Jason Cole from Bleacher Report is reporting the Bears are trying to trade Cutler to the Titans for the 2nd pick to draft Mariota. I'm assuming the Bears and Titans would swap picks as well. Can't see this getting done unless the Bears are willing to part with another high pick.

 

Pace said last week that he wouldn't be afraid to take Mariota at 7 if he was there. Thought it was all smokescreen before this news came out. Maybe he's sincere.

Bears bringing in OT TJ Clemmings for a visit. Seems like a contingency plan for a trade down- not worth #7 and probably won't be there in the 2nd round.

He could fall to us at 39, but like you said, is probably a trade down candidate.

Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft is visiting the Bears next week. Mid-round pick.

Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft is visiting the Bears next week. Mid-round pick.

I wouldn't want to even look at TE until the 5th.

 

I would consider a flyer on someone like this in the 6th or as a UDFA:

 

James O'Shaughnessy

 

In case you haven't seen it, here 's Aaron Leming's compilation of prospects who have visited with the Bears:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18kV...=1&sle=true

In case you haven't seen it, here 's Aaron Leming's compilation of prospects who have visited with the Bears:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18kV...=1&sle=true

In case you haven't seen it, here 's Aaron Leming's compilation of prospects who have visited with the Bears:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18kV...=1&sle=true

White is not on that list, that's interesting.

White is not on that list, that's interesting.

 

Although didn't the Bears' receiver coach actually work him out on his pro day? I think that happened.

 

Edit : it did

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000047...-proday-workout

 

Edit #2: He apparently told Sirius NFL on radio that he has a visit lined up with the Bears.

Right on cue:

 

Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFL · 2h 2 hours ago

 

Stud WR Kevin White said he's setting up visits w/ the Jets, Bears, Rams & Giants. He'll be in Chicago for Draft.

Right on cue:

Here is a depth chart by Dan Durkin with the roster as of today.

 

Looking at this our area of needs is apparent. We need a couple more WRs, RT wouldnt hurt, another S, several DL

 

Bears

Durkin: 2015 Bears Unofficial Depth Chart

April 7, 2015 3:12 PM

Share on email4

View Comments

Chicago Bears huddle. (Daniel/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears huddle. (Daniel/Getty Images)

Related Tags: Chicago Bears, Dan Durkin, Depth Chart

photo

Dan Durkin

Dan Durkin became CBSChicago.com's lead Bears reporter in August ... Read More

By Dan Durkin–

Note: This is an unofficial depth chart for the Bears, based on the players they currently have under contract. It’s current as of April 7.

(CBS) The Bears’ three-phase, nine-week voluntary workout programs start next Monday. Head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace won’t get to see the players “on the grass” (an early Fox-ism) until Tuesday, April 28.

With 65 players under contract, this is my best attempt at assembling a depth chart ahead of voluntary workouts.

With Chicago shifting to a 3-4 base defense, predicting where some “tweener” players who are lower on the depth chart will end up along the defensive front was a challenge. Those details will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Players like Lamarr Houston (ACL), Willie Young (Achilles) and Tim Jennings (knee) are recovering from surgeries, and their availability for offseason workouts has yet to be announced. Thus, these projections below are where players should eventually land on the team’s depth chart.

OFFENSE

1st Team 2nd Team 3rd Team 4th Team

QB Jay Cutler Jimmy Clausen David Fales

RB Matt Forte Ka’Deem Carey Jacquizz Rodgers Senorise Perry

WR Alshon Jeffery Josh Bellamy

WR Eddie Royal Rashad Lawrence

WR Marquess Wilson John Chiles

TE Martellus Bennett Dante Rosario Zach Miller Blake Annen/Jacob Maxwell

LT Jermon Bushrod Michael Ola Charles Leno Jr.

LG Matt Slauson Ryan Groy Connor Boffeli

C Will Montgomery

RG Kyle Long Vladimir Ducasse

RT Jordan Mills Michael Ola Jason Weaver

 

 

DEFENSE

1st Team 2nd Team 3rd Team

LE Ray McDonald Will Sutton Jamil Merrell

NT Jeremiah Ratliff Ego Ferguson Brandon Dunn

RE Jarvis Jenkins Cornelius Washington Austen Lane

OLB Pernell McPhee Jared Allen David Bass

Jack-ILB Jonathan Bostic Christian Jones Khaseem Greene

Mike-ILB Mason Foster Shea McClellin DeDe Lattimore/Jonathan Brown

OLB Lamarr Houston Willie Young Sam Acho

CB Tim Jennings Demontre Hurst Sherrick McManis/Terrance Mitchell

CB Kyle Fuller Alan Ball Al Louis-Jean

SS Ryan Mundy

FS Antrel Rolle Brock Vereen

 

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

1st Team 2nd Team

P Pat O’Donnell

FG Robbie Gould

KO Robbie Gould

LS Thomas Gafford

H Pat O’Donnell

KR Marc Mariani Jacquizz Rodgers

PR Marc Mariani Eddie Royal

Stinger,

Looking at the needs, it looks like we will pick WR, OL, S, ILB, CB, and DL with our 6 picks (not necessarily in that order). To me I think that would be a great draft addressing every layer of the defense and the 2 biggest weaknesses on the offense. Based on who we project to be there at #7, I am starting to think it is going to be White/Cooper/Scherff/Peat at #7. If we trade down, then CB, S, and DL come into play.

Stinger,

Looking at the needs, it looks like we will pick WR, OL, S, ILB, CB, and DL with our 6 picks (not necessarily in that order). To me I think that would be a great draft addressing every layer of the defense and the 2 biggest weaknesses on the offense. Based on who we project to be there at #7, I am starting to think it is going to be White/Cooper/Scherff/Peat at #7. If we trade down, then CB, S, and DL come into play.

 

I would split up OL into two needs - C/G and OT, and downplay ILB. There's no one on the roster currently to step in if Will Montgomery gets hurt and Jordan Mills was bad last year at RT.

I would split up OL into two needs - C/G and OT, and downplay ILB. There's no one on the roster currently to step in if Will Montgomery gets hurt and Jordan Mills was bad last year at RT.

For the O-Line, I believe Slauson has played Center, but I know what you mean. What I was saying was we could go a number of ways on the OLine (draft OT to replace Mills, draft G and shift Long to T, or draft a C for depth), but I don't think we need more than one. For ILB, that was definitely a lower need, but the jury is still out on SMC, Bostic, Jones.

For the O-Line, I believe Slauson has played Center, but I know what you mean. What I was saying was we could go a number of ways on the OLine (draft OT to replace Mills, draft G and shift Long to T, or draft a C for depth), but I don't think we need more than one. For ILB, that was definitely a lower need, but the jury is still out on SMC, Bostic, Jones.

If we had to play today what would be 4 positions that you would fill in the draft?

 

not in a particular order; WR-DT/DE-S-OG/OC

Nothing going on, so surfing Twitter for more follows and see that Alshon and Kyle are both following Amari Cooper. Now Kyle is also following Gregory and Winston, but Cooper is the only one being followed by multiple Bears. Just thought that was interesting.

If we had to play today what would be 4 positions that you would fill in the draft?

 

not in a particular order; WR-DT/DE-S-OG/OC

 

1. S

2. OG

3. DE

4. WR

 

Interesting tidbit that I have some tangential involvement in - Patrick Finley tweeted a comment by NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah saying that Danny Shelton was "made to play the nose tackle" in the Bears' new 3-4 defense, and I tweeted (yep that's me down there) something I had noticed and posted about here, that Fangio didn't use big NTs in SF. Jeremiah, who as a scout and assistant in Baltimore from 2003 to 2006 (the last year of which would have been when Fangio was special assistant to the head coach and LB coach in Baltimore), replied and mentioned that there was size at NT in Baltimore when Fangio was there. Now, I would argue the defense in SF is more indicative of the type of defense Fangio wants to run and the types he's interested, but I figured I would pass it along, since Jeremiah might have some insight into Fangio's preferences from their time in Baltimore. Exchange is below:

 

Patrick Finley ‏@patrickfinley · 30m30 minutes ago

NFL Net's @MoveTheSticks on who #Bears should take at No. 7: "Danny Shelton was made to play the nose tackle in that defense."

 

Greg Flatt ‏@gcflatt · 23m23 minutes ago

@patrickfinley @MoveTheSticks Maybe, but Fangio never used big NTs in SF except Sopoga, who he inherited and let go when his contract ran

 

Daniel Jeremiah ‏@MoveTheSticks · 23m23 minutes ago

@gcflatt @patrickfinley he was around in Baltimore when I was there...plenty of size at NT during that time

 

Also, Breshad Perriman visited the Bears today. Bears are certainly doing their homework on the top WRs. Interesting that they've had visits with what is probably the consensus top 4 WRs (Cooper, White, Parker, Perriman) and not one after that, except Tony Lippett, who may be a CB.

Shelton makes no sense at 7. Very few NT's are drafted that high, and if they are, they're usually 3 down players. The fact that he ran the slowest 40 time ever doesn't exactly excite me much either.

Shelton makes no sense at 7. Very few NT's are drafted that high, and if they are, they're usually 3 down players. The fact that he ran the slowest 40 time ever doesn't exactly excite me much either.

 

I've backed off him a bit but still wouldn't hate the pick. NTs rarely go that high because it's somewhat rare for guys that big to be that talented.

 

His 40 time may have been the slowest but his other drills, ones that better evaluate what a dt will do, were on par with the guy he so often gets compared to, Haloti Ngata.

 

Also Shelton has a big time motor, and at least for a few years, he won't have to be a guy you take off the field. I like the idea of having that big guy out there on passing downs tying up multiple blockers which frees up pass rushers.

 

Again Im not clamoring for him anymore, the McDonald signing changed things for me just a bit, but I really wouldn't bash the pick at all.

Shelton makes no sense at 7. Very few NT's are drafted that high, and if they are, they're usually 3 down players. The fact that he ran the slowest 40 time ever doesn't exactly excite me much either.

You dont have to worry, the only way we draft Shelton is if we drop 10 spots back in the draft, then he will become one of the best players on the board.

 

I think we are looking at WR(2 will be top 10) Parker will be top 15 and Perriman will be at the end of the first round or beginning of the second. Must be planning a pick if we trade back.

You dont have to worry, the only way we draft Shelton is if we drop 10 spots back in the draft, then he will become one of the best players on the board.

 

I think we are looking at WR(2 will be top 10) Parker will be top 15 and Perriman will be at the end of the first round or beginning of the second. Must be planning a pick if we trade back.

the Bears are meeting with Winston tomorrow.

 

I wouldnt like it if he fell in the draft and we drafted him, but I would understand it if they did.

 

Qbs are the most important position in all of sports and if they thought he could be special,OK,(I guess)

Here's an article from the ST on the Bears' O-line needs. Lots about Donovan Smith, who I've though might be a good mid-round OT target, but it also mentions that they might start giving Charles Leno, our 7th round pick last year and a college OT, snaps at C. Hadn't seen that mentioned before today.

 

http://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-football...t-donovan-smith

Here's an article from the ST on the Bears' O-line needs. Lots about Donovan Smith, who I've though might be a good mid-round OT target, but it also mentions that they might start giving Charles Leno, our 7th round pick last year and a college OT, snaps at C. Hadn't seen that mentioned before today.

 

http://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-football...t-donovan-smith

This is not surprising since most backup OLmen have to be versatile and it would be cheaper to see what someone on the roster already can learn before you make a FA signing or draft a player.

This is not surprising since most backup OLmen have to be versatile and it would be cheaper to see what someone on the roster already can learn before you make a FA signing or draft a player.

Here is an updated list of visits by Aaron Leming

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18kV...Wtjs/edit#gid=0