dawhizz

Apparently, the Bears are taking your advice: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0,1417416.story

Before things get going tomorrow, what do you think the Bears will actually do in FA (not what you want them to do or what you would do)? Here's my guess: DISCLAIMER: I am not a capologist, so I have no idea how realistic this is. Sorry. Chase Daniel, QB - New OCs tend to bring someone in who knows the system, and it's not like anyone was impressed with Jason Campbell last season. Plus, considering Cutler seems to be hurt at least once every year, Daniel might see this as a chance to get in some games, which he hasn't been able to do much in NO. Sammie Stroughter, WR - I expect the Bears will add some low risk/high reward WR with the loss of Knox and Hester maybe switching back to full-time return man. Stroughter's had injuries, but has shown some slot ability in the past. Austin Collie might also fit the bill. Sam Baker, OT - The bidding on Long and Bushrod gets out of hand, but the Bears need to get a LT out of FA, so they roll the dice on Baker hoping his injuries are behind him. As unremarkable as Baker is, he'd still probably be the best LT the Bears have had since Tait. Anthony Fasano, TE - Similarly, the bidding for Cook goes beyond the Bears means and they take a clear upgrade, but less sexy name in Fasano. I could also see Delanie Walker getting a look. Justin Durant, LB - Durant had some productive years in Jacksonville under Mel Tucker and the Bears need bodies at LB. Bring back Lance Louis, Idonije, Jonathan Scott, and Urlacher.

Victor Cruz was tendered at a first round level today by the Giants. If I'm the Vikings, I use one first to get him.

Just so you're on record, you have no problem if the Bears don't get a TE in FA, and don't draft one, but instead just pick one up as an undrafted free agent or sign an unemployed basketball player.

Per Twitter: Mike Garafolo ‏@MikeGarafolo 50 mins It's been relatively quiet on the Long front. Bears and Rams believed to be among the most interested. We'll see. The Trib says the Bears are also looking at Bushrod and Cook and might have to choose between the two. I say if the Bears can get out of FA with either Long or Bushrod, I'd consider it a success. I'd even pay a little more for Long, all things being equal. I don't love Cook, and think it might be more prudent to sign a second-tier potential starter at TE (I've always liked Delanie Walker) and spend the extra $ at LT and look at TE and OG in the first round of the draft.

To me, the question is, would you rather have Moore and Jared Cook/Brandon Myers, or Levitre and Kellen Davis/1st round TE/2nd tier TE like Anthony Fasano or Ben Watson. I'd rather get one of the good TEs in FA, Moore, and draft a guard to take over for Moore in a couple years.

This. Get a guy like this play now and draft a guard to develop. No reason to think Moore can't continue to be good over the course of a three year contract, which buys us time to get our depth sorted out.

Bears are reportedly interested. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000014...ago-bears-radar

Jason Smith is essentially Chris Williams - no thanks. Does Bryant McKinnie count?

I've never thought Austin was a realistic target (I wouldn't take him with our first pick and he'll be gone by our second) and while I know Goodwin is fast, I've not been overly impressed by the highlights I've seen of him. I just like seeing a lot of WRs run fast, which might push a nice speedy receiver like Markus Wheaton, Josh Boyce, or Kenny Stills into play in the 4th when our pick comes up again.

I'm sure he stays. but he shouldn't. IMO he's the NFC's Norv Turner - whereas Norv had great offensive talent and could never seem to put it together, Lovie had great defensive talent and can't. I just don't see him getting this team over the hump.

I was also underwhelmed. The offense was largely a mess against a pretty poor defense. With all the injuries to the Lions secondary, it's shocking that Cutler didn't have a completion more than 23 yards. I was shocked to see Forte close to 100 yards for the game, because I wasn't real impressed with the run game when I was watching. That's a game you have to put away and it seems like we just waited for the Lions to mess up (which they did) instead of taking charge. That kind of performance won't work against most teams.

Consider my optimism tempered until we actually see him play. I'm not saying he can't/won't make this team, but this reeks of a pre-constructed narrative - everyone had Brown as at least a mid-range draft pick and he went to a team that many feel needed O-line help. I'd wager that the reason Brown was singled out by Lovie is because he's one of the few UDFAs a reporter would specifically ask about, and if you look at Lovie's quote, it's not all that substantive (in fact, it's little more than a physical description and an acknowledgement that he smiled). Sure, he says he stood out in drills, but matched up with other UDFAs, I would expect that from a projected third round pick. This is nothing more than a fluff piece IMO until we actually see him in a game.

And yet, both have more catches in the last two years than Sims-Walker does. No thanks.

I wonder if they won't move Wootton to DT to solve the problem. He's got the size of an undersized tackle in our system, and with the addition of McClellin and Chauncey Davis last year, you have 4 usable ends to rotate with Idonije and Pepper.

A lot has been said about whether Brandon Marshall can straighten up and fly right here, but I have to say I'm very impressed by this. Not a lot of other current players would write this kind of thing. If this is any indication of the player he will be for us, we got a steal.

I think it will be Marshall. Jeffrey, Bennett, Hester, Thomas, and Weems, with Dane gone and one of the UDFAs on the practice squad and Knox on season-long IR or PUP list.

I certainly understand that Williams is considered a backup at tackle. However, I'm fairly certain we are counting on him starting at guard if he's not at tackle. So if Webb gets hurt, you are moving Williams from G to T and moving a new G in. Or you're moving Carimi to LT and moving Louis into RT. The point of having a swing tackle is if a starting T gets hurt, you only have to swap the swing tackle in, instead of having to change at least two positions to account for the injury. That's why it's a valuable commodity - to minimize change on the line and maintain as much consistency as possible. If you have confidence in Horn at that position, fine, but you're putting confidence in an undrafted player who has been here two years and never played a down in the NFL. I'd rather take a guy in the draft and develop him in that role with an eye towards competing for the LT spot like Massie or even Nate Potter. You say that we'll upgrade on scheme alone. Maybe that's true, but why chance it when you can also upgrade on talent? Why would you say "this new scheme will really help us out" and then just trust that that's all you needed to do before you saw it in action? As for DT, there are three we can count on at DT - Melton (I assume they'll keep him at DT), Paea, and Toeaina. Izzy can play there, but is better at DE and that's where he's been most successful. I like to think he's found a home at DE and part of the problem with his production has been the Bears constantly jerking him around from DE to DT and back, having him bulk up and then slim down. Keep him at DE. The other DT listed is Jordan Miller, who I've never heard of in my life. Do you think he's going to be active on game days next year? If he makes it off the practice squad I'd be shocked. The Bears lost two veterans, Adams and Okoye, and have no one currently on the roster to replace their snaps, although I would acknowledge that they are counting on Paea to step up his involvement. So I'd argue that a 4th DT (which is what any DT drafted would automatically be) is much more valuable to this team than a 6th/7th CB (which is what you got in Frey and McCoy). So while, as I said, I hope I'm wrong, sadly, I'm not. Cheers!

C and close to D. Listen, obviously every team has their own method and draft board and if we wanted to excuse everything that way, everyone would get an A. What you look at is needs addressed, the qualities of the players drafted, and the value of the picks, and when I look at it that way, this draft looks as bad or worse than any JA draft. Even JA drafts had at least one second day pick where you said "that was one of the best guys on the board and fills a need." Looking at the picks - McClellin - I'm OK with it, but seemed a little high. - Jeffery - I admittedly really like this pick. - Hardin - At least a round too early and at a position where we already have two young starters we seem to like. Plus couldn't stay healthy in college. You don't draft a guy in the third round and justify by saying "he will compete for 3rd or 4th safety and play special teams, especially on a team with already great special teams. This team doesn't gain any wins by going from "really good special teams" to "really really good special teams." We did need depth at safety, but not this early. - Rodriguez - Maybe he's the next Aaron Hernandez, but, again, he's a reach in the 4th round, short for a TE, and will apparently push Clutts at FB, even though Clutts did a great job last year. I thought this team was high on Kyle Adams to fill this exact same role before he got hurt last year, and Adams at least has legit size. Character issues here as well. - Frey - Another player many had going undrafted, so I question value. Plus this team currently rolls 5 deep at CB (Tillman, Wilhite, Hayden, Moore, Jennings), so he seems at best practice squad material. - McCoy - Same as above, only moreso. I guess he's a great returner, but we have Hester and Weems already. How does he ever see the field, let alone make the team? Meanwhile we have only 3 DTs who figure to get playing time and no swing OT, two positions you had multiple chances to address. Emery apparently said after the draft that they took players they could see helping this team win games next year. After the first two picks, how is that even remotely possible? I certainly hope I'm wrong. I hope these guys are great. I will root hard for them. But if you're asking for a grade right now, I'm not impressed.

I have to think it will be a DT. Maybe Kheeston Randle?

Shocked so many corners are going before Dennard.

I admit I am somewhat troubled that we haven't drafted a single player without either an injury history or a character concern. I'm all for rolling the dice, but let's try for one guy who is a good guy and hasn't been seriously injured.

If you wanted to go TE, why not Orson Charles? Here's the one thing that I'll say - the Bears have no excuse for a bad O-line this year. I don't want to hear about injuries or scheme or anything.

I'm guessing DT in round 4 - mayeb Jared Crick (to keep the injury-prone player run going . . .)? I would prefer a swing tackle (Sanders, Massie, Potter), but it seems they are pretty comfortable with O-line.

I can't say I'm overly thrilled with the draft so far, but one thing we have seen that has been missing in recent years is SIZE. Justin Gage is the only WR I can remember in the last decade with Jeffrey's size (unless you count Marcus Monk, and I don't) and with all the safeties we have seen the Bears draft, I don't remember seeing one much over 6'0".