AZ54

We're losing our edge... no dedicated theads for our draft picks? Local kid, grew up as a Bears fan. What are we getting?

I'm not totally surprised we took Kmet but after signing Jimmy Graham it seems we could have filled another need early. If he finally gives the offense the legit two TE sets we've been looking for the last two years then it's worth it. Trubisky and Foles were both at their best with reliable TEs targets. Kmet was one of few inline TEs in the draft, if not the only one, who could help the pass blocking as a rookie and still be a good receiving threat. I like Jaylon Johnson. His surgery might require the Bears to let him start the season on the bench but as far as talent level goes he's got nearly everything you could ask for. He's also a fit to replace Prince as a press corner to compliment Fuller's off-coverage technique. https://www.thedraftnetwork.com/prospect-rankings Has the athleticism to match up with anybody. Possesses excellent speed to stay on top of WR’s route downfield. Needs to improve his technique in avoiding getting stacked. Mirror & Close: Reactionary quickness is elite. Footwork is well coordinated with his eyes. Seamlessly stays on hip pocket of WR in and out of route breaks. Hip fluidity is easily recognizable. Ball Skills: Has a playmaker’s mindset. Comfortable playing w/back to the ball. Easily tracks over shoulder and is a consistent finisher at the catch point. Needs to get stronger to avoid box outs by bigger WRs. Overview: Sudden athlete with high ceiling as a lockdown CB. Sticky on the hip pocket and doesn’t lack confidence or aggressiveness. Average size/length hurts his ability to contest every catch point but he is scheme flexible & best in press man on the boundary.

...and special thank you to Green Bay! Your next pick is at 62 overall.

This is awesome. There are 15 players I'd be happy to add to our roster. Per NFL.com the best remaining are below. If they have an asterisk I'd be happy to add them to the roster. We have 10th and 17th picks in Rd 2 and I've got * on 15 players. Others here have their own * on players like Shenault...fair enough. Certainly there will be at least two players not on my wish list who will be selected before we get to 50 and likely several more. We can easily trade back at either 43 or 50 and still find someone I really like. I fully expect Dallas to trade up for either a CB or Edge. Seattle has two picks in Rd 2 and could move one to get to the middle of the round since they have two 4th Rd picks. Pairing their 59+101 equals value at #50. That's a bit farther back than I'd like to go but it depends on who is still on the board at 50. OTOH that pick at 101 is very enticing because it could become someone like Antonio Gibson. 1) Swift RB rank 16 2) Blacklock DT 19 3) McKinney S 22 * 4) Epenesa DE/Edge 26 * (I don't think this is likely and maybe not even wise but it might just be too good to be true to add a pass rusher like him to the rotation) 5) Higgins WR 27 * 6) J. Johnson CB 29 * 7) Gross-Matos Edge 30 8) Marlon Davidson Edge 33 9) Zack Baun LB 34 * (not a popular choice but I still can't have too many pass rushers and he fits in well as rotation among Mack/Quinn since he can cover too. I also think at times we could drop into a really good 4-3 alignment with Baun/Trev/Smith which lets Quinn play to his strengths. Versatility week to week to matchup however we want - we could do similar with a big S like Chinn) 10) Johnathan Taylor RB 35 * so fast he has his own thread here 11) Shenault WR 36 (injuries are too much of a concern for me at this point) 12) Dobbins RB 37 13) Josh Jones 39 ** (the anti-Leno) 14) Delpit S 40 * 15) Kmet TE 41 * ( I won't hate the pick but not ideal IMO) 16) Kristian Fulton CB 43 * 17) Chinn S 44 * 18) Madubuike DT 45 19) Mims WR 46 * (not ideal his film didn't match the measureables IMO) 20) Winfield S 47 * (not my favorite prospect but still a good addition) 21) Pittman WR 48 * 22) Trevon Diggs CB 49 * 23) Hurts QB 50

Khalil Mack for Josh Jacobs and Ngakoue?

We got two years of production out of Mack.

If this goes down I'll be LMAO. They could have just paid Mack. Not that I'm complaining because I still like having Mack. https://www.walterfootball.com/nflhotpress/article/Raiders,-Jaguars-Close-to-Ngakoue-Trade

OTOH if you are in Burton's spot wouldn't you prefer to wait a bit before signing for your best chance of passing a physical? It's a weak TE class this year no reason to think if he's returning to form that Burton wouldn't find work after the draft.

I don't know, I think it's likely he's gone just before us. Drafts are always odd in that each seems to have a run on different positions early. This year it could easily be OTs who go in a bunch since WR, CB and others have good depth later. On the other hand a weak position like TE might see someone reach early in the 2nd for Kmet.

Keep in mind on draft day it's helpful for other teams to know there's already one player who is available. We're talking about deals at the far back end of the draft. For example: would prefer next years 6th Rd pick or taking a crack at seeing if you can develop Shaheen? Picks late in any draft are likely practice squad players and no matter what we think of Shaheen he is still more of a known commodity than any 7th Rd TE. I'm not saying it's likely anyone will take him just that he might be a small part of a package deal if some team wants a bit more depth at the TE position in camp.

My 5 most likely for Fri night: Jalen Reagor WR Brandon Aiyuk WR Jeremy Chinn S Josh Jones OT Antonio Gibson RB/WR (trade back)

He can make the throws but he still struggles to read defenses. I do not understand why that will improve when it didn't under two of the best college coaches? This isn't a Trubisky situation where he only played one year. I do agree that Prescott is a decent comp for him, Watson exhibited far more leadership as a starter in college.

I'm thinking the same thing...wait for the physical. Then why would the Colts even jump on signing him right before the draft if they were so concerned about that? Or they simply don't care as nothing or very little is guaranteed.

Shenault looks good on paper but why doesn't his lengthy injury history concern you, especially with our first pick and best chance to get a good long term starter? We've already seen Miller struggle through his injuries and I'm not sure I want to take that risk at WR especially when there are so many very good options out there. https://www.cover1.net/nfl-draft-injury-impact-laviska-shenault-wr-colorado/ The Injuries: 2018: right turf toe, required surgery 2018: torn left shoulder labrum, required surgery 2019: upper core muscle injury

Artie Burns is a CB so add him to the top list. Safety you were thinking of is Bush but he hasn't played well that I've seen. He always looks lost on the field and is late reacting to plays. For me SS is a big need but one that might still be filled via FA. I don't see CB as critical because I think Toliver can provide similar performance as to what we got from Amukamara last year. While that wasn't great we still had a good defense with him. Plus Skrine and Shelly have experience on the outside so they can provide sort of a floor in terms of what we'll have outside. I don't care if we draft a CB at 43 because the value certainly could be there but it's not mandatory. I agree that at TE the value doesn't match up with our need early in the draft unless they try to convert Claypool into a U TE. Even that seems like a late 2nd/early 3rd Rd option.

I can't imagine anyone giving us anything for him even if the draft is relatively weak at TE. https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2020/4/21/21229441/chicago-bears-report-adam-shaheen-on-the-trade-block-nfl-draft-2020-trey-burton-ryan-pace-tight-end

Too much for an OT at the very end of his career. He's still better than Leno but it doesn't work with our cap situation.

Claypool is intriguing.

Burton cut with failed physical designation. https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1252346882333872136?s=20

I don't agree with all the logic. For one WRs are not known for having big rookie seasons. Even then it's more questionable with one who is going to be complimentary piece (one I'd really like to have) in their first year. Then you have to figure in the ability to learn the plays without as much practice time. A rookie CB can certainly be a starter on par or ahead of Toliver. I think Toliver is a serviceable option for us os the gain here might not be as much as some would like to see. The OT perspective really depends on which version of Leno shows up this year. If we get the 2019 version again I think we'd absolutely be better off with a rookie OT, even if they need a year to get their strength up. It as simple as having someone in front of the defender is better than nobody in front of them. If Leno returns to his average play then any OT we draft is definitely a 2021 player. RB I really disagree with. It might not be our highest need but it's also one spot that is the most instinctive to play and someone like Jonathan Taylor or any of the top 3 RBs will step right into the mix with Montgomery. I think Taylor would totally change our offense for the better especially being paired with a tough to tackle Montgomery. He can do enough in the passing game to cause defenses headaches in coverage. I also think he would do the most to help either QB be successful. SS I agree has the biggest gap from "starter" in Bush to whoever we might draft. I agree here this is where we have the potential to have the biggest impact among Rd 2 candidates. In the end I'm still evenly split among WR/OT/SS in Rd 2 with RB Taylor being the sole exception.

Stay put and take Josh Jones. no need to look a gift horse in the mouth especially at a position of critical need.

I could see them wanting Cohen, might have to slip Shaheen in the fine print.

Sadly this is all we are hoping for.

... that was for next year's draft.

Drew Brees didn't become "Drew Brees" until his 5th or 6th season. Even then it was his 8th season when he first threw for 5000 yards that opened everyone eyes. Tom Brady first threw for 4000 yards in his 5th season and even at that point he was only averaging ~61% completions. We don't really know which way Trubisky will go. The biggest concern for me is that he simply fades under the brightest spotlight. I don't really think it's anything more than him trying to do too much...being stuck on Nagy's "TD to check-down" philosophy instead of taking the quick read. Like Brees he simply might have the wrong head coach.