This new Bears' LB has taken over calling the plays on defense after Roquan Smith's departure
Losing a player like Roquan Smith was not easy for anyone inside the Bears' organization. It also meant that other players had to step up in order to fill the void left by Smith.
Well, here is what Larry Mayer had to say on the subject of trying to replace Smith as a signal caller for the defense.
With the trade of Roquan Smith, which player is now calling the signals for the Bears defense?
Veteran linebacker Nicholas Morrow has taken over that responsibility following the departure of Roquan Smith. Morrow is a fifth-year pro, having signed with the Bears this year after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Raiders. After Smith was traded, Morrow moved from the middle linebacker position to the weakside spot that Smith was playing. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams was asked this week why Morrow was chosen to wear the green dot on the back of his helmet, signifying that he's the player who receives the calls from Williams and shares them with the rest of the defense: "He relays them correctly. He knows the defense and so I can start the call and he can finish the call. That helps when you have a smart guy like that and he goes, 'OK, boom!' And he gives it to them before it comes out of my mouth. And a guy that can problem solve. So that if an offense goes fast, he goes, 'I know what coach is going to call. I know what we practiced. I know what the call sheet looks like. Boom.' The guys have it and that helps out tremendously because we are on the same page, and when we're on the same page that means he's relaying that message to the defense and then they can get in and out of the huddle, look at the offense, diagnose all the keys and tips that we give them, and then ultimately they play much faster and much better."
Veteran linebacker Nicholas Morrow has taken over that responsibility following the departure of Roquan Smith. Morrow is a fifth-year pro, having signed with the Bears this year after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Raiders. After Smith was traded, Morrow moved from the middle linebacker position to the weakside spot that Smith was playing. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams was asked this week why Morrow was chosen to wear the green dot on the back of his helmet, signifying that he's the player who receives the calls from Williams and shares them with the rest of the defense: "He relays them correctly. He knows the defense and so I can start the call and he can finish the call. That helps when you have a smart guy like that and he goes, 'OK, boom!' And he gives it to them before it comes out of my mouth. And a guy that can problem solve. So that if an offense goes fast, he goes, 'I know what coach is going to call. I know what we practiced. I know what the call sheet looks like. Boom.' The guys have it and that helps out tremendously because we are on the same page, and when we're on the same page that means he's relaying that message to the defense and then they can get in and out of the huddle, look at the offense, diagnose all the keys and tips that we give them, and then ultimately they play much faster and much better."
| POLL | ||
11 NOVEMBRE | 18 ANSWERS This new Bears' LB has taken over calling the plays on defense after Roquan Smith's departure Do you think the Bears will regret trading away Roquan Smith? | ||
| Yes | 3 | 16.7 % |
| No | 15 | 83.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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