Sam Mustipher and the center position

[1000ftditka!]

 

[Montucky]

So what are you guys seeing in James Daniels? Seems like he’s been average or hurt since he got here.

Has had his injury problems and his sophomore season was a slump but early this season he was outstanding. Same goes for his rookie year.

 

[Starion]

Run game was tons better once he got in there and rolling. Not sure why I keep seeing and hearing about Mustipher being a maybe or C being in need of an upgrade?? Every offensive player and coach was raving about Musty's play, knowledge, toughness, and leadership.

Did I miss something about why he shouldn't be the starter?

 

[DB012031]

He still has a lot to prove and is still an unknown.

I really don't understand that comment. That could be said for any recent draft pick. The kid came in, did the job and did it well and deserves to be the starting Center going into next year. There were numerous reports about how Cody consistently struggled with the line calls. Sam, on the other hand, was lauded for his ability to understand what the defense was doing and make the appropriate line calls.

The fact is, with Sam at center down the stretch, the line was the best it had been all year. The middle of our line is now set with solid and cheap players. James Daniels coming back, only makes us that much better. It also allows to not have to immediately draft 2 high round tackles this year (Assuming we keep our picks).

We go with Cody/Sam/(Bars or Daniels) with the interior and if Daniels knocks out Bars, give Bars some run at RT and look for a LT in the draft (or re-sign Ifedi for RT and still draft LT)

Bears need to stop fucking around with what works and fix was is blatantly obvious to everyone else what doesn't work. Right now the Guard/Center/Guard combo works and no reason to tinker with it anymore.

 

[NCChiFan]

Wish we had a situation like this at Tackle.

 

[Tillman33]

Assuming Mustipher has really cool mustache? Really nice ‘Merican Name

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Mustapher does start at the center position.
Neither Daniel's Norway here are capable of consistently making the correct calls at the line.

That was a large part of the problem for the better part of 2019 and 2020, and it's no accident that it suddenly cleaned up when mustapher took over.

Not to mention Sam has been working out with olin kreutz. Olin has been on record saying he thinks the guy is the real deal. And the Olin doesn't say stuff like that lightly.

 

[Montucky]

Mustapher does start at the center position.
Neither Daniel's Norway here are capable of consistently making the correct calls at the line.

That was a large part of the problem for the better part of 2019 and 2020, and it's no accident that it suddenly cleaned up when mustapher took over.

Not to mention Sam has been working out with olin kreutz. Olin has been on record saying he thinks the guy is the real deal. And the Olin doesn't say stuff like that lightly.

Its just draft bias. If Sam Mustipher was a top fifty pick people would be doing backflips, but undrafted free agents have to overcome a bit of a stigma before people buy in.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Decent draft for C's. Pace could pick one up late for depth. Mustipher makes the correct blocking calls but lacks elite physical skills. Line play improved when Whitehair was removed from making line calls, which he absolutely fucking sucked at, and went back to his natural position and started dominating. Find an OT and I dont think the line is such an issue anymore. But it does need more depth.

Overall I do think this is correct. I was tempted to say he can bulk up over the off season, but Sam already has had an offseason. I didn't realize you originally signed with the team in 2019.

He's a great story though. Undrafted in 2019 and signs with the Bears as an undrafted free agent. Gets cut but then sign to the Bears practice squad in 2019.
Gets a futures reserves contract at the end of the season only to have the same thing happen in 2020 where he gets cut and put on the practice squad again.

Finally gets his opportunity when James Daniels has to go on injured reserve, and ran like a mofo with it.

I don't know if he can get even stronger but I'd be willing to bet the Bears invest more it is starter over a practice squad player so maybe he will have access to better things that will allow him to get stronger.

 

[TheWinman]

Former South African rugby player Dieter Eiselen is in the mix also as he switches to center. He is working out with Olin Kruetz . Guy is a beast

 

[Butkus34]

Former South African rugby player Dieter Eiselen is in the mix also as he switches to center. He is working out with Olin Kruetz . Guy is a beast

Would think he would be better suited at guard, you can be the most physical person on the line, but if you don't have the brains to make the line calls and adjustments and to make all those decisions quickly, you will not be a good center. That is one thing that Mustipher has going for him over all the other guys on the team, he gets it mentally and has a good sense of what to call at the line based on what the defense is showing.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Would think he would be better suited at guard, you can be the most physical person on the line, but if you don't have the brains to make the line calls and adjustments and to make all those decisions quickly, you will not be a good center. That is one thing that Mustipher has going for him over all the other guys on the team, he gets it mentally and has a good sense of what to call at the line based on what the defense is showing.

Yup, this.

The line started playing a lot better when they put him in that center. They aren't going to mess with that.

At this point the job is Sam's unless an injury happens, and Eiselen comes in and also makes not only all the right line calls but performs at a higher level.

Otherwise, his best shot is at guard. And with white hair and Daniels already having more weight due to draft status, not to mention the draft picks of hambright and Simmons also at the guard position, Eiselen has his work cut out for him.