Jay Cutler is thanking the Bears' offensive linemen for their support by giving them airline tickets. (Larry French/AP)
The offensive line has taken
its lumps this season as the Bears' offense has had its difficulties, but there's
one man who has an appreciation for their work.
"I think it's just a nice gesture," guard Josh Beekman said. "I'm happy and I thanked him for the gift. But right now I am focusing on Detroit, not where I am going to go. I was surprised by it so I don't know what I am going to do yet."
The Bears started the season
with three new linemen in place from the group of five that didn't miss a
single start last season. Chris Williams has moved from right tackle to the
left side, where he looks to be a fixture for 2010. Frank Omiyale has returned
from a four-game benching at midseason and has played better at left guard. It
looks like the light could be coming on for him. Kevin Shaffer is now
entrenched at right tackle and that could be his spot moving forward. The Bears
projected him as the starting right tackle when they signed him and before
Orlando Pace came on board April 2.
The biggest question is whether 12-year veteran Olin Kreutz returns at center. He has stated publicly he wants to remain a Bear. He's entering the final year of his contract that is set to pay him just more than $3.1 million. If the Bears part ways with Kreutz, Josh Beekman and right guard Roberto Garza would be options to take his place, but it's uncertain whether they can handle the job.
They all will be able to get away starting next week, courtesy of Cutler.
The biggest question is whether 12-year veteran Olin Kreutz returns at center. He has stated publicly he wants to remain a Bear. He's entering the final year of his contract that is set to pay him just more than $3.1 million. If the Bears part ways with Kreutz, Josh Beekman and right guard Roberto Garza would be options to take his place, but it's uncertain whether they can handle the job.
They all will be able to get away starting next week, courtesy of Cutler.
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Guess you were wrong about Jay Cutler in the lions game jk80906. Idiot, maybe from now on you should just wait for the game to end before you give any predictions so u dont make yourself look so stupid again. Jay Cutler Team Leader You Put Peyton manning behind that O line Cutler Had he would have been in the same boat.
The Chubby One is making $20mil for being the 24th best QB and spends a couple of thousand on plane tickets and you low class humps all praise himas a "classy guy" and a "great qb"????
Sad, pitiful and really shows the ludicrous state of Bears football.
The guy is a bum, a punk and will never be more than Jeff George on a good day.
And btw, he won't show up tomorrow while the miserable Lions beat you sad butts.
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This is one of the best lines in football, they can both run and pass block and are great at moving the pocket. The Saints O-Line is a zone scheme, so lets compare them to the Bears.
LT Jammal Brown 6-6 313, an All Pro tackle can both pass and run block well. Injured this year, bears took Benson ovr him in the draft.
OT Jermon Bushrod, 6-5 315, has filled in really well for Brown, nasty run blocker and a good pass blocker. The future RT for the Saints.
LG Carl Nicks 6-5 340, a good run blocker, solid pass blocker. Used to play tackle and is athletic for his size.
C Jonathan Goodwin 6-3 318, a good line Captain solid over all player.
RG Jahri Evans 6-4 318, the best guard in the game, a beast at run blocking, and a strong pass blocker, athletic like all the Saints O-Line. This is the guy they run behind.
RT John Stinchcomb 6-5 320, a reliable player, not special but solid and smart, good run blocker but will be replaced by Bushrod next year.
This is a zone line, they have good size and are athletic.
This is the Bears line and is a man blocking scheme which requires size, power and explosion.
LT Chris Williams 6-6 315, an athletic player but has not played well. His best game was against the Vikings but he had a lot of help and still gave up a sack and two hits. Moving however helped the Bears to be able to move the pocket. Cannot play on an Island, is a catch blocker and gets little push off the line, lots of penalties. He is a big question mark for next year, he will never be great but he could become decent in the right scheme, rated as one of the worst tackles in football this year. Still he has upside and may just need some good coaching and a new scheme.
LG Frank Omiyale, 6-4 315, a former tackle he is athletic but has shown little talent for the position, struggles in the run game and plays off balance, has decent size but is better suited to zone blocking than drive blocking, he gets little punch and is not suited for the power run game. May not have much upside.
C Olin Kreutz 6-2 290, a smart player who plays with leverage, athletic and plays low. Struggles with snaps to often because he plays so low and penalties have been a problem his whole career. Was always better suited for zone blocking and has openly stated he likes doing it. Small for the position. Getting long in the tooth
RG Roberto Garza 6-2 300, a veteran player and has been decent. Does not stand out in any catagory, small for the position and struggles against upper end talent like most of the line. Past his prime and heading for the downside of his career.
RT Kevin Shaffer 6-5 318, a decent player but is really more of a solid backup. A decent run blocker. Will be 30 this year and has started 115 games, is in the downside of his career.
So the Bears Man line is not only smaller than the zone line of the saints, its much older and less talented, it also does not have the depth. So the question is why would you play man with a line that is undersized and athletic. Also they need to address age and depth. Switching schemes next year would probably help make this line better but it will never be an elite line as it lacks the talent and more than half the line is past its prime. Elite lines win Super Bowls, decent lines get a wildcard, bad lines go home on Tickets paid for by their QB.
I was amazed by Cutler on Monday night, where has he been all year. Still making some errant throws, but overall a stellar effort.
I agree a few one way tickets for Turner, Lovie and Angelo would be good, lets see what news comes up on Monday after the Bears season ends. I hope they announce the changes then.
Creighton, Kubiak would be good as a Offensive Coordinator but would he take it? I think Weis may be pretty good as well, offense was never a problem for Weis, he just was not a college coach, not a recruiter, he is far better suited for the NFL.
Just think, if the Bears can somehow find a stud offensive guard, a true number #1 receiver and a good complimentary back for Forte. The Bears offense could be pretty good next year. Hester needs to be a slot receiver and be placed back on both kick returns and punt returns, with Knox and Bennett at the Wideout and Aromoshodu and the next great receiver at Flanker.
Defensively, get a free safety and stick with him, more line help and lets see. Defense may be OK with better coaching.
Gotta be gone, Turner and Lovie with Angelo on a two year hangmans knot, produce or get hanged.
Good for Jay, but if they had played better it would have been Cartier Watches, Cutler is loaded. You know its not that Cutler can't pass in the pocket, he actually can, its just even in Denver his lines where never that great at creating pockets. Denvers zone line was really good at moving the pocket and thats what they did and thats what they have been doing for a long time. Chicago should be good at creating a pocket sense they use a man scheme most of the time, but their not because half the guys on the line or more, are built for a zone scheme and lack the size and explosivness for drive blocking. Williams, Omiyale and Olin are all built for zone blocking and don't have the size for a man scheme in fact if you look at the Bears line its pretty small compared to the other power running lines in the nfl, in fact its smaller than a lot of zone lines as well.
If Kubiak is let go from Texas, I hope the Bears get him as the new OC, Martz would be a disaster. Kubiak would switch to a zone scheme and that would really help out this team, he also knows the same system Cutler used in Denver and is really good at running it. In the long run I think this year will be a good learning experience for Cutler, he took his lumps and my guess is he will be better for it. Because after this year he really will appreciate a good coach, a good line and good recievers and hopefully he will be less inclined to take as many bad mistakes or high risk plays. He really just needs some good coaching and better game plans everything else is their. As for people wondering how smart he is, he had 3.0 at Vandy, while being the QB of the football team.
I said early on that the season could hang on the development of the O-line. It did. The question is whether things could have been any better if the coaches had made these position changes sooner. I think so.
hey theres 5 OL so why would he buy 4?Do you know the sport Football>?
Airline tickets to where? Fargo, N.D.?
so, with the season nearly over, can someone please point out to me ANY example of jay cutler being a cry baby? all i've observed is class, on and off the field, and a great respect from his teammates...
by far classier than that whining, bush-league of a cry baby over in san diego...i'm just saying.
Jay will be a great QB over the next 8 years, we need a new coacing staff and a few new players.
If it wasn't for your legs the offensive line would have given up double your sack total. I would have given them a tape of your old team Denver offensive line on how to keep you up right. Worst offensive line in football!!
"They all will be able to get away starting next week, courtesy of Cutler."
Now THERE'S a sentence with a real double meaning! Yes, he bought them tickets, and he's also largely responsible for them having a lot more time off by not making the playoffs.
Were they all round-trip tickets?
classy move by a great QB. Rest up & enjoy this offseason & hopefully next year the offense will be a huge threat because the potential is there. No matter what anyone says the Besrs are a much better offense with Jay Cutler & the dividends will payoff in 2010 wait & see.
This gentleman has CLASS! It is not so often that QBs thank their offense linemen for the hard work at the end of a bad season.
Jay, now i know you have healed from all those hits, but now you don't have to say any thing nice Now. you line sucked, you were told to stand in the pocket and be a pocket passer, which you not, you need to move the pocket, you threw interception because your line could not protect you, at least 10were the lines fault. another 6 were the recievers fault. so please next year, who ever is your offensive cordinator is, don't listion when they tell you to stand in the pocket, please, can you do that for a brother!!! keep the pocket moving. your not kyle ortin or rex grosman.
Jay
very nice, especially when you were on your butt
half the time. Hope next year gets lots better!!
Mandy
Nice to hear. Now buy a pair of one-way tickets for Angelo and Lovie.