dawhizz

Sadly, we are actually THREE weeks out - draft is April 30 - May 2. I'm just as sad about it as you are.

I think the people pushing it are vastly overestimating that love people in Tennessee have for Cutler. If this was a former Tennessee QB, that would be one thing. But its not like Vanderbilt has a rabid following that would translate to the Titans, and I don't see many tweets from Tennessee fans who love the potential addition of Cutler. Most often, it's the opposite.

Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft is visiting the Bears next week. Mid-round pick.

Here's another good article - update on Lamarr Houston. He's certainly saying the right things and interesting that he's planning to be lights and talks about a return to playing 3-4 OLB. He indicates he primarily played OLB in 2012 and 2013, so this is a return for him. http://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-football...ll-bring-animal

I do like Shaq Mason as the center of the future. The rest (beyond Amari) seem like reaches to me.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2421423...-mob-art-vid-16 Of course, in typical BR fashion, the video doesn't quite say that. What Jason Cole says is, that there are "some in the Bears organization" who "wonder" if Mariota would be a good option for the Bears IF they can get the Titans to take Cutler in a trade. Which fits into the "no duh" category for me. There's nothing saying the Bears are trying to trade Cutler or that the Titans are interested at all. It's just the kind of thing someone says when they have absolutely no real evidence to back it up, but wants to get clicks.

You take Williams. I don't think the scenario is all the much different than if you take Shelton at #7. If it's Williams, he plays end with some mix of Ratliff/Ferguson at the NT. If it's Shelton, you put Ferguson/Ratliff at end with the others (McDonald, Jenkins, Sutton). Williams might even be able to play NT in Fangio's system and even be a better fit than Shelton - he's really strong and is comparable to the size of Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams, and Ricky-Jean Francois, who all played there in SF under Fangio. I would think there would be candidates for a trade down, but if we want to add difference makers on defense, we might not even be inclined to do so.

Bears bringing in OT TJ Clemmings for a visit. Seems like a contingency plan for a trade down- not worth #7 and probably won't be there in the 2nd round.

First of all, I don't quite understand why a run-first offense means we need a good defense. We need a good defense regardless. And most of us are hoping that the additions, plus the coaching and scheme changes, will make that happen. It almost has to. Well, if we are talking about using the #7 pick, there's no safety or CB worth that pick. DL is a possibility at #7 (and if Williams is sitting there, I think it's a no-brainer), but the only DT potentially worth the #7 pick is Shelton, though, as has been discussed in other threads, Fangio hasn't tended to use the huge DT in his scheme. I do still think it's a possibility though, and if we went for a defensive player at #7, he might be my preference. Which leaves 3-4 OLB. The Bears big off season acquisition was an OLB (McPhee) and the money they are paying him suggests he'll be on the field most of the time and he's here long term. Although admittedly he can move around a bit, he'll play the vast majority of his snaps at OLB and was brought into be that big time pass-rusher. That leaves one other OLB spot. Drafting on OLB at #7 suggests to me you have no confidence in any of the other guys on this roster. I personally am a believer in Christian Jones. I'm not ready to give up on the potential of Young and Houston in the 3-4 and I think Acho can contribute. Even David Bass might be a good fit there. So you have candidates in-house, some new some old, that can play there. Contrast that with WR. We have Jeffery, a guaranteed starter on the outside. Then we have Royal, who is best in the slot. Right now Marques Wilson is the other starter outside, and he is a former 7th round pick who was a big fat disappointment last year. And we have zero depth beyond that. Like, no one. Teams usually keep at least 5 WRs on their roster. After our top three, we have one that has ever caught an NFL pass (Marc Mariani - 5 career catches). So to me, it's not just about BPA. It's what's the biggest upgrade we can make that is worthy of the selection? And personally I think the upgrade from Wilson to Cooper or White is a bigger upgrade than from Jones/Houston/Young/etc. to Beasley/Ray/Gregory. Then again, maybe I'm just being blinded by the impact that the rookie WRs made last year.

I also saw him late helping on a lot of throws to White in the WV game.

That would be a good draft, but it appears completely unrealistic.

Interesting note for the "trade down" people in this article, saying that SF loves Cooper and would consider a move up if he got past 4. 7 for the 9ers 1st and 2nd round picks are pretty much even on the ol' trade value chart. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2417922...outing-notebook

Noteworthy perhaps only because that leaves us with just three safeties on the roster with workouts coming up. Maybe we have our eye on a FA and this is a precursor to that move (Jeromy Miles would make some sense to me), or maybe it's just clearing guys out we don't see a future with. As it stands though I would expect a safety in the draft somewhere. I've been on record as not much of a fan of this safety class. Anyone have someone they really like? I'd personally prefer a good coverage guy over a big hitter, so I'm partial to a mid-round pick on a guy like Adrian Amos or Damarious Randall.

That's my conclusion as well, as I've stated in other threads (barring a trade of course). Biggest need is safety, but like you said, there's no safety worth the #7 pick, and this is a pretty awful S draft. Other supporting evidence includes the fact that Fangio DTs tend not to be huge NTs (which lessens the need for Shelton type) and the glut of potential LBs (which lessens the need for a pass-rushing OLB). Meanwhile, we have only three (and perhaps only two) NFL caliber WRs on the roster, one legit #1 (Jeffery), one guy who's best in the slot (Royal), and Wilson, who I'm still not convinced is very good and who we know the last regime loved, but have no idea how the new regime feels about him. If we don't want Jeffery double-covered all next season, we need another threat, and this is a draft with two great WRs at the top, at least one of whom figures to be BPA at #7 (barring something crazy like both White and Cooper going in the top 6). Is this a deep WR draft? Yep. But I still think that White and Cooper are clearly a round or two better than guys you could get in the 2nd/3rd like Devin Smith, Nelson Agholar, Sammie Coates, etc., whereas there are other positions (like CB, for instance) that I don't feel that way about. So I'm all in on White or Cooper and have no problem with either one.

Kind of surprised they didn't keep Garza around for a little while, at least to see what shakes out in the draft. He could still be a useful back-up at G and C, two positions where we don't have a ton of depth, and there's something to be said for his leadership and chemistry with the guys that are here. Case in point, Kyle Long on twitter: LXXV @Ky1eLong · 14m 14 minutes ago I understand that it's a business, but this is family I'm talking about. He took a broken dumb kid and turned him into a man. Grateful 4 him LXXV @Ky1eLong · 16m 16 minutes ago I promise to carry the torch with the same charisma and dedication that @Roberto_Garza63 did for so long in Chicago. LUCKENBACH TEXAS ✊ LXXV @Ky1eLong · 18m 18 minutes ago All the time. First man in, last man out. A lot of people claim that kind of thing but he lived it. Luchadores for ever brother. Love ya bro LXXV @Ky1eLong · 19m 19 minutes ago From the first day I got to the Bears he showed me and told me what it took to be accountable and respected in the NFL He did it right(cont) LXXV @Ky1eLong · 20m 20 minutes ago Some things are hard to believe. Can't say I've been around a more humble hard working guy. @Roberto_Garza63 will always be a legend.

Sounds like he helped out the Denver O-line in a pinch last year and Fox as a fan, so this isn't much of a surprise: http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_27128...os-running-game

My thing is, if FA has put us in a BPA position, it's hard for me to see how Cooper or White wouldn't be the BPA at 7.

Also interesting that not one of them came from the saints, where our GM used to work, or Denver, where our coach used to work.

I'm quickly becoming convinced that White or Cooper will be the 1st round pick. I look at our depth chart and I feel like the biggest hole is a starter opposite Jeffrey. I've been a big Grayson guy, I just wonder if it's worth using a pick in a bad QB draft when you can wait a year, hopefully Cutler has either stepped up or is gone and you can get a better guy with an earlier pick. I looked at Eskridge too, but Fangio defenses tend to have more speed at S. I'm also surprised at no OL help. Barring trades, I would try for: 1) Kevin White, WR, WV 2) Byron Jones, CB, UConn 3) Cedric Ogbuhei, OT, Texas A&M 4) Marcus Hardison, DE, Arizona State 5) Andy Gallik, C, Boston College 6) Adrian Amos, S, Penn State

Sounds like Wisniewski is making the rounds. Has visited the Pats and Jags this week.

You got your wish, or part of it anyway. McManis just resigned.

This seems to make a pass-rushing LB in the first even less likely.

I remember liking him coming out of college. He's a 3-4 OLB in our scheme (I think that's where he played in Arizona). He had 7 sacks his first year, but production has declined. Sounds like he's a smart guy, if this profile is any indication: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/foot...nebackers_N.htm

Hoping they hand Sidd Finch the starting gig.

Would make sense. Not a long term solution, but probably an upgrade over Senorise Perry.