adam

Yeah he is still a work in progress, look at his tape from the Senior Bowl and what he did to Jordan Morgan (GBs new G) in the 1v1 drills. That game was in September, and he constantly improved throughout the year. In that game he had 1.5 TFL and 0.5 sacks.

Absolutely, most mocks and big boards had him in the top 100. Dane Brugler had Booker at #78 in The Beast. So to get him for a future 4th, which may end up being in the 120s range, is a great value.

He could've swapped the picks and they would've been just as good. Booker probably should've went in the 4th, but the assumption was Taylor would not have lasted into the 5th.

In the 2025 draft, with 3 picks in the first two rounds, it seems like DL and OL will be the targets. That would add 3x blue chippers to the trenches.

With the draft picks locked in for 2024, here is the before and after by position: Offense: QB - [Fields > Williams*] RB - [Foreman > Swift*] WR - [Mooney > Allen*] / [St. Brown > Odunze*] / [Taylor > Pettis] TE - [Tonyan > Everett*] IOL - [Patrick > Shelton*] / [Whitehair > Bates*] / [Feeney > Curhan*] / [X > Amegadjie] Defense: DE - [Green > Martin*] / [Ngakoue > Booker*] LB - [Cole > Ogbongbemiga*] DB - [Blackwell > Owens*] FS - [Jackson > Byard*] P - [Gill > Taylor*] Holes remaining: DT - [Jones > X] TE - [Lewis > X] It seems like Poles literally took every underperforming player and got rid of them this offseason, and replaced them with an instant upgrade. The roster really only needs a rotational DT/3T and TE3. There are probably a couple of end of the 53-man juggling, but that would be at DT4/5 and DE4/5. After that, the roster looks really solid. QB - Williams, Bagent, Rypien - both backups with starting experience RB - Swift, Herbert, Johnson, Homer, Blasingame - 2 RBs with starting experience TE - Kmet, Everett, Vet FA - TE1A and TE1B WR - Moore, Allen, Odunze, Scott, Jones, Pettis - Arguably WR1A, 1B, and 1C OT - Wright, Jones, Amegadjie, Borom - 4 out of 5 OL subs have started games OG - Jenkins, Davis, Curhan, Carter, Pryor - If they go with best 5, there is a chance Davis gets cut OC - Shelton, Bates DT - Billings, Dexter, Pickens, Cowart, Vet FA - Still could use a player or two to upgrade DT4/5 DE - Sweat, Booker or Walker, Martin, Kareem, Robinson - One vet away from being solid at DE4 LB - Edmunds, Edwards, Sanborn, Sewell, Ogbongbemiga, Hardy - Solid group CB - Johnson, Stevenson, Gordon, Smith, Jones, Stroman - CB6 would be only change S - Brisker, Byard, Owens, Hicks, Johnson - S4/5 would be only change here P - Taylor - Pro Bowl Punter K - Santos - Pro Bowl Kicker PS - Scales Starters in bold. My projection is adding a vet DT, DE, and TE3, with possibly a new backup S to compete with Hicks/Johnson.

Booker was a top 100 player, so getting him for next year's pick in the 120s is good value.

Now all the Bears need is a rotational DT to replace Justin Jones and this roster is set.

Next year's 4th, so a possible pick in the 120s for 144. Booker was a top 100 player, so there is value there.

A trade for an early 5th rounder. They got their guy who some expected to go at #122, at #144 so depending on the trade value, it seems like a great pick. It cost next year's 4th. So assuming they are a fringe playoff team, that pick is in the 120s for 144.

Bears get Booker

Potentially the last pick for the Bears in this draft. Will be an upgrade over Gill but seems like a luxury pick when you had your choice of Edge or Center.

However he will be an upgrade over Gill.

Hard to see the logic there when a punter plays only 5 to 6 plays a game. I would've went with an Edge like Booker there.

Bears take Punter Tory Taylor from Iowa at pick 122.

Looks like the Bears will get their pick of an Edge or Center.

I think that is possible if there is a trade partner.

NFL.com from Daniel Jeremiah here: https://www.nfl.com/news/best-prospects-available-in-the-2024-nfl-draft and PFF here: https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-best-available-prospects

Bears pick at 122, so 21 picks before the Bears last pick, unless they trade down. Here are the top rated according to NFL.com and PFF (bold players are rated higher than 122 and on both lists): Top Rated Remaining: Jaden Hicks - S (#4 PFF)(#78 NFL) JaTavion Sanders - TE (#2 PFF)(#70 NFL) Brandon Dorlus - DT (#5 PFF)(#65 NFL) Xavier Thomas - Edge (#13 PFF)(#137 NFL) Austin Booker - Edge (#15 PFF)(#108 NFL) Javon Solomon - Edge (#17 PFF)(#117 NFL) Dadrion Taylor-Demerson - S (#19 PFF)(#132 NFL) Sedrick Van Pran - C (#23 PFF)(#102 NFL) Cade Stover - TE (#25 PFF)(#124 NFL) Others: Mohamed Kamara - Edge (#71 NFL) Theo Johnson - TE (#82 NFL) Jared Wiley - TE (#83 NFL) Hunter Nourzad - G (#109 NFL) Mekhi Wingo - DT (#116 NFL) Malik Mustapha - S (#133 NFL) Tanor Bortolini - C (#139 NFL) Gabriel Murphy - Edge (#146 NFL) Others not-rated: Beaux Limmer - C Fabien Lovett Sr - DT

Hinsdale native, top-30 visit, would've been long gone at 122.

Braxton Jones safe?

you nailed it, OT from Yale

OT, Kiran Amegadjie is the pick

#74 - Edge, Bralen Trice goes to ATL Bears on the clock

#73 - G, Cooper Beebe to DAL Only ATL left before the Bears pick