Trevis Gipson

[Mikefive]

Just thought I'd bring up another topic to discuss....

I wonder what everyone thought of Trevis Gipson. I thought he showed some TC flashes and looked promising early on. But now after 2 years and a lot of 2021 PT with Mack out, honestly... I was not impressed. Yes, he had a few sacks. But half the time, they were plays where he was unblocked. He certainly didn't look like an NFL starter to me.

Your thoughts?

[Arkansasbear]

I think he has a long way to go.

[dplank]

I was pleasantly surprised and think he has a chance to be pretty decent.

[mmmc_35]

Hes likely not a starting caliber player. He seems to be a decent rotational piece. With any improvement he becomes a fringe starter type. I think in the run game he seemed to hold the edge well and full gaps. Hes not a lightning pass rusher but not terrible either. I think that's pretty good for a fifth rounder.

[wab]

He's still kinda learning to play. He was really really raw when he was drafted. I remember the story in camp was that he was still transforming his body into an NFL body.

[The Cooler King]

Probably would require a close rewatch to give a good analysis, but I'd say definitely not good enough to want to part with Mack or Quinn in 2022.

[Moriarty]

I was drifting towards mentally writing him off by midseason, but he did show some life after he had to start filling in for Mack.

Are you going to like what you see if you trade Mack/Quinn* and make him a FT starter? Eyyyugh...probably not (yet, at least).

I can see him possibly being a capable 3rd OLB in 2022, with some upward potential still there.




* Which doesn't necessarily mean you don't do it. Just that it won't be pretty. Rebuilding does that.

[thunderspirit]

He's basically a diet Pernell McPhee. He's never gonna be the guy to come screaming off the edge but will generate some push with physicality and relentlessness. I agree he likely tops out at a rotational piece, maybe something a little more. But for a 5th rounder, that ain't too shabby.

[IE]

Keep rotating him in and see what he develops into. I don't like the idea of 1:1 swap for Mack but that's not how it should work in my mind. I'd prefer young hungry depth to get after the QB and wreak havoc in the backfield. Keep them fresh and competing with each other. And in a hurry up where they can't rotate the younger guys are going to be able to handle it better in terms of getting winded.

I'm all for youth movement on D. Not saying Gipson is THE answer but he's part of the answer... getting more guys like him, IMO, is the answer. It doesn't have to be in the draft. Just let's stop paying 30 year old guys $1-2MM a sack.

[southdakbearfan]

Keep rotating him in and see what he develops into. I don't like the idea of 1:1 swap for Mack but that's not how it should work in my mind. I'd prefer young hungry depth to get after the QB and wreak havoc in the backfield. Keep them fresh and competing with each other. And in a hurry up where they can't rotate the younger guys are going to be able to handle it better in terms of getting winded.

I'm all for youth movement on D. Not saying Gipson is THE answer but he's part of the answer... getting more guys like him, IMO, is the answer. It doesn't have to be in the draft. Just let's stop paying 30 year old guys $1-2MM a sack.

Agreed, to rebuild and have splash money, 2023-24, along with gaining some draft capital I think one or both Quinn and Mack need to be dealt.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Gipson is productive and should be a solid and cheap rotational piece for the next 2 years.

For context, here are his stats for this year:

16 games
489 defensive snaps (49%)
7 sacks
17 total pressures (sacks, hurries, knockdowns)
39 tackles (23 solo, 16 assists)
5 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
2 passes defensed

Those are pretty decent for a 5th rounder.

A couple of interesting points:

1. Gipson finished the season strongly with 3 sacks and 3 FF in his last 3 games. Hopefully that bodes well for next season.

2. Gipson's snap counts understandably shot up from week 7 when Quinn missed the Tampa Bay game and then Mack was out from Week 8, but then fell again later in the season. (The last 4 weeks he played more on special teams too.)

Game 7 - Buccaneers: 54 snaps (74%)
Game 8 - 49ers: 45 (80%)
Game 9 - Steelers: 40 (56%)
Game 10 - Ravens: 52 (64%)
Game 11 - Lions: 36 (73%)
Game 12 - Cardinals: 31 (58%)
Game 13 - Packers: 32 (49%)
Game 14 - Vikings: 37 (58%)
Game 15 - Seahawks: 26 (46%)
Game 16 - Giants: 20 (36%)
Game 17 - Vikings: 29 (60%)

Based on his stats, it appears he's more effective when playing in the region of 25 to 30 snaps rather than being a full time starter. That fits in perfectly if Mack and Quinn remain healthy.

[Arkansasbear]

Team voted him most improved players of ‘21 for whatever that’s worth.

[The Cooler King]

Team voted him most improved players of ‘21 for whatever that’s worth.

No one really had a big leap this year so probably true.

[Mikefive]

Team voted him most improved players of ‘21 for whatever that’s worth.

No one really had a big leap this year so probably true.

Robert Quinn?

[The Cooler King]

No one really had a big leap this year so probably true.

Robert Quinn?

Comeback player of the year.

Most improved should be for the amount over any previous high water mark.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Quinn was named Bears' Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year for 2021. Monty got the Offensive Player of the Year nod.

Hard to argue with either.

[BearsFanInMN]

I viewed him as a similar player to KGB (would mess up name if tried to spell it) for Packers back in the day. Situational pass rusher that could be good in certain situations. He’s not a starter but can contribute.

[crueltyabc]

I was very pleasantly surprised. He completely looked like he belonged and flashed some high end play. If the Bears moved Quinn or Mack went into 2022 with him penciled in as starter or splitting time with a guy like Jeremiah Attaochu or a draft pick, I would not throw a fit. This is not a "Kindle Vildor as CB2" situation - Gipson looked consistently solid and he is clearly improving.

[EricTighe]

He surprised me a lot. Great rotational player for next with Mack and Quinn.

Now if we can only find a few guys to replace Hicks?

[RichH55]

I think there is more potential here

[Arkansasbear]

How does the shift to a 4-3 affect him going forward.

If I recall correctly there was talk about his rookie year being a wash as he was raw coming out of Tulsa and they were having him "rework" his body to make the shift from playing with his hand in the dirt to standing up.

Is this offseason now going to be all about remaking his body to fit more as a DE in a 4-3 vs an OLB in a 3-4.

While I'm at it, does the same apply to Snowden? He was supposed to be one of the steals in the FA class last year, but we never really saw him. I didn't follow him much in college and don't recall from the post-signing article about him, but was he more of a DE or OLB in college? Do people think the shift to the 4-3 will help or hurt his playing?

Yeah I know the point about 4-3 vs 3-4 isn't as big an issue today with so much nickle being played, but it has to impact the size they want guys coming into, unless they say he will only sub when we shift out of the 4-3.

[Moriarty]

Gipson played DE prior. His size is so-so, but probably doable for the pro level.

Snowden played LB prior. He's incredibly tall, so you'd think he could add 25 pounds, but he's never been that big before.

[wab]

Gipson has always looked more like a DE to me than a OLB. I think the transition back to DE will be fine. I don't know if Snowden has a place in this defense though. Dude is built more like Leonard Floyd than a true DE.

[dplank]

Gipson has always looked more like a DE to me than a OLB. I think the transition back to DE will be fine. I don't know if Snowden has a place in this defense though. Dude is built more like Leonard Floyd than a true DE.

Yea agree. Gipson I think benefits from a switch to 4-3 DE whereas Snowden I think has no home now. It'll really be interesting to see how Gipson does at DE, he has the body to add some good weight which he really needs to do IMO.

[Magnum_Ursus]

Gipson has always looked more like a DE to me than a OLB. I think the transition back to DE will be fine. I don't know if Snowden has a place in this defense though. Dude is built more like Leonard Floyd than a true DE.

Yea agree. Gipson I think benefits from a switch to 4-3 DE whereas Snowden I think has no home now. It'll really be interesting to see how Gipson does at DE, he has the body to add some good weight which he really needs to do IMO.

Maybe he could play the SAM LB in base sets and occasionally rotate in as a pass rusher in the nickel, like Rosevelt Colvin used to -- not saying they're comparable, but it's possible.

[Z Bear]

Gipson is a DE, not a SAM. Attaochu and Snowden would be the two I would move to SAM from the OLB room, but really they probably need to sign somone off the street or draft one.

[IE]

One thing I REALLY like about the new regime (if what they say is true) is they measure and objectively grade all the players in games and in practice. Said in another way, they will play the players who are playing best (their way), most consistently and not necessarily paid the most. My take on that is they will be doing a lot of rotation and finding the players who will do it their way. So I think it is going to be less about height size and hand in the dirt type issues and more about coachability and fielding a team to establish their culture.

I think it is quite possible they could trade Mack and Quinn if they think those vets won't hustle in practice and games like they expect. I don't think that Gipson's readiness or the readiness of the other DEs is going to be the deciding factor for those guys as much as willingness to buy into the culture and lead.

Maybe Snowden can be the next Too Tall Jones. LOL

[dplank]

One thing I REALLY like about the new regime (if what they say is true) is they measure and objectively grade all the players in games and in practice.

Every NFL and NCAA team does this tho, it's a core process all teams do and there's software out there that automates the grading processes for them on tablets so they aren't anchored to their desks all the time and can get a little more time at home (it's a major time sink in every position coaches schedule, who are the guys that do the grading and it gets reviewed by the coordinators and HC as a group). My prior company created and sold this stuff for years. For those asking about the role of Quality Control guys - this is often a task that they do alongside the position coaches as training and it's one sign they are ready for the next job up when they can evaluate this stuff as well as the guy they are working for.

[IE]

One thing I REALLY like about the new regime (if what they say is true) is they measure and objectively grade all the players in games and in practice.

Every NFL and NCAA team does this tho, it's a core process all teams do and there's software out there that automates the grading processes for them on tablets so they aren't anchored to their desks all the time and can get a little more time at home (it's a major time sink in every position coaches schedule, who are the guys that do the grading and it gets reviewed by the coordinators and HC as a group). My prior company created and sold this stuff for years. For those asking about the role of Quality Control guys - this is often a task that they do alongside the position coaches as training and it's one sign they are ready for the next job up when they can evaluate this stuff as well as the guy they are working for.

Yeah - understood. The impression that I got from the new guys is they'll use the information and act on it maybe more than others. I know the whole Dungy/Lovie/Kiffin gang tracks loafs and such. My understanding is Flus took it farther and not only measures things in games but practices (and then act on it). To me it appeared to be more in terms of holding people accountable.

I just like the contrast from what I believe we've seen - which is the prior regime defaulting to veterans and seniority. Maybe that's just my opinion.

[G08]

Curious what you all think, tagging @wab so you're notified:

If I squint really, really hard... I think I see our future starting 3-Technique in Trevis Gipson.