Aromashodu

by mac30 on Jan 26, 2011 11:35 AM CST

I've been wondering about him all season, and this article talks a little bit about his future, or lack thereof, with the Bears: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2011/01/aromashodu-odd-man-out-in-martzs-offense.html

All season long I've thought that he should see more of the field, not just because he has produced when given the chance, but because he seems particularly well suited as a receiver for Jay Cutler. Cutler has a big arm and a penchant for throwing into tight windows and letting his receivers get up there and make a play. With fast little guys like knox and hester that's not really an option. As as been noted on this blog and elsewhere, knox is personally responsible for a number of Cutler INTs, and many more incompletions are the result of small receivers who can't fight to make a grab.

Now, I don't know if Aromashodu is the guy to fill that roll, but he certainly never got the chance. In part because he's not Martz's type of receiver (and Martz is stubborn enough that until his QB gets pounded to a bloody pulp, he's not going to change his approach) but I'm also beginning to think that Martz is just a really bad evaluator of talent. This has been a weakness of Lovie Smith teams throughout his tenure, but in particular now, after the championship game demonstrated how idiotic it was to have Collins as the backup, I'm thinking that some of that is on Martz too. Lovie's quick pull of Collins makes me think he was never sold on Collins and had him there as a concession to Martz, figuring it was just a backup position. (Admittedly, this is total speculation).

Regardless of whether Aromashodu end up sticking with the Bears, I think the Bears are going to need to get a big physical receiver like him if they want to put Cutler in a position to succeed. Play to the strengths of your personnel - not to an idealized scheme or philosophy.

This FanPost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member, and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.

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Hmmm...

Play to the strengths of your personnel – not to an idealized scheme or philosophy.

Agreed.

Martz is just a really bad evaluator of talent.

Not so sure about that.

As T-Train has pointed out multiple times and I’ve told my buddies, Indianapolis let they guy go. They’re one of, if not the best team in the league at evaluating WR talent. The fact they didn’t want him and Martz never felt compelled to have him play significant PT is enough for me. If he comes out during the off-season and beasts it up and earns a starting spot, awesome. If we cut him, that’s fine by me.

WILDCARD BITCHES!!! YEEEEHHHAAAAA!!!!!

by Acreman20 on Jan 26, 2011 12:48 PM CST reply actions

True - and mostly why I've reserved judgment

but the Collins situation – where he was so clearly Martz’s guy – has me thinking this may be more on Martz than anything else.

Maybe better than saying he’s a bad talent evaluator, say instead that he prefers his TYPE of guy (veteran QB, quick-shifty WR) to the detriment of players who don’t fit his mold, but might be more than capable of contributing…

by mac30 on Jan 26, 2011 2:58 PM CST up reply actions

I hate to defend the Collins thing....but.....

I am not in any way int he “Know” as far the the Bears coaching staff goes. But I would make a bet on why Collins was the #2.

He knew the system. Now, that’s not ground breaking news, I know. But let’s take this a step further, shall we?

This was the first year in which Martz would impart his complex offense on the Chicago Bears. The toughest position to learn this offense from? The QB position. Enter Jay Cutler. Jay is now entering the third system in the past three years, He has to be untaught, retaught and adjusted. and the coaching staff is on the hort seat, so this hugely complex offense has to be crammed down the pipes well enough to justify extending the coaching stafff for at least one more year.

So Jay has to be Martz’s main focus in a big way. Having to train both the #1 and the #2 completely from scratch would have been impossibel and would have been detrimental to both QBs. So the only option for a #2 is to get one who has already run the system, and that adds the bonus of an extra “coach” as well to try to help cram to playbook before the season starts. While Cutler is being focused on, the WR corps still has a QB experienced in the system to work with.

Hanie get’s relegated to the #3 spot, and doesn’t get much focus out of necessity (hence the very vanilla offense when he was on the field Sunday).

The biggest problem with this equation? The Bears spent their load on a Monster DE, a manatee and a spontaneously eroding RB. Not much left for the likes of a Marc Bulger, who would have wanted a chance to start, anyways. The answer? Todd Collins. He performed well in a similar scheme in Washington in 2007, throwing for 5 TDs and no INTs and a 106.4 QBR in three winning starts for the Redskins filling in for the injured Jason Campbell, who was mauled by a Bear. Collins 3 wins got the Redskins to the wildcard game where Collins threw 2 TDs and 2 INTs in a loss to Seattle. Collins also ran in a similar system in his years with the Chiefs. Problem solved, right? Except the guy that showed up should probably ave retired after that playoff loss.

Now, this is all from my own mind. I’m not claiming that I know what Martz was thinking, for sure. But after thinking a lot and adding it to what I do know as fact (new system, complex, difficult to teach effectively to two separate QBs with one taking time away from the other) this seems like the most logical scenario in my mind….

But who knows. Maybe the same mind that decided Warner was the Man, that Bulger was better than a backup and who put Kitna back on the map somehow thought that Todd Collins was actually good.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jan 27, 2011 6:53 AM CST up reply actions

Being let go by Indy.

Receivers aren’t always let go by teams cos they suck. Woodhead was cut by the Jets. Brandon Lloyd was let go by the Bears and became a fantasy stud. We don’t know whyy Shabba was let go. All I know is his Youtube video looks really good. hands, toughness, YAC. He’s the best overall receiver we have. Bennett’s good but doesn’t exactly stretch the field.

by Wally&Mac on Jan 27, 2011 1:18 AM CST up reply actions

YouTube....

Garrett Wolfe: We’ve been sitting on this all along? WTF? Release Forte and make way! Because Wolfe looks like a beast on youtube!

But wait! Kahlil Bell might be Forte’s replacement! he has a great youtube video, as well!

Hold the Phone! Maybe this is what Martz saw that made him decide on Collins Sunday!

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jan 27, 2011 7:04 AM CST up reply actions

Bahahahaha

Well played.

by Steven Schweickert on Jan 27, 2011 11:00 AM CST up reply actions

yes it was

funny stuff

If you go in the bathroom, turn off the lights, and say "Da Coach" 5 times while facing the mirror... Ditka will appear and slap the wussy right out of you.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 29, 2011 11:58 AM CST up reply actions

yes it was

funny stuff

If you go in the bathroom, turn off the lights, and say "Da Coach" 5 times while facing the mirror... Ditka will appear and slap the wussy right out of you.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 29, 2011 11:58 AM CST up reply actions

echo?

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Jan 30, 2011 9:50 AM CST up reply actions

I found his not playing just baffling

I never could figure it out. If it’s all on Martz, well, that makes some sense. But still, the guy was a beast at the end of 09, played really well in the opener this year, and then just never got any PT of substance the rest of the year (with a few exceptions, briefly, here or there). I’m really, really puzzled by this and I still haven’t heard a good explanation for why Martz doesn’t like him.

I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something. - Dick Butkus

by iowaBear on Jan 26, 2011 2:17 PM CST reply actions

Martz is just a really bad evaluator of talent.

Oh rly?

So.. Martz wasn’t on the coaching staff that had Tory Holt, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Az Hakim, blah blah blah

So.. Martz wasn’t on the coaching staff that had Tory Holt, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Az Hakim, blah blah blahMartz knows talent.

So.. Martz wasn’t on the coaching staff that had Tory Holt, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Az Hakim, blah blah blahMartz knows talent.Aromashodu got plenty of chances to prove himself. He was a aprt of the team all through training camp, all through the preseason, and all through the season. If that isn’t enough to prove yourself then you must not be able to do it.
Rumor had it that Aromashodu couldn’t learn the playbook. And if that is true then that’s a very good reason not to play.

Devin Hester. 14 Koff/Preturn TDs in 5 seasons.

by suckmyditka on Jan 26, 2011 2:52 PM CST reply actions

Good point

But I’ve gotten a bit tired of this copy, paste, paste, paste x5 fetish you’ve had recently, and I think others have as well. Just stick to the point, people will still understand you.

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."

by GriggsBriggs on Jan 26, 2011 5:08 PM CST up reply actions

Wow i didn't mean to do that

i have no idea why it did that

I seriously did not copy or paste anything this time

Devin Hester. 14 Koff/Preturn TDs in 5 seasons.

by suckmyditka on Jan 26, 2011 9:35 PM CST up reply actions

Playbook?

“Go deep Shabba. I’ll throw it to you. Run a skinny post Shabba, I’ll throw it to you.”

If Martz can’t keep it simple with simple men then get bent Mike.

by Wally&Mac on Jan 27, 2011 1:16 AM CST up reply actions

I thought he showed enough last year to get more chances on gameday

Bet he was angry when his TD in the Vikings game was taken away by a flag too.

Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].

by JoeCB1991 on Jan 26, 2011 3:01 PM CST reply actions

Amen Brother!

Your words are gospel to my ears. I have been wondering about Aromashodu all season, after I got excited for/about him during the 2010 off-season. Just when we are led to believe the Bears finally found the perfect WR (big and aggressive on the field, quiet off the field) Martz tells us that Aroma can’t play his scheme. The only way I would concede to Martz is if Knox and Hester did understand his scheme, and caught the ball when they absolutely needed to without costing the Bears an INT. Although they had some good plays this season, the rest of the time they broke my heart.

Knox has been forever outed as a weak WR during that Redskins game.

If Martz is to come back, he should be put on a short leash and never allowed to make those stupid decisions ever again: signing and playing Todd Collins, doing that Earl Bennett wheel route that went nowhere against Packers, making Jay Cutler QB-sneak against Redskins, making Jay throw the Out route to Knox when backed in their own endzone (Patriots pick 6, Redskins), the Wildcat… etc

by PatientBear on Jan 26, 2011 7:51 PM CST reply actions

Something must have gone down between the two of them

I think only Martz and Devin know why he didn’t see the ball or the field this season. Got to be something way beyond the obvious facts that we all heard this season. Playbooks, routes, etc, none of it are strong enough to add up to a total snub. DA must have said or done something that personally offended Martzie. Its the only thing I can think of as Martz wants to win and would use any weapon he thought was viable.

We may never know the real story but I assure you its got to be interesting whatever happened. Also it had to be bad enough that Lovie didn’t step in, again makes me wonder what went down. Regardless this all adds up to DA being in a different uniform next season no matter what.

White Sox fans need not apply.

by Bears-Cubs Bulls on Jan 26, 2011 10:01 PM CST reply actions

I thought the Reason Devin A

wasn’t on the field was because he was complaining about Cutler and where he was placing the ball. Remember how he was getting blown up in the beginning of the season? I remember reading an article and actually discussing it here at WCG.

by Jhitt81 on Jan 26, 2011 10:07 PM CST reply actions

Aromashodu

I seen somewhere that he wanted the Bears to release him ?

by Roy654 on Jan 27, 2011 12:01 AM CST reply actions

Couldn't agree more.

He looked like a #1 at the end of last year 22 rec for 4 TDs and a bunch of yards in four games didn’t he? He appears to be out of here though – I don’t blame him either – but sorry to see him go.

I don’t get the Martz comment about him not being able to play the slot. Well then don’t play him in the slot! Knox should be the backup slot receiver – with Bennett in there – no way Knox should be on the outside. There’s a big doghouse at Halas Hall and Shabba and Dezzie are confined to quarters.

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2011/01/aromashodu-odd-man-out-in-martzs-offense.html

by Wally&Mac on Jan 27, 2011 1:13 AM CST reply actions

It looked like he played himself out of a starting job in the Detroit game.

You counted the catches but did you count the drops?

As far as Cutler not putting the ball where DA wants it, in the Martz offense Cutler is suspose to put the ball into a certain spot and its up to the recieve to be there and get it. If anything keep DA off the field it was the way he played and practiced.

Making up a story about Martz being a bad guy and putting people in the dog house is just that a made up story. As far as Dez goes at this point in his career he is not as good a reciever as Olsen and not as good a blocker as Davis and not up for monster ST play, but a great guy to fill in if one of them got hurt. They didn’t get hurt so the Bears left him on inactive an easy season for a vet.

. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank

by ed_brown on Jan 27, 2011 9:03 AM CST reply actions

I thought the DA stuff that came out....

All indicated that he was tepid over the middle (See his 5 drops against Detroit), wasn’t quick in and out of cuts (timing based offense separation), and wasn’t coming along in the playbook as quick as the other receivers.

For all the talk about DA, who is a whole 2 inches taller than Bennett, 2 1/2 taller than Hester/Knox, and for the plays he did make….

I never saw him snatch a ball from a DB, play good defense on a play he was beat on, make a tough catch over the middle while getting hit, out-muscle a DB for position, or actually catch a jump ball at its peak.

Size alone doesn’t do it. He had some great games to close out last year and I don’t like to put down any player’s efforts or successes, because its pro-football, but…

all the “he did X over the last 4 games of 2009” talk was over-blown. The Vikings game, he exploded, no argument. How many receivers have had 1 dominant game in their career? The surrounding 3 weeks he averaged under 10 yards a catch. If you take that Minnesota game out of there, the other 3 games don’t convince you he is a #1 waiting to happen.

So really, the fanbase hopes that Minnesota game can be extrapolated across an entire season.

In 4 years, he has had 3 games of over 50 yards, with Cutler and Manning throwing to him.

I like him, but I am convinced he is a dominant #1 receiver in the NFL waiting to happen.

Corey Wootton, the Favre Slayer.

by Brendan Hess on Jan 27, 2011 11:46 AM CST reply actions

typo?

I like him, but ~~I am~~ I am not convinced he is a dominant #1 receiver in the NFL waiting to happen.

Corey Wootton, the Favre Slayer.

by Brendan Hess on Jan 27, 2011 11:51 AM CST up reply actions

Well said.

WILDCARD BITCHES!!! YEEEEHHHAAAAA!!!!!

by Acreman20 on Jan 27, 2011 12:16 PM CST up reply actions

We can’t develop receivers if our life depended on it. Bah.

by transylvanian bear on Jan 27, 2011 12:18 PM CST reply actions

true

Don’t know why the WR coach didn’t go with the rest of the Turner purge. We can’t find someone who has proven success to work these guys hard enough that we don’t have all these blown routes and focus issues?

Corey Wootton, the Favre Slayer.

by Brendan Hess on Jan 27, 2011 1:51 PM CST up reply actions

He guys you do realize ...

… that he helped in the development of Earl Bennett & Johnny Knox right ?

" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson

by MidWayMonster54 on Jan 27, 2011 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

This is me

completely unimpressed with Knox to date. He is a fine speed receiver and I respect that. He is also unable to catch a ball if not completely open, cannot escape the jam at the line of scrimmage, surrenders positioning and angle to DBs with the slightest bit of contact, and is primarily a body catcher. That beautiful TD catch against Seattle hit his hands, went through his arms, and got body trapped. Beautiful TD, but very close to a drop because he can’t catch with his hands consistently.

I don’t hate him or anything, I am not saying he can’t play, but his “development” is not impressive in my opinion. His workout plan hasn’t improved his physicality yet, and his coaching hasn’t gotten him off the line against press coverage yet.

Bennett…Now that is a guy I am confident in. I just don’t know what the coach does/doesn’t do for/with him.

Corey Wootton, the Favre Slayer.

by Brendan Hess on Jan 27, 2011 2:15 PM CST up reply actions

agree entirely

by mac30 on Jan 27, 2011 3:17 PM CST up reply actions

Umm just an FYI here ...

… but you know that numbers wise Knox was our best receiver . Here are the stat lines ………
Knox – REC 51 YDS 960 AVG 18.8 TDS 5
Bennett – REC 46 YDS 561 AVG 12.2 TDS 3

Now really that should be plenty to show that Knox is a good WR . Five catches for 499 more yards more than Earl . Earl is our go to third down guy and Knox is our home run hitter .

" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson

by MidWayMonster54 on Jan 27, 2011 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

Not disputing any of that

but it’s not clear what that has to do with the fact that he is also often a liability, dropping balls, running poor routes or not finishing routes, and worst of all, hurting Cutler by not fighting for the ball, and not having particularly good hands.

Nobody is saying he’s not good – but when he’s the best you have, you’re not in all that great shape.

by mac30 on Jan 27, 2011 5:04 PM CST up reply actions

Knox

Should only be thrown to if he is completely open. DBs like Sam Shields, DeAngelo Hall, Tramon Williams, and Charles Woodson constantly make him their bi%ch. If Bears release DA (it sounds like they will), I expect them to get a WR. right now it’s a weakness for Bears and teams know it.

by PatientBear on Jan 27, 2011 7:50 PM CST up reply actions

LOL now this is good. And yes during the year Knox has good stats, in games at the end, not so much. In the playoffs even less. That’s where you usually need to be physical and get separated. DB’s jam at the line of scrimmage and Cutler ends up on his behind most of the times, or intercepted,cuz they ( receivers ) don’t get there. In Martzfense, is probably worse, being timing based and so on. Hopefully we get help on OL and a possible #1 receiver in the draft, or otherwise.

by transylvanian bear on Jan 29, 2011 7:57 AM CST up reply actions

Stats are fun.

Knox had a good season, as I said, but more numbers doesn’t mean “best ability” at a position…Or we wouldn’t be talking about D.A. at all, as per the this entire thread, because he has few stats.

Knox caught 51 balls, of 100 targets, for a 51% reception percentage.
Bennett was 46 of 70 for a 66%
Forte was 51 of 70 for a 73%
Hester was 40 of 73 for a 55%
Olsen was 41 of 70 for 58.5%

51% reception is down right terrible for a #1 receiver in the NFL.

I also believe that someone on this site has brought up multiple times that something like 11 of Cutler’s interceptions were on targets of Knox…Coincidence?

Like I said, I don’t hate Knox, but he is not what you are implying he is based solely on his end of season stat line. I enjoy his ability…as a #3 receiver, deep threat, in the role of a Lance Moore from New Orleans.

What you said in no way invalidates what I based on watching him actually play – He is a body catcher who does not have the physicality to fight for balls/position/route space/beating press coverage. He would be best lined up OFF the line to avoid press, and taken away from #1 corners, especially physical ones, because they can and will shut him down.

Corey Wootton, the Favre Slayer.

by Brendan Hess on Jan 28, 2011 11:36 AM CST up reply actions

Just watching the slew of them in green and gold makes me sick.

by transylvanian bear on Jan 27, 2011 12:19 PM CST reply actions

“It’s been a tough year,” Aromashodu said. “I wish it could have been better. I’ll discuss things with my agent and see where it goes.” That means he is looking for another home….

by transylvanian bear on Jan 27, 2011 12:22 PM CST reply actions

forte

i think the failure in the wr section of the bears comes down to bad coaching. i admire matte forte, for the second season he is our best wide reciever

by stepeo on Jan 29, 2011 12:40 AM CST reply actions

I agree.

about the bad coaching part, at least. I don’t know that I would call 22 our best receiver. I’d actually credit Bennett with that, and if your going to include backs, then I’m going to include TE’s and say Olsen. Olsen was just underused. But he was still the best target Jay had when he was out there. And he was really the only guy out there willing to play defense if the defender had a better angle. That’s not to disparage Forte. I still think he’s top 3 in the league for receiving RBs. But If I had to look at who I want to head downfield and go up for the ball the most, Forte would be third on my list, at best.

But the lack of real development on our WR group is discouraging. It isn’t total, mind you. Bennett has developed, and Knox took strides over last season. But I honestly don’t think they have moved forward as much as they could have and should have.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jan 29, 2011 1:31 AM CST up reply actions