dawhizz

Nice. Updating my avatar in tribute.

Lots of positions have been addressed, but very few problems have been solved, IMO. I'm interested to see how other people think we should attack the draft, besides of course a BPA approach, but here's what I think I would do: **Trade #3 to Browns for #12, #33, #108 (4th round), #187 (6th round) and a future 3rd. The Browns are trying to recreate the Cowboys - they've spent the offseason beefing up their O-line, now they need their Zeke, but have to get ahead of the Jaguars and Jets to get Fournette, so they do. 1) OJ Howard, TE, Alabama - Given Glennon the help he needs part 1. I balk at this a bit because I know this is a deep TE draft, but he's obviously the best guy and maybe the best in a few years. 2) JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC - Given Glenn the help he needs part 2. I'm not sold on the receiving corps - lots of ifs and maybes. Smith-Schuster is my current draft crush - I love his tape and he's only 20 years old. 2) Marcus Williams, S, Utah - We added Demps, but I still don't think we have another startable safety on the roster. I would add the playmaking Williams, start him with Demps, and make Amos/Bush battle it out for third safety. Jones-Quartay is cut. 3) Davis Webb, QB, Cal - I think this is where the Bears get their QB of the future. It might be Peterman, depending on how they liked him at the Senior Bowl, but I like Webb's size and arm strength more, plus he's a nice copy of Glennon, so they can both operate out of the same offense. 4) Damontre Kazee, CB, San Diego State - The Bears have lots of big corners, but need some more completion inside, Kazee's got a lot of ints and has a little Nathan Vasher in him, I think. 4) Dan Skipper, OT, Arkansas - Even after adding Tom Compton, need more OT competition. Skipper might be too big (6'9"), but there's not a lot of OT prospects in this draft who might be able to handle LT, but he's one of them. 4) Jaleel Johnson, DE, Iowa - Competition for Unrein/Bullard at DE and might even be able to play a little inside. 5) Ejuan Price, LB, Pitt - Undersized edge rusher that maybe Fangio can find a role for. Need more pressure on the QB 6) Stevie Tu-Ikolovatu, NT, USC - Need a legit NT for depth behind Goldman. 7) Zane Gonzalez, K, Arizona State - I was not impressed by Connor Barth last year and I doubt the Bears were either. Thoughts? What do others want to see in the draft?

No, because you have zero proven commodities: - White has 19 receptions in two years in the league and have never caught a touchdown. - Meredith is a second year undrafted free agent who needs to step up. - Wright is three years removed from a productive season, which looks more like an aberration than the norm. - Wheaton is coming off a year when he was injured all year and looks like just a slot option. - Randle is a complete enigma. - Bellamy is the classic guy who is OK to have at the end of your bench, but you always want to upgrade. I still think you have a target a big outside receiver in the draft early to push those other guys and/or guard against injury.

Except for the whole 3-13 thing.

I'll take the second guy, because, for a CB, those numbers are most likely reflective of the number of times that player was targeted - higher tackles/PD can mean QBs aren't throwing at the other guy because he's better.

The lack of DL in FA may say more about how the staff feels about Bullard than their draft plans. He was seen as a steal and looked great in the preseason. They may be hoping for a big step forward from him.

I'm calling Davis Webb in the 3rd round now. Pace talked today about Glennon checking all the boxes, which included height, arm strength, accuracy, and ability to quickly process. Webb seems fairly comparable, so you don't have to change the offense at all when he's in there.

Kind of hilarious that it appears to happen during the Bears' press conference.

Zero interceptions last year. Should fit right in.

My quick thoughts (and I'm not usually a negative poster): - Glennon - As I've written elsewhere, I'm OK with the Glennon signing given that he's the only guy available that could work out to be a legit starting QB, but it's hard for me to get past the fact that, by all indications, the Bears paid at least $4 million more than the next highest bidder. It sounds like the deal is pretty well structured as far as getting out of the deal after a year or two, so I guess that helps. Still doesn't change your need for a QB in the draft. - Demps - An upgrade just because our safeties are so bad, but I'm not super excited about this. We seem to be paying for a career year by an older player (he had 6 ints last year but just 1 the previous year). Why not give the same deal to DJ Swearinger, who is much younger and may be coming into his own? I get the need for leadership, but we have Trevathan as a leader of the defense. Plus, why aren't any of these guys we drafted developing into leaders if we feel the need to bring one in? I hope it's not Rolle 2.0, but it looks like it from here. Still doesn't change your need for S in the draft. - Wheaton - This is the kind of guy I have wanted us to get in recent years, but it's mitigated by the loss of Jeffery and, unless we somehow get Pryor, an overall step back at WR. You have to put your new QB in a position to succeed, and it's hard for me to believe that a starting three of Meredith, White, Wheaton does that (notwithstanding the inability of two of those guys to stay healthy). Still doesn't change your need for WR in the draft (and it has undoubtedly increased overall). - Sims - Why are we paying $6 million a year for a blocking TE ahead of the best TE draft in a long time? Is he worth paying $6 million a year over what you could get in this draft in the fourth/fifth round? I understand that he has some upside, but we now have three mediocre TEs in Miller, Sims, and Brown. So (say it with me) this still doesn't change your need for TE in the draft. So, we've made four signings, none of which crosses off a position from what you need going into the draft. You lost out on the RT you targeted and all the top flight CBs, so you still have a big hole at CB, so that's still a draft need and I don't think anyone you could get left in FA changes that. When your first day of Free Agency solves no problems, creates new ones, doesn't shift your draft needs at all, and doesn't demonstrate a clear direction for the franchise, you get an F.

Honestly, if I'm Pace at this point, I just try for a bunch of young low floor/high ceiling guys and hope enough of them break right that you show improvement. - Go all-in on Terrelle Pryor - Sign on OT coming off an injury that could potentially upgrade your T spot like Kelvin Beachum. - Throw a 2-year deal at Morris Claiborne or Logan Ryan.

I see Matt McGloin was just released. Are we sure Mike Glennon is better than McGloin?

I'm starting to (kind of) come around on the Glennon strategy, or at least I think I get it, even if I don't yet really like it. We know you are nowhere in this league without a quality starting QB. We know neither Cutler or Hoyer are quality starting QBs at this point. Glennon is the one QB available you can make an argument could still prove to be a quality starting QB. If the Bears overpay for Glennon and draft a QB, they are giving themselves two shots instead of one a solving the problem they need to solve to be good. That seems worth a slight overpay for Glennon.

Hold on, we currently appear to have three starting caliber ILBs on the roster, and people wouldn't be mad if we took Foster at #3? That's crazy to me. I think you could make the same argument about Jamal Adams/Malik Hooker as "once every five to ten years" players, and that's actually a need. They are both pretty clearly better safety prospects than anyone since Eric Barry/Earl Thomas in 2010. I would be very upset if we took stayed at #3 and took Foster over one of those guys.

One other possibility I'm starting to consider: Trevor Siemian. Let's say Romo goes to the Broncos (one of his rumored landing places). They already have their QB of the future in Paxton Lynch. So would they take a 2018 5th round pick for Siemian, which could be a 4th depending on starts/etc.? Isn't he just about at Glennon's level, plus you don't have to spend a ton of money on Mike Glennon (which would kind of hurt my soul), and you still have your pick of QBs in the draft if you want? Siemian does well, maybe you can flip him. He doesn't, all you've lost is a 5th round pick and you still have a competent back-up.

This is such a deep TE draft, I doubt they go the FA route.

I don't know - neither interception was all that impressive - the first one was where the QB's arm was hit and the ball was just up for grabs. Maybe he goes in the 5th, but this is a pretty deep safety class.

I don't think there is a starting-caliber safety on the team right now, so I would go Eric Berry/Jamal Adams or Hooker.

I would prefer a FS over Allen.

Thanks for doing this. I agree with your characterization of my preference. I will state that while I am not currently enamored of any of the QB at #3, I can't say I'm totally against it and someone could knock my socks off in the workouts, though I don't see this happening.

I predict the Bears get Tyrod Taylor in FA, lining them up for: 1) Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State - Bears immediately address the glaring lack of big plays at the safety position. They get offers to move down, but take their man. 2) Sidney Jones, CB, Washington - This is a prime spot for either a trade down or to catch a player who somewhat unexpectedly fell out of the first round, so I'll go out on a limb with Jones. 3) Davis Webb, QB, Cal - Notwithstanding the add of Taylor, Bears get their QB of the future

Watson played great within the offense, which you can't fault him for, but I didn't see a bunch of "NFL throws" (he did gun a couple of out routes and his best throw may have been the one Leggett dropped on 3rd down when he scrambled a bit). A lot of his throws were screens, timed back shoulder throws, and the "up for grabs" balls that Williams just went and got. Honestly, it's the same type of success we saw other running college QBs like EJ Manual succeed in. He's nowhere near the physical runner that Cam Newton was - Newton came out at 6'5" 248, Watson is 6'2" 210 - and I don't even think he's as fast as Newton was. I would have no problem with him in the 2nd (though I don't think he'll be there), but not in the first.

Garrett will be gone. Allen is 50/50, but I can't help thinking that one of playmaking safeties (Adams or Hooker) would make a bigger impact on this team than Allen, just from a "how much of an upgrade is it" standpoint. Different story maybe if we get Eric Barry or something, but, as Stinger says, a playmaking safety is a must in this offseason, and what a difference it would make to replace Amos and Jones-Quartay with Barry and Hooker. There are DEs like Allen in every draft (plus I'd kind of still like to see what Bullard can do). Safeties like Adams and Hooker don't come around that often - I would argue that Eric Barry was the last safety comparable to those two in the draft and all the first round safeties taken since would be slotted behind Adams and Hooker coming out.

I haven't really done much draft prep yet, but I'll go with this (I assume retaining Jeffery doesn't count as a FA move): FA #1 - Eric Berry, S, Chiefs - If's we're going to go big, go with the best player who solves the biggest problem on the team. It's hard for me to see Pace getting into a big bidding war for him, though, so someone like Jonathan Cyprien from the Jaguars might end up being the consolation prize. FA #2 - AJ Bouye, CB, Texans - Came relatively out of nowhere to be the Texans best corner this year. He fits the Pace mold of a young, up and coming player. FA #3 - Marquise Goodwin, WR, Bills - The Bears still don't have much speed on offense and will probably lose WR depth when they cut Royal and lose Thompson and Wilson, so I'd like to see what Goodwin can do. 1. Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State - The reinvention of the safety position is complete. 2. Desmond King, CB, Iowa - The reinvention of the secondary is complete. 3. Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech - QBs always slip after the first round. One of the decent QBs will still be around here, I hope it's Mahomes. 4. Javarius Leamon, OT, SC State - Need a developmental OT prospect behind the starters. 4. Jake Butt, TE, Michigan - Injury will cause him to slip, but the Bears can be patient with him. We had a Butkus, why not a Butt? 5. Ejuan Price, DE/OLB, Pitt - Can never have too many pass rushers. 7. Zane Gonzalez, K, Arizona State - Need to solve the K situation.

If I had to choose out of those guys, I would go Jonathan Allen or Myles Garrett because they are the only two players there I see as worth the #3 pick, but I voted "trade down" because I would prefer to take a top safety, (Hooker or Adams) and pick up another 2nd or 3rd round pick.