HEADLINES

Shea McClellin

Jeffery Buoying Emery’s First Draft

July 19th, 2014 at 11:48am CST by Matt Feminis

Bears GM Phil Emery has been on the job two and a half years, and with a series of bold moves, has positioned the Bears as a legitimate Super Bowl contender entering the 2014 season. That’s noteworthy status given the fact Emery’s first draft class (2012) has been fruitless with the exception of rising star Alshon Jeffery.

Buried in an article about the Bears’ kick coverage units, CSN Chicago’s John Mullin notes that 2012 19th overall selection Shea McClellin, a disappointment through two NFL seasons, has been used on special teams this offseason. Unable to hold up against the run, the Bears have converted him from defensive end to linebacker, where he’s competing with John Bostic for the starting job on the strong side. Position changes and special-teams impact are things typically associated with rookies, not third-year pros, especially ones drafted as highly as McClellin. His backward career trajectory doesn’t bode well for his future in Chicago.

If McClellin can’t find a way to make an impact this season, he’ll be stamped with the bust label, which prompts a more macroscopic concern. Emery, whose background is rooted in scouting, was hired to replace Jerry Angelo, whose first-round failures still resonate with Bears fans who cringe at the memories of names such as Rex Grossman, Michael Haynes, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams and Gabe Carimi. Emery is supposed to reverse that debilitating trend, but aside from Jeffery in the second round, his 2012 draft class has failed to live up to expectations:

  • First round: McClellin – “Earned” -30.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2013, and has just 6.5 sacks in 28 career games.
  • Second round: Jeffery – Made the Pro Bowl in his second year, a breakout season in which he totaled 89 catches for 1,421 yards and 7 touchdowns, teaming with Brandon Marshall to form one of the most dominant receiving duos in the league.
  • Third round – Brandon Hardin: Arrived an injured player and departed an injured player, never playing a game for the Bears.
  • Fourth round – Evan Rodriguez: Considered a reach because of character concerns, Rodriguez was released after his rookie season (and two off-season arrests).
  • Sixth round – Isaiah Frey: Has yet to make a significant contribution and faces a training camp battle to stick as the team’s fifth cornerback.
  • Seventh round – Greg McCoy – Cut at the end of 2012 training camp.

In McClellin’s case, the Bears might have misevaluated his utility, as many draft scouts projected the Boise State pass rusher as a 3-4 rush rush linebacker. Nolan Nawrocki’s 2012 Draft Preview graded McClellin as a mid-round talent with tweener traits, strength deficiency and an inability to defend the run: “Functional, character football player who plays better than he tests and could warrant consideration as a stand-up, upfield 3-4 rush ‘backer. Versatility and dependability increase comfort level and could drive up draft status.”

Nawrocki’s assessment proved accurate, as McClellin ascended all the way to the 19th pick, where Emery pounced on him with 3-4 teams such as the Patriots (who took Chandler Jones 21st), Texans (who took Whitney Mercilus 26th) and Packers (who took Nick Perry 28th) lurking in subsequent picks. McClellin’s versatility was key to the selection, with the thinking at the time being if he doesn’t pan out as a defensive end, he could be a starter-caliber linebacker, be it as Brian Urlacher‘s long-term replacement in the middle, or on the outside. The time is now for McClellin to reward Emery’s confidence before Chicago’s all-too-familiar first-round failure worries are stirred up.

NFC Camp Notes: Seahawks, Lyerla, Eagles

June 22nd, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Rory Parks

Now that OTAs and minicamps are behind us, writers from around the league are looking ahead to training camp, anticipating roster battles, and wondering if anything we saw in the past few weeks of workouts will translate into the regular season. Here are some such notes from the NFC:

  • Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ most heated position battle will be at right tackle, where Michael Bowie and Justin Britt appear to have equal footing heading into training camp.
  • Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel lists 10 Packers storylines to watch before training camp, including JC Tretter‘s hold on the center position and how the team will replace Jermichael Finley. Perhaps undrafted tight end Colt Lyerla, who Dunne also lists as a player to watch this summer, could be part of that solution.
  • Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, like most writers, notes that reports from OTAs and minicamps are typically full of optimism. But trouble always lurks beneath that hopeful veneer, and for the Eagles, that trouble comes in the form of depth along the offensive line and the wide receiver corps. Then there is the question of whether the team’s projected starters in the defensive backfield are good enough to compete on a weekly basis.
  • On the more optimistic side of the coin, Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com points to five reasons for Redskins fans to feel hopeful heading into training camp, including what promises to be a more productive pass rush.
  • Matt Bowen of The Chicago Tribune liked a lot of what he saw from the Bears‘ defensive unit this spring, including the promise displayed by Brock Vereen and Shea McClellin.

NFC North Notes: Fairley, Packers, Bears

May 31st, 2014 at 11:23am CST by Matt Feminis

Pro Football Weekly’s 2011 scouting report of draft prospect Nick Fairley included notes such as “has underachiever tendencies” and “needs to be pushed and is not a self-starter.” Three years after the Lions drafted him 13th overall, motivation is still an issue for Fairley, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract because the team declined his fifth-year option. Why? “The Lions had grown weary of Fairley’s fluctuating weight and inconsistent play and saw this as a last chance to motivate their talented defensive tackle who’s shown far too few flashes of brilliance on the field,” according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. In response, Fairly has trimmed down approximately 25 pounds in an effort to have a strong season and increase his value on the open market.

Here’s some more news and notes from around the NFC North division, starting with another prominent defensive tackle:

  • Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji accepted a one-year, “prove it” deal to return to Green Bay, in part, because he will return to his more natural nose tackle position, says Tyler Dunne in the Journal Sentinel.
  • The Packers appear to be transitioning versatile defensive back Micah Hyde to safety in an attempt to get their best personnel on the field, reports Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • Colt Lyerla will be one of the most watched undrafted free agents in the league this summer because his physical ability and impact potential is legitimate. Though his checkered past means he’s on a perilously short leash in Green Bay, the team is making a concerted effort to foster mutual trust and an environment in which Lyerla can develop without distraction, writes Dunne.
  • Lance Briggs has the Bears’ weak-side linebacker job on lock, but the other two linebacker spots are question marks. ESPN’s Michael C. Wright thinks veteran D.J. Williams will man the middle with second-year flash player Jon Bostic will beat out Shea McClellin on the strong side.

OTA Previews: Panthers, Bears, Seahawks

May 26th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Rory Parks

It’s the calm before the storm tonight, as most teams are set to begin OTAs either tomorrow or Wednesday. Given that, let’s take a quick look at some of the main storylines to follow as we inch ever closer to training camp:

NFC Notes: Amukamara, Bears, Bucs

April 19th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Matt Feminis

Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara, the 19th pick in the 2011 draft, is a candidate for a fifth-year option, but the team has “not made a decision about Amukamara’s option, and it’s not a slam-dunk decision,” says ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano: “The Giants like Amukamara. He plays hard, is a sound technician, keeps himself in shape and pays attention to detail.” However, the team could balk at paying a No. 2 cornerback $7.13MM.

In other NFC notes. . .

  • In a mailbag, ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright points out the Bears have just two running backs on the roster, but second-year man Michael Ford will not be handed the No. 2 job behind Matt Forte. Additionally, Wright doesn’t think Shea McClellin will beat out Jon Bostic for a starting linebacker spot, which would relegate the 2012 first-rounder to a sub-package, pass-rush role.
  • The Bears are expected to draft a starter-caliber safety, and who they tab will be telling in terms of which positional traits the team prioritizes, speculates Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Thanks to a “pay-as-you-go” method of operation, the Vikings sit with $30MM in cap space for 2015, notes ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling.
  • The Buccaneers have done their due diligence on the top quarterback prospects and would be ready to pounce if one slipped to No. 7, writes Josh Sanchez at NFL.SI.com, who relays a report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.