Chicago Bears: A look into Juan Castillo’s plan for 2020

The Chicago Bears offensive line coach had a lot to share this week with the media.

The Chicago Bears replaced Harry Heistand with Juan Castillo as the offensive line coach, and he had a lot to say during this week’s press conference. Castillo preaches consistency to become great.

He sounds a lot like my high school math teacher and coach, who said, “the best way to do algebra is to know the equations. Once you know the equations, it is as simple as plugging in a different number.” So I did just that. I always used to wonder how the offensive line did their thing growing up.

According to Castillo, if you are already fast and strong, the next thing you need to master is doing your technique until you are blue in the face. Castillo brought up that being in shape is the prime way of being physical. That makes perfect sense.

Picture yourself playing basketball. If you can’t shoot but are in great shape and can run, you can still be productive. However, if you are out of shape but are a great shooter, you really aren’t that effective because, by the time you are ready to shoot the ball, you are tired and can’t finish your follow-thru.

Repetitions and consistency are going to be the focal point for this offensive line. With the Chicago Bears having two second-round draft picks on the roster and a first-rounder, the talent is there. The next key is to get them consistent.

Being consistent might not make them the best offensive line in the league. However, if the Chicago Bears keep working, their talent should show up. Juan Castillo quoted Doc Rivers about two very great athletes to ever grace America. “What did Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant do when everybody else was finished? They kept working.”

A different philosophy could drastically improve the Chicago Bears offensive line

As a Chicago based fan group, most of us had the luxury of watching Jordan grow to become the GOAT. It was not just there one day. Repetitions and consistency were the keys to his success. None of what I have said is a knock on former offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Hiestand taught toughness and determination, which are also things needed to be successful. Another breath of fresh air in Castillo might be the answer to a successful position group.

Juan Castillo seems to have his favorites already on the offensive line. He quoted James Daniels‘s rookie scouting report. Castillo shared about Daniels’s intelligence and athleticism. What I liked is how Castillo stated that “If you’re a really good guard, you’re a good center.”

It seemed like Heistand was determined to get Daniels at center, much like Olen Krutz has been stating. To me, if you’re doing good at a position, why move you? Castillo added that James Daniels added around 10 pounds of size.

That would put Daniels around 315 pounds, which would be very good as long as its good weight. When asked about Germain Ifedi, Castillo did not hesitate to share positive thoughts about him. Castillo listed him at 6’6 335 pounds and brought up how he started for a good Seattle Seahawks team.

Castillo sounded just as excited about working with Ifedi as he does Daniels. Castillo also brought up how he wants to fix Ifedi’s ability to stay square during pass-pro. That’s an important note because the coach already knows what his deficiencies are and is ready to fix them.

When a coach is not afraid to tell the media about a player’s deficiencies, that’s always a good sign. Ifedi is known for his run-blocking skill. If Castillo can fix his penalties and pass protection, he could be perceived as an above-average right guard or more.