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G08 
Joined: 28 Feb 2011 Posts: 6916 Location: World Championsville
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:51 pm Post subject: Bears Claim FB Michael Burton from Lions... |
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IDOG_det wrote: | He's been one of the better fullbacks in the NFL in his time here. He can catch and can be decent on short runs. Though, if over-used in a predictable manner, his short yardage effectiveness can be terrible (see: how he was used here with Joe Lombardi).
As a blocker, he has been really good here. I'm a fan of your OL coach Jeremiah Washburn (I think he was the scapegoat here for things outside of his control), so he should be a fit for your offense. I'm not sure how much you guys will plan to use him, but if used properly he could be a solid contributor. He won't be as versatile as a John Kuhn and he won't go out there breaking off facemask's, but he's a solid lead blocker that gets to the hole in time, gets to the right spot on the defender the majority of the time, and does a solid job finishing his blocks.
If the Lions had any intentions of using a fullback he wouldn't have been cut. He's worth a roster spot for sure, he may even make some contributions on special teams for you guys as well. |
I anticipate Loggains wants to use Burton like Shanahan used his TE in ATL. Lead blocker the majority of the time, but can still pick up cheap chunks of yards in the passing game off playaction or flexing him out to TE. _________________
topwop1 wrote: | My point is you can find a franchise guy like [Derek] Carr in every draft |
"I thought it was a stroke of genius. You give [Pace] an A++++ for the move to get Trubisky. That was magnificient." - Bill Polian |
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Epyon
Joined: 02 Jan 2013 Posts: 449
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, the pass catching factor is definitely a big part of the job for our staff.....
Reports of the Florida FB Stevenson we picked up as an UDFA dropping passes at Rookie minicamp and at OTAs probably led to this move, and probably also assured that doesn't see the final 53.
The next question becomes, would we really use a Practice Squad spot on our backup fullback.... Considering how little we even use a fullback? |
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Madmike90 
 Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 26828 Location: Scotland
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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PFF graded him as the 3rd best FB in the NFL as a rookie back in 2015...I think the Lions just got away from using a FB last season...
I think we keep a FB this year...Howard is reportedly noticeably thinner so we might see some more outside runs and an athletic FB will only help with that. _________________ Adopt-a-Bear...Adrian Amos |
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Epyon
Joined: 02 Jan 2013 Posts: 449
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Madmike90 wrote: | PFF graded him as the 3rd best FB in the NFL as a rookie back in 2015...I think the Lions just got away from using a FB last season...
I think we keep a FB this year...Howard is reportedly noticeably thinner so we might see some more outside runs and an athletic FB will only help with that. |
Yeah I'd agree that we're going to be keeping a fullback on the active roster this year, and Burton should be a lock for that role.
A real interesting side effect of this all is the impact it has on the rest of the RB roster....
Howard is a lock
Cohen is a lock
We are presumably keeping this FB Burton
That probably leaves 1x spot between Langford/Carey/Cunningham..... and Cunningham can catch passes, return kicks, and like actually has decent RB stats carrying the ball.
I actually have trouble seeing how either Langford or Carey even make the team this year. |
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AZBearsFan 
Joined: 04 Feb 2006 Posts: 13187
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Epyon wrote: | Madmike90 wrote: | PFF graded him as the 3rd best FB in the NFL as a rookie back in 2015...I think the Lions just got away from using a FB last season...
I think we keep a FB this year...Howard is reportedly noticeably thinner so we might see some more outside runs and an athletic FB will only help with that. |
Yeah I'd agree that we're going to be keeping a fullback on the active roster this year, and Burton should be a lock for that role.
A real interesting side effect of this all is the impact it has on the rest of the RB roster....
Howard is a lock
Cohen is a lock
We are presumably keeping this FB Burton
That probably leaves 1x spot between Langford/Carey/Cunningham..... and Cunningham can catch passes, return kicks, and like actually has decent RB stats carrying the ball.
I actually have trouble seeing how either Langford or Carey even make the team this year. |
Honestly I think Cunningham became a camp body short of injuries once we drafted Cohen. I think his principal role was going to be KR and now I think Cohen takes that role. Everyone is completely ready to write off Langford too but there's no question he's working to improve this offseason too and in 2015 showed he can be effective if used correctly. A down 2016 doesn't mean he's an easy cut now - he's still a pick by this regime where Cunningham was a minimum contract depth FA addition. Carey has held a lot of favor with Fox the last 2 seasons too - he runs HARD and I think Fox likes that. He's adequate on ST coverage teams too. _________________
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Sugashane 
Joined: 06 Jan 2013 Posts: 3309
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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AZBearsFan wrote: | Epyon wrote: | Madmike90 wrote: | PFF graded him as the 3rd best FB in the NFL as a rookie back in 2015...I think the Lions just got away from using a FB last season...
I think we keep a FB this year...Howard is reportedly noticeably thinner so we might see some more outside runs and an athletic FB will only help with that. |
Yeah I'd agree that we're going to be keeping a fullback on the active roster this year, and Burton should be a lock for that role.
A real interesting side effect of this all is the impact it has on the rest of the RB roster....
Howard is a lock
Cohen is a lock
We are presumably keeping this FB Burton
That probably leaves 1x spot between Langford/Carey/Cunningham..... and Cunningham can catch passes, return kicks, and like actually has decent RB stats carrying the ball.
I actually have trouble seeing how either Langford or Carey even make the team this year. |
Honestly I think Cunningham became a camp body short of injuries once we drafted Cohen. I think his principal role was going to be KR and now I think Cohen takes that role. Everyone is completely ready to write off Langford too but there's no question he's working to improve this offseason too and in 2015 showed he can be effective if used correctly. A down 2016 doesn't mean he's an easy cut now - he's still a pick by this regime where Cunningham was a minimum contract depth FA addition. Carey has held a lot of favor with Fox the last 2 seasons too - he runs HARD and I think Fox likes that. He's adequate on ST coverage teams too. |
Langford isn't effective to me in any facet, especially in comparison to Cunningham. He is just a poor football player. Cunnigham might not be as fast, but has better vision, hands, and special teams value. I don't see any way Langford supplants him other than Pace just forcing a draft pick to stay. Carey at least can break a tackle and fall forward.
Langford might have been picked by this regime, but they turned and cut Fabuluje when they realized he wasn't good enough, hopefully Pace will realize the same with Langford. _________________ 2013 Kyle Long Rookie of the Year Award
Adopt a Bear - Kyle Long (Two Season Streak)
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Madmike90 
 Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 26828 Location: Scotland
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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AZBearsFan wrote: | Epyon wrote: | Madmike90 wrote: | PFF graded him as the 3rd best FB in the NFL as a rookie back in 2015...I think the Lions just got away from using a FB last season...
I think we keep a FB this year...Howard is reportedly noticeably thinner so we might see some more outside runs and an athletic FB will only help with that. |
Yeah I'd agree that we're going to be keeping a fullback on the active roster this year, and Burton should be a lock for that role.
A real interesting side effect of this all is the impact it has on the rest of the RB roster....
Howard is a lock
Cohen is a lock
We are presumably keeping this FB Burton
That probably leaves 1x spot between Langford/Carey/Cunningham..... and Cunningham can catch passes, return kicks, and like actually has decent RB stats carrying the ball.
I actually have trouble seeing how either Langford or Carey even make the team this year. |
Honestly I think Cunningham became a camp body short of injuries once we drafted Cohen. I think his principal role was going to be KR and now I think Cohen takes that role. Everyone is completely ready to write off Langford too but there's no question he's working to improve this offseason too and in 2015 showed he can be effective if used correctly. A down 2016 doesn't mean he's an easy cut now - he's still a pick by this regime where Cunningham was a minimum contract depth FA addition. Carey has held a lot of favor with Fox the last 2 seasons too - he runs HARD and I think Fox likes that. He's adequate on ST coverage teams too. |
I see no reason to keep Carey or Langford over Cunningham. _________________ Adopt-a-Bear...Adrian Amos |
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IronMike84 
Joined: 17 Jun 2009 Posts: 8306
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Strange fact from last season: at some point (end of October or so), the Bears were 4th in the NFL in average rushing yards per game, but 29th or 30th in rushing attempts per game. Meanwhile, Brian Hoyer was throwing the ball 50+ times, and the Bears were losing games in which they were leading or weren't far behind.
What I'm getting at is that I hope the playcalling and gameflow plays to their strengths this season. Based on the offensive line they assembled last season, the fact that they carried a fullback, had Logan Paulsen on the field as a blocking specialist, and drafted Howard, it really seemed like the Bears wanted to be a run-first team. I'm not sure where the disconnect was, but having Hoyer sling the ball nonstop while Howard was ripping off 5+ yards per carry seemed pretty stupid. _________________
Rotoworld.com wrote: | ...internet mock drafts, which have ridiculously become the measuring stick for where players are "supposed" to go. |
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Sugashane 
Joined: 06 Jan 2013 Posts: 3309
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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IronMike84 wrote: | Strange fact from last season: at some point (end of October or so), the Bears were 4th in the NFL in average rushing yards per game, but 29th or 30th in rushing attempts per game. Meanwhile, Brian Hoyer was throwing the ball 50+ times, and the Bears were losing games in which they were leading or weren't far behind.
What I'm getting at is that I hope the playcalling and gameflow plays to their strengths this season. Based on the offensive line they assembled last season, the fact that they carried a fullback, had Logan Paulsen on the field as a blocking specialist, and drafted Howard, it really seemed like the Bears wanted to be a run-first team. I'm not sure where the disconnect was, but having Hoyer sling the ball nonstop while Howard was ripping off 5+ yards per carry seemed pretty stupid. |
At least he had some success at the NFL level. Seeing them force Barkley into 40+ passing attempts repeatedly with the patchwork receiving corps seemed like they wanted to tank. _________________ 2013 Kyle Long Rookie of the Year Award
Adopt a Bear - Kyle Long (Two Season Streak)
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G08 
Joined: 28 Feb 2011 Posts: 6916 Location: World Championsville
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Great read here, pretty much why I am excited about this Burton signing:
https://theringer.com/nfl-offensive-strategy-going-big-a8e0ae117091 _________________
topwop1 wrote: | My point is you can find a franchise guy like [Derek] Carr in every draft |
"I thought it was a stroke of genius. You give [Pace] an A++++ for the move to get Trubisky. That was magnificient." - Bill Polian |
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IronMike84 
Joined: 17 Jun 2009 Posts: 8306
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Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:58 am Post subject: |
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Yet as much as the Bears are being crucified for Glennon/Trubisky, they're also getting ripped for signing Dion Sims and drafting Adam Shaheen when they also have Zach Miller (the national media has completely forgotten about Miller's injury history).
A two-way tight end is a dangerous weapon when teams are loading up on safety-sized linebackers. _________________
Rotoworld.com wrote: | ...internet mock drafts, which have ridiculously become the measuring stick for where players are "supposed" to go. |
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