[CBFF] CT - Reader Q&A

[Phil DeNomme]

Good to see Gould improving.  I said all last year if he can just get a
little more length on his FG, he'd be a very solid kicker.  His KOs are good
length and hang time.

-----Original Message-----
From: cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com
[mailto:cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Jim Ferolie
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 7:51 AM
To: Bears List
Subject: [CBFF] CT - Reader Q&A

Good stuff from KC here. WHERE IS ALL THE DISCUSSION? I know I'm superbusy
with work, but jeez, people, it's freakin training camp!

Reader Q&A 

Ask K.C. Johnson
The Tribune's Bears writer answers reader questions from Bears camp in
Bourbonnais.

I am a huge Texas Tech fan and loved watching Dwayne Slay play. I haven't
heard much about him but would think with his tenacity he could at the very
least earn a job on special teams. Your thoughts? - Tim, Dallas

My thoughts are they plan to try to convert him to linebacker, which means
they like him as a long-term project but don't feel he can help yet.
Complicating matters is that Slay suffered a hamstring injury and hasn't
been participating in camp. But I can see him making the practice squad.

K.C., don't you think it's a lock that the Bears are going to start Devin
Hester at the punt return position? I understand they're rotating between
him and Bernard Berrian, but Berrian wasn't fantastic at the position last
season, and the Bears spent a second-round pick on a guy who--for now--is
assigned only to special teams. It would be hard to imagine a playmaker like
Hester not getting the nod by Sept. 10, don't you think? -- Mike, Chicago

I do think. Hester surely will get the nod this Friday in San Francisco.
Coaches will be monitoring his decision-making, but I can tell you that the
guy has caught everything in sight, a nice respite from the Bobby Wade
adventures from last season. He's a burner, too. And you make a good point:
With the much improved defensive backfield depth, there is no way he's going
to make the team as a corner. So he has to play a lot on special teams to
justify his roster spot.

Blitz pick-up aside, how would you compare the games of Benson and Jones?
Who's the better receiver, better inside/outside runner, etc.? Also, does
Benson have the burst in the open field that Jones seems to lack? -- Phil
Mayo, Chicago

Benson is described by scouts as deceptively fast. He's one of those guys
whose 40 times might not wow you. But give him the ball and a breakaway and
you might not catch him. I think Jones is a much better blocker and
receiver, although Cedric has definitely made progress in both areas. Even
more so as a pass catcher. He seems more comfortable in his routes and thus
isn't fighting the ball as it comes to him. I do think, for now, that Jones
is the more all-around player. But the Bears need to see what they have in
Benson, which is why this shoulder injury is bad timing.

Do you think Tim Day and Cooper Wallace have a good chance at making the
final roster? A lot of pre-draft rankings had Tim Day in the top 10 tight
ends. What happened that he was not drafted? -- Curt, Warren

The way the Bears touted both players, I was surprised neither player got
drafted. And I'm equally surprised neither will make the team. I can't say
that definitively, but it's not looking good. Neither player has
distinguished himself. Day was supposed to be a solid pass catcher but has
dropped passes. Wallace was supposed to be the steady run blocker but hasn't
cracked last year's trio of Desmond Clark, Gabe Reid and John Gilmore yet.
I'd be surprised if those three TEs weren't the guys.

I don't understand why the Bears aren't interested in either Porter or
Lelie. A 3rd round pick for Lelie seems like a bargain, especially when the
Bears need a 2nd WR. Lelie gives the Bears a deep option to go w/Muhammad
and would help the league's worst offense. -- Scott, Chicago

I think they'd trade for him at the right price. That price just hasn't
happened yet. At first, Denver wanted Thomas Jones, thinking they'd just
swap disgruntled players. But the Bears only would part with Jones if they
got blown away with an offer. Benson's injury underscores the need for at
least two backs. Now, Denver's been asking for a first- or second-round
pick. The Bears reportedly have offered a fourth-round pick. If they meet in
the middle--a third-rounder--it could get done. Don't underestimate what
Bernard Berrian can do, though. He's looked terrific this camp, and the
groin injury he currently has isn't serious.

As I follow training camp as well as I can from Denmark I have a question
about Robbie Gould. Last year his problem was kicks over 40 yards. How has
he fared in training camp from this distance? -- Bjarke Hojgaard, Aalborg,
Denmark

Much better. Robbie is very open in discussing this rare shortcoming from
his surprising rookie season. He knows he needs to improve. He said the
53-yarder that he kicked in the season finale against Minnesota, though
nullified by penalty, really helped his confidence. He seems to have picked
up from there, showing greater accuracy from 40-plus. I don't have exact
numbers, but he ended two straight practices after two-minute drills with
field goals of 40 yards or more.

Hey K.C., I thought the Bears were fed up with the inconsistent play of
Michael Haynes. Is switching him to DT going to make any difference with his
play production? -- Terrence, Chicago

They hope so. The Bears are loaded up front, so playing time is going to be
scarce. But Haynes is back to 280 pounds and, though slowed by a bad back,
has looked decent in camp thus far. He knows he won't be playing much
special teams, so if he's going to make the roster, he has to crack the
defensive line rotation. Stay tuned.

What will the Bears' first play from scrimmage be this season: pass or run?
-- Brian, Oak Park

I'd guess the ol' fumblerooski

Thanks for your questions, K.C. 
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