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Finding Fits for Bears at Senior Bowl

Bears can find ideal system fits for their offense from either Luke Getsy's American squad at the Senior Bowl or from the National team.
Gene Chamberlain|
Finding Fits for Bears at Senior Bowl
Finding Fits for Bears at Senior Bowl

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Chicago Bears

There is no doubt the Bears can gain some insight into players in this draft class at the Senior Bowl.

With offensive coordinator Luke Getsy coaching the American team and three other Bears assistants in Mobile, Ala., this can't help but be the case.

"Tremendous opportunity really the exposure to the player is the main reason it's awesome, but to be able to meet other coaches and then kind of learn from them and then on top of that maybe give them something that that part of it's the best I mean," Getsy told reporters in Mobile, Ala. "The networking part, getting to see good, young coaches and stuff, it's been a tremendous opportunity for sure."

There is talent, and then there is talent specific to a particular team's attack on offense and Getsy gets to see it all close up.

The Bears should find five players in particular on the offensive side of the ball can fit what they're trying to accomplish and they're not all on Getsy's American team.

He'll be facing a few of them besides coaching them. Here are players who could be fits at the Senior Bowl for the Bears offensive style.

WR Rashee Rice, SMU

Sure Rice is a receiver with great stop-and-start ability remimiscent of Dallas' CeeDee Lamb. His 40 time will be watched with great interest at the combine, but the real reason he is a good fit for what the Bears do on offense is because he is a willing and deadly blocker, and even in the running game. Getsy's attack puts a big emphasis on receivers either helping on the edge or downfield with blocking on short passes or runs. It's how Darnell Mooney suffered a season-ending injury. NFL Draft Bible praised Rice's willingness to be physical and to block.

"If I have to put my body on the line to block for my running backs, then that's exactly what I'm going to do," Rice told TheNFLDraftNetwork.com. "I want to see them get into the end zone. It's not just about me scoring touchdowns."

Rice is playing on Saturday for Getsy's team so we'll see how much the Bears pick up on his skills.

C John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota

Another member of Getsy's team and it might appear the Bears have centers crawling out of their ears at Halas Hall. It is true there are plenty of them. But Sam Mustipher is a restricted free agent and as an undrafted player it's essentially saying he's unrestricted because he's not likely to command anything more than the minimum tender. Also Lucas Patrick didn't work out due to injuries and will be in the final year of his two-year deal, and Illinois rookie Doug Kramer never played a down after spending all year on IR. A potentially dominant center, especially one who played in the area at Homewood-Flossmoor, wouldn't hurt the Bears and Schmitz shows one real quality that would make him a fit in their offense. He has tremendous mobility and can play the wide zone

RB Camerun Peoples Appalachian State

He's not working with Getsy's team but their defense will get their fill of him on Saturday. This could be what the Bears need as he's the size of David Montgomery at 224 pounds, yet he displays great breakaway speed. The Bears appear to covet speed in their backs following their wide zone scheme. Being able to make one cut and go at top speed is really what they need. With Montgomery a free agent, it wouldn't be out of the question for them to pursue another back in the draft but it would need to be someone who can run with size and some power inside while also possessing breakaway speed.

TE Payne Durham, Purdue

The history of the Green Bay offense Getsy brought to the Bears doesn't say much for getting two tight ends involved extensively as receivers, but the Purdue tight end is not just a receiver. That may surprise some because of that school's reputation for passing the ball and he did lead all Big Ten tight ends with 56 catches for eight touchdowns, but NFL Draft Bible acknowledge his skill blocking at the second and third levels.

 

T Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

One of the top tackles in the draft, this 6-6, 320-pounder has played strictly at left tackle and has tremendous mobility. NFL Draft Bible says he can block the wide zone scheme and work even the third level defenders, not just the second level. Another player who is on the National team facing Getsy's, he could be the best lineman in the game on Saturday.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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