dawhizz

It's also interesting to think how the draft would have unfolded had we not been able to trade up to #9. Bucs probably still take Hargreaves. Giants take Floyd. I've read where the Bears were not considering Tunsil. Do we take Lawson? Then the second round actually gets really interesting. The Bears tried initially to trade up from #41 to #34 with Dallas but couldn't get a deal together, reportedly targeting Hunter Henry. If we still have our early 4th round pick we traded to get Floyd, does Dallas bite on #41 and #106 for #34 (that's pretty good value according to the value chart)? Then your first three picks are maybe Lawson/Henry/Bullard instead of Floyd/Whitehair/Bullard and maybe Slauson's still here.

Apparently he failed a physical.

The one thing I'll say is that the Bears have been vindicated (though not publically) for pretty much every player they have let go because of concerns that the player would not be able to perform at a high level at a certain age. Briggs, Urlacher, Garza, and Kreutz were all leaders that the Bears "disrespected" and we were told that the Bears would regret it, and none of those guys did anything with another team. Tillman gets a bit of an incomplete, as he was OK this year before getting hurt, and we'll see on Forte, but the Bears track record here is pretty good.

Interesting note from Peter King's column today: The Cowboys considered trading down from #4 to #6. If they did that and lost out on Elliott and Ramsey, they would have taken Floyd.

With the releases of Slauson and Rolle, their free agency approach (almost all young players) and they way the Bears drafted and even got an extra pick, I think it's clear Pace is playing to long game, not expecting to be that great this year, but instead looking probably two years ahead. Right now, it's entirely possible the Bears won't have a starter over the age of 30 except Cutler. The Bears may be playing the long game figuring it will situate them to go into next year's draft and target one of the QBs in a stronger QB draft (Deshaun Watson, Brad Kaaya, etc.) and have a good young team grow together going forward.

Rolle saying in a statement that his injury was due to the surfaces at the Chicago training facility which are the worst he's ever been on. Also tells the SCORE that whoever he goes to, he hopes the Bears are on the schedule so he can "bust their ass."

The results are impressive, but seems like one of those guys who just gets those extra yards that add up and wear the opposing defense down. Dare I say, A-Train 2.0?

That was my initial thought as well, but it's not like they needed to release Rolle and Slauson to fit Monroe's salary (I don't think). Seems like the Whitehair pick just created a problem that they had to fix in an unpopular way. Doubt Kyle Long loves this move. Leming says there may be a health concern in the background of Slauson's release.

My guess is they tried trading him yesterday and had no takers, but could have held onto him to see training camp injuries have him more value.

Big draft class is going to mean lots of competition and some decent players losing their jobs. QB should be set with Cutler/Hoyer/Fales, but it's chaos almost everywhere else: RB: I'd be shocked if we don't keep Langford/Howard/Carey/Rodgers. Sorry Senorise. TE: Beyond Zach Miller you have veterans who haven't shown much (Housler, Sinclair, Lee) who should be pushed by Braunecker. WR: Jeffery, White, and Royal are the only locks, IMO. Thompson probably has an edge with special teams value but Braverman could challenge that. Will be a big camp for Wilson, Bellamy, and Meredith and I could see them all losing their jobs if a decent WR is cut loose from another team. OL: I don't know what to make of the Whitehair pick, because we are now stacked at C/G, but thin at T. Slauson seems like a trade candidate. I really hope we don't move Long to LT. I have no idea who starts at OT if someone gets hurt - hopefully Tayo has been studying this offseason. DL: Some of the past regime's draft picks might not survive. Ferguson seems like a good fit in the 3-4 and might even start over Bullard, but Washington and Sutton might be on the outside looking in. LB: I doubt Houston and Young make this team and Christian Jones has gone from projected high pick to UDFA to future starter to barely useful. I liked what Timu and Anderson did last year, I'm not sure they both survive the Kwiatkoski pick (although is it crazy for me to think that Kwiatkoski could start at OLB with Floyd as the pass-rusher?). CB: This actually seems pretty set to me. Porter/Fuller/Callahan/Hall/McManis, though the UDFAs Calhoun and Peterson might put up a fight. S: Will be an absolute dog fight behind Amos. You have young guys on the roster who showed some flashed in Hurst, Jones-Quartay and Prosinski, a young guy they liked till he got hurt in Jefferson, two draft picks in Bush and Houston-Carson, and the veteran in Rolle. That's not even mentioning Bolden, who I assume makes the roster as a return man, again, unless Braverman shows some value there.

I agree. Even a swing tackle would be nice. The one thing I'll say is that there are always cuts after the draft and during training camp, and we're well situated to grab someone if they become available.

Darrin Peterson, WR, Liberty

John Kling, OT, Buffalo (nickname is "Kling Kong")

Guess that explains no QB.

Sounds like they also got Kevin Peterson, CB, Oklahoma State and Roy Robertson Harris, DE/LB, UTEP, if my Twitter examination is right. Both legit prospects.

Joe Sommers, TE, Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Marc Mariani, you are now obsolete.

Honestly with Pace saying you can never have too many pass rushers, wouldn't be shocked at a guy like Ochi or Striker.

7th round. Wonder if Bears might try to move Slauson/Houston/Young for a pick.

Vitale to the Bucs.

Haven't watched much of Howard, but he sounds like the "thunder" to Langford's "lightning."

Howard! Nice value.

Dare I say, Dan Vitale?

There goes Prescott.

Good to see secondary addressed. No problem with either of these guys.