Tag Archives: chicago bears

NFL

Okoye, Amobi (2)

sco09 aokoye

Cards: Topps 2008 Magic. Score Inscriptions 2009
Acquired: 2016, EBay
See Also: Okoye, Amobi

Amobi Okoye had a rough run there after his first month in the NFL.  I am really not sure what the Texans expected out of Okoye -other than he take the league by storm.  It was a tall order for a kid, considering Okoye was the youngest player in the NFL to ever be drafted in the first round. In the end, he signed a 5 year contract with the team, but only finished out 4. With so much promise, especially after that first month, it is still surprising that Okoye is considered a bust. His best season was his rookie season when he recorded 5.5. sacks.  Amobi had a brief resurgence in 2010 with a career high 44 tackles and 3 sacks, but after that season, Amobi was cut.

He’d sign with the Chicago Bears and record 27 tackles and 4 sacks in 2011. He’d be cut in 2012 by the Bucs, but later returned for the last month of the year off the bench for the Bears again. Amobi was stricken with a rare medical condition that forced him to be induced into a 3 month coma to prevent seizures in 2013.  He spent the next 17 months battling anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, experienced a 145-day memory gap, and lost around 80  pounds.  Amazingly he returned to the practice field in late 2014, signing with the Dallas Cowboys, but was released in 2015. Later in 2016 Amobi signed with the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders, but did not see action with the squad. In 2017 he penned a Players’ Tribune piece and expressed that at 30, he still feels that he can play and contribute to a squad. I for one hope he is given that chance.

Arena, NFL

Wilson, De’Runnya (1994-2020)

sage16 dwilsonCard: Sage 2016
Acquired: 2016, Hobby Box Breaker

At 6’5″, 215, De’Runnya Wilson is a big and tall receiver with soft hands and deceptive speed. He finished 5th in school history with 133 receptions, and led the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns in 2014.  A basketball star who moonlighted as a football player, Wilson is going to need to improve his consistency when he hits the pro level, but shows some flashes of NFL potential.  A popular player around campus- Wilson declared for the 2016 NFL draft as a Junior. Going unselected he was picked up in October of that year, by the Chicago Bears and added to their practice squad.

UPDATE 1/22/2020- De’Runnya Wilson was found slain in his Birmingham Apartment on 1/20/2020. He had most recently played for the Albany Empire in 2018. His death is being treated as a homicide.

NFL, NFLE, ufl

Ragone, Dave

Card: SPX 2003  (0331/1100)
Acquired: 2017, EBay

Dave Ragone was one of the granddaddy’s of Louisville respectability when it comes to quarterbacks. He posted some good numbers there while with the Cardinals as a 3 year starter setting numerous records at the school, finishing 685/1180 for 8564 yards and 74 TDs to just 29 interceptions.  He was picked near the top of round 3 by the Houston Texans in the 2003 NFL draft.

At the time the young Houston Texans franchise were looking to groom a competent, low cost backup to incumbent starter David Carr.  (The sexy thing to do in the league during those days was to groom a 3rd stringer that had potential enough to entice other teams to drop draft picks in order to get after a one game audition.) The pick by the Texans was widely panned.  Dave got to start 2 games his rookie season throwing for 135 yards and an interception.

Ragone went to NFL Europe in the meantime. He’d play for the Berlin Thunder in 2005 and was named the league’s Offensive MVP, as he threw for 1,746 yards and 13 TDs en route to an appearance in World Bowl XII.  Dave returned to the Texans and backed up David Carr for the full 16 game slate, not seeing any action.

In 2006, the Texans team was completely scrapped, front office down. The Texans new head coach Gary Kubiak decided to go in another direction at quarterback and waived Ragone. He’d be claimed by the Bengals and quickly traded to the to the Rams, who cut him during training camp.

Dave has gone into coaching since his playing days ended, first being seen on the pro scene honing his skills as a quarterbacks coach (under his former OC from Houston, Chris Palmer) for the UFL Hartford Colonials, helping to turn Josh McCown into the biggest UFL success story.  He then had stops with the Titans (2011-2013) as both a WR and later as a QB coach, the Redskins (2015) as an offensive quality control coach, and finally with the Bears, who he has been the quarterbacks coach of since 2016.

NFL
G/GS 2/2    ATT 40    COMP 20    YDS 135     PCT 50.0
TD 0     INT 1      RAT 47.4
RUSH  6     YDS  51   AVG 8.5         TD 0              LG 14

NFLE
ATT 251   COMP 158  YDS 1746   PCT 62.9  TD 13   INT 2   RAT 97.5
RUSH 35    YDS 166    AVG 4.7    TD 1   LG 14T