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Mitchell Trubisky set up to soar
I can't make this up. This is the first page of NFL.com. I can't remember the last time that anybody from the NFL said anything positive about the Bears, let alone as a lead article to a lead article on the front page by Bucky Brooks.
I like how he breaks down the article. I'd like to also point out the fact that Trey Burton came into the league as a FB. This is an important point to think about. For example, he is the Move Tight End, but he can also line up in the backfield with Howard. If he lines up in the backfield in the broken I with Howard behind him and AR in the X, Shaheen on the line as the Y, and Gabriel in either the slot or wherever. Then how does a D play it? Is it to be considered a heavy power formation, or a passing formation. A little bit of RO or PA to Howard and Biscuit can just start picking them apart. Howard can run on a D if they load up the box, so imagine what he'll do if they have to nickel and dime us because our Big formations can easily become passing formation. Either way, the article follows:
Mitchell Trubisky set up to soar; don't dismiss Sammy Watkins
Print
By Bucky Brooks
NFL.com Analyst
Published: March 16, 2018 at 04:57 p.m. Updated: March 16, 2018 at 05:55 p.m. 0 Likes | 0 Comments
Read Discuss
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. The topics of this edition include:
-- One polarizing signing that I absolutely love.
-- How Jon Gruden's approach to free agency is very telling.
-- Why Richard Sherman's contract isn't as bad as everyone seems to think.
But first, a look at how Chicago has set up Mitchell Trubisky for a breakout season ...
* * * * *
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Les Snead and Howie Roseman should feel the love from Ryan Pace.
Snead and Roseman respectively surrounded Jared Goff and Carson Wentz with stellar supporting casts that elevated their play, leading to Pro Bowl nods for both sophomore QBs and great team success for both organizations.
Now, in Chicago, Pace has started to put the right pieces around Mitchell Trubisky to help him take his game to an all-star level in Year 2. I understand that it's hard for some to envision a quarterback currently owning a 59.4 percent completion rate, a 7:7 TD-to-INT ratio and a 77.5 passer rating to swiftly reverse his fortunes as a QB1, but I'm bullish on Trubisky doing just that with the bevy of dependable playmakers suddenly flanking him on the perimeter. Don't believe me?
Look at how much Goff and Wentz improved when their respective teams built entire offenses around their games. From scheme to personnel, every major move made by the Rams and Eagles during the 2017 offseason was done with the elevation of the quarterback in mind.
From Los Angeles' initial acquisitions of Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp to a preseason trade for Sammy Watkins, Snead surrounded his QB1 with enough weaponry to lighten his load in the pocket. Rookie head coach Sean McVay designed a scheme around Goff's talents that allowed the former No. 1 overall pick to thrive as a quick-rhythm passer within an up-tempo offense.
The Eagles used a similar approach to jump-start Wentz's game in his second pro season. Philadelphia signed Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to fill the team's WR1 and WR2 roles, respectively, and acquired LeGarrette Blount to beef up the running game. With a midseason trade to add another versatile runner (Jay Ajayi), the Eagles put together a talented supporting cast that helped Wentz play at an MVP level in an offense that featured plenty of spread concepts (zone reads, RPOs and quicks) to help maximize his talents as a dual-threat playmaker.
Given the dramatic turnaround of both teams and the significantly improved play of the young field generals, I'm not surprised Pace is following the blueprint to get the Bears' QB1 on the right track in 2018.
From a coaching and schematic standpoint, the general manager hired an offensive-minded head coach adept at working with quarterbacks. Matt Nagy's background as a quarterback coach, particularly with a spread disciple in Alex Smith, will serve him well tutoring a quarterback who directed a version of the spread at North Carolina. In addition, Nagy hired several assistants, including offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, with an extensive background in the collegiate game and spread offense. Thus, they should be able to come up with a scheme that puts Trubisky in his comfort zone as a playmaker.
With an offensive philosophy in place that better suits the quarterback's talents, the Bears needed to acquire the right kind of personnel to add some explosiveness to the attack. Thus, the skill players had to possess the ability to thrive in an offense featuring spread elements.
"The most important part of the free-agent equation is matching a player's skills to the scheme," an AFC personnel executive told me. "You have to make sure that his game fits your scheme and your coaches know exactly how to use him on the field. If the player's skills and scheme don't mesh, it's never going to work out."
Looking at the Bears' free-agent acquisitions, it is apparent Chicago is slotting in guys to play key roles in a multi-dimensional spread offense. Allen Robinson is the No. 1 receiver and he will likely play the "X" position (split end) for the Bears. The X typically aligns away from the strength of the formation, which puts him on the back side of 3x1 sets. In spread offenses, coaches will put their best receiver at X to take advantage of one-on-one coverage with a variety of isolation routes (slants, quick outs, skinny posts, digs, comebacks, go-routes, etc.). In addition, the back-side alignment, particularly out of 3x1 formations, makes it easier for the quarterback to identify double coverage on the WR1 during the pre-snap phase. With the Bears certain to use some "packaged plays" (play with an isolation route on the back side and an RPO on the front side), the deployment of Robinson at X is sensible.
Remember, Robinson is one of only 12 receivers with 2,000-plus receiving yards and 20-plus touchdowns over the past three seasons -- and that's despite the fact that he missed nearly the entire 2017 campaign due to a torn ACL. In 2015, he posted a 1,400-yard campaign with a league-leading 14 touchdowns and a whopping average of 17.5 yards per catch. Those numbers not only earned him Pro Bowl honors, but they pushed him into the conversation as one of the elite pass catchers in the game. With the Bears prying him away from the Jacksonville Jaguars on a three-year, $42 million deal, Robinson is undoubtedly the focal point of Chicago's passing game.
Taylor Gabriel was signed to four-year, $26 million deal to give the offense an explosive vertical threat. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound pass catcher is a potent deep-ball threat (SEE: 10 receptions of 40-plus yards in his four-year career) who also shows outstanding speed, quickness and burst with the ball in his hands on bubble screens, jet sweeps and reverses. He will give defensive coordinators game-planning headaches, as they work to neutralize him in the slot or out wide.
The Bears added Trey Burton as a "flex" tight end to complement Adam Shaheen. The fifth-year pro is a versatile playmaker with the size and speed to create mismatches in space. Whether lining up against linebackers out wide in empty formations or working between the hashes against safeties, Burton is a tough cover in an upgraded offense that will be capable of stretching the defense horizontally or vertically.
To that last point, the Bears' running back tandem will also play a key role in elevating No. 10's performance as a sophomore. Last season, Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen combined for 1,970 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns as a 1-2 punch in the backfield. Howard plays the lead role as the runner, exhibiting a Cadillac-like running style (smooth and fluid) that's surprising for a 6-foot, 224-pounder. With a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in his first two NFL campaigns, Howard will command enough attention in the backfield to prevent opponents from loading up against the pass. Meanwhile, Cohen gives Trubisky an explosive target in the passing game on a variety of routes. From simple hitches and slants against tentative linebackers on the outside to spectacular screens, swings and angle routes, Cohen's extraordinary open-field running skills allow the young QB to check down to No. 29 and watch him turn short passes into big gains. In addition, the Bears can feature Cohen on a few gadget plays to take advantage of his speed, quickness, and pinball running style.
I can't close the book on the Bears' remarkable makeover without pointing out the most underrated acquisition of all: Chase Daniel. The veteran backup quarterback shouldn't play a big role on the field, but his mentorship of the Bears' QB1 is absolutely critical. After spending several years watching Drew Brees and Alex Smith prepare for games as starters, Daniel can share that knowledge and insight with the 23-year-old starter to help him take his game to the next level. From helping Trubisky build out a preparation plan for the week to teaching him the nuance of film study, Daniel can help the youngster unlock the secrets to greatness with his work behind the scenes. In case you forgot, he mentored Wentz during his rookie season and apparently taught him Brees' preparation routine.
If Daniel can teach Trubisky how to drive the Bears' new Ferrari, he's worth every penny of the two-year, $10 million deal that he inked as the team's new QB2. In fact, he might be the most important piece of this brilliant free-agent puzzle Pace assembled this offseason.
I can't make this up. This is the first page of NFL.com. I can't remember the last time that anybody from the NFL said anything positive about the Bears, let alone as a lead article to a lead article on the front page by Bucky Brooks.
I like how he breaks down the article. I'd like to also point out the fact that Trey Burton came into the league as a FB. This is an important point to think about. For example, he is the Move Tight End, but he can also line up in the backfield with Howard. If he lines up in the backfield in the broken I with Howard behind him and AR in the X, Shaheen on the line as the Y, and Gabriel in either the slot or wherever. Then how does a D play it? Is it to be considered a heavy power formation, or a passing formation. A little bit of RO or PA to Howard and Biscuit can just start picking them apart. Howard can run on a D if they load up the box, so imagine what he'll do if they have to nickel and dime us because our Big formations can easily become passing formation. Either way, the article follows:
Mitchell Trubisky set up to soar; don't dismiss Sammy Watkins
By Bucky Brooks
NFL.com Analyst
Published: March 16, 2018 at 04:57 p.m. Updated: March 16, 2018 at 05:55 p.m. 0 Likes | 0 Comments
Read Discuss
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. The topics of this edition include:
-- One polarizing signing that I absolutely love.
-- How Jon Gruden's approach to free agency is very telling.
-- Why Richard Sherman's contract isn't as bad as everyone seems to think.
But first, a look at how Chicago has set up Mitchell Trubisky for a breakout season ...
* * * * *
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Les Snead and Howie Roseman should feel the love from Ryan Pace.
Snead and Roseman respectively surrounded Jared Goff and Carson Wentz with stellar supporting casts that elevated their play, leading to Pro Bowl nods for both sophomore QBs and great team success for both organizations.
Now, in Chicago, Pace has started to put the right pieces around Mitchell Trubisky to help him take his game to an all-star level in Year 2. I understand that it's hard for some to envision a quarterback currently owning a 59.4 percent completion rate, a 7:7 TD-to-INT ratio and a 77.5 passer rating to swiftly reverse his fortunes as a QB1, but I'm bullish on Trubisky doing just that with the bevy of dependable playmakers suddenly flanking him on the perimeter. Don't believe me?
Look at how much Goff and Wentz improved when their respective teams built entire offenses around their games. From scheme to personnel, every major move made by the Rams and Eagles during the 2017 offseason was done with the elevation of the quarterback in mind.
From Los Angeles' initial acquisitions of Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp to a preseason trade for Sammy Watkins, Snead surrounded his QB1 with enough weaponry to lighten his load in the pocket. Rookie head coach Sean McVay designed a scheme around Goff's talents that allowed the former No. 1 overall pick to thrive as a quick-rhythm passer within an up-tempo offense.
The Eagles used a similar approach to jump-start Wentz's game in his second pro season. Philadelphia signed Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to fill the team's WR1 and WR2 roles, respectively, and acquired LeGarrette Blount to beef up the running game. With a midseason trade to add another versatile runner (Jay Ajayi), the Eagles put together a talented supporting cast that helped Wentz play at an MVP level in an offense that featured plenty of spread concepts (zone reads, RPOs and quicks) to help maximize his talents as a dual-threat playmaker.
Given the dramatic turnaround of both teams and the significantly improved play of the young field generals, I'm not surprised Pace is following the blueprint to get the Bears' QB1 on the right track in 2018.
From a coaching and schematic standpoint, the general manager hired an offensive-minded head coach adept at working with quarterbacks. Matt Nagy's background as a quarterback coach, particularly with a spread disciple in Alex Smith, will serve him well tutoring a quarterback who directed a version of the spread at North Carolina. In addition, Nagy hired several assistants, including offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, with an extensive background in the collegiate game and spread offense. Thus, they should be able to come up with a scheme that puts Trubisky in his comfort zone as a playmaker.
With an offensive philosophy in place that better suits the quarterback's talents, the Bears needed to acquire the right kind of personnel to add some explosiveness to the attack. Thus, the skill players had to possess the ability to thrive in an offense featuring spread elements.
"The most important part of the free-agent equation is matching a player's skills to the scheme," an AFC personnel executive told me. "You have to make sure that his game fits your scheme and your coaches know exactly how to use him on the field. If the player's skills and scheme don't mesh, it's never going to work out."
Looking at the Bears' free-agent acquisitions, it is apparent Chicago is slotting in guys to play key roles in a multi-dimensional spread offense. Allen Robinson is the No. 1 receiver and he will likely play the "X" position (split end) for the Bears. The X typically aligns away from the strength of the formation, which puts him on the back side of 3x1 sets. In spread offenses, coaches will put their best receiver at X to take advantage of one-on-one coverage with a variety of isolation routes (slants, quick outs, skinny posts, digs, comebacks, go-routes, etc.). In addition, the back-side alignment, particularly out of 3x1 formations, makes it easier for the quarterback to identify double coverage on the WR1 during the pre-snap phase. With the Bears certain to use some "packaged plays" (play with an isolation route on the back side and an RPO on the front side), the deployment of Robinson at X is sensible.
Remember, Robinson is one of only 12 receivers with 2,000-plus receiving yards and 20-plus touchdowns over the past three seasons -- and that's despite the fact that he missed nearly the entire 2017 campaign due to a torn ACL. In 2015, he posted a 1,400-yard campaign with a league-leading 14 touchdowns and a whopping average of 17.5 yards per catch. Those numbers not only earned him Pro Bowl honors, but they pushed him into the conversation as one of the elite pass catchers in the game. With the Bears prying him away from the Jacksonville Jaguars on a three-year, $42 million deal, Robinson is undoubtedly the focal point of Chicago's passing game.
Taylor Gabriel was signed to four-year, $26 million deal to give the offense an explosive vertical threat. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound pass catcher is a potent deep-ball threat (SEE: 10 receptions of 40-plus yards in his four-year career) who also shows outstanding speed, quickness and burst with the ball in his hands on bubble screens, jet sweeps and reverses. He will give defensive coordinators game-planning headaches, as they work to neutralize him in the slot or out wide.
The Bears added Trey Burton as a "flex" tight end to complement Adam Shaheen. The fifth-year pro is a versatile playmaker with the size and speed to create mismatches in space. Whether lining up against linebackers out wide in empty formations or working between the hashes against safeties, Burton is a tough cover in an upgraded offense that will be capable of stretching the defense horizontally or vertically.
To that last point, the Bears' running back tandem will also play a key role in elevating No. 10's performance as a sophomore. Last season, Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen combined for 1,970 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns as a 1-2 punch in the backfield. Howard plays the lead role as the runner, exhibiting a Cadillac-like running style (smooth and fluid) that's surprising for a 6-foot, 224-pounder. With a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in his first two NFL campaigns, Howard will command enough attention in the backfield to prevent opponents from loading up against the pass. Meanwhile, Cohen gives Trubisky an explosive target in the passing game on a variety of routes. From simple hitches and slants against tentative linebackers on the outside to spectacular screens, swings and angle routes, Cohen's extraordinary open-field running skills allow the young QB to check down to No. 29 and watch him turn short passes into big gains. In addition, the Bears can feature Cohen on a few gadget plays to take advantage of his speed, quickness, and pinball running style.
I can't close the book on the Bears' remarkable makeover without pointing out the most underrated acquisition of all: Chase Daniel. The veteran backup quarterback shouldn't play a big role on the field, but his mentorship of the Bears' QB1 is absolutely critical. After spending several years watching Drew Brees and Alex Smith prepare for games as starters, Daniel can share that knowledge and insight with the 23-year-old starter to help him take his game to the next level. From helping Trubisky build out a preparation plan for the week to teaching him the nuance of film study, Daniel can help the youngster unlock the secrets to greatness with his work behind the scenes. In case you forgot, he mentored Wentz during his rookie season and apparently taught him Brees' preparation routine.
If Daniel can teach Trubisky how to drive the Bears' new Ferrari, he's worth every penny of the two-year, $10 million deal that he inked as the team's new QB2. In fact, he might be the most important piece of this brilliant free-agent puzzle Pace assembled this offseason.
