dawhizz

Guess they weren’t impressed - they’d signed veteran WRs Tajae Sharpe and Dante Pettis today. More bodies at WR.

Anybody have an Athletic subscription and willing to summarize what they said about the Bears draft in this recent article? https://theathletic.com/3294957/2022/05/06/nfl-draft-execs-unfiltered/?source=freeweeklyemail&campaign=602288

Pretty cool story on the draft day experience for Dominique Robinson. I admit I’m a bit if sucker for this stuff. https://miamiredhawks.com/news/2022/5/2/football-a-draft-day-in-the-life-dominique-robinson.aspx

We're some 40 hours free of the end of the draft and a lot of thoughts have been kicking around my head about these guys. Probably yours too. So let's get them out there. With apologies to Peter King, here's some things I think I think: 2a. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington - The one pick I got right in my mock, and I wasn't at all sure about it because it heard that CB is not a priority in the Flus defense. Still, I always saw #2 CB as the biggest weakness on this team as a whole - I don't trust Graham (yet), Vildor is still not ready, and the rest of the guys are slot guys. We desperately needed another legit CB with Jaylon, especially with all the WRs the Vikings allowed the other teams in the North to draft. I expect growing pains, as there are with pretty much any rookie CB, but I'm a fan of this pick. If Graham also proves he belongs and Tavon Young is still a consistent nickel, our CB room suddenly looks really nice. 2b. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State - So, this is the "sliding doors" pick in the draft to me. We did not have a starting caliber safety on the roster besides EJax. On one hand, I think most draft boards had Brisker higher rated than the WRs left on the board (Pickens, Pierce, Moore), so when Poles says he trusted his board, I have no reason to doubt him. When we look back at this pick (and the next one), I will be interested to see if we would have been better off with Pickens/Pierce/Moore and then Nick Cross in the 3rd, or with Brisker and Jones. Poles talks about not forcing the board, but I have to think by taking Brisker he felt a little forced to take a WR in the third. Was that the right call? We'll see in a few years. But Brisker is a better prospect than Cross (just as Pickens, Pierce, and Moore are probably better prospects than Jones). I like Brisker a lot. Where this team is, right now, knowing you need the give Fields more help, I would not have had the stones to take him over a WR. But that's where I'm where I am and Poles is where he is. 3. Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee - As I said in the draft thread, I don't get the criticism of Jones as a "gadget player" considering he had more receptions last year than Pickens or Pierce have ever had in one year. The Deebo comparisons - look I get it from a measurables standpoint, but it's like how there for a while every kinda fast, elusive, small RB in the draft was compared to Darren Sproales and most of them didn't ever get close. The Bears say they have a plan for him and I should hope so. I don't really care about his age at all - he seems like a mature guy in his interviews, which is a nice change from the attitudes we see from some new receivers. My main, I won't say "concern" exactly, but maybe "hestiation", is that they took a guy who is more valuable to the team (given his return ability) but not as valuable strictly on offense, where you need help. We have guys who can return kicks - Herbert, Newsome, now Ebner (below). Given where this team, and Fields, is right now, I think I'd rather have a guy who contributes more to the offense than someone who helps out in several phases. There's going to be a lot on his shoulders and he seems up to the task. Apparently Poles talked with Fields about the WRs and Fields gave his seal of approval to Jones. Hopefully he's working out with Fields as we speak. 5a. Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah - Finally an O-lineman (one of many) and seems like the best potential fit at OT. I would keep him there, personally, since we are thin there and the rest of the guys we got project more to OG. I think he's your swing tackle next year and maybe going forward. 5b. Dominique Robinson, LB, Miami (OH) - Just the kind of swing this team should be taking. Was one of the highest rated guys left on the board, and can learn from some good pass-rushers on this team. He might end up on the inactive list for the first half of the season given his lack of experience at the position, but I could see this team trading Quinn to a contender during the season and getting him more snaps during the latter half of the year. The video and reports I saw from the Senior Bowl seem really encouraging. 6a. Zach Thomas, OG, San Diego State - I don't really know with the rest of the linemen. I like the strategy of drafting a bunch of guys with traits and seeing what shakes out. I typically don't really love the "this guy was an OT in college, but he's probably a guard in the NFL" because my reaction is usually "why don't we just draft a guard who we know can play guard?" but I understand the value in having someone who can play OT in a pinch. Seems like a good dude based on the press conference I saw. 6b. Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor - Maybe my favorite pick in the draft and someone I had legit never heard of before seeing his name come up. I've seen a lot of highlight videos, but this one got me stoked on this guy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzsXKFUuIHM). He's basically your Tarik Cohen replacement except bigger and a little less elusive. I see reports saying he's a "plodder" but he seems really smooth when I watch him and seems to be really running away from dudes. I think he is active most Sundays and contributes on a regular basis next year. 6c. Doug Kramer, C, Illinois - Seems kinda small for center - might have to bulk up like Mustipher did. Obviously it's cool that he is a local guy that grew up a Bears fan, so I'll be rooting for him to stick around. Might be down to him or Mustifer for the backup center spot. 7a. Ja'Tyre Carter, OG, Southern - Same "analysis" as for Thomas. It will be very interesting to see who shakes out from the O-line guys. 7b. Elijah Hicks, S, Cal - This dude, man, I don't know that I've seen anyone this excited to be a Bear. I assume everyone's seen this video, but if not, enjoy (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc_nMqSlbUY/). Also seems like a great guy who raised a bunch of money to feed local families during the pandemic. He's pretty much a DHC clone - both spent 3 years at CB, then moved to safety their last year, both did a ton on special teams, both are a little limited athletically but seem to put themselves in the right place at the right time and are willing to help out any way they can. I'll definitely be rooting for him and wouldn't be surprised if he makes a big play or two this year, like DHC tends to do. 7c. Trenton Gill, P, NC State - I got nothing. He's a punter. He looks and sounds like an intern at an accounting firm. The difference between a very good punter and a below average punter is imperceptible to me. It'll either be him or Winslow as the punter and I honestly could not care less. Where is everyone else at?

I think you need one more starting caliber, veteran OL. Whether it's an IOL or OT probably depends on where you see Jenkins & Borom fitting. I assume Jenkins will likely be at RT. You have Whitehair at one of the starting guard spots and Patrick at either guard or center. That probably puts Mustifer at the other IOL spot (yuck) or you put Borom there and have a hole at LT. Tretter would solve a lot of problems, giving you a solid veteran at center shifting Borom to LT. Maybe you wait to see who shakes loose this week after the draft or even wait until training camp, but I don't think you can wait too long before you lock guys into their role heading into the season. You probably also need another veteran at WR (even though I think if Ebner is active he can give you slot snaps at WR), but I think given what's out there right now, I'd just as soon wait. TY Hilton is the only one that would even moderately interest me, but I think better guys will be available later and a receiver is easier to plug in and integrate than OL.

Lots of UDFAs/try out players coming in. Not super excited by most of these at first glance, though I could see Sanborn sticking at LB. https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2022/4/30/23044142/chicago-bears-2022-udfa-news-rumor-tracker-ryan-poles-matt-eberflus-undrafted-free-agent-nfl-draft

I guess if nothing else Day 3 suggests that Poles isn’t a big fan of Arlington Hambright or Lachavious Simmons.

Kevin Austin would make some sense as a potential outside receiver.

Kinnard gone. Maybe Dohnovan West? Edit: Bears trade down and got another sixth.

I want Darian Kinnard, but doubt he lasts long enough. I’ve already mentioned Ross as a guy worth taking a flier on. Matthew Butler is also someone who seems to fit what we are looking for in a 3T. And, what the hell, take the Punt God Matt Ariaza.

I’ll admit, Velus Jones was not in my radar, but it is worth noting that neither George Pickens, Alec Pierce, or Christian Watson had as many receptions in a year as “special teams guy” Jones had last year.

I know his medical are a big potential issue, but I take a long look at Justyn Ross if he’s still there in the 5th. I still feel like the Bears need a big outside receiver and when he was healthy, Ross fit that perfectly.

So far, so good.

Wonder if the Bears might get calls at #39 from teams trying to move ahead of the Seahawks to take Malik Willis?

IMO, your current #2 CB is either Vildor or Graham and that's clearly not good enough. You have three chances left to get a guy you could reasonably expect to start at #2 CB this year: Booth, Gordon, and McCreary (maybe Emerson). I would target one of those guys at 39, unless we are in a system which just doesn't value CBs (which is possible). You can get a starting RG into the 3rd round. You can get a good WR in the 2nd 3rd round.

I know there are a lot of haters on Leno and he’s certainly had his struggles, but this makes the O-line worse going into the year. I don’t have confidence in Jenkins as your day 1 LT but there aren’t really any other options unless they sign Eric Fisher to a cheaper contract or something.

Looking at what I figure is the depth chart at this point, there aren't a lot of holes. It will be interesting to see what happens with Miller, Leno, and Foles, especially to the extent there are any lingering cap issues. My guess is they hold onto Foles through training camp at least in case a starting QB somewhere else gets hurt. Maybe they see what Miller does in preseason and if any of the WRs beat him out straight up. CB doesn't have a lot of known guys outside the top two, but there's a bunch of bodies there so I have to think someone will distinguish himself (my money's on Vildor, Graham, and maybe Roberson). Another proven WR would probably be nice, especially if Miller is gone, or maybe the can try to flip Miller to another team for a different "needs a change of scenery" type WR. Based on the guys I think are roster locks or have a chance to make it: QB - Fields, Dalton, Foles RB - Montgomery, Cohen, Williams, Herbert WR - Robinson, Mooney, Goodwin, Miller(?), Newsome, Ridley, Wims TE - Graham, Kmet, Holtz, Horsted OL - Whitehair, Ifedi, Leno, Jenkins, Mustipher, Daniels, Bars, Borom, Wilkenson, Hambright, Simmons DL - Hicks, Nichols, Goldman, Edwards, Blackson, Tonga ILB - Smith, Trevathan, Jones, Iyegbuiniwe, Woods OLB - Mack, Quinn, Attaochu, Gipson, Snowden CB - Johnson, Trufant, Vildor, Shelley, Graham, Burns, Roberson, Joseph, Tabor S - Jackson, Gipson, Houston-Carson, Bush, Christian K - Santos P - O'Donnell LS - Scales

Any move that ensures I never have to see Ryan Nall carry the ball in a regular season game is a plus for me.

I truly can’t remember the last time I came away this happy with a Bears draft all the way down the line. All the picks actually make sense.

Some gaps in the roster is like to see addressed in the 6th: -NT - Goldman opted out last year and Nichols couldn’t do the job. Need a big body to rotate in. WR - Someone for competition. Speed would be nice.

Gave up their 2nd, 3rd and a 6th but got back a 5th. So they don’t pick again today then have a 5th and three 6ths tomorrow, I believe.

It just hit me that I don’t have to try to talk myself into Mills/Mond/Trask tonight and got happy about the pick all over again.

My guess is Radunz at 52 (Pace gets to scratch his small school itch) then a trade down in the 3rd that maybe results in a late 3rd on a WR like Josh Palmer.

I have to say, obviously we all have varying issues with Pace, but one thing he seems to be pretty good at is filling out the roster prior to the draft with players with starting experience so that he can go into the draft without a true need and go by his board. I mean, as things stand now, I’d say the only position we probably still need to address is starting caliber safety (even though I happen to think Deon Bush can still be pretty good) and maybe another veteran body at WR. There are lots of those still out there and I imagine those will still be addressed.