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Who is to blame for Lions' poor run game, and can ...

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Who is to blame for Lions' poor run game, and can draft fix it?

Started by linlybest, 2018/02/28 03:48AM
Latest post: 2023/06/03 10:29AM, Views: 266, Posts: 2
Who is to blame for Lions' poor run game, and can draft fix it?
#1   2018/02/28 03:48AM
linlybest
There isn't a Bears player with more dollars at stake this season than left tackle Charles Leno.

It's a critically important year for receiver Kevin White, who has been a spectator while injured for most of his first two seasons. Quarterback Mike Glennon is looking to make the most of his opportunity to start without looking over his shoulder at first round pick Mitch Trubisky, who will be pushing to play as a rookie.

Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is aiming to be more consistent after flashing as a rookie. Jordan Howard has set the bar high after setting franchise marks for a rookie running back. Kyle Long cheap jerseys would like to return to a Pro Bowl level as he moves to a new position at left guard after returning from injury.

From a dollars and cents standpoint, none of these players has the opportunity to cash in like Leno, the 2014 seventh round pick who has started the last 29 games. Leno will earn $1.797 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract at a position that commands premium pay for veteran starters.

Consider the annual average salary of the 11th to 20th highest paid left tackles in the NFL a group that includes Matt Kalil, Jason Peters, Duane Brown and Joe Staley will be more than $8.96 million in 2017 and you get an idea of what's on the line for Leno.

The Bears would like nothing better than to be able to extend Leno, 25, as it would show he has earned the faith of the team. It would provide stability at a position at which the franchise has had a high rate of turnover. Since 2000, John Tait is the only left tackle to be the primary starter at the position for three consecutive seasons (2005 07) and J'Marcus Webb has the longest starting streak at 32 games (2011 12). Leno should surpass Webb in the first month of the season.

"We were so fortunate to come into him," said general manager Ryan Pace, who arrived one year after former GM Phil Emery selected Leno from Boise State. "He was one of the brightest spots (on Word Cup: Wholesale NFL Jerseys Online with Free Shipping the roster). He's got great athleticism. He's long. I like Leno a lot. I like his makeup. I like his intelligence. wholesale jerseys free shipping I am so hopeful he will get back on this track (hand motioning skyward) because last year was a little bumpy."

A long term deal for Leno would allow the Bears, who have ample salary cap room for the remainder of this season and projecting into 2018, to direct resources to the many other need areas. Whether the team will engage Leno and his agent Ron Slavin in contract talks before the season remains to be seen. If the Bears wait, the question becomes whether or not Leno is confident in playing out the deal and heading to the open market where big money can be found with average right tackles commanding more than $7 million per year.

The athleticism Pace speaks of is one of the things new offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn the third line coach Leno has had in four seasons is trying to accentuate after a month and a half of the voluntary offseason program.

"He understands I can move very well so when you're out in space, just play football," Leno said. "Don't get caught up trying to be methodical. Play football. Move fast. Get out on people and do what you do best and be an athlete. It's more reacting and less thinking. When you think too much, you get yourself in trouble and you play slower."

Leno has added 10 pounds to his frame and says he still feels light at 310 and wants to play there this season after an offseason working with Dave Spitz at Cal Strength in San Ramon, Calif., and also with former 49ers Pro cheap authentic jerseys Bowl offensive lineman Guy McIntyre. Former 49ers coach Bill Walsh used McIntyre in the backfield against the Bears in the 1984 NFC championship game, and that planted the seed for Mike Ditka to use rookie William "Refrigerator" Perry as a fullback in the 1985 Super Bowl nfl store season.

The Bears almost didn't draft Leno. Francis Saint Paul, now a national scout, was the West Coast area scout in 2014 and called Slavin near the end of the draft to indicate the Bears were interested in signing Leno as an undrafted free agent. Slavin told him he expected to have a more lucrative UDFA deal from the Eagles and said if the Bears didn't draft Leno, he was going to Philadelphia. Saint Paul lobbied Emery and called Slavin back minutes later and said the Bears would select him with the 246th pick.

Leno is excited about being positioned next to Long and says it's going to be "two athletes moving fast in every direction. It's going to be good."

The list of Bears draft picks in the last decade to sign contract extensions is far too short. Whether Leno gets one done or not remains to be seen, but he's certainly in the mix.


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