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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"The game plan might be different based on the opponent, but the approach is the same." ~ Andre Ward, Professional Boxer
TRENDING: Bears exploring new position for Kyle Long when he returns to the field. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: Could the 'Hawks be forced to move Anisimov? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: The Bulls are Running Out of Excuses for Poor Draft Results. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Jake Arrieta takes a step in the right direction as Cubs reign over Brewers. Derek Holland, White Sox offense shines in series finale win over Mariners. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Horschel tops Day in deflating Nelson playoff. Dominating Thompson reigns at Kingsmill. Langer ties Jack with 8th PGA Tour Champs major. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Kyle Busch wins first NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte and $1 million. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: Three in a row: Fire top D.C. on the road to extend winning streak. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears exploring new position for Kyle Long when he returns to the field.
By Brad Biggs
(Photo/Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune)
The Bears are considering another position change for Kyle Long, but it's not what you might expect.
No, Long isn't moving back to right tackle, and the three-time Pro Bowl selection is not going to play left tackle either. Instead, multiple sources tell the Tribune the Bears are in the process of shifting Long to left guard for the 2017 season to have him swap places with veteran Josh Sitton, who was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate last year.
The complicating factor is that Long is still rehabilitating from the grisly right ankle injury he suffered Nov. 13 in a loss to the Buccaneers. So it's not like he's expected to be on the field when the Bears line up for the beginning of organized team activities Monday at Halas Hall. The hope is Long will be in action before the start of the season, but when he'll be ready to practice remains to be seen and general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox have been extra evasive in discussing timelines for any of the injured veterans.
The depth chart is fluid in May, but in the stretch run of the voluntary offseason workout program, sources maintain this switch appears to be in the works. One source said the move was a topic of discussion shortly after the end of last season. Whether they stick to this plan through the spring and into training camp remains to be seen. The Bears have the maximum 10 OTA dates scheduled through June 9 and will wrap up the offseason with mandatory minicamp June 13-15.
While it will be a considerable adjustment for Long learning to play out of a new stance on the left side, he did start at left guard during his brief career at Oregon. Conversely, Sitton, 30, has ample experience at right guard. That is where he started the first 64 games of his career with the Packers before trading places with T.J. Lang before the 2013 season and moving to left guard. Sitton has actually played more on the right side in his NFL career than the left side.
The Packers swapped Sitton and Lang because they felt Lang was more of a mauler and better suited for the right side. Typically, offenses are right-handed in the running game, and a more mobile and athletic left guard not only aids pass blocking on that side of the line but is an asset when it comes to pulling and getting to the second level in the running game.
The Bears, of course, have moved Long with much shorter notice. They infamously shifted him from right guard to right tackle just a week before the 2015 season opener and then returned him to right guard last year where he started eight games. If the plan remains unchanged, this will mark the third straight year he has switched positions.
The Bears need to figure out how to best deploy their starting line under new position coach Jeremiah Washburn with left tackle Charles Leno, center Cody Whitehair and right tackle Bobby Massie likely to return to their familiar spots. The Bears did pursue Ravens right tackle Ricky Wagner in free agency, but he would up signing a five-year, $47.5 million contract with the Lions.
The Bears added a new swing tackle in Tom Compton and re-signed guard Eric Kush, who started four games at left guard last season. Kush has the ability to play center and could serve as the interior swing lineman for the regular season. They also drafted Jordan Morgan from Kutztown in the fifth round and have center Hroniss Grasu, a third-round pick in 2015, returning from a torn ACL suffered last August.
The Bears used five starting combinations on the offensive line last season as injuries necessitated a juggling act. Leno and Whitehair started all 16 games and Massie started 15, but Sitton missed three games, and that was all after Grasu was lost for the season during a training camp practice at Soldier Field.
Whitehair is expected to remain the starting center and Grasu's role will be interesting to track as the Bears have said, at least previously, that he's a center only. The good thing is Sitton has shown the ability to play at a high level at both guard spots and Long has proved adaptable.
As far as the starting guards go, we'll see where the Bears deploy Long and Sitton when they're both on the field.
Contract signed, Bears tight end Adam Shaheen seeks more growth.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/USA TODAY)
As the Bears announced their signing of second round draft pick Adam Shaheen Friday afternoon, it brought us back to CSN Chicago's visit with his position coach following the first day of rookie minicamp one week earlier.
In addition to veteran Zach Miller and free agent signee Dion Sims, tight ends coach Frank Smith has another fairly "green" player at the position in Daniel Brown, who was converted from wide receiver by Baltimore a year ago, and showed signs of promise with 16 catches over the final six games after the Bears picked him up when the Ravens ran out of roster space last October. Former Southern Illinois tight end MyCole Pruitt was active the final two games (one reception) after Minnesota cut him in December.
Now, Shaheen and his huge size and upside, gets thrown into the on-field mix when organized team activities pick up steam at Halas Hall next week.
"The thing when you’re of that size, to control your body and move and be sudden in your routes, those are traits that he has possessed," said Smith. "Everything you saw on tape you’re starting to see, and just as he grows and we start adding more concepts, it’ll be exciting to see how he grasps that, and using his skillset as a player to fit in the offense."
Still, when you're 6'6, 277 lbs. and just three years into devoting yourself back to football, long striders like that sometimes lack a certain fluidity. And heck, the great Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots still sometimes lacks that look on the field too. The dance floor? That's different. But Smith knows his newest pupil is in the infant stages of a growing process, learning the intricacies of his trade at the highest level now.
"There’s been guys from 1-AA, D-II, all those guys," Smith said. "I think the real expectation for him right now is learning his playbook, learning his techniques, because the volume of stuff will be a little bit more. But the expectation for him is just every day improve, work on one thing a day, work on a technique, and that will build your portfolio as you go forward."
Inquiring minds of Bears fans prefer an answer immediately on whether such a high investment from Ashland (the Ohio university, not the Chicago street or southwest side neighborhood) is worth it. It's a little early for that. But what about Shaheen's inquiring mind?
"At this point, any and all questions you're looking for," Smith said. "He's asking good questions, has a very good grasp of football, understands more than just what his play is. He understands for the most part what we're trying to do with concepts."
There is no question Shaheen now faces a step up in class and competition. But Smith believes the fact he was moved around within multiple sets in his college offense will help that process along.
"That actually follows with guys maybe from even 1-A who run a spread system, and they never put their hand in the dirt," he said. "So really, you could have a guy who played maybe at some major school, but they never played in-line tight end. So you have that background. So just knowing that every day, every challenge is - and I think this goes for anyone - is play each play. Play each moment and work on your daily stuff that you’re trying to improve on with your game."
Jackson, Cohen could boost return game.
By Larry Mayer
Bears fourth-round pick Eddie Jackson could make an impact returning punts. (Photo/chicagobears.com)
The Bears hope that safety Eddie Jackson and running back Tarik Cohen contribute on their respective sides of the ball as rookies. But the fourth-round draft picks also could make an impact returning punts.
Jackson didn't handle those chores at Alabama until his senior season last year, but he made the most of the opportunity. The 6-foot, 201-pounder averaged 23.0 yards on 11 returns with two touchdowns, dashing 85 yards against Mississippi and 79 yards versus Tennessee.
"Eddie's been productive," said Bears special-teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers. "Last year he was over 20 yards a return. He got into the end zone twice against SEC teams. That’s not a slow conference. He's a little bit inexperienced, but his production is off the charts."
Jackson figures to get a chance to return punts in offseason practices once he fully recovers from a broken leg he suffered last Oct. 22 while returning a punt against Texas A&M.
"Anytime that you have a rookie returner or anytime you have an inexperienced guy, there are things that you've got to go through," Rodgers said. "He's at least a guy who has returned before in games, so some of those questions get answered [in terms of] decision-making, situational stuff, communication. In addition to just catching and running, there’s a lot of things that go into that stuff."
Jackson hopes to continue returning punts with the Bears. "I like it a lot," he said. "That’s something I did when I was younger in high school as well. I asked coach [Nick] Saban when I first got [to Alabama]. I wanted to see if he would give me a chance, but it took four years."
Cohen, meanwhile, returned punts and kickoffs in high school but was not used in that capacity at North Carolina A&T because the Aggies had a talented returner in Khris Gardin and coaches didn't want to risk getting their star running back injured.
Cohen did return one punt last season after Gardin had sustained an injury in an Oct. 15 game against Bethune-Cookman. The 5-6, 179-pounder dashed 67 yards for a touchdown, but the play was nullified by a penalty.
Jackson didn't handle those chores at Alabama until his senior season last year, but he made the most of the opportunity. The 6-foot, 201-pounder averaged 23.0 yards on 11 returns with two touchdowns, dashing 85 yards against Mississippi and 79 yards versus Tennessee.
"Eddie's been productive," said Bears special-teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers. "Last year he was over 20 yards a return. He got into the end zone twice against SEC teams. That’s not a slow conference. He's a little bit inexperienced, but his production is off the charts."
Jackson figures to get a chance to return punts in offseason practices once he fully recovers from a broken leg he suffered last Oct. 22 while returning a punt against Texas A&M.
"Anytime that you have a rookie returner or anytime you have an inexperienced guy, there are things that you've got to go through," Rodgers said. "He's at least a guy who has returned before in games, so some of those questions get answered [in terms of] decision-making, situational stuff, communication. In addition to just catching and running, there’s a lot of things that go into that stuff."
Jackson hopes to continue returning punts with the Bears. "I like it a lot," he said. "That’s something I did when I was younger in high school as well. I asked coach [Nick] Saban when I first got [to Alabama]. I wanted to see if he would give me a chance, but it took four years."
Cohen, meanwhile, returned punts and kickoffs in high school but was not used in that capacity at North Carolina A&T because the Aggies had a talented returner in Khris Gardin and coaches didn't want to risk getting their star running back injured.
Cohen did return one punt last season after Gardin had sustained an injury in an Oct. 15 game against Bethune-Cookman. The 5-6, 179-pounder dashed 67 yards for a touchdown, but the play was nullified by a penalty.
"He's fast," Rodgers said. "He's got verified speed. He's got quickness. Size-wise, he's short, but he's not thin. He's a little bit thicker. For a shorter guy, he's got big hands and that will help. Some guys who are shorter have smaller hands, smaller arms, things like that. So there’s not as much surface space for a guy to catch. We like his athletic traits."
The Bears are looking to replace last year's primary punt returner, Eddie Royal, who was recently released. Others on the roster who have experience in that facet of the game include receivers
As a team, the Bears ranked 19th in the NFL last season in punt returns with an average of 8.0 yards.