Five things the Bears need to do
As Jay Cutler responded to a question about the rest of the Bears season Wednesday at Halas Hall, he referred to having “a couple games” left.
Wishful thinking.
In fact, five games remain in the 2009 regular-season. But in reality, those five games represent the beginning of the 2010 preseason.
If the Bears want to return to the playoffs next year, that’s the way the Bears must view the next month.
If Lovie Smith resists putting the future ahead of the present, somebody in the organization above the head coach needs to overrule him. A season that has gone terribly wrong is not worth saving. Even if there is no carry over from one season to the next, the Bears need to get a better look at their young talent in order to develop it.
Here are five things that should be on the top of the to-do list.
1. Move Chris Williams to left tackle for the rest of the season: Don’t make the move just for Sunday’s game or until Orlando Pace gets healthy.
The Bears drafted Williams No. 14 as the left tackle of the future and need to know if he can play the position. Williams has struggled at times on the right side but showed glimpses of the athleticism that made him a first-round pick.
Pace’s groin injury comes at an opportune time. Like many players new and old on the team, Pace has not had the type of season anybody expected. Now due to circumstances, Pace can let his body heal and recover at a conservative rate.
The Bears can use him as insurance when he returns rather than a starter. Kevin Shaffer can move over to start at right tackle and hopefully acquit himself better than he did in a cameo role against Minnesota.
Or if the Bears really want to get a jump on 2010, they can try Frank Omiyale at his more natural position of right tackle and insert Josh Beekman back at left guard.
2. Give Devin Aromashodu more opportunities: Cutler lobbied Wednesday for the umpteenth time for more Aromashodu. Nobody should be in a rush to see rookie third-round pick Juaquin Iglesias unless they just want to exploit the Bears’ poor draft history.
On the other hand, Aromashodu needs more chances to prove whether he can or can’t develop a rapport with Jay Cutler other receivers have struggled to achieve. Instead of a three-wide receiver rotation with Earl Bennett, Devin Hester and Johnny Knox, make it four.
The evaluation will help the Bears get a better grip on what they have – or don’t have – as they enter an off-season where a big-play wide receiver will be near the top of the list of needs.
3. Make Gaines Adams a starter and work rookie Jarron Gilbert into the defensive line rotation: Nothing against Adewale Ogunleye, who has tapered off after a strong start. But Ogunleye likely won’t be around next season after he tests free-agency, so the Bears have little to gain in playing him down the stretch.
Mark Anderson? He’s had more than enough opportunities to show he is indispensable and he just isn’t. Meanwhile, Adams has to play a big role next season to justify the second-round pick Jerry Angelo gave up to get the former fourth overall pick. He has looked lost but might establish himself easier with more snaps.
The Bears have little to lose – could the pass rush be less of a factor than it has been? Gilbert would benefit from game action that will hasten his development once he has an NFL off-season to add bulk to his body.
4. Let Kahlil Bell split carries with Matt Forte or at least spell Forte more often: Of all the criticism leveled against the Bears for Sunday’s blowout against the Vikings, this was overlooked: Bell never carried the ball.
The guy goes for the longest run by a Bear in 20 years, and his reward for giving the running game a spark is zero carries. How does that happen? Look, nobody is saying he is the next great thing, but Forte has been disappointing. It’s not all the offensive line.
Moving forward, Forte will need another back to complement him in 2010, so why not see how effective Bell might be with six to 10 carries a game?
5. Get a good look at Josh Beekman at center: Nobody wants to break the 113-consecutive-game streak of Olin Kreutz.
But getting at least four quarters of Beekman on tape in the final five games would benefit the Bears.
We keep hearing that Beekman is the Bears “center for the future.” But how comfortable can they really be with that idea unless they know how he will react to regular-season intensity? At this time of the year Kreutz’s body needs as much rest as any veteran’s, so work in Beekman for extended spells.
If you are worried about disrupting the rhythm and chemistry of the offensive line, stop. Through 11 games, there hasn’t been enough to disrupt.
