Chicago Bears GM Phil Emery: Innocent Until Proven Angelo
There has been a lot of negativity surrounding Phil Emery’s first draft as the Chicago Bears GM. I get it. I’m with you, sort of. I understand the questions about neglecting the offensive line. I share those concerns.
Like most of you, I’ve endured the last decade of Jerry Angelo drafts and I’m afraid I’ve become a little paranoid, a little jaded. It’s time to put the past in the past and start looking forward. It’s time to cut Phil Emery and little slack and see if he can deliver where his predecessor failed.
Jerry Angelo came in talking about floors and ceiling like he was a master builder, but by the time he left town, most of us wouldn’t trust him to build an outhouse. Jerry wanted to know a players’ floor, a minimum threshold the he believed a player would achieve. Emery appears to be the anti-Jerry.
Emery echoed a common theme from his introductory press conference through this weekend’s draft wrap-up, a desire to find dynamic playmakers who can step in to most quickly help the Bears win a championship. Phil seems to be more interested in a player’s ceiling than his floor. That’s reflected in what many of us would consider risky picks.
That’s why he took a big risk on Alshon Jeffery, a wide receiver who has limitless potential (a high ceiling), but could be a major bust (the floor could drop out from under him). I appreciate and respect that.
Emery took another gamble with Evan Rodriguez, a tight end/H-back tweener who could create major mismatches in the seam. He’s another character question mark that could end up sitting next to Sam Hurd. (OK, maybe I’m exaggerating).
We bemoan the 8th safety the Bears have drafted in as many years. You know how many of those guys Emery drafted? Yup, just Brandon Hardin. Emery inherited those others. Maybe Hardin is the next Mike Brown? He’s got all the physical tools and measurables. So what if he missed last season with an injury? Maybe that’s not a real issue, but because JA had a pre-injured pre-requisite, we see the worst.
We’ve been brainwashed by the Dan Bazuins and Michael Okwos of Jerry’s world to see if the Shea McClellins and Alshon Jefferys of the world are legit. In our justice system, you’re innocent until proven guilty. All I’m asking of the angry mob is to give Phil the same chance, he’s innocent until proven Angelo.