The Tribune’s Bears columnist answers your questions weekly. This week: Will the Bears go after Vincent Jackson? Where’s Devin Aromashodu? And will Tommie Harris’ play time be cut?
Any chance the Bears will try to get suspended receiver Vincent Jackson from the Chargers? What’s the asking price? A third-rounder? Surely we have one or two of those laying around, eh?
— Dave Manno, River Forest
I’ve had a lot of questions about Jackson this week. I wouldn’t get your hopes up for a number of reasons. The Bears have already made their big money acquisitions for the budget year. I don’t know where the talk about a third-rounder for trade compensation was started, but I hear the Chargers would want a lot more than that–probably a third and a second at the least. Brandon Marshall was traded for two second-round picks. Jackson is worth that, certainly. One of the issues with the Bears roster is they don’t have a lot of young talent as a result of trading draft picks for Jay Cutler and Gaines Adams, and missing on some other draft picks. I think the last thing general manager Jerry Angelo is interested in doing at this point is trading away more draft picks. And one more thing–the Bears are not unhappy with their wide receivers.
I’m as excited as anyone about a 2-0 start and Jay Cutler’s early showing but isn’t this burying the problem of the atrocious running game? At some point, don’t we need to get the ground game moving to sustain clock, keep the defense fresh and not be relying on shootouts–especially when the weather turns sour?
— Matt Presnell; Terre Haute, Ind
The running game is a bit of a concern, yes. But it’s too early to say the Bears can’t run the ball. The running game could improve as the offensive line gets in sync and it becomes more vital to get yards on the ground. There is nothing wrong with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor, I know that. And the other issue is this: the Bears are establishing the run with the short passing game–specifically with screen passes. Those screens have the same impact as a handoff. Bottom line is the Bears are moving the ball just fine, no matter how they are doing it.
With Matt Forte playing so well, we don’t seem to be utilizing Chester Taylor. With a variety of teams needing running backs (New England, New Orleans, etc.), why not check out the market for Taylor and see if we can get a decent draft choice or player?
— Tom, Hudsonville, Mich.
It would be foolish to trade Taylor. They are going to need him before the season is over. Every team needs two good running backs. That’s why the Bears signed Taylor in the first place–they didn’t have two good backs a year ago. I think Taylor is going to help this team win games this year.
I have never seen so many running plays up the middle. Is there a problem running around the end? The Bears have good running backs. Let them run the ball. They will find their own holes.
— Butch Bennett, Conesville, La.
You need a certain kind of running back to be effective on pitch-outs and sweeps. I don’t think the Bears have that kind of running back. The Bears have styled their running game to suit the strengths of Matt Forte and Chester Taylor. We’ll see where the play calls go as the season goes on, but my hunch is this is going to be mostly a between-the-tackles, or off-tackle running game.
Why did Devin Aromashodu not play on Sunday? He is a great receiver whom Jay Cutler likes. It seems like the coaches were too worried about making Devin Hester happy that they bench one of their most productive receivers. Any insight?
— Jason S., St. Ansgar, Iowa
Aromashodu didn’t play much because he failed to make the tough catches in the Lions game, and the Bears have more than four good receivers. It had nothing to do with Aromashodu versus Hester. It had everything to do with Aromashodu versus Earl Bennett. And Bennett had a nice game Sunday. One of the problems the Bears had last year is Aromashodu got behind Johnny Knox early and the team never found a way to get him on the field until the last month. I think this year the coaching staff is going to find ways to give chances to talented players, even if it means another talented player will have to sit once in awhile.
I’m sorry, I really, really don’t understand why Devin Hester isn’t out for kickoff returns like he was his first two seasons. I understand he’s making first-option wide receiver money. I understand management would like to see him earn some of that money as a receiver. And yes, Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox have performed well on kickoff returns. That being said, how can the Bears witness Hester’s successful first two seasons as a return specialist (the real reason he earned his current contract) and not continue to put him out there? Is it because of what he hasn’t done on punt returns? Does management think he’s lost his electrifying return capabilities? Can’t he do returns and serve as a number three receiver, or must his contractual title dictate where he’s set on the field? Even if that’s the case, I still don’t get it.
— Joe, Seattle
The coaching staff believes that being a full-time wide receiver, full-time punt returner and full-time kick returner is too much for one player. And in defense of the Bears coaching staff, I don’t believe there is another player in the NFL who is full-time at all three things. I hear you when you say it doesn’t make sense to stop Hester from doing what he did best. The hope when he was moved to wide receiver full time was that he would be able to impact games to a greater degree on offense than he could on special teams. So far, that has not been the case. But he’s still a young wide receiver. The other factor is Hester appears to have peaked as a return man. He’s clearly not as good on punt returns as he used to be.
Back in the day, when the Bears would be on the goal line, quarterback Mike Tomczak would consistently and effectively bootleg in for a touchdown. I haven’t seen that play from the Bears in years. Why not?
— Kelly Quick, Sheboygan, Wisc.
In the Bears’ opening game against Detroit they attempted a bootleg on second and one from the Lions’ 1. Jay Cutler rolled right, but the Lions had a pass rusher come free. Under pressure, Cutler threw the ball away. The bootleg is a part of the Bears’ playbook. It always has been. I’m sure we’ll see it again.
It seemed like Tommie Harris did nothing Sunday while some of the other tackles were involved in quite a few plays. Is that because Harris is still getting double-teamed or is that he isn’t playing as well as the other tackles? Also, if he is still getting double-teamed, shouldn’t that free up Julius Peppers and the other lineman for sacks? I am close to coming to the conclusion that it might be time for Harris’ playing time to get cut significantly. which would be the first step on his way out of Chicago.
–Mike
Harris does get a good amount of double-teams. Peppers gets a lot of attention in blocking schemes as well. But Harris always has gotten a lot of doubles. Almost all players who play his position do. He has to beat those double-teams more consistently, and take advantage better when he is single-blocked. It’s starting to look like the Harris we saw last year is going to be the Harris we will see this year. That’s not what he used to be, but it’s still better than a lot of tackles in the league. As one pro scout told me last week, “A lot of teams still would like to have him.”
Should we really be excited about the Bears win over Dallas, or are the Cowboys just a bad team? I’m still not happy with the Bears third down efficiency or the run game, but boy they looked good in the Dallas game.
— Mickey Daoud, Doha, Qatar
I’m not sure if the Cowboys are a “bad team,” but I know they are a talented one. A very talented one. They won 11 games a year ago and now have more talent than they did in 2009. I also know it isn’t easy to beat any team on the road in the NFL. So I would enjoy the Bears victory if I were you Mickey. Regardless of the opponent, I think it was an impressive accomplishment.
