Enderle may be the tipping point on Martz

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Something about the Bears backup quarterback situation is still not making sense. And it has nothing to do with Caleb Hanie, Josh McCown, Donovan McNabb or any of the usual suspects. And it has nothing to do with Jerry Angelo.

It has to do with Nathan Enderle and Mike Martz.

If indeed events transpire as expected and Martzs tenure as offensive coordinator ends shortly after the first of the year, one significant factor will be Enderle.

The problem is not Enderle, unless he is the only quarterback in the 2011 draft who cannot play even a shred of NFL football. It is that the rookie quarterback was a draft pick advocated by Martz, who was worked out personally by Martz, but has not developed to the point of being consistently up on game days.

So either Martz is unable to assess or unable to develop a young quarterback.

And failing to develop young players arguably ranks above even game coaching in the job descriptions for assistant coaches. Players are where franchises place their money and their futures.

Nathan will have his time, coach Lovie Smith said. Hes a good quarterback for the future. But that future isnt now.

So, in a year that has seen Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, T.J. Yates, possibly Ricky Stanzi and even Colin Kaepernick (3-for-5 passing, 35 yards, for San Francisco), get on the field for their teamsand just for the record, only Yates team, Houston, is making the playoffs, and that from a beyond-dismal division....

Is Enderle seriously the only quarterback from the 2011 draft who cant play?

That question is likely to be posed to Martz in the post-season evaluation meeting with Smith and Angelo. It may be the one that ends his time in Chicago.

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