FO: Pace doesnt know how to build a team

[bamainatlanta]

Josh Allen's Incredible, Inevitable Contract

The Buffalo Bills made the right decision by signing Josh Allen to a humungous new contract. But did they really have any choice in the matter? Also in Monday's edition of Walkthough: thoughts on the Xavien Howard and Darius Leonard contracts, the Bears offensive line crunch, the new Seahawks...

www.footballoutsiders.com

Funny comments about Pace in this article

Injured, But Also Not Very Good

The Bears are dealing with an offensive line emergency. Rookie left tackle Teven Jenkins has a lingering back injury and an unclear timetable to return. Guard German Ifedi is on the PUP list with a hip flexor issue. Fifth-round pick Larry Borom and second-year tackle Lachavious Simmons (Jenkins' primary backup) entered concussion protocol late in the week. Elijah Wilkinson is on the COVID list. The Bears only had nine healthy linemen on the preseason roster as of Friday.

The Bears were in such an offensive malaise during the Mitch Trubisky epoch that I lost track of how bad their offensive line had become. After all, there was little point in trying to analyze the unit's strengths or shortcomings over the last three years when the entire offense was so clearly designed to hide the weaknesses of the quarterbacks. The Bears finished 28th, 28th, 29th and 25th in adjusted line yards since 2017, so it's hard to argue their run blocking was good (though it was strangely consistent). But their adjusted sack rates bobbed from seventh to 23rd based on the effectiveness of the Hide-a-Mitch protocols, and their line was once populated by well-regarded veterans such as Charles Leno, Bobby Massie, and Kyle Long. Those guys are gone, leaving Cody Whitehair surrounded by rookies and Seahawks reclamation projects.

Anyway, Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy will try to protect Andy Dalton and/or develop Justin Fields behind a ramshackle line that isn't likely to be very good even when healthy. This is what having no idea whatsoever how to build a roster looks like.

 

[mattb78]

"Their line was once populated by well-regarded veterans such as Charles Leno and Bobby Massie"

Kind of all I needed to hear about their football knowledge.

 

[Black Rainbow]

Ol' Ponzi Scheme Pace...lol.

It's gonna catch up to him.

 

[Black Rainbow]

Also, I just don't see a big improvement in the run game coming. The interior line doesn't create holes or get any push....and those are our 'good' o-linemen.

 

[PrideisBears]

Our interior line got pushed when the run was actually called more than 10 times a game.

Despite the flaws in this article IMO Pace does need to start doubling down on OL in the next few drafts

 

[Wild_x_Card]

Also, I just don't see a big improvement in the run game coming. The interior line doesn't create holes or get any push....and those are our 'good' o-linemen.

Wait and see game. They did get more push when they went away from wide zone and got into more of a power based attack mid season. Mustifer has also put on 30 Lbs this offseason. I don't expect them to be dominate at all but they should be able to move some people off the ball when running power.

 

[Black Rainbow]

Wait and see game. They did get more push when they went away from wide zone and got into more of a power based attack mid season. Mustifer has also put on 30 Lbs this offseason. I don't expect them to be dominate at all but they should be able to move some people off the ball when running power.

I usually do wait to see the games. A beefed up Daniels coming back should help too.

But if it's going to happen we should see evidence immediately. This group shouldn't get the lame excuse of "needing time to gel." You can either create runs up the middle or you can't.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Despite the flaws in this article IMO Pace does need to start doubling down on OL in the next few drafts

The luxury of having a potential franchise QB on a rookie contract. Makes everything else way easier.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

I usually do wait to see the games. A beefed up Daniels coming back should help too.

But if it's going to happen we should see evidence immediately. This group shouldn't get the lame excuse of "needing time to gel." You can either create runs up the middle or you can't.

Pretty much agree provided they get the right combination of guys out there. If bodies keep falling the first 1/4 of the season could be rough.

 

[Black Rainbow]

The luxury of having a potential franchise QB on a rookie contract. Makes everything else way easier.

Yes, but Pace is going to have to start replacing the aging defense too.

After this draft, I read a lot of, "Pace has addressed the line, and can focus on defense going forward."

We're off to a shakey start...

 

[Anytime23]

CCS, where Trubisexuals dismiss the thoughts of FO and PFF.

 

[SlickWilly]

"Their line was once populated by well-regarded veterans such as Charles Leno and Bobby Massie"

Kind of all I needed to hear about their football knowledge.

I really like Football Outsiders a lot, but yeah, that was a dumb comment.

 

[Penny Traitor]

Pace does need to start doubling down on OL in the next few drafts

I dunno man.

I am starting to get the impression that Ryan Pace does not value the Tackle position as highly as most and this offseason was the biggest investment he plans to make. He'll just probably draft his fifth Center in seven drafts and move onto another late round RB.

 

[HearshotKDS]

Yeah im not sold on the quality of that blurb - but Pace has a trail of not great decisions when it comes to the OL. Until this last draft he basically didnt draft OTs until late day 3 of the draft. He has a habit of going for super bargain bin options when it comes to depth. That doesnt mean he cant build a team, but it means unless/until he changes how he approaches the positions its not likely he will build a good OL. THe optimist in me chooses to believe his drafting OTs is a sign that he is willing to learn/change.

 

[PrideisBears]

The luxury of having a potential franchise QB on a rookie contract. Makes everything else way easier.

Yeah but Pace did the same with Mitch and didn’t value the OL then too

 

[RubberBanMan]

Pace has really never seemed to value the o line which is just absurd. And the defense is aging fast. Really have to hope JJ and vildor (or someone) csn cement themselves at corner bc too many other holes there soon

 

[PrideisBears]

Pace has really never seemed to value the o line which is just absurd. And the defense is aging fast. Really have to hope JJ and vildor (or someone) csn cement themselves at corner bc too many other holes there soon

I think both CBS are legit. We need youth on the DL

 

[Visionman]

If all our OLmen are out all preseason, then it will hurt us. But I’m not worried talent-wise. We should be good. Some people want proven talent at every position or top draft choices, but that just isn’t realistic, or even possible. Young guys and lower picks need to step up on EVERY team in order to have success.

 

[modo]

The luxury of having a potential franchise QB on a rookie contract. Makes everything else way easier.

This is the alpha and omega

 

[Adipost]

"Their line was once populated by well-regarded veterans such as Charles Leno and Bobby Massie"

Kind of all I needed to hear about their football knowledge.

It’s not the FO football knowledge you should be questioning here. Ryan Pace is the one who once made Bobby Massie the 4th highest paid right tackle in the league, Charles Leno the 14th highest paid left tackle in the league, and thereby making the above quoted statement relevant.

So either Pace was completely incompetent and and offered them deals they would never have even come close to matching on the open market at the time, or they had some regard in the league at one point.