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So the BLUF is, there really aren't huge holes to fill. This team was one play away from the NFCC, and has been adding team speed on defense to make it less reliant on the takeaway. Safety seems like the only spot that they would be drafting to fill a hole. The rest can be BPA focused on DT and Edge.

With the unexpected retirement of Dalman, the Bears lost 5 of their top 9 players in snap count, and 6 out of the top 11. Those 6 were all starters. Then they also lost what I would call 4 key contributors, players with a significant number of snaps. Here is a quick rundown of the losses and gains so far and how I think they will address them: ADD/SUB LIST STARTERS: 1. C Drew Dalman (1154+15) >>> C Garrett Bradbury. On paper, a downgrade, but it may actually be a pass pro upgrade and run block downgrade) 2. S Jaquan Brisker (1072+90) >>> With the biggest contract put into Bryant, I assume they draft a Safety in the first 3 rounds and sign a vet or two to league minimum deals to compete. 3. S Kevin Byard (1071+1) >>> S Coby Bryant, biggest FA acquisition, is an all-around upgrade as Bryant is more versatile than Byard and Brisker. 4. CB Nahshon Wright (1041+18) >>> (Stevenson, Smith, Frazier) This hole will be filled from within. That's why they have Al Harris. 5. WR DJ Moore (979+2) >>> (Odunze+200, Burden+400, Walker+100) Odunze missed a lot of time, Burden didn't get going until late, and Walker probably gets more snaps to fill these snaps. If Burden gets the bulk of these snaps and targets, the offense will be more efficient. If anything, they bring in a vet minimum guy, which there are a ton (Josh Reynolds - played with Johnson, Gabe Davis, Zay Jones, etc.) 6. LB Tremaine Edmunds (813+11) >>> LB Devin Bush. Clear upgrade, Edmunds played small, Bush plays big and fast. Teams won't be able to get those easy 5 yards per carry anymore as Bush fills the hole much quicker and can recover better than Edmunds. Edmunds was like a tall tackling dummy. ---------------------------------------------------- KEY CONTRIBUTORS: 7. DT Andrew Billings (511+72) >>> DT Neville Gallimore. Billings was terrible in 2025; almost anyone will be an upgrade here. 8. WR Olamide Zacchaeus (580+2) >>> WR Kalif Raymond. Raymond's familiarity with Johnson's offense and top-notch PR ability make this a really nice depth signing. 9. CB Nick McCloud (436+143) >>> CB Cam Lewis. Just like Billings, anyone replacing McCloud will be an upgrade, besides Kindle Vildor. 10. DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (565+10) >>> (Gordon, Lewis). I think Gordon and Lewis take most of these snaps. They will still add a vet min guy too. ---------------------------------------------------- OTHERS: 11. TE Durham Smythe (293+230) >>> 12. DE Dominique Robinson (215+161) >>> 13. S Jonathan Owens (47+264) >>> 14. WR/KR Devin Duvernay (40+209) >>> 15. DT Chris Williams (219+20) >>> DL Kentavious Street

I had so many great thoughts that I couldn't post lol.

question: the thread Free Agency News is only a half page wide with some other stuff on the other half. this seems like the only one to do this. is there a way to make the replies full page wide? i liked the old layout better too as some have said. too much text under each thread topic and small text headline. that said thanks for getting this back on.

Dark mode is outstanding. Please don’t lose that.

I appreciate all of it. It looks fine, it'd just be better if the topics on the main page had a bigger font, that's pretty much the only "problem" - but even if nothing changes, thank you for keeping it going.

All that said - I’ll see what alternate themes exist once I start to learn the back end better.

I come here on a laptop, but if it's better for phones, then good! Thanks very much for keeping the site alive.

Unfortunately this is the new style the software company went with. There are different color options available on the bottom, but this version was designed from bottom up to optimize mobile interfaces and usage and increase speed. Still getting used to it but I like the cleaner navigation from my phone. Haven’t yet tried the iPad / Laptop. Also it has a brand new dark mode that was redesigned all the way around.

I like it. Dark Mode (at least in DuckDuckGo Browser) is much easier on my eyes. For whatever reason it wouldn’t display that way beforehand.

I’m not thoroughly searching across the internet but it does appear that rankings for Centers are quite varied depending on the site you visit. Slaughter who I usually see as a top 3 Center is ranked 9th on NFL.com and doesn’t even have a starters draft grade. Meanwhile Draftbuzz shows him as the best OC prospect this year. Maybe the guy from Iowa is a better fit or we take a chance on the recovery of Conner Lew? https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/prospects/c/all-colleges/all-statuses/2026?page=1 https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Logan-Jones-DL-Iowa https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Connor-Lew-OL-Auburn

I agree. Sewell stinks - maybe special teams at best. Hyppo couldn’t even get on the field. I know he had some injuries but if he doesn’t flash this offseason I think he’s at risk of getting cut. Edward’s is solid but that injury will further slow him down and speed was never his strength - feels like a spot they add a player in the draft.

Sewell and Hyppollite suck. The linebackers are super talented this year. I'd lay money we draft one.

Linebacker has some depth, Bush, Edward's, D Jackson. Sewell1 & 2, Hyppollite, so I don't see the Bears taking any except for ST. DT, id be happy with 2, Peter Woods and Gracen Halton would go a long ways.

We are back! Looks good so far, like it.

Thank you for everything youre doing for the site. I prefer the old look, if that's possible?

Test

Upgrade is complete. Let me know if anyone runs into any issues. New software seems pretty slick!

That's what they drafted him for. Booker's preseason injury caused Turner to get reps at end, for depth purposes. For that same purpose, they said Dayo could potentially see some 3T reps. The whole interchangeability idea that was floated was out of poor depth. I fully expect us to draft two DL within the first three rounds. Poles has made me wrong about the trenches 95% of the time. Hopefully, he starts following the Eagles and Seahawks plan. On the OL, I'll be surprised if we draft an LT. I'm not sure we draft a center either. Bradberry is a decent center and only 30 years old. Unless, I'm missing something, the Patriots got fleeced on this one. We really could have used that comp pick this year to fill out LB and safety. I'd love to see two DL, LB and S with the first four picks.

I know I've heard BJ say pass pro for LT is more important than run blocking. Hecht should be able to add strength to help his anchor. His draftbuzz profile says he lacks movement skills for outside zone schemes though. Conner Lew, Auburn, seems like the perfect developmental guy if his torn ACL recovers right. He is younger than most prospects at 20, so has youth on his side. Has outside zone movement and like all the athletic prospects will struggle against big NTs. Logan Jones is another name from Iowa. He was the most athletic tested at combine, but lacks anchor. Parker Brailsford Alabama is the same, lighter and can move. So if the Bears want movement for run schemes, they have options. I feel confident that there are enough center prospects that the Bears should find one and hopefully get the one the rank the highest for them.

Figuring out which OC fit our scheme is the hard part for me. Using Dalman as the reference followed by our choice to trade for Bradbury who both move well for centers. I think Hecht has similar movement skills. Reading draft profiles for Slaughter and Glubin they both will have limited range in run blocking that can affect our limit outside zone plays. Yet they both seem to anchor better in pass pro than Hecht. The first two likely have the higher floor especially in year one. Hecht might have the most upside long term for a team that is willing to be patient. What does Ben prioritize most in the traits he wants in a center?

I hope the light turns on for Stevenson. Al Harris had him attend offseason camp last year. Send him back again, the guy has ability but lacks the instinct to shut down. He has one more year to make it or be a one year deal elsewhere.

Agree - they aren’t going to move safety. Only one even an option would be Stevenson but even that I don’t expect and I don’t think they would hand him a starting gig.

Have to get a long term solution, so I see them drafting early as well. Rumors of Gordon, Stevenson, and Smith moving are just that.

I like your takes, nice work. I know simulators are kind of a joke, but Ive been taking Mike Washington RB with our 3rd. He might make the top of the 3rd. After him I dont see much flash except maybe a kid from Nebraska, Everett Johnson, last name might be off. Seen the Bears were one of the teams at Kansas St pro day, I believe for their C, Hecht. I like Slaughter FL, Hecht KS St, and Glubin Mich St for Center prospects.