[CBFF] New Bear Fits Into the Scheme of Things

[Tom Shannon]

http://bloggeddrain.typepad.com/cbff/2007/08/new-bear-fits-i.html 

New Bear Fits Into the Scheme of Things

By Tom Shannon
(http://www.myspace.com/the_left_hand_of_darkness)

The Bears certainly had a good week.  Perhaps at no other time this year has
it been so apparent that the organization is in sync from the front office
to the players on the field.  The effective trade of safety Chris Harris for
defensive lineman Darwin Walker was appropriate in almost every way.

Harris was traded away for a 5th round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He will be a loss but not that big of a loss.  Harris was known as a big
hitter but the truth is that big hitting is only a small part of the very
difficult job of a safety in the cover two defense.  More importantly, he
needs to have the instincts to quickly read a play and the speed to get to
the right spot.  Harris struggled to do that at times and he certainly made
his share of mistakes.  In this defense more than most, safety is a position
where a mistake costs the team points.  Don't get me wrong.  Harris was a
good safety.  But he wasn't a perfect fit for the system and there were
rumors for some time that former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera was trying
to replace him.  Harris outlasted Rivera but not by much.

At almost the same time, for a pick in the fifth round the Bears picked up
Walker.  Walker was a replaceable component in the Philadelphia defensive
line but he'll be an extremely valuable asset here in Chicago.  This can,
once again, be traced to the requirements of the cover two scheme where the
ability to pressure the quarterback is at a premium beyond all other skills.

The Bears needed a replacement for Tank Johnson and Walker will more than
fit the bill.  He's a quick, penetrating type of defensive lineman that fits
the Bears scheme perfectly.  In fact, he should be significantly better that
Johnson was, if not as good as line mate Tommie Harris.  

Walker not only adds invaluable depth this year, he's insurance against the
loss of Harris in free agency.  The Bears will, of course, try to pay Harris
a great deal of money.  He should easily be the highest paid defensive
tackle in the league after he signs his contract.  But one never knows what
will happen in these situations, especially with Drew Rosenhaus on the case.
The Bears will have a line across which they will not want to go.  They
don't want to be forced into a situation where they have to meet an offer in
a market which is being set by the whims of other teams.  If the defensive
line is in a state where it will suffer too badly without him, that is
exactly what will happen as they will feel that they have to pay Harris
whatever it takes to keep him.  The acquisition of Walker with the
development of Dusty Dvoracek or the acquisition of another tackle in the
draft should prevent that from happening. He is most certainly not Tommie
Harris but Walker could help stabilize a line that finds itself without him.

All of that is still in the future.  But even so the marriage of Walker with
his teammates appears to be one made in heaven.  And arranged by some very
smart personnel men here on Earth.