Leno extended - 4 yr, $38M ($21.5 guaranteed)

[G08]

Brad Biggs‏Verified account @BradBiggs 1m1 minute ago
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#Bears closing in on $38M, 4-year extension for LT Charles Leno with $21.5 guaranteed. Full details here

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leno’s four-year extension is expected to be worth $38 million with $21.5 million guaranteed.

Somewhere.... wab weeps

[Adipost]

One less hole to fill.

[UOK]

@AaronLemingNFL
58s
Per @BradBiggs, LT Charles Leno's extension is expected to take his cap hit from $1.8M to $8.8M in 2017. A nice $7M jump for him. #Bears

@Johnathan_Wood1
1m
$9.5M per year would make Leno 14th highest paid LT, $21.5M guaranteed is 8th. So paying him like an average vet OT. Seems reasonable

@Johnathan_Wood1
8s
Replying to @Johnathan_Wood1
higher guarantee than typical for Leno's contract makes me guess this is actually a 3-year deal, mostly guaranteed, with a lower AAV

[bearsfaninaz]

Idk how I feel about this. He seems serviceable but I figured we'd be replacing him next draft

[G08]

I've always liked him so I'm kind of happy... that being said I'm going to go back and watch every snap of his last week and focus solely on him.

[wab]

[Adipost]

I've always liked him so I'm kind of happy... that being said I'm going to go back and watch every snap of his last week and focus solely on him.

I actually watched him, and he looked fine.

[DaBears70]

There's a lot of Bears fans that don't like Leno at all and will hate all over this deal but those same fans don't seem to understand how hard it is to find a good LT in the NFL without using a 1st round pick on one or spending a ton on one in free agency. He's not one of the great LT's in the NFL and won't be getting paid like one but this shores up the LT spot for the next 4 years which is a good thing and will let us focus on other positions in the draft and free agency. This is a good signing. I'm surprised by it and he's obviously getting a big pay raise but i'm good with this signing.

[southdakbearfan]

Well that opens up the WR in the first round theory.

[G08]

Well that opens up the WR in the first round theory.

Agreed... I sincerely hope Meredith and even that God-awful Kevin White take major steps this season.

[LacertineForest]

One less hole to fill.

That's what she said!

I'm indifferent to the move. I don't hate him, but it's clear we could upgrade at the position.

Or...maybe this is just a long-game Pace smoke screen for his 2018 master draft plan to take an OT with the first-round pick

[Otis Day]

This is just not a move I thought they would make, especially at this time. See how he plays during the season and go from there. I know most teams are hard up for OTs, but hell let someone overpay for him if they want to.

I just think they overpaid, but I am not the GM. Hope it works out.

[WagonForce]

I'm ambivalent about this signing, hopefully Leno can continue to improve in the years ahead.

I still want to see a tackle selected high in next year's draft.

[G08]

Keep getting stronger and drilling down technique... I think he'll be just foine

[DaDitka]

I know Biggs and Jim Miller had both been suggesting this has been in the works for some time and both expressed interst in how it would be perceived by the fan base.

It's about as I expected.......Leno isn't an overwhelming talent, but there simply isn't 32 men on this earth that can play LT in the NFL...and he's better then what half the league is putting out there.

That 9.5 million a year ave puts him right about #13/14 in the league (according to OTC)...middle of the pack seems fair.

Not to mention you're talking about an 'ascending' player - some of those making more then him don't even bring that to the table.

[VA_Mountain_Bear]

He doesn't suck so this is not horrible, but he certainly is not a top 10 LT. I also thought we might go for a LT in next years draft with a top 2 pick. I hope we still get one, but it looks like it will be a lower pick then.

[wab]

He doesn't give up a lot of sacks (for reasons I've been talking about for two years now) so hopefully this means Trubisky will be starting sooner rather than later, or you'll see Leno start giving up piles of them.

I'm guessing they are tired of the revolving door at LT and want some semblance of stability at the position. Aside from Whitehair and Long (when healthy) I don't care much for any of the guys on the OL.

[Mikefive]

He's a middle of the road player who got a middle of the road salary, although it seems hard to believe that nearly $10M/year is middle of the road. I also thought we'd be replacing him next year.

The problem with Leno is that he gets eaten for lunch by the really good pass rushers. And if we make it well into the playoffs in the next 4 years, what are we going to face? Really good pass rushers.

That we'll have a mobile QB at the helm in the next year should help him though.

I imagine that our buttload of cap space due to not being able to make a deal with the top CBs we tried to sign in FA contributed to this deal being made.

[Mr.Irrelevant]

That 9.5 million a year ave puts him right about #13/14 in the league (according to OTC)...middle of the pack seems fair.

Not to mention you're talking about an 'ascending' player - some of those making more then him don't even bring that to the table.

And if he doesn't continue to ascend, then in two years this contract will be a bottom tier contract and not out of line for a quality backup.

[G08]

The problem with Leno is that he gets eaten for lunch by the really good pass rushers. And if we make it well into the playoffs in the next 4 years, what are we going to face? Really good pass rushers.

Except for shutting down Aldon Smith, Tamba Hali, Ziggy Ansah, and Everson Griffin. He only allowed 1 sack against those dudes when Gase was calling plays.

Last season, I believe he allowed 5 sacks in 1,011 snaps. Not awful...

[wab]

Last season, I believe he allowed 5 sacks in 1,011 snaps. Not awful...

He allowed 4 sacks last year and was called for one penalty.

[DaBears70]

Well that opens up the WR in the first round theory.

I'd rather draft a OLB to play opposite L.Floyd.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Last season, I believe he allowed 5 sacks in 1,011 snaps. Not awful...

He allowed 4 sacks last year and was called for one penalty.

Obviously the headline stats don't tell the whole story, but imagine if someone had said 'Would you like a Left Tackle who will give up 4 sacks and get called for one penalty all season' whilst we had the likes of J'Marcus Webb out there protecting our QB's blind side. We'd have bitten his hand off!

As for the contract, it's more of Pace hedging his bets in a sensible fashion. He's not mortgaging the future on any player, instead he's giving out 3 to 4 year deals with 1 to 2 years of guaranteed money. If Leno plays well and continues to ascend then Pace has got the team a bargain. If he falters and doesn't play up to the salary then Pace can get rid of him after a couple of years with no significant cap penalty.

I'll be interested to see a full breakdown of the deal. If Leno's cap hit is going up by $7m this year then that would only leave $14.5m of guaranteed money. The average annual amount is $9.5m. If they pay him that next year and then cut him can they spread the remaining $5.5m over the remaining three years if they want to?

[DaSuperfan]

Well that opens up the WR in the first round theory.

I'd rather draft a OLB to play opposite L.Floyd.

I'm definitely on board with this, especially since McPhee will most likely get cut after this season.

[mmmc_35]

Good for him. On paper the middle of this line has 3 pro bowl caliber players. Two servicable tackles. I don't hate on Leno but I do realize his limitations. If he remains healthy and doesn't regress it's a good return.

Is the first Emery guy Pace has extended?

[botfly10]

Guys like Leno are critical for good teams. Or teams trying to be good.

There are no teams in the NFL with studs at every position. Its absolutely critical that teams have those filler players that play well enough that you forget they are there. Guys that are consistently average to above average on average contracts. Players that are dependable week in and out but don't break the bank.

Leno is perfectly fine as long as he isn't asked to be the best player on the OL.

And if he is the weakest link, you have a pretty good OL.

[Moriarty]

One less hole to fill.

It's still a hole.
It's just a hole that the Bears threw 30M $ down.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/p ... his-season" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They rated the Bears line middle of the pack, while calling the interior excellent. Which makes it pretty clear how the Ts graded.

15. CHICAGO BEARS (30)
Top overall grade: C Cody Whitehair, 87.2 (No. 6)

Top pass-blocking grade: G Josh Sitton, 91.2 (No. 3)

Top run-blocking grade: C Cody Whitehair, 82.2 (No. 6)

The Chicago Bears still probably can’t believe their luck—they had the league’s best pass-blocking guard land in their lap shortly before the year when Josh Sitton was cut by the Packers. He showed immediately what an upgrade he could be for the team, and in 468 pass-blocking snaps, he surrendered only six QB hurries. Chicago’s interior was arguably the league’s best, with Kyle Long playing well and rookie Cody Whitehair having an excellent debut season at center, having been a college tackle at Kansas State. The offensive tackle combination of Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie was a different story, however, as the pair combined to surrender 73 total QB pressures and 14 penalties all season, with neither grading well in the run game. Tackle is an area for the Bears to focus on in the offseason, because that interior is already excellent.

[southdakbearfan]

One less hole to fill.

It's still a hole.
It's just a hole that the Bears threw 30M $ down.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/p ... his-season" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They rated the Bears line middle of the pack, while calling the interior excellent. Which makes it pretty clear how the Ts graded.

15. CHICAGO BEARS (30)
Top overall grade: C Cody Whitehair, 87.2 (No. 6)

Top pass-blocking grade: G Josh Sitton, 91.2 (No. 3)

Top run-blocking grade: C Cody Whitehair, 82.2 (No. 6)

The Chicago Bears still probably can’t believe their luck—they had the league’s best pass-blocking guard land in their lap shortly before the year when Josh Sitton was cut by the Packers. He showed immediately what an upgrade he could be for the team, and in 468 pass-blocking snaps, he surrendered only six QB hurries. Chicago’s interior was arguably the league’s best, with Kyle Long playing well and rookie Cody Whitehair having an excellent debut season at center, having been a college tackle at Kansas State. The offensive tackle combination of Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie was a different story, however, as the pair combined to surrender 73 total QB pressures and 14 penalties all season, with neither grading well in the run game. Tackle is an area for the Bears to focus on in the offseason, because that interior is already excellent.

So you merged both Leno and Massie into one. I would be willing to bet close to 75% of those negative stats are from Massie.

Chicago's OL ranked 8th and 7th in pass blocking and run blocking last year. Run Blocking, supposedly Leno's weakness, for run's outside LT were 7th in the league and 8th in the league between LT and LG.

Leno quite simply, while not a perennial probowler, is a more than adequate starter with potential for improvement.

[G08]

Leno is really pretty damned impressive in the run game... very, very light on his feet for a tackle and quicker than I originally thought getting to the second level.

He's perfect for what we want to do (er, at least what I think we want to do). If the idea is to put him on an island and run 7s all day/night, he'll get your QB killed (as would 65% of NFL LTs).

[HisRoyalSweetness]

One less hole to fill.

It's still a hole.
It's just a hole that the Bears threw 30M $ down.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/p ... his-season" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They rated the Bears line middle of the pack, while calling the interior excellent. Which makes it pretty clear how the Ts graded.

15. CHICAGO BEARS (30)
Top overall grade: C Cody Whitehair, 87.2 (No. 6)

Top pass-blocking grade: G Josh Sitton, 91.2 (No. 3)

Top run-blocking grade: C Cody Whitehair, 82.2 (No. 6)

The Chicago Bears still probably can’t believe their luck—they had the league’s best pass-blocking guard land in their lap shortly before the year when Josh Sitton was cut by the Packers. He showed immediately what an upgrade he could be for the team, and in 468 pass-blocking snaps, he surrendered only six QB hurries. Chicago’s interior was arguably the league’s best, with Kyle Long playing well and rookie Cody Whitehair having an excellent debut season at center, having been a college tackle at Kansas State. The offensive tackle combination of Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie was a different story, however, as the pair combined to surrender 73 total QB pressures and 14 penalties all season, with neither grading well in the run game. Tackle is an area for the Bears to focus on in the offseason, because that interior is already excellent.

So you merged both Leno and Massie into one. I would be willing to bet close to 75% of those negative stats are from Massie.

Chicago's OL ranked 8th and 7th in pass blocking and run blocking last year. Run Blocking, supposedly Leno's weakness, for run's outside LT were 7th in the league and 8th in the league between LT and LG.

Leno quite simply, while not a perennial probowler, is a more than adequate starter with potential for improvement.

O-Line performance is always very subjective given that they don't generate the pure statistics other positions do. What's somewhat curious is that even the statistics that should be simple to track such as penalties don't appear to be reported consistently.

wab stated above that Leno was penalised four times last season, which tallies with nflpenalties.com's log for him of 5 penalties with 1 declined. However, they have Massie down as only having committed 3 penalties. That's some way off PFF's total of 14 penalties between them quoted above.

Also, Massie struggled mightily in the first month or so last year but played better after that. It would be interesting to know not just how those 73 QB pressures break down between both Leno and Massie but how they spread out across the season. Sitton arrived to play alongside Leno only a week before the season started and Massie was new to the team. I'd be willing to bet that there were rather more pressures early on before the line had a chance to gel.

Does anybody here subscribe to PFF? If so can you provide an overview of how Leno and Massie were graded on a game-by-game basis over the course of the season? Did their grades improve over the course of the year? If Leno's did then that would reinforce Pace's evaluation that he is an ascending player worth investing in.