DABEARSDABOMB

NFL is investigating the FA signings of Saquon and Cousins per shefty. Expecting loss of draft picks - potentially more severe for Falcons vs. Eagles. Some swirling reports that maybe the Giants/Vikings actually pick up the lost picks. Would Falcons lose their 1st rounder (or will it be a lesser pick or a future pick) and beyond that - will Vikings potentially get that pick. Could have major implications on Bears positioning - especially if NFL set a tone and took away #8 pick (I would be shocked - I'm expecting something like a 2nd or 3rd rounder if they wanted to come down hard).

Its the thing that gets me - I do like the top 3 wideouts - but I also think there is a good chance one of the other talented wideouts is as good if not better. Now odds are solid that the other 3 have lower floors, etc. But you can find premiere wideouts later in 1st round and into 2nd and 3rd round, especially if you pair them with a good QB. I don't feel the same way with stud LT's....I feel like 9 times out of 10, a stud LT was a Top 10 / 15 pick.

I don't think I've seen an NFL mock draft by anyone that is reputable with Alt sitting there when the Bears select at 9. Most everyone in the world has him either going to Chargers or Titans. Doesn't mean it won't happen and just cause reporter(s) say it doesn't make it true. Bears could draft a DB at 9 for all I know - but given what their depth chart needs are, talent on the board, etc, but common logic has it narrowed down to oline, wideout, dline.

I would not trade next year's FRP to move up for anyone in this draft (knowing we already have Caleb at 1). Not happening. Would I trade my 2nd - sure. I would prefer to do it for Joe Alt though. I think the odds ALt is way better than every other LT in this draft are > than the odds that MHJ is better than every wideout in this draft (heck - even the odds that any of the top 3 are better than the rest of the wideouts in this draft to me is lower than the odds Alt > any other LT in this draft). But I'm biased and I think Alt is a legit blue chip LT. My opinion doesn't matter but if Poles did - I think that is the guy you move up for. On Rome - I love his personality and it seems like he has a strong work ethic (by all accounts) - but I do get worried the lack of seperation really limits him in the long-run (yeah he makes contested catches in college - how well does that sort of trait translate to NFL where it is more contested and the dudes hitting you are bigger, faster, stronger).

And he followed that up by being mediocre to completely out of the league. I totally forgot he ended up being ROY that season. Probably same year as we drafted David Terrell who was one of a few high profile FRP Wideouts who busted (well maybe 2 - cause I Don't know that we drafted any other FRP wideouts other than Terrell and Kevin White in the past 20+ years.

I think Braxton is good for a late round pick but will never be more than mediocre as an LT - so I am all in on idea of trying to have book end legit tackles on both side in Wright and Alt (or whomever else if Poles has a blue chip grade on Fashanu or whomever).

I hadn’t thought about what they could get for Braxton. I still think Braxton could be a good guard. But I would be ecstatic with Alt..I would be fine trading up for him too - as long as Poles and company had a high grade on Alt.

I think both of this write-ups - both the Field(s) one and the Caleb one are probably the most balanced and reasonable I have seen. I like the Caleb one a lot more - but it doesn't mean Caleb doesn't have some of the challenges we have talked about and noted here - I just really love the stuff that is in the "strength" category cause those are the types of skills needed to turn into an elite NFL QB. But he still has to develop some of those weakness(es) and in some cases its just more continue to hone and mature and pick and choose his battles of when to go big game hunting vs. not. But to me it is the flashes of processing multiple reads, the platform's that he throws (enabling him to make throws everywhere and quickly - so when opportunity is there and he sees that tight window he can nail it and throw with anticipation. I'm really excited for Caleb. We'll ultimately see how the intangibles, how he grows, how he responds to what will be the toughest challenge he's faced yet from a football perspective (nothing harder than playing QB in the NFL).

Was thinking exact same thing.

Penix I could see making it into top 10 given how critical qb is. Penix is also good - I think Caleb / JJ / Penix are my 3 favorite qbs. Nix I don’t like at all. Daniel’s I worry for injury and Maye is talented but has a lot to work on. But if somehow Nix and Maye went top 10 or there was a push and teams wanted to jump Denver or Oakland to secure and kind of overpay for us to move down 2-3 spots that would be awesome.

I would not cut Bagent - I think it would be more. Bagent keeps getting reps but you have a good stable vet to work with both of them. Barring injury or some disastrous training camp - Caleb is going to start out of the gate.

I hadn’t seen anything but I have no issue with him as a back up / vet to have around Caleb.

The Iowa punter is a total stud - but I'm not using a top 4 round pick on him and reality is unless we buy a late round pick somehow, I don't see a scenario where any punter we pick will be anything but an undrafted guy. But I do agree - we need some real competition - either to help our punter get better and push him or to replace our current punter.

I am excited - boring to watch a bunch of touch backs. I liked what the Steelers did bringing in Cordelle Patterson (ex Bear) too. I also think this could be a positive as Velus is pretty athletic so maybe this helps him be a bit more valuable.

I don't mind Bagent getting more reps and as I mentioned in the other thread - the one upside is - the team gets to start camp a bit earlier, so with a new playbook being installed etc, that isn't a bad thing. Plus rookie QB too - so an extra week is an extra week. I feel like most years Hard Knock teams are in the HOF game as well - so at this point, unless another NFL volunteers, I would be shocked if the Bears aren't selected for it (we know they want nothing to do with it - but they don't have a choice).

I think we are taking Caleb barring some unforseen disaster (I mean something that impacted LT health etc that popped up - god forbid, such as a career threatening accident, etc).

With them participating in hall of fame game - they can start training camp early. I don't know if that means we have more practices than other teams or if it is just you start earlier and have more off days. I'm presuming more practices - which hopefully is a good thing (presuming they manage player health etc). The actual extra pre-season game, meaningless to me - but probably cool for Bears to be there given Mongo getting into the Hall.

Yep - they were all at Michigan pro day as well. I did find it interesting he literally listed the 3 positions were were assuming - wr, dline and line at 9. He mentioned open to trade down for right price but also mentioned how many draft picks / undrafted guys be brought in since he took over too and made it sound like that was a good number and thus he could afford a bit smaller group now knowing number of picks coming as well. Overall I was impressed with all his quotes other than something struck me as odd when he actually talked about the 3 positions - I feel like you never get that much from a GM which made me wonder if there was purpose to that or maybe it was as simple as taking the strongest pools where trade down might play?

By the way - I don't like that Poles won't be there. I feel like even if they know - they should go through the same process with all 4 of the guys. I don't think pro-days are to watch the guys throw - I don't think anything along those lines is going to be gleaned from a pro day (unless they really have limited tools or something). But the opportunity to see what makes people tick on a 1:1 level - that can be valuable and you should maximize all of those chances. I guess the reality is - they will get that chance if they meet with Maye and have a true 1:1 with him.

I really like both LSU wideouts. I know Nabers will likely be gone at 9 - but their other wideout is fantastic as well and I wouldn't be shocked if he had a better career than some of the other guys. He has all the tools and could be legit great and likely is 4th wideout gone - but possibility you can get him in the 15-20 range (maybe not). But the LSU guy, McConkey (Sp?) from Georgia, and a few of the others guys would be #7-#15 overall picks in many drafts and will likely get picked lower than that given the depth at the position. Makes you wonder if Poles has that sort of grade - does that give him the room to use a pick from next year along with one of his pick(s) this year to move up. Or lest say he moves back to 12-14 to take a top DE or LT - does the ammo he got from that - give him enough comfort to than move back up into the low 20's to grab a wideout he thinks is Top 15 value in a typical draft. If so - I could see the trade economics make sense.

It could be a giant smoke screen - but it does seem clear - Maye is likely trending to the #4 QB going off the draft board. With Caleb & Daniels the clear #1/#2 and McCarthy with a lot of helium and potentially jumping in front of Maye for some clubs (maybe not all) and we know the way this goes with QB's there are definitely teams with different looking boards.

Very well said.

I think if I had the choice - I take the top de if I like them and than find a way to trade up for a wideout (maybe move down 3 spots and get you enough ammo to pair two picks and get into 2nd round for a wideout that would normally grade in round 1. Reality is more elite edges are top picks than wideouts - so I will trust Bears can draft and find a wideout and if Caleb is legit he can actually be multiplier who helps develop wideouts.

LETS GO - continue to become more and more enamored.

There was a bunch of people at the combine saying that Caleb was every bit of his height. NOt saying he is 6-3 but he is not small. There is abig difference from 6-1 or almost 6-1 without cleats on vs. being 5-10 with cleats on (which is Doug Flutie). And Drew Brees is same - he was 6ft with high cleats on.