dawhizz

I wouldn't, but that's just because I like the top two safeties a lot too and would have no problem with one of them as our first pick. The nightmare scenario, of course, is if somehow both safeties AND Donald are gone, like in Pat Kirwan's recent mock draft (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pat-kirwan/24538525/nfl-mock-draft-manziel-only-qb-in-round-1-watkins-moves-up). I would think if the Bears saw two of those guys go, they would do whatever they could to move up to get whichever of the three is left, take Dennard (like Kirwan does) or move down and target one of Jernigan/Hageman/Tuitt/whatever safety they like.

What I would do: 1) Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt - Love him and don't really like the other DTs **Trade down in 2nd for extra 4th & 7th** 2) Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State - Like his tackling and coverage more than any non 1st round safety. 3) LaMarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State - His size might push him down, but he's tough and can learn a lot from Jennings. 4a) Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU - Not comfortable with Jordan Palmer as a backup. QBs always go lower than they are expected and Mettenberger has the size and arm that Emery & Trestman like. 4b) Trevor Reilly, LB, Utah - Versatile LB to help after the iinevitable DJ Williams injury. 5) Storm Johnson, RB, Central Florida - Bruiser with some shiftyness to spell Forte 6a) Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon - Tremendously gifted TE with excess baggage. Was at his best when being mentored at Oregon by - wait for it - Kyle Long. Worth a shot, I say. 6b) Cornelius Lucas, OT, Kansas State - Potential swing tackle to develop. 7) Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan - I just like him. What I think the Bears will do (that I wouldn't hate): 1) Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville - Vision of Conte missed tackles convince them to take the hardest hitting and best tackling safety in the draft. 2) Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State - Bears have worked him out, and his junior numbers were almost identical to Donald's. Then he added weight and lost effectivness. Bears hope he can regain past explosion. 3) Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford - Looks like Bostic is going to be tried at OLB, so they take one of the more NFL-ready LBs to back-up the middle and take over after Williams. I'm not a big fan, but it makes sense. 4) Alfred Blue, RB, LSU - Bears get cute and take physically gifted but little tested Blue. Bears will tout his special teams experience immediately. 5) Walt Aiken, CB, Liberty - Prototypical size for CB position and former Illinois DB. 6a) Jeff Mathews, QB, Cornell - Mettenberger-lite - good size and big arm for Trestman to mold. 6b) Jon Dun Duncan, TE, Dixie State - Pass-catching TE who can make the squad as a long-snapper (since Mannelly may be done) while he develops.

What were these draft slots based on? Seems pretty unrealistic to me, but I guess you never know.

1 year deal of course. Not exactly the depth I was looking for. Has some return experience.

http://chi.scout.com/2/1395781.html Interesting interview with a (former?) scout. Some tidbits regarding Bears. Guy loves Donald.

Agree. I like Larod Stephens-Howling and Tashard Choice as "take a flier" RBs.

I like Joyner at CB more than safety - I think he could learn a lot from Jennings as a shorter corner with the aggressiveness and smarts to compete against bigger guys. The guy I like at safety is his teammate, Terrence Brooks. After watching highlights of the safeties, I've not been very impressed outside of the top two until I watched Brooks. He's a little overaggressive sometimes, but that's a nice change after watching Conte stand and whiff, and he can really tackle when he has someone in his sights. I'd love to see our first three picks as Donald, Brooks, and Joyner.

VERY misleading title . . .

As one of the guys banging the drum for WR help in the draft, this addresses my concerns. Another in a line of nice low cost moves with potential - Morgan was really good a couple years ago. Let's hope he regains his form.

BPA, within reason. However, Emery hasn't seemed to gone along with what most would consider BPA, although all the talk after the draft is "this guy was at the top of our board." I'm really hoping the near-disasterous 2012 draft has taught him maybe not to trust his scouts so much, or whoever convinced him to reach for all those guys. The more I look at this draft the weirder it is because I feel like there's only three logical choices for the 1st round pick: Donald, Clinton-Dix, and Pryor (and for the record, I would be fine with any of the three). In fact, besides maybe Fuller and Nix, those are the only projeted first round picks I've seen the Bears linked to (http://walterfootball.com/draft2014meetingsteams.php). And yet, McClellin and Long were both big suprises the last two years, so I keep trying to figure out if there's someone who could surprise this year. Bucannon? Hageman? Bottom line, I want to see us fill the holes in this roster with value picks. Because the sad truth is, Kyle Long is the only one of Emery's reaches to pan out, and his other good draft picks (Jeffery, Mills, Paea to an extent) were picked at or behind where they were expected to be picked, whereas guys like Hardin, Conte, and McClellin looked like reaches when they were drafted and don't look to be changing that opinion anytime soon.

Anyone else think, despite the admitted need to focus on defense in the draft, we should nab a WR in the middle rounds? Certainly Marshall and Jeffery are great, but there's nothing but question marks behind him. At least with Earl Bennett, you knew what you were getting. Depth right now is: - Wilson, a thin and injury prone 2nd year 7th round pick with 2 career catches - Hixon, a journeyman who is at least two year removed from a year when he had any kind of impact as a WR - Weems, who had little impact as a WR and was already asked to take a paycut - Williams, a 5'8" return specialist - Bellamy and Tolliver, who have done nothing in this leage I really want a DT and S in the first two picks, and while I would lean CB or LB in the 3rd, if a quality guy like Moncrief or Landry is sitting there in the 3rd, I might pull the trigger, and I'd like to see WR address somewhere in the rounds 3-5. Thoughts?

I preferred the old way. I liked just blocking out my weekend for the draft. I travel for work, so I may have to watch the first round in whothehellknows or even miss it because I'm catching a plane.

E-mail is down at work, so all I have is the internet and twitter to keep me company.

He had a pretty significant role last year as a 3rd tackle. Chicago Bears ‏@ChicagoBears ·4m LM: #Bears have retained veteran OL Eben Britton, who has agreed to a 1-year contract.

S Deone Bucannon visiting as well. http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post...on-visits-bears

Worth noting that the Bears tend to bring in local(ish) players on visits because I think it doesn't count toward whatever limits there are on the number of prospect visits a team can have- maybe I'm remembering that wrong, but I think that's right. I can't remember any who were drafted since Garrett Wolfe.

Mine: 1) Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt - Really like Donald and don't really like many other DT prospects. Completes the transformation of the Bears' line. **trade down in 2nd, pick up a 3rd** 2) Deone Buccannon, S, Washington State - Has the smarts and size to push to start immediately 3) Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss - Seems crazy, I know. Part of it is that I love Moncrief, who looks like Alshon 2.0 and isnt' getting nearly the attention he should. But I'd like some insurance behind Wilson and Hixon in case there's an injury to the WR corps. 4a) Arthur Lynch, TE, Georgia - Not much depth behind Bennett and Lynch's blocking can be a real asset. 4b) Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State - Wish he was bigger, but good cover skills to press for PT. 5) Tyler Larsen, C, Utah State - Time to start planning for life after Garza 6a) De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon - I just want to see what Trestman could do with him in the backfield, in the slot, wildcat, whatever. 6b) Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois - After spending two relatively high picks on LB last year, I'd like to see how they progress before spending another high pick on a LB, but Brown is a nice versatile LB to have on the roster.

Interseting wrinkle brought up by the guys on the Score today - I wonder how this affects the likelihood of the Bears being on Hard Knocks this season. Allen is the kind of personality that would likely be a draw for that show who is changing teams within the division, Chicago is a big market, and there are plenty of other storylines (Cutler/Cavalleri/shots, McLellin's position change, other big personalities in Bennett and Marshall, etc.). As has been noted elsewhere, the Bears are one of eight teams the NFL can force to do Hard Knocks if they want.

I'm thinking Allen and Houston are the starters, with Young swapping out for Allen regularly and Houston kicking inside with Allen and Young on the ends on third down/obvious passing downs. Good problem to have.

3 years, $9 million. http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2014/3/21/553...falcons-in-2014

You want to pay Hester $3 million per year to be your 5th WR? Cause I don't. Wilson and Hixon both have the speed to contribute in those run plays and I imagine we'll see a late round WR drafted too (I'd love to see them take a flier on Jeremy Gallon, who is a small WR who never seemed to play small). Hester doesn't offer hands or height and I don't even think he's as fast as he used to be.

I feel like he could be getting the Corey Graham treatment - good special teamer who isn't getting a fair shot at CB for the Bears. Hope he at least gets a shot for PT.

He gone, I imagine, unless his market completely dries up.

They also seem to like Chris Williams, the WR who used to play in the CFL , as a return man.

Just heard this on the Score. Really good news in that it allows us to address CB in the draft early without pressing a rookie into starting service right away (which rarely goes well).