NightLink: Coach Darryl Drake On the Bears WRs
by Dane Noble on Jul 8, 2009 4:40 PM CDT
18 comments
Earlier, we looked at what we thought we might see from the Bears wide receiver corp in the upcoming season, and a lot of you had some good insights. Now, we get a chance to see what WR coach Darryl Drake thinks about the progress of Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, along with his evaluations of our rookie WRs.
Drake on Hester:
He performed just like I thought he would. He continues to make strides. He’s playing with so much more confidence in everything he’s doing. We’re playing him at every spot. We’re moving him around; he’s doing a lot of different things. The biggest thing you see is the plays that he makes. He and Jay [Cutler] have gotten on the same page with a lot of things. I’m really pleased with his development.
Drake on Bennett:
He performed really well (in OTAs). He was very consistent, which we knew Earl would be. He’s not thinking now. He’s playing fast. He understands what we’re trying to do in the offseason. He understands where he is in formations, and he knows what to do.
He’s heard things over and over again, and right now he’s playing with a lot of confidence. When a guy’s thinking, he’s not confident. And when he’s not confident, he can’t perform up as well as he needs to perform. But right now he understands, he’s confident, and he knows what he’s doing. Even if he does make a mistake, he knows to make a mistake full speed, and that’s the difference; it’s just another year of maturity, another year in the system, and he’s playing uninhibited.
On Rashied Davis' role in 2009:
The role that Rashied had a couple years ago; being a third-down guy, coming in and helping us in certain situations. That’s where he really performed at his best, when he was doing those things. Last year he got thrust into some situations and had to be a starter because of injuries and things like that, but those things happen in the NFL and you’ve got to be able to handle them. Things probably didn’t go as well as I would have liked them to go for him or as well as he would have liked them to go. He needs to do continue to work and be consistent.
Drake also talks about who else could challenge for a starting spot on the roster, and how the rookies are developing. He gave props to Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias, but did not mention Derek Kinder, even though Mayer asked about him (albeit indirectly).
Also mentioned in a favorable light was Brandon Rideau. The guy has been around the Bears system for a while now, and is our biggest target on the roster. We need some size in our lineup, even it is just for situational downs. Training Camp (which starts on July 31st) will be one of the last chances for these guys to make impressions.
0 recs |
18 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
I think that kinder will be puped.
And rashieds play last year has caused the coaches to lose confidence in him. The only reason that he was not released is that he has actually played in a game
When I played I was a triple threat.... Stumble.... Fumble.....Grumble....
by scespy12 on Jul 8, 2009 4:52 PM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
From the horse's mouth
On Hester:
We’re not trying to sell ourselves short. We’re trying to reach for the stars.
I’m excited to see Hester progress a ton this year!
His strengths are his quickness, his ability to get in and out of cuts, and his hands.
Hmm….and a lot of people still think he has questionable hands and isn’t a good route-runner. So much for those notions.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
by propheteer on Jul 8, 2009 5:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Just curious,
do we know if Darryl Drake knows what he’s talking about? His background before coming to the Bears was entirely in the college ranks, which is one of the issues I have always had with Lovie’s staff, and his biggest claim to fame, according to the Bears website, was coaching Roy Williams (not a source of pride in my opinion). He also had some exposure to Hines Ward for a short time when he was in school. With the way our WR’s have played over the years, he might be the Bob Babich of the offense for all we know.
Again, I don’t know that to be true, just asking the question………
by BearFan611 on Jul 8, 2009 6:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
All I know is...
that Hines Ward has tons of respect for the guy, I remember some reporter saying that Drake was a bad coach because the Bears WR core is weak, and Ward jumped all over him, if that tells you anything about the guy.
Also, remember this is the guy who developed Berrian into a solid #2 wideout, I bring this up because coming out of college Berrian was considered a guy who was only speed, i.e. bad hands and terrible routes.
by chase17 on Jul 8, 2009 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Earl Bennett gets talked about eerily similar to how Mark Bradley was talked about
Suffice to say I shall wait until I see actual PRODUCTION on the football field before I draw any conclusions on Bennett. Simply being a freshman wide receiver at Vanderbilt during Cutler’s senior season doesn’t make me conclude he is going to be a good NFL wide receiver.
$136 million payroll for a .500 style ballclub. Good work Jim.
by BLou on Jul 8, 2009 7:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
WHAT?
Simply being a freshman wide receiver at Vanderbilt during Cutler’s senior season doesn’t make me conclude he is going to be a good NFL wide receiver.
What about being the all-time SEC leader in reception, an all-SEC player all 3 seasons he played, only player in SEC history to record 3 seasons of 75 catches or more, and three time winner of Vandy’s most valuable receiver award. He also had at least one reception in every game he played.
Does that do it for you?
by chase17 on Jul 8, 2009 9:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nope, it doesn't
Because there is a laundry list of wide receivers who have done marvelous things in the BCS conferences that have done jack shit in the NFL.
I’ll start to believe in Earl Bennett when I see him do something on the football field for the Bears. Until then he is a big giant enormous fat question mark.
$136 million payroll for a .500 style ballclub. Good work Jim.
by BLou on Jul 8, 2009 10:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
REALLY?
Dude, you aren’t an ESPN anchor, you are just some guy who watches sports over the weekend, as am I. What I’m trying to say is, what is this crap about, until I see him do something for the bears on the football field he is a big fat question mark? Dude, it’s the offseason a time for making wild accusations. But really, lighten up man, nobody likes a negative nancy. Like every draft pick in the history of any sport, I’m going to treat Bennett in the way every fan does, by saying that until Bennett goes onto the field and proves to me that he sucks then I’m going to say he is going to be the answer, the next Chris Carter. Why do you think everyone sits on this website and gushes about the talent of a 7th round pick, heck we even raved about undrafted players. Because we are fans, and that’s what we are supposed to do, you can be a homer, you can be biased, but don’t crush guys who are trying to be positive, that is an asshole move.
by chase17 on Jul 8, 2009 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude's, you're killing my buzz.
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
by Just Dave on Jul 8, 2009 10:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Positivity vs. reality
I have to agree with BLou on this one for several reasons. I truly appreciate your positivity chase, but Bennett really hasn’t done anything for us to come to the conclusion that he’s going to be a productive NFL receiver. First off, he didn’t have a single reception last year. Whether or not that was all his fault or partly the coaches fault, it’s irrelevent. Either way, he was unable to see the field even though the Bears receiving corps was one of the worst in the entire league last season. Secondily, the Bears organization doesn’t really have a great track record when it comes to developing young WRs. I obviously realize Cutler will make everyone around him better, but that’s not a guarantee he’ll help make Bennett become a productive player, especially this year being only his sophomore campaign (you can argue this is his rookie year). With all that said, I’m an eternal optimist of a fan and hope he does have an impact this season. Now, hopefully JA will take out a flyer on Jones just in case.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
by propheteer on Jul 8, 2009 11:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm just saying...
that in contrast to your whole he hasn’t done anything to prove he will be a good receiver argument, their is the other side that says he hasn’t done anything to prove he won’t be a good receiver. You can bring up the whole he didn’t play in his first season, but i truly believe that was more the coaches being hesitant to put in a rookie WR than a nock against his skill.
However, I do like the idea of bringing in Jones for a 1 year deal, he would add an established guy who has good speed and is huge, Brandon Marshall esque you could say.
by chase17 on Jul 9, 2009 2:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I understand
Hopefully he becomes at least a serviceable WR for us!
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
by propheteer on Jul 9, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't crush guys who are trying to be positive?
I and many others crushed Rex Grossman.
I understand your argument, but Earl does have to prove to us that he’ll be good.
I'M A MAN! I'M 23!
by ChiFan13 on Jul 9, 2009 5:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Huge proponent of Rexy
I gave him every chance as a fan, even after his many blunders. I’m on a “wait and see” attitude from now on, no matter who we’re talking about.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
by propheteer on Jul 9, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bennett is a question mark
who has no where to go but up. No catches last season? Then 1 rec is an improvement. I see your Bradley argument because it is a lot of “Well he’s been improving and we’d like to get him on the field” I just hope t doesn’t have the same ending, cut before we saw his true potential.
by GallopingGhost on Jul 8, 2009 11:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bradley
I remember when Bradley was drafted a big point of emphisis was he was a good special teams player, skilled at covering kicks and punts… it was almost as if his WR skills were an afterthought…
Bennett is a receiver and will need to rekindle the chemistry with Cutler
by wiltfongjr on Jul 9, 2009 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know we're not talking about "Wrecks".
Just mentioning “Gross Man’s” name from now on should be like the equivelent of Bartman or that goat is for the Cubs. Anyway as far as the receiving corps, adequate until proven otherwise. I mean we are Bears “Fans” right?
by Big Ike on Jul 9, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
