Drunken point makes sense. Fangio owes this team nothing, its his last year. He hates John Fox, they've had problems. He can easily get a more comfortable DC position with job security, interviews for HC gigs in the NFL, and a definite spot as a HC somewhere if he wanted to try the college game. And its one thing I miss about Lovie that I grade him above Fangio in this respect. Turnovers. Lovie's guy went for the ball, the strip--they changed the game when there was no momentum from Jay Cutler, his last QB and his predecessors. The peanut punch, shit like that. Fangio has the scheme there's just no urgency for that. Its urgency for form tackling by some and dipshit tackling by others, which leads me to conclude Fangio prioritizes technique--and that's not bad, but technique doesn't account for guys who understand assignments and to play the ball in respects to their individual play assignments. Lovie's guys swarmed to the ball, Fangio's doesn't seem to nearly as much. I just wish that technique could concurrently exist with a punch or some kind of attempted displacement of a ball carrier's grip. I get that's a little unfair to Fangio because Lovie has had a couple outstanding, hall of fame players and damn fine role players whereas Fangio has had not so good personnel, and average ones look okay from time to time. I like Fangio's schemes, but I think just as good if not better, more modern 3-4 candidates are out there. Plus a likely new HC is going to want his guy. And unless that's Jim Harbaugh--which isn't happening--I'm pretty sure Fangio understands that and has had his resume polished for months. I don't know if I miss a 4-3 or not. I think with some better personnel and a competent DC the 3-4 could be fun here. Guys in college aren't playing as much to be prototypical 4-3's, its normally lighter like a lot of edge rushers. Guys up to 290-300 in college are getting to 250-260 and being edge rushers. I remember a few years back a few of us wanted Whiteney Mercilus from U of I. I recall we wanted him as a 4-3 DE, but he got lighter, dropped the weight and now plays edge for Houston. Chandler Jones has changed his game too, and he's still pretty fucking excellent. Plus really smart 4-3 Mikes don't come around, if much. After Kuechley.......Eric Kendricks on Minnesota? Athletes in college and high school are playing to be aggressive, blitzing to contact to shedding contact with technique players. Guys lighter so they can use speed to get around a 330 lb mountain of flesh. College and HS games speed is so much more a factor for a pass rusher than your traditional moves. Good luck finding a 4-3 DE you don't have to alter from a guy in another position. Not saying it cant be done.
Also, I think the bears are closer to being a 3-4 than a 4-3 right now. While again, I'm not sure how to feel about this--but I think Pace's plan this offseason will revolve mainly around coaching changes, which will dominate the conversation--but I'm going to be interested in the personnel, where I hope it isn't another baby steps of crap small to mid signings and finding that one okay guy who isn't a starter on a good team. Much has to happen before I'll speculate further. There are a few positions that needed overhauling a year ago. QB so far is checked off the list. TE ideally for now, Oline too (just get Leno some help against good pass rushers), RBs are set. Fix the damn receiver position. I know if it were easy enough to have a solid 1-5, it'd be done, but give me some new blood entirely. I'm tired of waiting for the Kevin White we're not going to see. I'm tired of Bellamy's tease ability as a WR and then shit decision maker elsewhere. Stop trotting out Deonte Thompson. Wheaton can go too. I obviously wont expect perfection, but its heinous in Pace's tenure here, just the neglect of that position. If you're trying to copy the Saints model (though I think Pace is more copying Seattle's, but both models are close), shouldn't the position be prioritized in either way you're trying to emulate? I'd rather see guys come in off the streets than let Josh Bellamy get 10 reps per game. Seattle, they're good because they do one thing I wish the bears could find more success/possibly do more. The Gm, John Schneider and that weasel, Pete Carrol both constantly, like a revolving door take guys off the streets in at workouts, sign them, and play. It's how they found guys like Doug Baldwin, Thomas Rawls, Jermaine Kearse, Gary Gilliam, George Fant, Desean Shead, and others in prior years I can't think of. 2 starting OTs, Two WRs each capable of being a top 2 option for a QB, and a starting DB, and a RB. Michael Bennett was undrafted by seattle in 07, but bounced around before he came back for a 2nd stint in Seattle. I wish Pace would hit on guys like that more. Other teams can and have found success with undrafted guys. I don't follow too much around the league, but it doesn't seem everybody does that as much as they should/could in the brief google search I did for teams trying out players, and the bears' last documented one (Outside Aguayo and another kicker trying out last week) was in early September, DBs and WRs mainly. 17 tried out, one 5 Tech signed with the PS, Mike Purcell.
