Under the Radar

iueyedoc

Variant Also Negotiates
Donator
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
20,759
Liked Posts:
29,470
Location:
Mountains to Sea
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
  1. Indiana Hoosiers
Last edited:

rawdawg

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 28, 2013
Posts:
8,013
Liked Posts:
6,542
I expect him to get more snaps than Blackson once he gets up to speed with this defense. I will say Morrow is lucky Watts blew that play up, because he completely followed the FB's misdirection, when he had Roquan to fill that gap. If Watts doesn't beat his man that clean, that's a huge hole for the RB to run through.
 

Aquineas

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Aug 20, 2012
Posts:
7,010
Liked Posts:
6,106
Location:
Montgomery, TX
On a tangent, our old 96 looked a little sluggish on Sunday Night vs Dallas.
 

bears51/40

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
4,330
Liked Posts:
3,317
Both Watts and Robinson earned more snaps. Overall, this whole D played some great ball. Team had 2 sacks, 4 QB hits, 1 fumble recovery, 1 int, 4 pass breakups, and a 50.3 passer rating allowed. Then consider that the 9ers average starting position in the first half was their 46 yard line.
 

Mdbearz

Well-known member
Joined:
Jan 9, 2014
Posts:
4,513
Liked Posts:
3,219
Location:
Harford County, MD
I'm glad that Poles and Flus took advantage of the waiver wire, but when you pick up 7 guys off waivers, that you then must place on your 53 man roster.... that says a lot about your depth. I might be wrong, but I don't ever remember a team claiming so many players off waivers.

BUT, if this works out where the Bears actually start or have big contributions from these guys, the league might take notice. The team just finished spending all of OTA, minicamp, training camp and preseason games with the depth guys, and you have to be willing to trust your scouting is good enough to cut a guy you just spent the last two months training.

Poles has pulled out all the stops this off season, by trading down a hundred times in the draft to pick more players, claiming this many guys off waivers, trading away Mack, bringing in FLUS, standing strong with Roquan..

All of these are tough/risky decisions, but I think what he is doing is smart, because a first year GM has ZERO expectations when he has limited Draft capital and cap space.

Essentially he is trying to make the bottom of the roster as strong as possible so when he goes out to get players next off season, they should be able to make an impact without carrying the entire team.

I'm not crowning Poles as GM of the year, but just like Flus, I like what I have seen so far!!!
 

rawdawg

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 28, 2013
Posts:
8,013
Liked Posts:
6,542
I'm glad that Poles and Flus took advantage of the waiver wire, but when you pick up 7 guys off waivers, that you then must place on your 53 man roster.... that says a lot about your depth. I might be wrong, but I don't ever remember a team claiming so many players off waivers.

BUT, if this works out where the Bears actually start or have big contributions from these guys, the league might take notice. The team just finished spending all of OTA, minicamp, training camp and preseason games with the depth guys, and you have to be willing to trust your scouting is good enough to cut a guy you just spent the last two months training.

Poles has pulled out all the stops this off season, by trading down a hundred times in the draft to pick more players, claiming this many guys off waivers, trading away Mack, bringing in FLUS, standing strong with Roquan..

All of these are tough/risky decisions, but I think what he is doing is smart, because a first year GM has ZERO expectations when he has limited Draft capital and cap space.

Essentially he is trying to make the bottom of the roster as strong as possible so when he goes out to get players next off season, they should be able to make an impact without carrying the entire team.

I'm not crowning Poles as GM of the year, but just like Flus, I like what I have seen so far!!!
I think part of it is making the bottom of the roster as strong as possible. Most of the claims didn't even play on Sunday. A few of them were guys we never heard of and are longshots to ever contribute, but they were replacing guys who were longshots themselves. But guys like Watts and Smith-Marsette (and maybe even can include Leatherwood in this) are guys that have already contributed to NFL teams. Watts was a starter who was a bad fit. ISM was odd man out after the Eagles felt the need to trade for Reagor and had just drafted Nailor this year. These are no-brainer pick ups for teams with below average talent. Leatherwood is also the type of talent a bad team picks up, former 1st round pick. If you can salvage something there, you get a potential stud.
 

remydat

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Sep 15, 2012
Posts:
57,795
Liked Posts:
37,727
I expect him to get more snaps than Blackson once he gets up to speed with this defense. I will say Morrow is lucky Watts blew that play up, because he completely followed the FB's misdirection, when he had Roquan to fill that gap. If Watts doesn't beat his man that clean, that's a huge hole for the RB to run through.
Bears seem to be using Watts as a backup to both Jones and Blackson as he is versatile enough play both spots. Looks like they aligned mostly in 3 and 2 technique stances rather than 0 technique (ie Nose Tackle).
 

HearshotKDS

Well-known member
Joined:
Sep 9, 2012
Posts:
5,873
Liked Posts:
6,280
Location:
Lake Forest
I was impressed with his size (giggity). I havent watched any film on him before he joined the Bears, looking at his stats it was clear he was a good penetrator and pass rusher for a NT. Expected him to be undersized, but seeing him in the game he looked every bit as stout as you expect a nose tackle to be - his physique was almost bowling ball-esque. He has good explosion for a man of his size, great pick up for next to no cost.
 

DrGonzo

Gazpacho Police
Donator
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
9,239
Liked Posts:
5,706
Location:
Albuquerque, NM
Poles has done well bargain shopping this year. It will be interesting to see what he can do next year when the spending limit is much more relaxed.
 

hebs

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jan 1, 2013
Posts:
5,057
Liked Posts:
4,064
I think part of it is making the bottom of the roster as strong as possible. Most of the claims didn't even play on Sunday. A few of them were guys we never heard of and are longshots to ever contribute, but they were replacing guys who were longshots themselves. But guys like Watts and Smith-Marsette (and maybe even can include Leatherwood in this) are guys that have already contributed to NFL teams. Watts was a starter who was a bad fit. ISM was odd man out after the Eagles felt the need to trade for Reagor and had just drafted Nailor this year. These are no-brainer pick ups for teams with below average talent. Leatherwood is also the type of talent a bad team picks up, former 1st round pick. If you can salvage something there, you get a potential stud.

Still... He just changed over 10% of the active roster the last week before the season. That has to be rare.
 

rawdawg

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 28, 2013
Posts:
8,013
Liked Posts:
6,542
Bears seem to be using Watts as a backup to both Jones and Blackson as he is versatile enough play both spots. Looks like they aligned mostly in 3 and 2 technique stances rather than 0 technique (ie Nose Tackle).
Yeah that's the best part about Watts, is he can play both. Pennel is strictly a NT type. My guess going forward is Watts splits with Blackson about 50/50, then he gets 30/70 split with Jones. Pennel gets 8-15 plays a week on early run downs.

Generically guessing: Jones 70%, Watts 60-65%, Blackson 50% , Pennel 15-20% by like Week 4.
Still... He just changed over 10% of the active roster the last week before the season. That has to be rare.
Yeah, I'm sure it is. But it shouldn't be for a new GM rebuilding a team. Keep throwing shit at the wall and see what sticks.
 

pseudonym

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jan 11, 2014
Posts:
6,598
Liked Posts:
4,011
Location:
Chicago
I'm glad that Poles and Flus took advantage of the waiver wire, but when you pick up 7 guys off waivers, that you then must place on your 53 man roster.... that says a lot about your depth. I might be wrong, but I don't ever remember a team claiming so many players off waivers.
I think he has a "type/guy" he likes, and he's not going to give a spot to ANYONE—starter, backup, or depth. You inherited this team, you traded and cut guys, you made others earn spots, and you continue to mine the WW/PS to see what you can find. That's what we SHOULD BE DOING. I think in time there will be less of this, but I like it. I do that with my fantasy teams—bottom of the roster, take a shot on a rookie/2nd year, or a guy that had a hot week, dropping/adding fringe guys. When I start 11 and can hold 28 you take your shots. I like what the Bears are doing.
 

iueyedoc

Variant Also Negotiates
Donator
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
20,759
Liked Posts:
29,470
Location:
Mountains to Sea
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
  1. Indiana Hoosiers
I called this 4 years ago.
Ryan Poles being hired GM and him claiming Armon Watts on waivers from the Vikings? That's an amazing skill, now how many fingers am I holding behind my back?
 

Mdbearz

Well-known member
Joined:
Jan 9, 2014
Posts:
4,513
Liked Posts:
3,219
Location:
Harford County, MD
I think he has a "type/guy" he likes, and he's not going to give a spot to ANYONE—starter, backup, or depth. You inherited this team, you traded and cut guys, you made others earn spots, and you continue to mine the WW/PS to see what you can find. That's what we SHOULD BE DOING. I think in time there will be less of this, but I like it. I do that with my fantasy teams—bottom of the roster, take a shot on a rookie/2nd year, or a guy that had a hot week, dropping/adding fringe guys. When I start 11 and can hold 28 you take your shots. I like what the Bears are doing.
I know that first sentence sounded like I was being critical, but it was actually giving Poles praise for pulling out all the stops. He really has done everything he can with the limited resources he started with this year.
 

Top