Coates is the only one I have a real problem with. I watch his highlights and even in those, he's a body catcher. I know he has a ton of physical talent, but I don't see him as ready to contribute as a WR this year much if at all and get a major Stephen Hill vibe from him. My dream is that Jaelen Strong lasts to the 2nd, but I'm not sure that happens. If we take a WR in the 2nd, I'd rather it be Devin Smith or even Nelson Agholar.

That could be. I haven't seen the videos, just basing my opinion from cbs sports analysis. They say he can pluck fastball extended from his body. I have no interest in Smith, he is only a deep threat. Agholar was considered, I really like the blocking ability of Coates. Strong or even DGB would be great if they last that long.

It is a chilly afternoon and I am mocking the afternoon away. Hoping there will be some trade interest. Going with Cleveland as that partner, we get #12, 3-#77, and a future 3rd and they get Cooper. I still think we are best off getting a OLB or NT/5T that will help elevate the players around them.

 

1 -Danny Shelton NT - Getting an anchor on the D line and picks makes sense. Shelton will not only draw double teams, he will clog the middle of the line forcing runs outside and he will push the QB out of the pocket.

2-Sammy Coates WR - Coates may currently be a one trick deep threat, but he is also a physical blocker. He has speed to take the top off and incredible strength to beat the press. With work, he can become a better all around wr.

3-Cedric Ogbuehi OT- Athletic and powerful prospect and was 1st rd material, dropped bc ACL ended his season. Can play either OT or G. Will likely miss early part of season with no contact until Aug.

3-BJ Finney C- Smart likeable player and a highly regarded leader on KSU. Quick snap, high awareness, holds middle ground, and run blocks well.

4-Eric Rowe CB/FS- 6-1 205 and 4.45 speed. Played 3 yrs at fs and moved to cb. Questionable hands, but strong build and physical run defender. Utah ran a pro man cover, seems like a Fangio guy.

5-Josh Shaw CB/FS 6-0 205 also played both fs/cb, missed nearly all of season over character incident. Will get first look at FS

6-Jake Ryan LB-Was looking at RBs, but I think we can bring in a handful of UDFAs. Heeney or Ryan with this pick, whoever is available.

I could be wrong but i thought Houston was 285 for playing weight. Either way i think he should be a DE

They are only trying him at OLB first. They must have seen something on tape they like for that interpretation.

The names aren't bad, the lack of an OT and a safety is what irks me.

 

IF they do a running back by commitee, you don't do it with 2 featured backs, it's a waste.

I am just razzing you now. If they took a RB in the 2nd, I would be fine as long as it was Gordon or Gurley. I would prefer defense.

10 picks and not one of them is an OT or a safety??? A rb in the 2R?? Ya, no thanks on all that. The only dream about that draft is getting all those picks sure would be nifty.

 

CBS sports top 100 prospects:

 

#12 = Trae Waynes CB (Rather have Vic Beasley #5 rated)

 

#22 = Melvin Gordon RB

 

#40 = Jordan Phillips NT

 

#81 = Phillip Dorsett WR

 

Haha, hopefully they take Gurley 1 and Gordon 2 and name them Nifty Crue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a draft off of Windy city gridiron with lots of trades. Wouldnt mind if it went this way. http://www.windycitygridiron.com/2015/3/27...ound-mock-draft

 

That is a dream draft. Pace would be trotting around the bases and fireworks would be going off with that one.

 

 

Bring him in, if there is a problem of him not being on the field our fall back can be Garza.

 

To be honest, I would wait until after the draft on this one if he lasts. A torn labrum may redshirt him for part of the season or limit his ability. Last year PFF ranked him 22 out of 32 Centers also. If we think Grasu or Dismukes are better options and one can be taken in Round 3, we should consider that. Or if for some chance Cameron Erving is available in round 2, he has more flexibility on playing anywhere along the line.

 

 

He had a surgery after the season, shoulder I think?

The movements he needs to make will be very difficult with that injury.

That would be an impressive draft matching needs perfectly. Our OLine would be pretty sick and Jeffery/Cooper/Royal/Bennett would be a great Receiving Corps.

People are still throwing out Fox's quote of how pass rush makes a defense. Wouldn't be surprised with Beasley 1 and WR #2.

Yep from the top 10 to top 20? maybe a little later in the first round.

I think he still goes top 10. Like some will argue...it's just pot. I think nyg jump on him at 9.

Pace is definitely plugging the holes in the roster, and with a few more moves, we will be looking good after the draft. To me, these are the positions that still need an upgrade:

 

1. #2 WR (Wilson) - Not sold on Wilson just yet. This position has to be filled in the draft. Cooper/White might be there at #7.

2. RT (Mills) - One of the worst tackles in football. Needs to be addressed in the draft early.

3. S (Mundy/Vereen) - Rolle will get one side, but we need another upgrade over Mundy/Vereen via the draft.

4. DE (Jenkins) - We need another starting 3-4DE, I don't see Jenkins coming to start, but more as a rotational guy. With less 3-4 teams (I believe), we might be able to get on the later rounds.

5. C (Garza) - Aging vet and no DLP on roster. Wiz or Grasu? It would be awesome to get Wisniewski and turn this into a strength and take it off as a need in the draft.

6. CB (Jennings/Ball) - Jennings and Fuller are smaller CBs, so we need some bigger guys and an eventual replacement for Jennings.

 

I think we are on the cusp of BPA for the entire draft.

The way Pace is working, this could be an offensive heavy draft.

1-Cooper WR

2-Jake Fisher OT

3-Hronis Grasu C

4-Kurtis Drummond FS

5-Ray Drew DE

6-Deshazior Everrett CB

I saw that somewhere too. I don't think they should draft one too high if they do a running back by committee type deal. IMO the only RBs you should draft high are ones that will be featured backs.

 

Still think Forte/Carey could be a fine little duo.

I think round 3 is were some consideration can start. Duke Johnson, Tevon Coleman or round 4 David Johnson, Jay Ajayi or TJ Yeldin. I've seen those guys going a round higher, that's why I'd consider them in the rounds lower. I see Carey as a good #2 to spell the starter. The whole committee thing only happens if you do not have a hot hand to go with.

why would they meet with someone to mislead someone? they may not like them after the meeting.

All gms throw out smoke signals to try and trick other teams. Notice Cooper or White are not on the list yet. Maybe they are acting uninterested?

From Walter football, here is who they show the Bears have visited with so far:

 

1. Dominique Brown, RB, Louisville (EW)
2. Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana (COM)
3. Alvin Dupree, OLB/DE/3-4OLB, Kentucky (COM)
4. Mario Edwards Jr., DE/DT/3-4DE, Florida St) COM
5. Deshazor Everett, CB, Texas A&M (PRO)
6. Greg Henderson, CB, Colorado (EW)
7. David Irving, DT, Iowa State (WOR)
8. Benardrick McKinney, OLB/ILB, Mississippi State (INT)
9. Cody Prewitt, S, Ole Miss (COM)
10. Danny Shelton^, DT/NT, Washington (SR, COM)
11. Junior Sylvestre, OLB, Toledo (PRO)
12. P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State (COM)

 

 

 

Armstead bothers me because he wasnt productive in college. who was the stud we had that could jump out of the pool? but he couldnt play football.

Jarron Gilbert! Yeah that was terrible. I would be ok with Armstead in round two. He is a legit first rd prospect. It is his size and athletic ability that has him rated so high. He is project as a Calais Campbell type player. He is raw and if the coaches think they can make him a staple on the d line for 5+ years, then I'd be good with it.

IMO, which is all I'm saying, my opinion, they should start it out with either Ego-Rat-McDonald or Rat-Ego-McDonald.

 

Like I said Jenkins is still just 27 and I have acknowledged that it's possible he improves, he'll be in the running, but I think they should look to add yet another piece to the line.

Plus after 2015 season, they are down to only Ego and Sutton. Houston if he plays some 5T. They need to add a player, maybe two.

What other experienced 3-4 DE does he have to compete with?

 

Him and McDonald will both be slotted at the Strong side End is my guess.

 

 

I think he's above average as well and his experience in the system, during this transitional time, is required. So getting him while he's "down" for a cheap one year deal is a good idea. (Assuming he isn't guilty, of course.)

I don't know why this puts Pace in a trouble bubble. McDonald is on a one year prove it deal and I am sure there is clauses in it that he will be cut and pay back signing bonuses if he screws up. It would be no different if Carey gets busted again for DV.

I think we draft Shelton, and Ratliffe plays at both NT and DE.

I am not sure how they can count on Ratliff and even wonder if they may cut him if they draft a DT. They would save a little over 1.8 million against the cap. His leadership and knowledge of the D would be useful though.

I prefer low key one year deals if any. The good thing about the McDonald signing is he does not count for compensation picks since he was cut. The Bears need to get to that state were FA is no longer an option. Keep your hands out and you'll eventually be awarded the picks.

I'm more interested in Virginia's take on this than Vic's. I've got to believe that this type of signing gets blessed at the top and she's a known feminist. I can't believe they'd sign him if she didn't approve. And if she approved, it might mean they have enough data to suggest he's clean. We'll see.

 

The had multiple meetings about him before contacting his agent to make sure ownership would be comfortable about this move.

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron Leming ‏@AaronLemingNFL 9m9 minutes ago #Bears GM Ryan Pace has had quite the day landing 5-techs Ray McDonald & Jarvis Jenkins and now finally reeling in ILB Mason Foster.

 

Good work today Ryan!

 

 

 

I'd prefer Waynes, Peat, or if they do go WR, I like White over Cooper.

Beasley, Waynes, Peat, Flowers OT, Scherff, White, and Cooper would be the big names on the big board. Hard to decide but it would have to be Beasley. Only because I think they have to go defense and pass rush trumps.

Hmmm, I'm seeing those dates now. Odd considering they could start on the 6th. Maybe they just haven't released it out there that they'll be doing it at an earlier date. Or perhaps there's a difference between "offseason workout programs" and "voluntary mini camp".

 

I think the April 6th date is open so they can get together for strength, conditioning, and rehab work only.

 

 

Are there any Bears workouts/camps between now and the draft? I keep on reading about how John Fox says the Bears still have a lot of needs (and how he doesn't even know who the leaders on this team might be), and Ryan Pace talking about where they believe the current players on the roster fit into the new defensive scheme, then we keep talking about where we see certain players fitting and how that will impact the draft, etc. What I keep wondering is, without any workout between now and the draft, how is the new staff supposed to figure out where people will fit. I guess this is a problem all new regimes deal with, but it seems to me that in particular when you are fundamentally changing how the players line up and what they do, it's like doing into a draft without having any idea how 1/4 of your roster fits into what you want to do, not to mention you don't know how guys who aren't going to change positions take to your scheme. The current staff really doesn't have anything to go on besides tape to determine, for instance, if they see Marques Wilson as a starter, or whether a short CB like Tim Jennings can work in Fangio's system, or if Ratliff can still be a 3-4 NT. I do not envy their job (well, I do, but you know what I mean).

 

They are having mini camp on April 28, 29, and 30. That will give them a couple of days to evaluate before the draft Thursday night on the 30th.

 

The next camp is May 8-10 and then Jun 16-18.