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Probably Cam Lewis?

New Bears 1920 video on free agency. Interesting to hear them say they feel they have starters at every position - wonder who they think the other starter at S is. More on the focus on speed, aggression, and love for football.

NIL money is changing the NFL draft and roster building. I don't think that has been fully comprehended yet in mocks and player rankings. As we've all seen, this year there are many older players. It seems that is going to be a trend going forward as players are content to be paid to improve their skills in college versus being a Day 3 draft pick with a less certain future. Some of these older players arrived at this point due to injury but even then in years past we'd see guys make a jump to the NFL quicker to try to get going on earning money. In the past draft profiles largely focused on athletic talent and teams would draft guys based on projections of what they could become. Now we have a growing number of players where that is less of an issue. Guys like Mesidor are largely a finished product. Teams know what they are getting and in his case he was already coached by Jason Taylor. That's not a bad thing because in essence his floor is now much higher than it was a year ago, or even 2 years ago when he was 23. In the past GMs wanted a younger player and there was always talk about coaches helping them earn that second contract. With FA being wild and crazy on salaries will GMs start to change their perspective. Drafting a guy like Mesidor, who is a good pass rusher but maybe not best DE, I can lock in his contract for 5 years (if 1st Rd) and let him walk away when he's 30. Does this flip the back half of the first round where we start seeing the athletic upside guys pushed into the 2nd rd where teams prefer the higher floor older players for a longer contract.

An article on SI.com: Bears Must Target Alex Highsmith as Elite Consolation Prize for Dexter Lawrence says the Steelers might be interested in trading Highsmith. Personally, if Poles wants a FA veteran to add for the pass rush, I think there are better options. Highsmith has missed 10 games over the past 2 years due to injuries. We don't need another aging veteran on IR.

DT and DE are on different pay scales but the bigger contracts signed at any position raises the water level. Jordan Davis got 26 mil and Cris Jones gets 31 . So probably higher than that.

Agree with everything you stated. We were in the same situation as last year and it worked out. We have more assets this year. Of course if Poles drafts a LT then that means they didn't trust the room.

Ordinarily, I'd do a backflip for LT, in the first round. This year, I don't see it. We liked Ozzy until he got hurt and should be banking on his full recovery. Braxton will be fully healthy, along with Theo and Kiran. It won't be ideal, but we'll be ok. I'll be astonished if we draft anyone on offense with our first three picks. Disclaimer: y'all know I won't complain if it is OL.

Will Anderson of Houston just signed a 150 Million 3 year extension. 134 Million guaranteed! So does Lawrence use that as leverage? Who knows? I've seen players insist on being traded, then sign for less than they were being offered by the new team.

Itll be interesting to see what kind of deal he needs. Some say $30M, but he was already at $27M and then $29M so its hard to imagine things got so out of whack over $4M difference in a $60M two year deal? Sounds like he might want more. It'll be interesting to see what the numbers are.

Trade down is good, especially without the 5th or 6th round picks, and the lack of compensatory picks (grrr) But if we pick at 25, I think its LT, thats my guess just from the gut. And again, i dunno, maybe they have a sleeper like Trapilo was in mind and I have no idea about them? I wouldnt be surprised to see Iheanachor (sp?) be the pick. I know a lot of people have him ranked in the 30s or 40s, but in a lot of mocks on different sites, I see him gone by pick 28 or so too. So the site will have him ranked at like 45th and still have him taken with the 28th pick, because of positional importance. I think thats part of why its hard to be sure someone is gonna be there after a trade down. If you have a cluster of players, then yes, but it youre running out of LTs for example, you might just take him at 25?

The Beast and Draft Buzz have profiles, he's not a one trait player. Moves well and a nasty attitude.

He better be able to run because Ben wants a center that can get to every block on the field.

Too rich for me. Glad we stayed put.

I think we need to add every year a wave of players, it's about winning now. There are good players in even weak drafts, you just have to identify them. If we do pick in the first round, it will be one of those first 3 picks.

The Bengals didn't want to pay Henrickson but traded for a 30 mil a year player that cost a first round pick. That's dumb.

Id go Thienemen, Mesidor, maybe Tj Parker, or Kaleb Proctor, Caleb Lomu round one. Trading down for 2027 picks might be the smartest..if it is deeper.

I don't think we address either of those positions in the first two rounds. You can get a good center prospect in the 4 th or 5 th. I think Poles trades back and adds several later picks. I read every profile I could on centers and don't count out James Brockermeyer as a later round pick. His best trait is a high football IQ and do line calls. His physically can get better and a great value 5th round and beyond.

Thank god the Bears didnt give up pick 25. The guy got paid and wants more after an off season. Id rather take a chance on a rookie looking to earn his next check.

I agree with the Messidor and Parker in the first but still think they trade back. I wouldn't object to a first round LT pick but the ones that would be available there aren't Day one starters. They all need time to develop. If this was a consideration, I don't think they would have made two moves at that position with Braxton and Wills. Both have questions but so would a rookie LT. Braxton, Theo, Wills and Kiran are battling for that spot and plus we don't know when Ozzy comes back. Everyone suggests not this season but nobody knows for sure how long it takes. I don't think we draft a LT in the first for those reasons. During the NE winning years they always keep trading back and got many players instead of trying to find a stud late in the first round. I think Poles has that same mindset.

Everyone wants good players but there is always a cost. Our first round pick wouldn't have even been enough plus the redo contract and Cap hit. I'm sure Poles checked it out but getting a #10 pick , we were never in the race. This is the fifth year for Poles and he got us here with some good and bad moves. We are a winning team with a good core. Now it's going to be about building with the draft. A few targeted free agents without the fat contracts. Whether people agree or not, there is no Crosby or Lawrence moves going to happen anymore. The best we can do is have 2025 drafts every year.

So much for Greg Gabriels inside info. He said Dexter would not be traded. https://x.com/ggabefootball/status/2041280939557269917

Great deal for Giants. Wow - that is quite the premium. Bengals messed up so bad - lost Hendrickson when they could have got multiple picks a year ago and now give up a pick that early. And they have wideouts and Joe B paid. Absolute buffoons.

Agreed. He was unproductive last year and unhappy with his contract. Bad combination, when you are trying to get more guaranteed money.

Way too much IMO. The dude is good. But you can get a Pro Bowl-caliber player at #10, dirt-cheap for 5 years. Gamble? Every pick is. But signing any free agent with a huge contract late in his career is also a gamble.

I wonder what his new deal will look like too.