The NFL can be a strange beast sometimes. Players can go a number of years living in the fringes, getting almost no playing time. This leads to assumptions that they can’t play and they’re no good. Then all of a sudden they finally get an opportunity four or five seasons in and it turns out they might be better than people realized. It happens more than experts care to admit. The Chicago Bears know this like every other team.
That’s why they constantly give second or even third chances to players who appear to have some level of talent. There’s always that possibility the light finally goes on and they start to excel. Take a look at Ryan Fitzpatrick for example. He was a 7th round pick, played little for his first two teams in St. Louis and Cincinnati. He was signed as an afterthought in Buffalo but made the roster and became their starter.
Fitzpatrick has since won 50 games and thrown 190 touchdowns in his career. Not a single person saw that coming. It’s why people should make sure to get acquainted with every name on a depth chart going into a season. If the conditions are right, there is a possibility one of them may rise out of nowhere.
That is why the name Willie Beavers should be on the minds of Bears fans.
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Big ol club by Willie Beavers.. Long and strong.. pic.twitter.com/QIfx6Xj55m
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 12, 2016
Jokes aside, Willie Beavers was a fascinating pickup by the Chicago Bears
The Bears are set at offensive tackle with Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie. However, things can change fast in the NFL. Having good depth up front is always a must. Most people didn’t really take notice when they signed free agent tackle Willie Beavers to their practice squad last year and then to a reserve/futures contract after the season ended.
A former 4th round pick of Minnesota out of Western Michigan, he failed to stick on the roster there and bounced around practice squads with other stops in Seattle and New England. Each time he was among the final cuts. So what gives? Is he just not talented enough? Not according to those who watched him in college. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com saw big possibilities from him if he could fix his persistent technique issues.
“Beavers is very athletic with the feet to play left tackle, but has the talent and traits to play all over the offensive line with more technique work. While he clearly has some power and twitch in his hips, he could use a year in an NFL weight room to strengthen his core and upper body. Beavers is an eventual NFL starter who is likely to be targeted by teams who covet tackles who can excel in space.”
Beavers is still just 25-years old. One of the hardest things to learn as an NFL offensive lineman is hand technique. Minnesota and Seattle haven’t been teams known for developing linemen well. New England is great at it but Beavers wasn’t with them long enough for it to matter. So why are the Bears any different?
They have Harry Hiestand.
He stands as one of the most respected offensive line coaches in football. He molded the front that helped the Bears to the Super Bowl back in 2006. Then he left for Notre Dame where he’s been churning out future All-Pros almost like clockwork. Getting him back was a major score for Chicago. They found that out when Leno and Cody Whitehair went to the Pro Bowl.
Beavers has already had a chance to learn from Hiestand for several months now. By far the best education in line play he’s yet to receive in his NFL career. If he listens as others have, that top-level talent he possesses may finally start to show itself. This could give them significant options up front moving forward. Never a bad thing.
