Adrian Amos Tweets a Truth Bomb About the Pre-Draft Process and Other Bullets

Mar 02, 2019

Today was my 21st day in a dedicated mediation program. There is nothing like clearing your mind on a Saturday morning to put you in a great space to get things done.

In case you missed it, the NFL’s salary cap and tag numbers are official and the Bears are really up against it … for now. During his time meeting with the media earlier in the week, GM Ryan Pace took some time to explain the team is still working through some things in order to create more available spending money. The good news is that the Bears don’t have a ton of glaring needs, so they don’t necessarily need a ton of cap space. HOWEVER, the Bears are at risk of losing two starters from what was the league’s No. 1 scoring defense and I would be lying if I told you that doesn’t concern me.

Windy City Gridiron’s Josh Sunderbruch outlines where the Bears defense will regress in 2019, which is probably not what you want to read after I just expressed my concerns about the possibility of losing two starters to free agency, but I need you to hang with me. Because even if Adrian Amos and Bryce Callahan take their skills elsewhere, the Bears are still in a fine position to be a good defensive unit. Having three first-team All-Pros, a handful of Pro Bowlers, veterans with a lot in the tank to give, and second-year players on the rise after solid rookie seasons should be enough to keep you believing in the defense as a strength. But regression lurks around the corner, so we ought to prepare for it while we can (and do so at a time when it’s not going to stress our brains.)

Remember when we wrote about how loaded the Bears were along the defensive line? Well, they’re also coached by one of the best of the bunch. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports Jay Rodgers was named the NFL Defensive Line Coach of the Year. Rodgers is the only defensive assistant who is a holdover from Vic Fangio’s staff, and a damn good one at that.

Back to cap-related stuff for a moment as the financial ramifications of the Cody Parkey post-June 1 cut are becoming clear:

The #Bears will designate K Cody Parkey a Post June 1st release, which means they’ll keep his entire $4M cap figure on the books until 6/1, after which they’ll take a $4M dead cap hit in 2019, & a $1.125M dead cap hit in 2020.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 2, 2019

To be clear, it’s going to be a hit one way or another. That’s what happens when a kicker signs a deal with a bunch of guaranteed money, doesn’t kick to his potential, and has to be released by a team in its competitive window. But it’s not a long-term hit and isn’t that much of a handcuff to the Bears. The way I see it, cutting Parkey and dealing with the cap issues that come with it hurts the brain and your gut more than it does anything else. Thinking about Parkey and those missed kicks in 2018 will certainly bring a bitterness to your taste buds, but it’ll be over soon.

This Adrian Amos tweet really put my mind into motion:

#tbt don’t matter when u get drafted #5throunder pic.twitter.com/CoNkK5g7Jm

— Adrian Amos (@SmashAmos38) March 1, 2019

It’s wild that Amos’ perceived weaknesses have been undeniable strengths at the pro level. He has been sturdy against the run and a hard hitter in the open field. As for his strengths, perhaps they weren’t played up as they should have been. Amos ran 4.37 and 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day workout and his coverage skills have always been underrated. And if you tack on his prospect pedigree as a Baltimore City Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention, you can’t help but wonder how he slipped to the fifth round in the first place. And yet, we’re not going to be able to contain ourselves when eye-popping 40 times happen. It’s just natural.

Whenever Combine performances stand out, my gut tells me to go run and find some tape. And if the tape matches, then my mind dreams about what that player would look like in a Bears uniform.

For example, Iowa tight end Noah Fant ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds. Here are some highlights:

This is what a 6-4 and 249 pound tight end running 4.51 looks like on tape. Animal. pic.twitter.com/3KJn4Ss4qM

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 2, 2019

Memphis running back Darrell Henderson lit up the 40-yard-dash, but you could bet opposing defenders who were tasked with stopping him in pads weren’t surprised:

#Memphis RB Darrell Henderson — 4.49 (o) 40 time at 5-foot-8, 208. Can see the explosive play ability all over his film. @NFLMatchup pic.twitter.com/deqFcrIEal

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) March 1, 2019

It was a relatively disappointing day for the group of running backs who worked out at the Combine on Friday, but that isn’t the worst thing in the world. All of these players have solid tape out there and well-run teams with good scouting departments will see past Combine numbers and unearth quality ballplayers. Then we’ll look back and say “how did we miss this?” If a good fit falls to the Bears because of numbers posted at a glorified workout, then that’s just how the cookie crumbles. It certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler probably isn’t alone in wondering why a particular amount of pre-draft hype around him:

Iowa State WR Hakeem Butler. 6’6 220. Says his mentor is Calvin Johnson. Butler does not believe there’s been enough hype surrounding himself. Be great if he slipped to the Bears. pic.twitter.com/nXOxgBsZh9
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) March 1, 2019

Wide receiver isn’t a high-priority need, but Hakeem Butler was one of my favorite college players to watch last year and would be a fun addition to any offense.

Good luck with that:

Name that could be in the mix for the XFL in Tampa Bay: former Bears coach Marc Trestman. Recently coached the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 2, 2019

written by

Luis C. Medina

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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