very well may fail to materialize. Plan B would have to be drafting an OT down-draft that Emery and Kromer think has starting LT potential and developing him. "Growing our own" so to speak. I have no idea of what rookies might fit the bill as that kind of prospect and it would take at least a year or two to get him ready I would think. Pretty much guarantees that Webb is the 2013 starter (at least he's durable) and AK is gonna have to polish that turd as best he can too.
Isnt this year Webb's last on his rookie contract? Not much time to develop a replacement...
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Originally Posted by
Henry Burris Really thinking we need to quit thinking first about Webb when asking "what's wrong with the line?" Because, Willaims notonly couldn't beat him out, but he never played poorly enough to pull the trigger and bench him. However, don't think I am praising him; I am merely stating he has about as much worth as every other starter, and if we'd be in a position to replace he or Garza, and his replacement would be a reach, it wouldn't be disappointing that they used a first on a center.
Cwill didn't beat him out b/c #1 it wasn't fair to take your best LG and try to spur a "legit competition" for the LT spot just to light a fire under Webb's ass. #2 there wasn't anyone else to put in to bench him. His mistakes were hidden with MUCH help. Anyone else on the line getting that much help gets benched period.
I do agree on getting a center.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Originally Posted by
short faced bear Cwill didn't beat him out b/c #1 it wasn't fair to take your best LG and try to spur a "legit competition" for the LT spot just to light a fire under Webb's ass.
I do agree on getting a center.
I agree with this completely ^^^
We found out that C.Will was not going to ever be a decent LT, but it was a VERY pleasant surprise to find out he WAS a decent LG. This isn't unusual in the NFL (finding out a guy drafted to be a tackle, ends up being better suited at guard). In 2011 C.Will, as a LG, was our best lineman. Certainly he was our most consistent lineman. So why on earth would Tice put him back at tackle - where he KNEW he couldn't play?
Mike Tice was touted as a "guru" but I never saw that he was anything but a failed coach. People can talk all they want, but I look at actions. The actions that Tice took were the actions of a lunatic coach. Period.
Last edited by JustAnotherBearsFan99; 01-27-2013 at 04:04 PM.
Brian Urlacher
Thanks For The Memories
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Originally Posted by
MPBears68 I was thinking about that too, Soul. I'd hope we could sign a FA LT but it very well may fail to materialize. Plan B would have to be drafting an OT down-draft that Emery and Kromer think has starting LT potential and developing him. "Growing our own" so to speak. I have no idea of what rookies might fit the bill as that kind of prospect and it would take at least a year or two to get him ready I would think. Pretty much guarantees that Webb is the 2013 starter (at least he's durable) and AK is gonna have to polish that turd as best he can too.
Isnt this year Webb's last on his rookie contract? Not much time to develop a replacement...
Well Bushrod was a 4th round pick and he managed to get Pro Bowl level play out of him twice in 5 years. I think Nicks was a 5th round choice and the guy became an All Pro. The others on that NO line have done pretty well for themselves too.
It's just that from looking the list of FA LTs over and knowing how difficult it can be to find a good one in FA without spending tons of cap money we don't have I just thought it would probably be good to consider whatever Plan B may be one Emery's mind.
Yeah Webb is in his last year so either he continues to improve and carves out a continuing spot on the roster or he's gone. We not only can do better, we need to do better.
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.
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Originally Posted by
Henry Burris Really thinking we need to quit thinking first about Webb when asking "what's wrong with the line?" Because, Willaims notonly couldn't beat him out, but he never played poorly enough to pull the trigger and bench him. However, don't think I am praising him; I am merely stating he has about as much worth as every other starter, and if we'd be in a position to replace he or Garza, and his replacement would be a reach, it wouldn't be disappointing that they used a first on a center.
Webb did improve but my question is whether he's capable of even more improvement because he's still not good enough to depend on for consistency game in and game out. The only reason he didn't get benched is because we had not other options besides him. The competition with CWill was a farce and in retrospect just one more stupid move by Tice but we've already beat that one to death.
I wouldn't reach for an OT who rated much lower than our draft spot either if there was a better OG/OC or even an ILB there who was just too good to pass up and I don't think Emery will either. I think he's very good at recognizing value and good football talent. My reason for this was to simply point out the need for a Plan B if FA doesn't produce the vet LT we need. If that's the case we need more than just Webb vying for that spot.
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.
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I would posit that it's a shame Cwill is gone. At the very least LG would have viable options. Then only having to solve the largest question at LT, sorting out the rest of the line wouldn't be as chaotic a process. Every move Tice made seemingly wrecked this OL as if on purpose. Too bad we didn't at least get a sandwich out of him.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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