Oct 12, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Vladimir Ducasse (62) blocks against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Lions win 17-3. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears signed offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse to a 1-year contract on Monday. Ducasse started 11 games over five seasons with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.
The native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Massechusetts. The 6-5, 325 pounder was a versatile player, starting 6 games at left guard, four at right guard and one as a tackle-eligible. Perhaps he could be used by the Bears in the Eben Britton role. Briton is a free agent and has yet to be signed.
The one-year deal is a low risk move for Pace and the Bears, although I hope Pace sees something in Ducasse because ProFootball Focus didn’t think too much of him in their 2014 grades.
Ducasse was ranked 61st among 78 guards who were ranked last season. Ducasse earned a -14.1 grade overall in his 417 snaps for the Vikings last season. He rated a -3.9 in pass blocking (48th) with a -8.8 in run blocking (66th). He committed 5 penalties while allowing four sacks, one QB hit and nine quarterback hurries. That’s not exactly a glowing report card. I’d have gotten a talking to from my father if brought a report card like that home.
As a frame of reference, Michael Ola, who played a similar number of snaps as Ducasse, graded a -6.7 overall (48th) and 16 QB pressures overall.
While the Ducasse signing seems like a minor thing, and hopefully it is. But the Bears used six different guards last season due to injuries, so odds are, Ducasse will see the field one way or another.