dawhizz

I'm willing to bet there was no other offer and Bears just got played.

Would be shocked if we don't trade down. Still value picks in the 2nd and 3rd at places the Bears need help. If not, I assume safety.

I'm ok with Trubisky (I'm the one who thinks he's Mahomes with better mechanics). It's the trade up that burns me. But if he's a franchise QB, no one will care. Now we trade down in the 2nd and try to get some value back in the middle rounds, where we can still get potential starters at S,CB, TE.

Trade up. All those picks. Trubisky. Speechless.

Pace talked a lot today about drafting players with top intangibles, who fit the positive "vibe" in the locker room, and wanting to immediately get better. I'm taking that to heart here when I try a draft that makes sense and that Pace might be trying to pull off based on that criteria. I'm assuming no trades, though I'm sure the Bears would love to trade down in the first and then back into the first to get Kizer. 1) Jamal Adams, S, LSU - Clean medicals, solid player, and reportedly one of the best leaders LSU has had in a decade. Hooker is a better pass defender, but Bears were worse in run defense than pass defense last year, and Adams is a better pass defender than Hooker is a tackler/run defender. Plus, you don't want to draft scared, but Hooker's medical questions are hard for me to overlook and maybe even harder for Pace to overlook. 2) Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss - Bears have reportedly done a ton of work him and he can help at TE and outside receiver. 3) Josh Dobbs, QB, Tennessee - Top leader, smart guy, great arm, and plenty of starts under his belt. Plus, his running ability can give him some experience this year in short yardage/goal line situations. 4) Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State - Doesn't have great size or speed, but gets the job done, particularly in big games, and great team player who is an asset blocking. 4) Dalvin Tomlinson, DE, Alabama - Smart versatile defensive leader. Can be a run stuffing compliment to Bullard on the end or kick inside on passing downs. 5) Cam Sutton, CB, Tennessee - In a deep CB draft, someone will tumble. Sutton's probably more of a nickel with fringe outside corner size and is coming off an injury, but if healthy he's got starter ability. Team captain. 7) Cameron Lee, OT, Illinois State - Developmentsl tackle with great size who is more technically sound than lots of small school guys and hasn't missed a practice or game in two years. This will surely be obsolete in 24 hours . . .

Trading up to take Watson would be dumb as hell.

I feel the same way. The fact that he can't even work out is huge, especially for a one year wonder.

As far as player we are most likely to regret passing on, I would say Malik Hooker, but I keep hearing a great safety still isn't worth a top pick.

Do you like it more if it's Peterman or Dobbs? They all have problems.

I expect hate from this, but here we go: 1) Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama - I'm torn between him and Adams. But the Bears biggest defensive problem last year was stopping the run, and Allen is probably the best DL at stopping the run and there aren't many others in the draft who can do it as well as he can. 2) Marcus Williams, S, Utah - Bears get their ballhawk to start with Demps. 3) Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami - A lot on the board seem to hate him. And he did have problems with pressure last year. But he impressed me in the Gruden QB Camp, and he's the first QB I can remember in recent years who was projected to be a 1st or 2nd round pick his previous year, went out and had a better year in all respects, and somehow lost 2 rounds of value. For the record, I would be fine with Peterman or Dobbs here as well. 4) Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson - For all the reasons mentioned above (which means there's 0 chance he's a Bear). 4) Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell - Need a project to groom at OT and he's one of the few who should be available in the middle rounds who has LT upside. 5) Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M - I'd like to see a big physical outside WR project somewhere in the middle rounds. Reynolds is my favorite, but there are plenty others who would fit the bill. 7) Zane Gonzalez, K, Arizona State - Barth is not the answer.

See, I think you already found Kwiatkoski. You have two starters at ILB that just signed multi-year contracts, Kwiatkoski, and Timu/Anderson (who were OK when they were in there), plus Christian Jones and play inside in a pinch. Is a late round pick going to be a real upgrade from Timu? I tend to doubt it. I think you need to find a Kwiatkoski type at OLB. Floyd is obviously a long term-starter, but Houston and Young are nearing the end of their deals and are prime cut/trade candidates. Acho is mostly a special teamer and Robertson-Harris sounds like he's transitioning to DE, so there's no young talent at OLB except Floyd. I'd like to see a well-rounded tackling machine/unheralded guy in the 5th or 7th (we don't have a 6th round pick) to develop at OLB. Maybe Blair Brown can be that guy. My "guy" is Jalen Reeves-Maybe out of Tennessee. He's a little undersized and missed his senior year with a shoulder injury, but racked up great numbers in his sophomore and junior years (101 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks as a sophomore, 105 tackles, 14 for loss, six sacks, four pass breakups as a junior). He'd probably be a 3rd round pick without the injury, so he's definitely worth the risk for me in the later rounds as a developmental guy.

For the record, I kind of like Kaaya and Dupre in those spots, but I'll join in the fun/potential misery: 1) Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah - Bears brought him in for a visit recently, but hopefully not because they are considering actually taking a 25-year-old project at #3. 2) Davis Webb, QB, Cal - I don't hate him, but I hate him here. 3) Eric Saubert, TE, Drake - It's a little early in a great TE draft to get a guy with the reported physical tools, but who is coming from a small school and can't consistently block or catch. 4) Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis - In a great safety draft, Bears fall in love with his turnovers and overlook the fact that he's short, slow, and a small school guy not ready to contribute. 4) Noah Brown, WR, Ohio State - It's hard to find a WR in this draft I don't like, but it's hard to get behind a guy with like 40 career receptions. 5) Austin Rehkow, P, Idaho - Bears try to solve one punter drafting mistake by taking another one even earlier. 7) Hardy Nickerson, LB, Illinois - Bloodlines pick who can't play outside in a 3-4 and won't make the team inside.

For why Trubisky is rated so high, it's a short sample size with one year starting, but he showed everything you want to see in the one year - arm strength, mobility, accuracy, etc. You'd love to see him do it again, obviously, but he looked great this year. The more I watch, the guy I'm having a hard time geting on board with, weirdly, is Watson. Obviously the record is great and he had some great comebacks against really good teams, but you do you realize he had 30 interceptions the last two years and 17 just last year. By comparison, last year Trubisky had 6, Kizer had 9, Mahomes had 10, and Peterman had 7. Hell, even Kaaya, who everyone hates now, only had 7. And when I watch the games, Watson could have more than he has. A lot of his completions seem to be slants, screens, or throwing the ball up to Mike Williams. I would be less than thrilled taking him at #3 and would be livid if we traded up to #2 to take him. As for 2018, I'm not sure what you mean by "hidden gems", but the top QBs are projected to be Sam Darnold from USC, Mason Rudolph from Oklahoma State, Josh Allen from Wyoming, Luke Falk from Washington State, and Josh Rosen from UCLA.

I'd be OK with it, but wouldn't love it. I'm a fan of Adams in the first. Humphry is OK in the 2nd, but I think there will be better players at bigger need positions there (TE, QB). I'm not really a fan of the 5Ts further down the draft, so I'm pretty meh on Watkins. It seems to me if we don't take Allen/Thomas in the 1st, I'd just as soon just see what Bullard can do next year - he flashed in preseason last year and I'm not giving up on him and it sounds like Roy Robertson-Harris, who the team was high on last year, is bulking up to play 5T as well.

In the admittedly few games I've watched of both Mahomes and Trubisky, I came away with the impression that their arms are fundamentally very similar. The difference is that Mahomes tries to do crazy things that occasionally work, and Trubisky stays true to his fundamentals. Honestly, everyone keeps saying "man, if you can get Mahomes to break his bad habits, with his arm strength, watch out", whereas I'm starting to feel like Trubisky is already what Mahomes would look like without his bad habits.

Honestly, the approach by the Bears doesn't seem that hard to figure out and it seems to me with the Bears picks and the amount of work they have done on these guys they should be able to execute it: 1) If there's one guy you love and see as a can't miss, franchise guy, you take him at #3 and don't look back. (I find this unlikely because no one seems to think any of these QBs are "can't miss" guys, but it's possible). 2) If there's another position player you see as a can't miss, franchise guy at #3, you take him and figure out QB later (see below). 3) If there's a couple guys at QB you love, you try to trade down a bit if possible and still put yourself in a position to take one of them. In the unlikely event one is already gone, you probably take the other at #3. 4) If you don't love any of the top QBs, go elsewhere in the 1st. 5) If you went somewhere else in the first, and a guy you really like is still there at #20, you start figuring out how you can trade back into the 1st and take him. 6) If one of the top four QBs is still there when you pick in the 2nd and you like him, you take him. 7) If there's a 2nd tier guy you really like (Webb, Peterman, Dobbs, Kaaya), you evaluate the QB market and determine if you should take him with your pick in the 2nd, trade down in the 2nd and take him, trade up from the 3rd to the late 2nd and take him, or stay with your pick in the 3rd and take him. I would be pretty surprised if the Bears don't take a QB in the first three rounds and can't see it being anyone other than someone from this list: Trubisky, Watson, Mahomes, Kizer, Webb, Peterman, Dobbs, or Kaaya. I have favorites and least favorites, but I don't hate any of those guys, but the real questions will be where was the Bears QB drafted, was it good value, and did we adequately address our other needs.

But can't you make the same argument about the guys who came out early this year? I mean, Kaaya looked like a stud as a freshman and sophomore, then didn't progress as a junior and now he looks like a mid-round pick. But no one has a problem with Kizer or Trubisky as first round picks, yet another disappointing year by Kizer or another 13 games to pick apart for Trubisky might have landed them the same fate. And would a third year of Mahomes playing sandlot football with mechanics all over the place still look so endearing?

I just can't see the Bears taking a QB at #3. Fox and Pace need to start turning this franchise around. I would be shocked if they used the first pick on a player that would be least likely to help this team this year. One other thing I don't really get about the people who want a QB at #3: I keep hearing the argument that the Bears won't be picking at #3 again, so they have to take advantage and take the QB. But it seems to me that either (a) Glennon will do well, which will lessen the need for a QB, or (2) Glennon will do poorly, in which case we're probably picking high again next year. I personally don't think 4 QBs are going in the first round, so I think you take an impact player at #3 (if you can't trade down), and then target a QB in the second round or trade back into the back of the first round if a guy you love is there.

I agree. If you consider him, it shouldn't be until after the draft shakes out and you see if you were able to add someone there.

He's still rumored to be available and after the Tim Jernigan trade there is speculation that he would cost a mid-round pick. He's had issues in the past and is in the last year of his deal, but the Bears have plenty of cap room to absorb his deal and even extend him. He would make the line potentially scary. What about #3 to the Jets for #6 and Richardson? The Bears wouldn't need Allen/Thomas anyway and at #6 could still go QB/Adams/Hooker.

I may be in the minority, but I'm fine with Timu and Anderson as the backups at ILB and Jones can still play there in a pinch.

It's not hard to find references to Quintin Demps as a free safety either (http://www.profootballweekly.com/2017/03/09/chicago-bears-fill-need-at-safety-by-signing-veteran-quintin-demps/apb3eza/ http://texanswire.usatoday.com/2017/03/11/...aft-need-list/). None of those sites are directly from the Bears and, let's be honest, they are guessing as to Demps' role on the Bears until someone tells us what it's going to be, and it's going to be relative to who is on the roster, but I would argue that a depth chart that has Adrian Amos as the FS (he has 0 career interceptions and 6 career pass defenses over two years) and Quintin Demps as the SS (who has 7 interceptions and 15 pass defenses over the same period of time) may want to reevaluate its understanding of the meaning of those terms. I mean, would you disagree that Demps is the best pass defender currently on the roster? If so, shouldn't he be the default FS? And, for the record, I think Adams would be fine at FS, at least as much so as Adrian Amos, though to answer Lemon's questions, there's not much of a difference between free and strong in the Bears system: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0519-story.html

I don't get this at all. Safety is an important part of the secondary and having a safety who plays the run and the pass well is difficult to find and very valuable. Once such a player is identified, he is rarely available (see Eric Berry). The Bears haven't had a great safety since Mike Brown and may not have even had a safety that qualifies as above average since then, depending on how you feel about Daniel Manning and Chris Harris. The lack of a good safety has been a major reason why the Bears defense has stunk in recent years. I understand this is a great safety draft. But I think too many people misunderstand what that means. Sure, part of what it means is that you can likely get a likely starter later than usual. Could the Bears draft a starter in the third round? Very possibly. But, in all likelihood, that's probably just going to be another average starter. Which is undoubtedly good value. But the Bears have been using the middle rounds to find average starters for years. Chris Conte, Adrian Amos. Major Wright. All OK. None above average. None premier. The other part of what "great safety draft" means this year is that there are premier safety prospects available. That is not always the case. In the last ten years there were zero premier safety prospects in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2010 was Eric Berry and Earl Thomas. In 2012 was Mark Barron. In 2016 was Jalen Ramsey (if you consider him a safety). That's it. Four premier safety prospects since 2008. Two of those players are All Pros. One (Ramsey) is probably on his way. The other (Barron) disappointed. That's a pretty good success rate in a limited sample size. Fact is, you don't get a chance at that all-pro safety that often. Most agree there are two in this draft. One has an injury history and has only started on year of college football. The other defends the pass, is aggressive against the run, has never missed a game, and is universally considered one of the leaders in this draft. Jamal Adams. And I don't understand how that's not worth the #3 pick. DEs like Thomas and Allen are available every year. So are CBs like Lattimore. So are QBs like Watson and Trubisky. A safety like Adams is not available every year and the Bears, drafting at #3, are in the rare position to take him. Would I like to get him at #10? Sure. Who wouldn't? But more than that - I just want to get him.

The more I think about it, I think the Bears almost have to take Jamal Adams at #3: By all accounts, he's a great leader, which you need and has no character concerns. He's an immediate starter and probably the biggest immediate positional upgrade you can make. No health concerns (Hooker, Lattimore, Allen). Has all the tools you want. Seems to be safest bet outside of Garrett to be a pro bowl player, which we desperately need. The only knocks on him that I've seen are based purely on a question of value, either (1) Should a safety go that high? and (2) can you get comparable value in rounds 2-3? The second one is a legitimate point, but if he's an above average safety, are we going to really care if a couple of the 2/3 guys also do well, especially since some will also bust?

What would be the point of adding another mid-round safety? The Bears have been trying to solve the safety problem with mid-round picks (rounds 3-5) and veterans since 2010 and gotten nowhere. Why add another Major Wright/Chris Conte/Brock Vereen/Adrian Amos? I know this is a better than average safety draft, but you need a solution, so if I'm the Bears, I'm taking advantage and taking a safety in the first or second round. Safety opposite Demps is pretty clearly our weakest position on defense, IMO.