Bears offseason

[davell]

Big guy, yes. Super athletic? Not particularly.

 

37 inch vertical, 4.5 40. Ridiculous length. I think he's tailor made for FS.....Maybe it doesn't translate, but I'm happy to see this getting a shot.

[jumbo]

 

This would make S pretty crowded and CB a bit less so.

 

I think that's probably good for Hall. He doesn't have great speed, but I like his long arms in deep jump balls. In college he played some LB (rover) in addition to S and CB, so he is probably pretty interchangable for SS/FS.

[WrigleyField 22]

Big guy, yes. Super athletic? Not particularly.

 

37 inch vertical, 4.5 40. Ridiculous length. I think he's tailor made for FS.....Maybe it doesn't translate, but I'm happy to see this getting a shot.

Not sure where he ran a 4.5, but his combine time was 4.68. Taken with his length, his athletecism is effective, but hes not quite what I would call super athletic.

[davell]

Big guy, yes. Super athletic? Not particularly.

 

37 inch vertical, 4.5 40. Ridiculous length. I think he's tailor made for FS.....Maybe it doesn't translate, but I'm happy to see this getting a shot.

Not sure where he ran a 4.5, but his combine time was 4.68. Taken with his length, his athletecism is effective, but hes not quite what I would call super athletic.

 

Eh, my memory was off then. Without looking, I was thinking it was low 4.5's at the combine. Tempers my excitement some and agree with your assessment now. Guess I'm still intrigued with the measurables though, might as well give him a shot.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Ran 4.5 at his pro day

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I ran a 4.5 at my pro day

[WrigleyField 22]

Ran 4.5 at his pro day

For total clarity, it looks like it was a 4.55.

 

Truely fast guys are going to run fast on any platform. Maybe it was a fast track, maybe just a good day, I dont know. He's probably athletic enough due to his length covering lost ground, but lets not make him something he isn't.

[davell]

Either way, we've added the bulk of what we're adding, prior to the draft. So, what's up with the 3rd pick?

 

Trade down? Seems to be the best option in my mind. Even if we do take slightly less than full value. Playing devils advocate though, I can see why people don't want a 3 win team to shy away from adding the biggest impact player possible.

 

QB- I really think we'll take a QB at some point. But not at 3. And probably not at 36, in my opinion. Leaves it open to take one in the 1st in 2018, assuming the need is still there and gives the new coach his choice of guys, instead of making him be OK with whatever's already in place.

 

Guess- 3rd or 4th Rounder, chance of a QB with top pick-5%

 

OT- While I seriously doubt we'd take a Tackle at 3, I could see a trade down scenario where Bolles winds up as our top pick. He's got helium, we've tried adding in FA, and I guess its a slim possibility.

 

Guess- We spend a late round pick on the spot, chance of an OT with top pick-5%

 

WR- This looks like a huge weakness to me. No way we'd reach at 3 for one, but a trade down to the 7-12 range and I could see it. I think we're still going to add to the position somehow.

 

Guess- We spend a pick here. Could be ANY of them though, chance of a WR with top pick-5%

 

Defensive Line- We've not added here yet. We're connected to Allen. Thomas has serious helium. I'd say this is easily our best bet for our top pick.

 

Guess- This IS my guess. And if its not in the 1st, I'd say there's a great chance its happening early, chance of a DL with top pick-50%

 

Cornerback- Little doubt in my mind we use an early pick here too. A trade down makes this my top option. Getting Jackson in the 2nd is a hope of mine. Or Jones in the 3rd.

 

Guess- 90% chance we use one of our 5 top 4 round picks here. 75% chance its 3rd round or higher, chance of a CB with our top pick-14%

 

Safety- I'm not sold we'd want to pay top 3 money on the position. In fact, I'm not sure we'll even address the spot in the draft at all. But, there's 2 guys in Adams and Hooker that MAY be BPA at 3 too. So, I do think its a serious option with our top pick.

 

Guess- Top pick or bust? Chance of a Safety with our top pick-20%

 

Anything else- A trade down far enough could put Howard in the mix, I guess? Or Pace could go heel and just horsefeathers things up? Maybe Fournette intrigues them too much?

 

Guess- Not much of a chance. Chance of a complete surprise-1%

[WrigleyField 22]

Pretty fair analysis davell.

 

I'd add TE too, just based on the strength of the draft.

 

Another interesting tidbit. On Walter football's site they have a visit tracker, and I see three meetings (combine/East West/Senior bowl) with day 3 RBs who all have production/potential to be serious pass catch threats, possibly even WR/RB combos;

 

I'Tavius Mathers, RB, Middle Tennessee (EW)

Elijah McGuire, RB, La.-Lafayette (COM)

Jamaal Williams, RB, Brigham Young (SR)

 

Also, not sure if it was discussed re QB, but the lack of a combine meeting with Watson is noteworthy; not sure how much correlation visits has been for Pace. I remember it was pretty strong for Emery for instance

Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (COM)

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame (COM)

Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (COM)

Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh (COM)

Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (COM)

[Guest]

Ran 4.5 at his pro day

For total clarity, it looks like it was a 4.55.

 

Truely fast guys are going to run fast on any platform. Maybe it was a fast track, maybe just a good day, I dont know. He's probably athletic enough due to his length covering lost ground, but lets not make him something he isn't.

 

he's a safety, he doesn't need to be faster than that, or else he'd be a cb.

[Banedon]

[JonJayCutler]

Nothing has ever made me happier. I swear to god if it's Houston or Denver I'm gone.

[raw]

Pretty fair analysis davell.

 

I'd add TE too, just based on the strength of the draft.

 

Another interesting tidbit. On Walter football's site they have a visit tracker, and I see three meetings (combine/East West/Senior bowl) with day 3 RBs who all have production/potential to be serious pass catch threats, possibly even WR/RB combos;

 

I'Tavius Mathers, RB, Middle Tennessee (EW)

Elijah McGuire, RB, La.-Lafayette (COM)

Jamaal Williams, RB, Brigham Young (SR)

 

Also, not sure if it was discussed re QB, but the lack of a combine meeting with Watson is noteworthy; not sure how much correlation visits has been for Pace. I remember it was pretty strong for Emery for instance

Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (COM)

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame (COM)

Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (COM)

Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh (COM)

Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (COM)

 

Floyd and Whitehair were the only guys Pace drafted last year that he was connected to pre-draft.

 

The Watson, non-meeting is interesting. On one hand it could be a smokescreen. Pace has talked a lot this offseason about the importance of experience and winning in college as a QB. But he just spent 15M on a QB for 2017 who is certainly going to start, and Watson looks to me like the most pro-ready QB of this group. I think if Pace's idea is to have a QB sit for a year, it's going to be Trubisky (1-year as a starter) or Mahomes (raw, huge upside, but gimmicky offense), or he'll take a guy like Davis Webb or Peterman in the 2nd or 3rd. I think the last is the most likely scenario. Pace is going to hedge his bets on Glennon for 2017, draft a guy (I'd watch for a trade back to the mid-second to take Peterman) to develop, and then if necessary, go after a QB in the 2018 draft. The 2018 QB class looks like it could be pretty good.

 

Also, I love all those RBs late. Really like McGuire. He was bigger than I expected at the combine and should be able to hold up between the tackles if it comes to that. But he has excellent hands as a receiver and can pass block a little too.

[jersey cubs fan]

If the Bears are in a position to draft a QB early in 2018, can they really justify having Pace be the guy to make that call?

[Guest]

You don't win friends with Petermann

[davell]

If the Bears are in a position to draft a QB early in 2018, can they really justify having Pace be the guy to make that call?

 

I don't know. If he hits decently on another draft, I guess so? If for no other reason than the organization needs to try and show at least a BIT of stability.

 

I don't really care, one way or the other. Evidently there were some FA's that didn't seriously consider us due to the dead man walking coaching staff....That's directly on Pace. He made a few decent signings. He also made some bad ones this off season. At least they still have lots of flexibility? I'd rather have Gilmore and Wagner though, than money going forward. Alshon too.

 

At the VERY least, you've got to head into next off season set up with a staff that's in place for a while. Assuming that's something different than our current group, it gives the new hire a lot of flexibility in building his team.....

 

You can do that with or without Pace too. I just want the next guy to have the opportunity to draft his own QB.(assuming Glennon isn't the answer). If Glennon somehow works out, it may mean Fox had a good season and is extended. So, I kind of don't want that either....

 

New coach, let him pick his QB and give him a few years to work with him.....You're not likely getting the BEST coach you can, if you tell him your QB is(whoever)......Deal with it.

 

And even with that, I DO want to draft a QB this year. Just not in the 1st.

 

Which could make things very interesting. Because I've got a funny feeling that no QB is going inside the top 10. Cleveland MAY take one at 12. But only if they don't trade for Garoppolo, which I still think they do eventually.

 

If Arizona takes the 1st QB at 13....I'll be surprised if one of the main 4 guys isn't sitting there at 36.....Which would make things interesting. It'd be hard for me to pass on any of them at 36, even if I want my next coach to have the chance to draft one in the 1st the following year....

 

Personally, I think we get one of Peterman, Webb, or Kaaya in the 3rd and bypass taking one of the 4 at 36, raising even more eyebrows....

 

Odd rant admittedly.....But, I don't know what to think of our situation. I want to like Pace. But, we should definitively NOT be a 3 win team, after year 2 and looking squarely at another losing season in year 3 as well. Yet, we are.

 

Fox was a bad hire. I guess a GM gets a 2nd one, with a 1st round QB too? Don't know.

 

In the end, I think I'd let Pace hire another coach and let him and that guy grab the QB they want. Only because we need to show a bit of stability. Firing Pace probably affects the caliber of GM candidates you may attract too, considering how short Pace and Emery had gotten, back to back....

 

Thank God for the Cubs. The Bears and Bulls are laughingstocks.

[WrigleyField 22]

If the Bears are in a position to draft a QB early in 2018, can they really justify having Pace be the guy to make that call?

Hopefully its not too early. Like maybe he has to trade up from 15 or something.

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

 

QB Mike Glennon to Chicago Bears

Actual: Three years, $45 million, $18.5 million guaranteed

 

PFF play-earned contract: Three years, $21 million, $8.3 million guaranteed

 

Grade: B

 

The QB market doesn’t really behave like any other market in the NFL. It’s effectively a binary state of starters earning upwards of $15 million, and everybody else, not. The Bears think Glennon has a shot to be that guy, but aren’t betting more than a year and a bit of that money on it.

 

WR Kendall Wright to Chicago Bears

Actual: One year, $4 million

 

PFF play-earned contract: One year, $3.9 million

 

Grade: B

 

A healthy Kendall Wright is a dangerous weapon for an offense, working primarily from the slot. He has the kind of speed and big-play ability that many slot receivers don’t have, but he has played just 726 snaps over the past two seasons and never played more than 820. His availability is a big question mark, which is why the Bears have only signed on for one year.

 

S Quintin Demps to Chicago Bears

Actual: Three years, $13.5 million, $5 million guaranteed

 

PFF play-earned contract: Three years, $20.4 million, $7.1 million guaranteed

 

Grade: B

 

Last season for Houston, Quintin Demps had a career year, earning himself a healthy contract from the Chicago Bears. He notched six interceptions and two pass breakups, and finished the season with a sequence of nine games without a poor performance.

 

CB Prince Amukamara to Chicago Bears

Actual: One year, $7 million

 

PFF play-earned contract: Four years, $22.3 million, $6 million guaranteed

 

Grade: C

 

The league is clearly disappointed enough with the ceiling of Prince Amukamara that he doesn’t seem to be able to talk his way into a long-term deal for significant money, as he takes another one-year deal that will pay him solid starter money. In 2016, Amukamara allowed five touchdowns and 64.1 percent of passes into his coverage to be caught.

 

WR Markus Wheaton to Chicago Bears

Actual: Two years, $11 million, $6 million guaranteed

 

PFF play-earned contract: Two years, $4.7 million, $1 million guaranteed

 

Grade: C

 

Markus Wheaton consistently failed to prove he could become the second starting receiver in Pittsburgh alongside Antonio Brown, but continually flashed ability and could have potential as a slot receiver. In 2015 he caught 51 passes for 802 yards and five scores.

 

CB Marcus Cooper to Chicago Bears

Actual: Three years, $16 million, $8 million guaranteed

 

PFF play-earned contract: Three years, $3.1 million, $360k guaranteed

 

Grade: D

 

Marcus Cooper was back starting in 2016 and it resulted in 63.9 percent of targets being caught by the intended receiver and 751 receiving yards over the season. He had four interceptions and six pass breakups, but also surrendered four touchdowns

 

TE Dion Sims to Chicago Bears

Actual: Three years, $18 million, $10 million guaranteed

 

PFF play-earned contract: Three years, $3.1 million, $550k guaranteed

 

Grade: D

 

Dion Sims has struggled in particular as a pass-blocker throughout his career, and last season for Miami that resulted in him surrendering two sacks, four hits and three hurries when kept at home to block. As a receiver he caught 31 of 39 passes thrown his way for 390 yards and four scores, so may be far better sent out into pass patterns than kept at home to block.

 

Bit of a mixed bag.

[jersey cubs fan]

Also, not sure if it was discussed re QB, but the lack of a combine meeting with Watson is noteworthy;

 

The Watson, non-meeting is interesting. On one hand it could be a smokescreen.

 

Is the lack of a meeting a non-story now?

 

[WrigleyField 22]

Also, not sure if it was discussed re QB, but the lack of a combine meeting with Watson is noteworthy;

 

The Watson, non-meeting is interesting. On one hand it could be a smokescreen.

 

Is the lack of a meeting a non-story now?

 

I don't think it was ever a story, but yes, definitely a non-story now.

[jersey cubs fan]

[WrigleyField 22]

He seems like a bubble roster player already. But I guess its depth which we need.

[We Got The Whole 9]

He will probably see a good amount of snaps. We need a run stuffer and that's precisely what he is.

[jumbo]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/12132/leonard-fournette

 

Who wants to trade past JAX to draft Fournette? Give me a trade down partner, somebody

[jumbo]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5122/ricky-jean-francois

 

Bears just heavily attended Deshaun Watson's pro-day. Now meeting wiith another DL. Nobody will mistake signing Francois for drafting, Allen, but it's fun to try to connect the dots.