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          NFL Nation

          Twitter mailbag, Part 1: Ray McDonald needs to help himself

          • Michael C. Wright
          Mar 28, 2015, 09:00 AM ET

          Thanks everyone for participating in this week’s Twitter mailbag. We’re going to try something a little differently over the weekend, and split this thing up into two parts to run on Saturday and Sunday.

          So here’s Part 1.

          @mikecwright: Excuse me for being direct here, but Ray McDonald is a grown man. He shouldn't need someone in the locker room to influence him to make the right decisions. While McDonald hasn't been formally charged with anything, the allegations are pretty serious, and we haven't lost sight of the fact he's actually suing one of his accusers. But given all the success San Francisco has achieved throughout McDonald's first eight years in the league, do you really mean to tell me that there weren't any leaders in the 49ers' locker room? As I said, McDonald is a grown man, and will do whatever he wants to do, regardless of what a "leader" says to him. So forget about leadership with regards to McDonald. This boils to decision making and accountability. He's got to help himself. @mikecwright: Leadership qualities aren't a factor in the team's thinking here as much as athleticism. Yes, centers are important from a leadership standpoint because they're charged with making adjustments in protection and making sure the entire line gets all the calls. But when you look at offensive lines around the NFL, typically the most athletic players on those units are the tackles. That's because tackles are usually lined up across from the opponent's speedy outside pass rushers, which can clock the quarterback in the mouth if he's not properly protected. So basically, if you put Long at center, you're wasting his tremendous athleticism when it could be better used elsewhere. If you go back and look at the 2014 season, you'll see Bears tackles Jermon Bushrod and Jordan Mills struggled. That's a big part of why the team is considering moving Long to tackle. @mikecwright: I'd say you're on the right track here, but I'd also say the team's recent additions gave it flexibility to actually adhere to its stated draft philosophy of taking the best available player regardless of position or need. So yes, the team's recent additions free it up to take the best available player, but I'm not sure the Bears did all the work they've done in the offseason specifically to draft a receiver or a quarterback with the No. 7 pick. I truly believe Ryan Pace will draft the best available player remaining on Chicago's board, regardless of position, when it's the Bears' turn to pick. The club's work in free agency paved the way for that occurring.