dawhizz

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.

I got an A-train vibe from him when we drafted him and still get that vibe. Hopefully he is able to sustain production for longer that A-Train did, but these guys who aren't that fast and don't catch well are rarely long term solutions.

Bench Howard after 1 fumble, but not Cutler after 2 ints and a fumble in the red zone. Makes sense.

The Bears have been vindicated by their "questionable" veteran moves in recent years, though no one acknowledges them. Urlacher and Briggs never played another down. Tillman got injured and retired. Kreutz and Garza were irrelevant. Marshall was more a discipline thing than anything else. Forte remains to be seen but being hurt all preseason suggests the Bears may have made the right move. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Here's the question, in my eyes: Is anyone cutting their current kicker to pick up Gould? If the answer is no (and I think it is), then that tells you where other teams view Gould right now.

I know it's the final preseason game, but no thread at all? Here's what I saw: - There will be more talented QBs cut than David Fales and the Bears should find one and put him on their practice squad. - The Bears will lose out on a talented player because they insist on holding onto Jacquizz Rodgers, who will not have a memorable moment this season. He is easily the 4th best RB on the roster and we could pick up his equivalent on waivers. I'd cut him. The Bears won't. Howard was particularly impressive tonight. - The FB Lasike had some big hits and caught the ball well. I think he makes the team as the FB. - I'm surprised we didn't see anything of Ben Braunecker, the TE from Harvard who was finally healthy. I'm just speculating, but maybe they are hoping if they don't play him it will be easier to put him on their practice squad. I think the TEs are Miller, Moeaki, and Lee, with Braunecker and Scruggs both landing on the practice squad. - No one wants to hear it, but Meredith is a better WR right now than Braverman. He can play inside and outside. Braverman is supposed to be quick, but doesn't get much separation and has shown nothing as a returner. I just don't think he makes the cut and I think someone else picks him up. - Sutton played better than I'd ever seen him, but Ferguson and Terry Williams did well too. Not sure all will make it. I'd probably keep Sutton or Williams myself, though maybe a better guy gets released somewhere. - Cornelius Washington has flashed when he's in there, but can't stay healthy. I won't blame the Bears for giving up on him. - Christian Jones played ILB and OLB, was all over the field and probably saved his job. Kwitakowski had his first action and played well. I think he and Timu stick as the backup ILBs. Floyd played more than I would have thought and gave good pressure, but never quite got there and still needs to get stronger (lots of drag down tackles). - Best game by the corners I've seen. Maybe the Bears don't need to scour the waiver wire. Jacoby Glenn stuck with Josh Gordon pretty well, Deiondre Hall made some plays, and I really hope they can sneak De"Vaunte Bausby onto the practice squad. He has talent. - I didn't see Deon Bush out there, though I would have liked to. I assume that means his job is safe, but he's not going to start over Jones-Quartay. Houston-Carson outplayed Prosinski on defense and special teams. I hope they keep him, ditch Prosinksi, and maybe find another talented young safety somewhere. - Gould may have lost it. He had some bad misses in this game. I've been a defender, but he's going to lose games for this team. Anyone else manage to sit through this?

I'm not one to be pessimistic, but this team looks bad right now. Not much push in the D-line, loose coverage on defense. Bad O-line play. Cutler was visibly frustrated with everyone and that act is wearing thin. Deshaun Watson here we come.