adam

Thanks Gents, I will post a running tally weekly up until the draft.

OK, if you want to participate, please post your projected top 15 mock draft, with trades. I will then collate the results and post what the consensus of the board looks like before the draft.

Here are the top rated DLine players in RAS+PFF Ranking for each draft position: At 9-14: Laiatu Latu DE UCLA 9.32/11 Byron Murphy II DT Texas 9.20/13 Jared Verse DE Florida State 9.56/17 2nd Rounder (if trade): Braden Fiske DT Florida State 9.89/38 Chop Robinson DE Penn State 9.71/43 Ruke Orhorhoro DT Clemson 9.92/54 Marshawn Kneeland DT W Michigan 9.54/58 At 75: Gabriel Murphy DE UCLA 9.23/81 Michael Hall Jr. DT Ohio State 9.55/104 At 122: Maason Smith DT Louisiana State 8.99/148 Logan Lee DT Iowa 9.15 151 So there are some options, especially if they trade down from #9.

Yeah, I am just saying with the spacing now, Velus doesn't have to worry about someone barreling down at him like a punt, but he will have the spacing of a punt from the kicking team to setup blocks and get up to full speed.

Just looking at the team pre-draft by position groups, it is hard to see how this team won't be better this year. Here is what I am thinking: QB - Right now a downgrade with only Bagent and Rypien, but should be an upgrade in the passing game and a dip in the running game production post-draft. RB - This group basically went from Foreman to Swift, and Roschon in his 2nd year. That is a clear upgrade and should negate any loss to the rushing game from the QB position. TE - The addition of Everett makes this a clear upgrade. TE3 needs to be a blocking TE. WR - Adding Allen and subtracting Mooney is like a double positive here. I don't think WR3 is a huge need with all the other targets on offense to feed. How many targets is WR3 going to get after Moore/Allen/Kmet/Everett/Swift? They would be the 6th option. OL - Bates and Shelton for Whitehair/Patrick is definitely an upgrade. I would still consider upgrades at C, RG, and LT, but all spots serviceable. DT - A downgrade from last year with the loss of Jones DE - A downgrade from last year with the loss of Ngakoue LB - No Change, still a top tier group CB - No Change, still a top tier group S - Big upgrade with Byard and Owens So going into the draft, QB1 is the biggest need followed by Edge, then DT. Then C, RG, LT could use upgrades. Then WR3~4/TE3. So my Need Tiers are: Tier 1 - QB, Edge Tier 2 - DT Tier 3 - C, RG, WR3/4 Tier 4 - LT, TE3 If they can address the Tier 1 and 2 needs, I think the team is really solid going into the season. I am sure they will sign some vet minimum deals to fill out the bottom of the roster which may be able to address some of the lower tier needs. So if they go Edge or DT at #9, I would be fine with that decision. A trade back and still getting and Edge and DT would be awesome too.

The kickoff team can't move until the ball is caught or hits the ground, so if Velus does muff it, he will have a good 3-4 seconds to gather it up before having to worry about someone being in his face.

This is perfect for Velus because he can muff the kick without any real risk of a turnover. Also, I think he would have more confidence knowing he wasn't going to immediately get hit after catching the ball. With his speed and shiftiness, he could be a secret weapon on these new kickoffs.

Bagent by 20!

Do you think teams get that much out of pro days? At this point, at most it could be used as a tiebreaker, but I doubt it sways the pendulum very much.

If feels like we are splitting hairs if we are evaluating interactions with people on the sidelines during a pro day. Here is 20 minutes of video of Williams playing in structure. There are some sweet passes in here.

If anyone is interested, here are some high school highlight videos of Williams from 16-19. He looked pretty polished for a 16 and 17 year old. https://www.hudl.com/profile/6269274/Caleb-Williams Also, something I didn't realize, he missed his entire senior year of high school football to the COVID year. So the epic game he won coming in for Rattler his freshman year at OU, Caleb was only 19 years old at the time and really hadn't played in a live game for almost 2 years.

If you are deducting Fields total, then you have to also deduct Foreman's and add Swift's. Swift had (1,029) and Foreman had (425), which is +604, which would put them right back into 2nd place. You are also not accounting for any potential rushing yards from Williams. So in reality, the rushing game should be at least as effective as last year.

Yeah, and if you think about it, some trades are next year's picks. So it does make a lot of sense. Also, I think if you rush it, that is when you over-extend and everything crashes down. Just because the Bears have 2 picks in the top 9 instead of one pick in the first and one pick in the second, doesn't mean you need to trade down. Some people don't like the "traded for player" argument, so even if you removed the traded for players, the Bears draft would still be: 1st Round = #1 2nd+5th+6th+7th = #9 3rd Round = #75 4th Round = #122 I think everyone in a heartbeat would trade a 2nd rounder, 5th, 6th, and 7th for #9, everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Also, Swift putting in the work with Roschon. There are a couple of vids there. Roschon looking quicker. Swift is smooth.

Here is a great podcast from Pat the Designer and Jason McKie talking with Caleb's HS coach. He basically debunks all the "red flags". Also talks about Olu as they were both on the same team. So if anyone needed more info about Caleb and his family, they hit the coach with some pretty straightforward questions. Pat is really good at what he does. I am finding his Podcast with Courtney Cronin to be the most level headed of the bunch. er

With 5 picks between 120ish-200ish, I could see Poles using one or two of them on a player trade or even to move into this year's draft if he really wanted to. Hearing how weak the draft is after Round 3, it does make sense to hold onto next year's as it will be deeper.

Also, this is how 2025 is lining up (estimates): 1st Round CHI #20 - Projected Starter 2nd Round (CAR #37) - Projected Starter 2nd Round CHI #52 - Projected Starter 3rd Round CHI #84 4th Round CHI #120 5th Round CHI #155 6th Round (PIT #194) 6th Round CHI #196 6th Round (MIA #200) and to put the 2 drafts into perspective, the 2024 draft is worth 4615 pts, the 2025 draft as listed above is worth 2,050 pts. With 9 picks, I say there is less of a need to trade #9 unless everyone on your board for that value is gone, which is extremely unlikely.

Yes we are. No matter what happens at 9, 75, and 122, this ends up as a pretty epic draft: 1st Round - Caleb Williams + #9 2nd Round - Montez Sweat 3rd Round - #75 4th Round - Keenan Allen + #122 5th Round - Ryan Bates Basically 5 starters + a 4th rounder and Ryan Bates.

I am sure they are. If they can't get Williams, they are better off trading down and getting extra picks.

Williams top 2 WRs were Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice, he now gets DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. His top TE was Lake McRee, now he gets Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett. Jayden Daniels could go from Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas to Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas.

The more I think about it, the more I think the Bears are taking a player at #9 or if anything only trading down a few picks. My assumption is the Bears do not expect to be back in the top 10 any time soon, so if you are that high, get the blue chip player, because you will always have a chance to draft a guy between 20-30 every year. Guys I would select if at #9: MHJ, Nabers, Odunze, Alt, or Murphy. If they are all gone at #9, I am ok trading down, but would need to get an Edge, Bowers, or Newton, and depending on what number they move down to, even consider JPJ. As long as it is WR/DL/OL it fills a need.

I know the Bears need to go BPA, but if they trade down, I would really like them to address Edge in the first or second round. Then with the other 3 picks, get a WR, DT, and Center. Running a ton of mocks, if the Bears don't trade down, they are only getting one blue chipper at 9. By the time they get around to their 3rd rounder, it is more rotational guys at that point. That's probably where you can get your Center. So unless a small group of players falls to #9, they seem better off trading to mid-teens and picking up a 2nd rounder. Byron Murphy is a name I keep seeing at #9. I think he is now in the mix after the WRs and Bowers. The Edges seem to be falling to mid teens.

Did MHJ even show up at the combine? I thought he was a no-show from Day 1?

McCarthy is sneaking up some draft boards.

Listening to the Locked on Bears Podcast today, Lorin Cox reviewed the Swift deal, and in his opinion, he doesn't think the Bears got a good deal because of what guys like Saquon, Jacobs, and Pollard got. First off, in free agency, it takes two to tango. Secondly, those two sides have to come to an agreement on the terms, which is not easy. He then compares the Swift deal to the Pollard deal as a supporting fact. I disagree there. Look at Pollard's stats on the same exact team pre-injury and post-injury. He is down over a yard per carry and 3-4 yards per reception, a huge drop off in the same offense. That is a huge red flag for me. Saquon is also a red flag. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry last year and his long was 36 yards. Again look at his two seasons pre-injury, when he was truly elite, 4.8 yards per carry, 8.2 yards per reception, long of 78 for rush, and long of 65 for reception. Post injury, averaging barely 4.0 yards per carry and 6.3 per reception. Philly is getting the latter numbers. 27 RBs had a better YPC with over 100 rushes last year. Guess who else was below Saquon? Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler. So Pollard was tied for 25th, Saquon was 28th, Jacobs was T-38th, and Ekeler was T-38th. = Swift? T-8th. Herbert? T-8th. Foreman? The guy Swift is replacing, was also 28th.