POLL - Who was Best TE/HB/FB Run Blocker this Preseason?

Who was Best TE/HB/FB Run Blocker this Preseason?


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Sculpt

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This is just for fun, now that the roster has set... but

who was Best TE/HB/FB Run Blocker this Preseason?

(I'd rank them)

1. Tyler Clutts
2. Matt Spaeth
3. Kyle Adams
4. Kellen Davis
5. Evan Rodriguez
6. Harvey Unga


Who was the best pass receiver?

(I'd rank them)

1. Evan Rodriguez
2. Kellen Davis
3. Harvey Unga (probably)
4. Kyle Adams
5. Matt Spaeth
6. Tyler Clutts


If Clutts was the best run blocker (and I think he was by far), who could also pass block and catch decently, and was your backup Longsnapper, if you're going to have four "HBs", why not keep your best run blocker as one of the four?

Because of contracts/cap space, Davis and Speath would not be cut. I think Adams is the upcoming replacement for Speath (if not also Davis). All things being equal, I'd keep Adams over Speath. I don't think Rodriguez is ready for primetime, although probably the best receiver, his run blocking isn't good enough; but I doubt Rod would survive waivers; IR would have been a nice option.

As much as I like Adams, I think Clutts was more valuable this year than Adams. (not sure if Adams was PS eligible, or would survive waivers.) If it could be afforded, I'd would have liked to see Clutts kept and Speath cut.

What you think?
 

ClydeLee

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Why keep a player multiple players you are not going to use outside of the redzone.. IE how Clutts was used all of the 1st 3 preseason games?

Clutts can't catch very decently. He did have a drop in the game as well but his showcase last year and in camp was filled with bad hands. He was a college DE and never really played offense until 3 years ago in the CFL.

If you cut Spaeth for Clutts, who will be on the line in your jumbo goal-line packages?

I think Kyle Adams is a better pass catcher than Davis and Unga. Davis is a better blocker than Kyle Adams when he engages.
 

BearsMod1

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honestly think E. Rodriguez is a waste. didn't see him at all at pre-season, and heard he was struggling in rookie camps, but improved in training camp.

didn't see him at all at pre-season or the use of TE in pre-season
 

Sculpt

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Why keep a player multiple players you are not going to use outside of the redzone.. IE how Clutts was used all of the 1st 3 preseason games?

Clutts can't catch very decently. He did have a drop in the game as well but his showcase last year and in camp was filled with bad hands. He was a college DE and never really played offense until 3 years ago in the CFL.
Bears would, and have, used Clutts outside of the redzone. Clutts has been in on most of the basic plays (particularly for runs) in every part of the field. 1st/2nd down runs are good for Clutts In particular, Clutts is needed for short-yardage (goal-line or not), something the Bears have greatly struggle with the last 4 years.

If you cut Spaeth for Clutts, who will be on the line in your jumbo goal-line packages?
Cause of cap space they won't cut Spaeth, but jumbo goal-line packages, Clutts obviously isn't a super-tall jump ball in receiving (although he's still a big tall target at 6'3" 260lbs), but how valuable is having Clutts' superior run-blocking with Bush as RB? With the serious running threat of Clutts and Bush, you can still have some combo of Davis, Spaeth, Marshall or Jefferys as your passing threat. Pretty formidable goal-line offense.

I think Kyle Adams is a better pass catcher than Davis and Unga. Davis is a better blocker than Kyle Adams when he engages.
You think Adams is a better pass catcher than Davis and Unga? Very well could be. Adams is good, and Davis isn't great, but I'd still estimate Davis is better. You think Davis is a better run blocker than Adams (when he engages)? I think Adams is a better run blocker, although Davis has improved.
 

ClydeLee

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Why didn't they in the pre-season.. because that is what the offense is, an offense that uses H-backs or single back instead of the full back. Clutts HAS been out there in a different offense, not Mike Tice's offense that comes from Joe Gibbs's offense.

You do tons of different things in the goal-line from spreading, but I'm talking about Jubmo specifically because that's the 3 TE spot. E-Rod plays H-back and as far as I saw they never put him up on the line as a TE. I haven't seen Adams get as much of a push when he was blocking as either a TE or a H-back. Davis has had a problem of whiffing or making a bad move to get to a blocker. He gets a drive when he gets on a guy.
 

Sculpt

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honestly think E. Rodriguez is a waste. didn't see him at all at pre-season, and heard he was struggling in rookie camps, but improved in training camp.

didn't see him at all at pre-season or the use of TE in pre-season
Have to agree. I saw him make a few nice catches in TC and preseason, but certainly nothing special. His play at blocking was very poor, even worse than K. Davis ever was. It's not like we don't have plenty of good receivers, not to mention the size and physicality of Marshall and Jeffery. If Rod can't block worth a darn, what's his value except compared to WRs? That being the case, this year, would have liked to see him redshirted or PS. As poorly as he played, I think he may have passed waivers. I'd rather have Clutts than Rod this year. Not to mention, who's our backup LS now?
 

ClydeLee

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Have you not watched the NFL the past years? You don't get the value of a solid TE/H-back/Joker who can catch over the middle or in the slot but pick up YAC? He doesn't have the body of a Greg Olsen where he can't break a single tackle despite being a tight end. He played well in game 2.. he isn't a good blocker by any means yet but he at least wasn't missing people.

Saying he is worse than Davis was has to be a joke. Davis practically cost the Bears the Carolina game as a rookie by doing nothing in a blocking situation and did the same thing again in the Atlanta game which luckily didn't effect the drive outcome. E-Rod at least was putting a body on a player in his few blocks.
 

Sculpt

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Have you not watched the NFL the past years? You don't get the value of a solid TE/H-back/Joker who can catch over the middle or in the slot but pick up YAC? He doesn't have the body of a Greg Olsen where he can't break a single tackle despite being a tight end. He played well in game 2.. he isn't a good blocker by any means yet but he at least wasn't missing people.

Saying he is worse than Davis was has to be a joke. Davis practically cost the Bears the Carolina game as a rookie by doing nothing in a blocking situation and did the same thing again in the Atlanta game which luckily didn't effect the drive outcome. E-Rod at least was putting a body on a player in his few blocks.
To answer you're first question, yes, I've watched NFL the last 32 years. But yes, I'd agree with you, a whiff on a block is worse than getting pushed back. (Although I still think Davis was less horrible, it doesn't really matter who was worse at run blocking as a rookie.) Maybe I'm being a little hard on Rod's blocking -- I've watched every preseason game, maybe I missed something, I never saw him whiff, but I didn't see Rod was able to push anyone back, but did get pushed back himself.

I don't doubt Rod is a good pass catching HB/TE, but with as poor as he is at blocking, I think Clutts was more valuable to the team this year, which needs to go for SB now, as opposed to leaning toward development mode. Don't get me wrong, I think Rod is worth developing, considering his size (6'1" 242) and receiving ability, I just think Clutts would have been more valuable this year.
 

ClydeLee

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He would be more valuable this year In another offense sure.. but you keep bypassing that Tice doesn't use fullbacks. He doesn't WANT to use a fullback over a H-back. That's been demonstrated by how he called his first 3 pre-season games and the move to part ways with Clutts. He just used him in the goalline and that's not going to be worthwhile more than a receiving threat to said playcaller.
 

Giant Panda

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TICE HATES FULLBACKS!

Clutts couldn't catch a pass so he was traded.
 

Sculpt

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He would be more valuable this year In another offense sure.. but you keep bypassing that Tice doesn't use fullbacks. He doesn't WANT to use a fullback over a H-back. That's been demonstrated by how he called his first 3 pre-season games and the move to part ways with Clutts. He just used him in the goalline and that's not going to be worthwhile more than a receiving threat to said playcaller.
I was bypassing you mentioning Tice doesn't use fullbacks because I was talking about Clutts being used as an HB in Tice's system. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd assume you also think Clutts can play HB. Even if we assumed he didn't already know how to function as a Tice HB, we can assume he's intelligent enough to master it, and physically capable of it. He's made bigger position changes than FB to HB. There isn't anything an HB does that we haven't watched Clutts do. (Clutts caught 8 passes last year.)

But needless to say, Clutts is gone. I just don't think it was a good move.
 

Wakacha

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does anyone see the irony in switching from Martz (Hates TE's, Loves FB's) to Tice (The Opposite)?
 
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