Bears Like What They See In Craig Steltz

by Adam T on May 6, 2008 10:26 AM CDT Comment 33 comments

Matt Forte was considered the star of the Bears two day mini camp, but LSU safety Craig Steltz made an impression as well.

The 4th round selection drew praise from Bears coaches :

"What we're evaluating right now is in the classroom, and we think he's exactly what we expected," defensive coordinator Bob Babich said. "We think he has an excellent understanding of concepts within the game of football.

"And second, on the field, we're evaluating movement. We've really been pleased with his movement on the field."

Defensive backs coach Steven Wilks agreed.

"Craig is very smart, he picks up things great," Wilks said. "We know Craig can hit. He's physical. I just love his movement and range right now. He's a guy we feel can definitely play [either position]."

The big question seems to be where will Steltz play. He doesn't have a preference and is prepared to play either. With the injury concerns of Mike Brown and the poor play of Archuleta he might get a shot at both.

"When I was in the meeting room Friday, we were talking about the same plays we used at LSU, and at LSU the safeties have to be interchangeable," Steltz said. "With the motion, adjustments, just the way things happen, you have to be able to play both.

"At LSU, I was listed as a strong safety. And here, I might be the free safety. But you're playing both techniques. Whichever one they choose works out great for me."

I've seen Stletz play a few times, but can't really say much about him, but I am starting to like the guy just based on reading about him. He seems to be a real intelligent player, a hard hitter and a guy who just wants to go out and play some football.

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in what world

is archuleta better than manning?

even with brown hurt i don’t see him being the third safety.

by mike b on May 6, 2008 10:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe we found a gem.

I love this guy already. I believe we may have our safety of the future. I won’t be surprised if he starts and plays well by the end of the year. I am being optimistic since I haven’t seen him play yet, but I’m very anxious to see him in the preseason.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on May 6, 2008 10:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Me too

"Don't take anything for granted, because tomorrow is not promised to any of us."

by Twins Territory on May 6, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have been a bit excited ever since

We drafted him. He was on the best defense in the country last year and he led them in tackles. He seems like he has the Bears mentality and if you are a person who believes what ever it is that Mel Kiper Jr. says, I like hearing he compares to Doug Plank and/or Gary Fencik.

by GallopingGhost on May 6, 2008 11:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope he hits hard like they say.

If he is a hard hitter, we really need it. That is one reason why we miss Mike Brown every year. WRs get tenative when they know they might get jacked. Plus they changed the rules so defenders can push WRs out of bounds to cause an incompletion. I miss Chris Harris’s hits. I would be gitty to have two hard hitters on the field at the same time if this guy plays well and Brown was miraculously healthy for a full year. Brown needs to find out who Bob Sanders had to sell his soul to get healthy.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on May 6, 2008 12:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i agree

i miss Chris Harris too. Was watching NFL Replay ( Carolina v/s NE ) Made me miss his play so bad compared to what we had last year. wish we never got rid of him…...what did we get in return?

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Steltz

Hopefully is the next Ronnie Lott after he made the switch fron CB to Saftey.

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zack Bowman

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2958934

"I've got a class (coming in) here, we've got a chance to do some things." --Tom Izzo on why he might not consider the Bulls coaching vacancy.

by tyger1147 on May 6, 2008 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

has 2 bad knees

only reason i think we are talking bout this dude is cuz NE was Targeting him and we stole him….take that Billa-chump.

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay...

...I was just answering your question as to what they got for Harris.

"I've got a class (coming in) here, we've got a chance to do some things." --Tom Izzo on why he might not consider the Bulls coaching vacancy.

by tyger1147 on May 6, 2008 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My bad bro

probibly would had helped that i clicked the link. lol

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

pencil him in at SS

that’s been our achilles heel on defense the last few years. if mike brown stays healthy, great. it’ll be manning and brown, with steltz as the backup. if brown gets hurt as he always does (dude is just unlucky, bunch of freak injuries), i think steltz would be a great starting SS. doesn’t need to be uber athletic, just a decent cover guy and a great hitter and tackler. harris was a great hitter, but missed tons of tackles and couldn’t cover at all. really like the pick, i think steltz will be starting SS soon.

by guy incognito on May 6, 2008 2:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Steltz

Says he mirros his game after Brown,Lynch and Williams….”get to the ball and get to the ball in a bad mood”. I just like the sound of that. It would be awsome to have a decent cover gut that wants to put people in a hurt locker. Black and Blue football.

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 3:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What about Kevin Payne?

If Kevin comes back from injury, he was looking good last year. That would give us 4 quality safeties, assuming they dump Archuleta.

And yes I like the look of this guy so far.

by scy3000 on May 6, 2008 3:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

lovie loves payne

and he has a good chance of starting ahead of steltz

"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"

by leopoldjones on May 6, 2008 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I honestly hope not.

"I've got a class (coming in) here, we've got a chance to do some things." --Tom Izzo on why he might not consider the Bulls coaching vacancy.

by tyger1147 on May 6, 2008 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

why not, he was good before he broke his arm

"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"

by leopoldjones on May 6, 2008 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would mean the Bulls drafted a player they didn't need.

If Payne is as good as Steltz… unless Manning is completely out of the picture (which would make him a wasted pick if he’s not good enough to beat out a second-year 7th round pick (or whatever) and a rookie), Steltz is a wasted pick.

"I've got a class (coming in) here, we've got a chance to do some things." --Tom Izzo on why he might not consider the Bulls coaching vacancy.

by tyger1147 on May 6, 2008 9:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We don't even count Brown as a safety

That leaves us McGowan, Payne, Manning, & Steltz. I don’t they want to lose any of these guys in case they need to move on without Brown next year. So the cut Arch now, and they keep an extra guy for one year to prepare for Brown’s departure. The good news is that the subs will be good special teamers. I know you hate that answer Tyler2r4321.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on May 6, 2008 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do like how you can't comprehend numbers more than 2 digits long.

by tyger1147 on May 7, 2008 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So let me get this straight:

It’s okay to draft a safety for the future, but not a QB? That makes soooooooooo much sense. Your logic is astounding.

by tyger1147 on May 7, 2008 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How hard is it for you to understand

that JA doesn’t do well drafting offensive players. How hard is it for you to understand that we feel better with a spotty offense and a strong defense than a average defense and an average offense. We are drafting to stay dominant at defense. It is not your strategy but it is JA’s and we have had two really good seasons in the last 3 years doing it that way. I suspect this year we will win 10. More if something comes together on offense. Less if we can’t run or pass protect. That is my big question mark.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on May 7, 2008 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not hard to understand.

But if you can’t draft half the players on the field, you need to address it during free agency. Angelo did that before with Miller and Jones and Tait and Muhammed. He has barely attempted that this year with the only significant signing as Booker.

How hard is it for you to understand that you can’t go from one of the worst offenses in all of football in BOTH running and passing to being even average by making only minor additions?

Barring a complete miracle, this team will be in the bottom 25% of offense again this year. There really are no if’s, and’s or but’s about it.

by tyger1147 on May 7, 2008 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and the "two good seasons"

as I implied, involved signing two former 1st round draft picks in Tait and Jones. Show me where they did that this year.

by tyger1147 on May 7, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is off the subject.

We drafted what we felt could start on offense this year, then we strengthened the defense so it would be ready to have a dominant season. That was accomplished.

I have no idea why we didn’t sign at least one FA lineman. That was the big disappointment to me. I’m with you there that there was no way to fix the line, RB, WR, and draft a future quality QB in one draft. Signing someone at OL or even WR or both or two OL would have been a huge help and maybe gave us a chance to pick a QB. My only though is maybe they think they will get a QB or OL after cuts. If it is QB they are looking at Tampa. If it is OL they are just waiting.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on May 7, 2008 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Next year is a FA frenzy.

Especially at Dallas. They have a schlew of good players next year, that will want alot of the money they dont have. Ware is a FA the following year, probibly looking to strike it rich.

by SuperBowlXX on May 8, 2008 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have you seen Steltz, play????

Oh the Bulls, did waste a pick last year, in the 1st round on Noah. Especially after his arrest at UF.
A guy like Craig Steltz doesn’t come around every year. This guy, was not projected to start for LSU and won a starting spot. Plus without him, they would never have played in the National Championship game. They had a couple of close games, where he had big hits that they won. He reminds me of John Lynch. All over the field, cleanign opponents clocks when he tackles them.

by Monsterofthemidway on Jun 3, 2008 4:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You got your wish SCY

Bye bye Archy …...Go to a divisional team so you can screw up like you did with Chicago.

by SuperBowlXX on May 6, 2008 5:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

brown and payne

should start w/ manning then steltz backing brown up and steltz/ mcgowan backing payne up…..eventually it’d be nice to see steltz and payne starting at both safety spots

"URLACHER IS GOD"....."PLAY-MAKERS STAND UP!!!!!"

by Acreman20 on May 6, 2008 4:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Archuleta Released

I thought he would perform better – obviously the Redsksins coaching staff were right.
More room for the youngsters!

by phastphil on May 6, 2008 6:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Archuleta Was

A stunningly dismal failure. My goodness.

Insert clever and witty remark slash pun here!

by ES46NE10 on May 6, 2008 6:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Da Bears best pick came in the 4th and Dreams do come TRUE!!!!!!!

I told my Wife, last November while watching a LSU game. Watch their Safety #16 Steltz, he hits hard, he’s all over the field and wouldn’t it be cool to see him play for the Bears. She said reminds her, of Gary Fencik and the Defense could use a guy like that. Then on draft day, we got him in the 4th Round ( I was jumping up and down yelling when they made the announcement ) and I couldn’t believe no one got him sooner.
Craig’s awesome, don’t see any problem with his speed, reads plays well, hard hitting, creates turnovers, and reminds me of John Lynch.
I guess Lovie & Angelo feel, he’ll start from day one since they cut
.

by Monsterofthemidway on Jun 3, 2008 4:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs