By Brad BiggsPart 4 of a 12-part series
There are a couple things that make the idea that Lovie Smith could turn to Rod Marinelli to be his next defensive coordinator interesting.
The first is that Marinelli might not be interested in that role. He turned down a chance to go to the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive coordinator last season, and his agent Frank Bauer (who also happens to represent Smith) said last week at the Senior Bowl that he didn't think it was a job Marinelli wanted.
Also consider that Marinelli was hired a year ago by Smith to fix the defensive line. A strong case can be made that the job hasn't been completed. Now, Marinelli can only work with the talent that he has, but the Bears still are not where they need to be on the line. Taking the man Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo widely believe to be the best line coach in the league away from that task could raise more questions about the defense.
Photo: Marcus Harrison could be the key to the Bears' improvement on the defensive line. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty)
It all starts at the point of attack, and with that in mind we
present the fourth installment of a 12-part daily breakdown of the
roster.
Defensive tackles
Roll Call: Anthony Adams, Dusty Dvoracek, Jarron Gilbert, Tommie Harris, Marcus Harrison, Israel Idonije, Henry Melton, Matt Toeaina.
2009 overview: Here's one of the most common things said about the defense over the last two-plus years: If Tommie Harris can regain his Pro Bowl form, it will instantly make the rest of the defense better. If, if, if. It's unrealistic to think Harris will be the player the Bears were banking on when they signed him to a $40 million extension two years ago, a contract that has an actual value that is considerably lower. Now, that's not saying Harris was ineffective last season. In the second half of the season he was more consistent and showed more than occasional flashes of being a disruptive force in the middle of the defense. The problem for Harris, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last spring, was that it took so long to get to that point. There was an awkward benching by Smith in late October at Cincinnati, but Harris was better the rest of the way. Not a Pro Bowl player, but better.
Harrison's season can only be classified as disappointing. He showed up at training camp so out of shape that the team placed him on the non-football injury list until he could get his act together. The Bears talked about Harrison having a first-round grade when they found him in the third round in 2008. If that's the true grade they had on him, then he has badly underachieved. The hope was he could be paired next to Harris as a nose tackle, but he was inconsistent. Anthony Adams was the most consistent and best interior lineman, but given the way he has been treated, expect the Bears to look for an upgrade again. Dvoracek never could provide it and now he's done, out of contract and facing a legal issue in Oklahoma after an alleged drunken incident. Never mind that he never has been able to stay healthy. Idonije turned in a solid season on the inside. Gilbert never really got a chance and neither did Melton. Toeaina was around for depth and rarely had an opportunity.
By the numbers: Doubting the productivity of Adams? He led all linemen with 42 tackles, a distinction that previously has belonged to Adewale Ogunleye or Alex Brown. He made seven tackles for loss, tying him with Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs behind Harris (10) and linebacker Nick Roach (10).
Free agency/draft priority: This depends on what the team decides to do with Gilbert and Melton. If one or both wind up playing end, there is going to be a need for some depth. Dvoracek will not be back. Toeaina is probably a toss-up. The Bears could bring him back, but they haven't played him so why not look for a new part?
Player to watch: Harrison. Sure, Harris is the one who can make the defense go as the under tackle, but Harrison is entering his third season and it's time for the light to turn on. The problem is he has some knee issues that haven't been as well-documented as the one that Harris deals with. The Bears have got themselves into a real mixed bag with some players who have physical limitations. Harrison needs to prove he can be a reliable starter. If he doesn't, his future with the organization can't be long. He's going to be on the hot spot to improve.
Looking ahead: Harris reminded everyone at the end of 2009 that he will be surgery-free this off-season for the first time in three years. That's significant because he hopefully will arrive in training camp fresh and ready to go. Still, the Bears have to be smart with how they use him. He's the motor to the defense.
Bottom line: It's unrealistic to expect the kind of production Marinelli got from his line in Tampa Bay here. The Bears don't have the same personnel and the man can only work with what he has. Still, the Bears have to be much better on the defensive line to make the scheme work and prevent Mike Martz and Jay Cutler from feeling like they have to score 30 points every week.
Next: Wide receivers.
Defensive tackles
Roll Call: Anthony Adams, Dusty Dvoracek, Jarron Gilbert, Tommie Harris, Marcus Harrison, Israel Idonije, Henry Melton, Matt Toeaina.
2009 overview: Here's one of the most common things said about the defense over the last two-plus years: If Tommie Harris can regain his Pro Bowl form, it will instantly make the rest of the defense better. If, if, if. It's unrealistic to think Harris will be the player the Bears were banking on when they signed him to a $40 million extension two years ago, a contract that has an actual value that is considerably lower. Now, that's not saying Harris was ineffective last season. In the second half of the season he was more consistent and showed more than occasional flashes of being a disruptive force in the middle of the defense. The problem for Harris, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last spring, was that it took so long to get to that point. There was an awkward benching by Smith in late October at Cincinnati, but Harris was better the rest of the way. Not a Pro Bowl player, but better.
Harrison's season can only be classified as disappointing. He showed up at training camp so out of shape that the team placed him on the non-football injury list until he could get his act together. The Bears talked about Harrison having a first-round grade when they found him in the third round in 2008. If that's the true grade they had on him, then he has badly underachieved. The hope was he could be paired next to Harris as a nose tackle, but he was inconsistent. Anthony Adams was the most consistent and best interior lineman, but given the way he has been treated, expect the Bears to look for an upgrade again. Dvoracek never could provide it and now he's done, out of contract and facing a legal issue in Oklahoma after an alleged drunken incident. Never mind that he never has been able to stay healthy. Idonije turned in a solid season on the inside. Gilbert never really got a chance and neither did Melton. Toeaina was around for depth and rarely had an opportunity.
By the numbers: Doubting the productivity of Adams? He led all linemen with 42 tackles, a distinction that previously has belonged to Adewale Ogunleye or Alex Brown. He made seven tackles for loss, tying him with Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs behind Harris (10) and linebacker Nick Roach (10).
Free agency/draft priority: This depends on what the team decides to do with Gilbert and Melton. If one or both wind up playing end, there is going to be a need for some depth. Dvoracek will not be back. Toeaina is probably a toss-up. The Bears could bring him back, but they haven't played him so why not look for a new part?
Player to watch: Harrison. Sure, Harris is the one who can make the defense go as the under tackle, but Harrison is entering his third season and it's time for the light to turn on. The problem is he has some knee issues that haven't been as well-documented as the one that Harris deals with. The Bears have got themselves into a real mixed bag with some players who have physical limitations. Harrison needs to prove he can be a reliable starter. If he doesn't, his future with the organization can't be long. He's going to be on the hot spot to improve.
Looking ahead: Harris reminded everyone at the end of 2009 that he will be surgery-free this off-season for the first time in three years. That's significant because he hopefully will arrive in training camp fresh and ready to go. Still, the Bears have to be smart with how they use him. He's the motor to the defense.
Bottom line: It's unrealistic to expect the kind of production Marinelli got from his line in Tampa Bay here. The Bears don't have the same personnel and the man can only work with what he has. Still, the Bears have to be much better on the defensive line to make the scheme work and prevent Mike Martz and Jay Cutler from feeling like they have to score 30 points every week.
Next: Wide receivers.
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Lets cut right to the chase, here and now.
If the Bears are going to pressure any quarterback, they need a push from the middle. Having said that, they don't have any DT who pushes the middle.
Harris is damaged goods. He is running on one leg. Opposing teams know this, film doesn't lie. He is vastly over-rated.
Adams play to his ability. Average at best. Harrison plays soft and uninspired. Usually lazy lineman don't last long in the NFL.
And lastly jumping out of a pool doesn't constitute greatness.
My concern is that Tommie has not come into camp in any sort of shape, whether that is surgery-related, or work ethic. If Harrison and Harris both come in out of shape, or not in peak condition, we will be in real trouble.
If I had to choose, I would put Melton inside, and Gilbert outside. Gilbert should be able to play at 270-275 and be much quicker than what we saw this year, which makes him a solid DE on the left side. Melton is a little shorter, and has good initial quickness, and could be a matchup nightmare inside if he retains his quickness at 290-295. Considering my lack of faith in harris, I think Melton will end up being a significant contributor in 2010.
Idonije was more effective inside, and given his frame and strength, he could play both the 3-tech or the nose. I would like it if the Bears would decide which position he plays, and leave him there. I like the idea of Toeaina rather than Adams at the nose, despite Adams' superior play the last two years. Like most positions on the roster, we are keeping mediocre vets at positions rather than developing young players. Adams is solid, but I would rather take my lumps with Toeaina and Harrison rotating with Harris, Idonije, and a draft pick this year on the inside. For lack of a better way to say it, we already know what we get from Dusty and Adams, and Harris for that matter. We don't know what extended time would give us from Toeaina, and Melton at 3 technique could either be a disaster, or a smashing success. I think it's time we find out which. In nickel, we could use Izzy, Harris, and Melton in a rotation so that we have two disruptive tackles attacking the pocket to push the QB back. Right now, Tommie gets kept at bay and the opposing QB gets to step up and pick us apart.
Just what is so good about this column? With no details about the treatment of Adams, it is gossip, not information. If Lovie, a so called "player's coach," does this to players regularly, and he does, then why don't the "reporters" ask him every single time in a press conference? Why didn't they ask over and over why Aromashodu sat even though the so called "baby" guarterback had repeatedly asked for him? The only guy that gets slammed by our "brave" reporters is Cutler-over and over again. THEY ARE STILL SHOWING THE INANE "MANY FACES OF CUTLER." Give it a rest! and stop protecting Lovie. Oh wait, the brave reporters are protecting themselves and their comfortable Bear access. If Cutler was such a whiner, give me the quotes? What a farce sports coverage is in Chicago!
Good breakdown Brad, I liked the part about `considering how Adams has been treated', seems like we hear that alot with Lovie, look how long it takes some players get to the field if at all? and all the while starting a player thats not getting the job done, yes Harrison to me was the most dissapointing, (forget Harris he should see spot duty) Off the DL topic but look at the Oline, with Olin saying every year how he is in the best shape and is gonna do the best job, hasnt happened yet and now we hear the same thing this year and we all know he and Harris will start again, what a load. Same with Url every year he's the best but even starting last year looking a little better boy Jacobs threw Url around like a wet noodle. Really would like to really see the best players start for a change.
Great article. You brought up good points that the mainstream media never addresses. You must be one of those writers that actually has a brain.
Excellent stuff. You could make a case for Anthony Adams being the best d-line player last season, period. He may not be flashy, but the Bears should keep him. DT has been a problem since 2006 every year.
Great stuff Biggs. How does this content not make the broad sheets?