Ten questions for the Bears looking ahead to Matt Nagy's first training camp

[Visionman]

And even knowing that, some don't expect serious improvements on offense this year...

 

[TexasBearfan]

And even knowing that, some don't expect serious improvements on offense this year...

how many times did we see run run pass and then he got his butt blitzed off on 3rd down? They let him throw on 1st and 2nd down against Cincy and look what happened

 

[TheWinman]

1. Is Mitch Trubisky the real deal? Every major decision the organization has made since selecting Trubisky second in 2017 has been based on building the franchise around him. There’s reason to believe he’ll be a great fit with Nagy, but there’s also a ton of unknown with Trubisky coming off a rookie season in which he threw seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The significance of his development cannot be overstated. Not too worried here. Everybody sees the good mechanics, the willingness to learn and study plus he has the tools. Averagethetghe floor for him and the ceiling for him pro bowl material.

2. Can the Bears finally stay healthy? Andre Tucker was hired as the new head athletic trainer and Jason Loscalzo as the new strength and conditioning coach. They’ll be charged with maintaining a healthier roster because the most important ability is availability. The Bears had 16 players on injured reserve last season and were forced to juggle at wide receiver, offensive line and outside linebacker. Twenty-one players landed on IR in 2016, and it’s impossible to think about the Bears making major improvements if they aren’t much healthier. Legit concern! Sometimes teams are just snake bitten with bad luck. we will see if a different routine and program provides healthier results.

3. Is there enough talent and depth at outside linebacker? Pace will likely acknowledge the position needs some overhauling in the future, and the evaluation begins with former first-round draft pick Leonard Floyd. He didn’t look particularly smooth with a large brace on his right knee in minicamp, but the hope is he’ll shed the device before the season. This probably isn’t as big of a roster issue as some make it out to be, but it’s worth watching and Floyd is the key. Another legit concern. I would like to see him play 16 games in a season

4. Can Allen Robinson regain form? The high-dollar wide receiver will be more than 10 months removed from tearing the ACL in his left knee. The Bears are paying him as a legitimate No. 1 receiver, and he’s expected to be full go when camp opens. Sure, Robinson will likely be afforded some days of rest here and there, and total recovery from ACL injuries is commonplace. Still, Robinson needs to prove he’s back, and sometimes players aren’t all the way back for 18 months or so. Not much concern here. He is young and in this day and age, players come back from this injury fine. He is a #1 receiver and will show us that.

5. Will the secondary have stickier hands? The Bears set a franchise record for fewest interceptions in a season with eight in 2015, then tied it in 2016 and ’17. The turnover ratio wasn’t out of whack a year ago because the defense proved particularly efficient at recovering fumbles. Ideally, the number of picks doubles, which might happen if the offense can provide some leads. Of course, this is a concern. Lack of playmakers, the scheme or both. One good thing, the odds of not imnproving after three franchise worse years, is pretty slim if you ask me

6. Is Jordan Howard a good fit for the scheme? Howard might not be ideal for Nagy’s offense given his struggles catching the ball out of the backfield, particularly last year. The Bears need to tailor what they do to the strength of their players, and Howard has a chance to make his future with the organization Howard is the future of the organization or else they would have traded him or drafted his replacement this past offseason. As I have said many times, many of his drops were due to not seeing the ball into his hands. This problem is the easiest of the dropsies issues to fix, IMO He will be fine and be an integral part of the passing game while he keeps up his usual superb running.

7. Can Kyle Fuller replicate an outstanding season? The Bears matched the offer sheet Fuller signed with the Packers — $56 million over four years, including $29 million in the first two — and now he has to live up to that contract. The Bears weren’t sure what they would get from Fuller entering last season in what looked as if it would be his final year with the team. Fuller is the fifth-highest-paid at the position with an annual average of $14 million, so he needs to be elite I need to see it in back to back years before I'm convinced he is the real deal. My guess is he won't be quite as good as last year, but will still be solid.

8. Will right guard Kyle Long return healthy and remain healthy? A grisly ankle injury in 2016 and a shoulder injury that dates to the 2016 preseason have hampered Long. Nagy expects him to be full go when camp begins, and the Bears need some continuity on the offensive line as they sort out what to do at center and left guard. Huge concern!!!!!! Injuries are now part of the seasonal worries with Long. He started his NFL career a little later than most and I feel because of the beating and injuries he has taken, his body is old for his age,We probably have seen the best of Kyle.

9. Is Trey Burton ready to be a playmaker? The Bears were one of many teams pursuing the former Eagles tight end in free agency, projecting a big uptick in production. He went from third on the depth chart in Philadelphia to the seventh-highest-paid player at the position with an annual average of $8 million. Burton has been healthy throughout his career, and Nagy instantly identified him as an ideal fit for the “U” position. Now Burton needs to produce. No worries, he made plays last year and he was behind Ertz on the depth chart. Hard to rack up big numbers behind Zach. He will be fine

10. How will Nagy juggle play-calling duties with being a head coach? His experience calling plays in the NFL is limited to the final month of last season with the Chiefs, and now he’s going to do that full time and be the top man on the sideline. There will be an adjustment period. No worries, this guy is ready. It is his system, he knows how to call the plays in it.

-Brad Biggs

My agreement or disgareements above

 

[Tostada]

he threw 4 in one game so I'm actually not all that worried about his INTs...I'm just saying writing an article and stating that he ONLY threw 7 TD's under John Fox is kind of a sham....because he really wasn't cut loose until the final 2 or 3 games....he wasn't throwing to all pros..he was throwing to Bellamy and our best WR at the end of the season was the Chargers number 4 or 5

Yeah I saw a tweet last week or the one before, where some guy managed to find the breakdown of "2017 pass % on 1st & 2nd down with score within 7 points". I believe it excludes the 4th Q, guessing because some teams fall behind and their play calling is forced into mostly passing.

But surprise, surprise, Chicago Bears were dead last and it's not even close... Just change this one stat, and you'll see a much improved offense. (Also fuck Fox and Loggains, this is unacceptably shitty and predictable).

https://twitter.com/benbbaldwin/status/1002540971471659009

I thought it was worse.....

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

I thought it was worse.....

The equivalent of "meirda de vaca"

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

And even knowing that, some don't expect serious improvements on offense this year...

I am unaware of any who don't expect improvements on the offense. I am aware of a lot who are nervous about Nagy's inexperience. I know there a lot of posters here not expecting huge improvements in the win column. But I think everyone - even halftime and Alpha Male - is expecting offensive improvement overall.

Also, it is a logical fallacy to assume that a more balanced, less predictable approach guarantees improvement in production. It does not. It leads to a better chance of improvement. It leads to a greater likelihood of improvement but does not guarantee improvement as many are implying and some are outright claiming.

I get that I am being a bit pedantic but that also kind of ties in with why some posters here are still not too optimistic yet.

 

[SugarWalls]

I am unaware of any who don't expect improvements on the offense. I am aware of a lot who are nervous about Nagy's inexperience. I know there a lot of posters here not expecting huge improvements in the win column. But I think everyone - even halftime and Alpha Male - is expecting offensive improvement overall.

Also, it is a logical fallacy to assume that a more balanced, less predictable approach guarantees improvement in production. It does not. It leads to a better chance of improvement. It leads to a greater likelihood of improvement but does not guarantee improvement as many are implying and some are outright claiming.

I get that I am being a bit pedantic but that also kind of ties in with why some posters here are still not too optimistic yet.

The thing that’s so annoying about this whole mentality though is you could have this opinion on anything. You legitimately cannot be wrong by saying ‘I’ll wait and see’ instead of making a prediction. Yet a bunch of people are on here acting like they are soooo smart with this mentality.

There are legitimately no off season moves that would GAURUNTEE the bears would win more games. The bears could have signed Aaron Rodgers and that would not gauruntee the bears win more than 3 games.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

The thing that’s so annoying about this whole mentality though is you could have this opinion on anything.

True. And I tend to have this mentality on everything from religion to politics to things that really matter like sports and best cooking methods for various meats.

You legitimately cannot be wrong by saying ‘I’ll wait and see’ instead of making a prediction.

True again. Yet I cannot be legitimately "right" either. When one is in this mindset they kind of let all that shit go. If you cannot do it consistently cause it's in your DNA to go out on a limb and make a prediction, that's cool. To each their own.

Yet a bunch of people are on here acting like they are soooo smart with this mentality.

I haven't seen much of it but I'm not here too often. I'll take your word for it and concede that they are here but so are the ones who predict success and then defend the upcoming success as if those who don't share their vision are obviously blinded. Their predictions morphed into a foregone conclusion. Those posters that hoist the GM prematurely for a legitimately great offseason and have said already that wins and losses this coming year don't matter because it is a new coach with a new system and players and coaches need time etc. Is it "sooooo smart" to push back on that position? For myself, that is what I have done posting here.

There are legitimately no off season moves that would GAURUNTEE the bears would win more games. The bears could have signed Aaron Rodgers and that would not gauruntee the bears win more than 3 games.

Agreed wholeheartedly. This leaves only predictions and while you may see posters who go all in and make predictions as somehow noble, I see it as neutral. Some like making predictions, others do not. I see no problem with either as you seem to imply here.

On a side note that I found very interesting and kind of fits here, ... I live in southeastern PA and driving home from work I was listening to local sports talk. This caller was bragging how he knew the Eagles were Super Bowl bound WEEK 3! He went into considerable detail about the game and the context so I tend to believe he was genuine, but it strikes me that he has done this many times before especially in the Reid/McNabb era.

Guys like me know that our predictions are worth nothing and we will shake out being just as wrong as right and so we just don't waste time in the irrelevant speculation. Like I said, lots of posters here LOVE making predictions and that's great. I also read through them myself and enjoy the banter here immensely. Cheers and Go Bears!

 

[Starion]

I am unaware of any who don't expect improvements on the offense. I am aware of a lot who are nervous about Nagy's inexperience. I know there a lot of posters here not expecting huge improvements in the win column. But I think everyone - even halftime and Alpha Male - is expecting offensive improvement overall.

Also, it is a logical fallacy to assume that a more balanced, less predictable approach guarantees improvement in production. It does not. It leads to a better chance of improvement. It leads to a greater likelihood of improvement but does not guarantee improvement as many are implying and some are outright claiming.

I get that I am being a bit pedantic but that also kind of ties in with why some posters here are still not too optimistic yet.

I totally agree & appreciate making that point, but it's kind of unnecessary. Not sure who is outright claiming beyond the WTH for shits & giggles early predictions & prognosticators in the media who are never called out when wrong, but always brag when eventually right later.
Most of us know there are no guarantees in sports beyond fixing games.

This is the age-old "addition-by-subtraction" theory, which for good/bad applies in many areas to this new rebuild, new coaches, scheme, and hopefully subsequent health of the roster.

 

[Starion]

COPY & PASTE this & replace my answers with yours if you want to leave a cleaner response to the OP. Much easier for use to read & won't need to waste time on color changing your 10 answers with topics bolded.
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1. Is Mitch Trubisky the real deal?

TBD - all the signs seem positive so far. Low TDs last year were a result of 32nd rank WRs & terrible coaching/coord.

2. Can the Bears finally stay healthy?

Addition by subtraction here. Fox had very high injury rates in DEN & CAR beforehand. I didn't realize how badly his teams have always been injured. Makes sense now that it's more than just terribly horrible bad luck.

3. Is there enough talent and depth at outside linebacker?

Perspective here guys. Had top 10 D. last year DESPITE shit off = league high snaps, and lots of starters injured. Kwat in at ILB for a good spell & they still did fine. Only better now. I do understand concerns of losing some pass rushers, but I expect a few new faces including Smith to add some unpredictable & effective pressure, while the ability for nearly ANY of the front 7 to drop into coverage is also now there. They dropped the slower guys who couldn't. Can really mix up the stunts & blitzes more now. It's about fit & I'm optimistic because Fangio has done it before.

4. Can Allen Robinson regain form?

Common injury with high success rate of full recovery. Physicality is the only question here & it's unlikely to be an issue.

5. Will the secondary have stickier hands?

Did they drop a lot of INTs last year? Yes, more TOs will come with better O, if playing with a lead. Increased pressure needed...see #3.

6. Is Jordan Howard a good fit for the scheme?

He had a higher drop %, but didn't drop a shit ton of balls IIRC. Should be much easier to trust this O vs. before when they passed within 5 yards ALL. THE. TIME. So release & drop down passes to RBs were sniffed out a lot more than I expect will be coming in '18. Howard should be more free is what I'm saying.
What I'm hearing is the zone-blocking fits his running style very well, which matters far more than the occasional pass catching opportunity.

7. Can Kyle Fuller replicate an outstanding season?

He better.

8. Will right guard Kyle Long return healthy and remain healthy?

Long has said as much. He's not one to proclaim lies. He just won't talk about it, like he's done when playing hurt or less than 100%.

9. Is Trey Burton ready to be a playmaker?

Hope so. Have Shaheen too. Expect a lot of 2TE, even some 3 TE sets.

10. How will Nagy juggle play-calling duties with being a head coach?

Nagy's been calling his own plays since over a decade ago in Arena league for 5+ teams IIRC. Dude's been a coach on the field forever now. It's his bag.