raw

I'm partial to Haasan Reddick. Youngest of the group, I'd guess and kind of the anti-Dennis Allen player. But also, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Josh Sweat are potentially on the trade market.

In counting stats, sure. But Loveland was much more efficient, more explosive, and a much better blocker by all metrics.

There were 8 TEs drafted in a 40 picks with the Bears' Roush pick right in the middle of that run. The Rams actually ran the most 12/13 personnel in the league. And McVay is in that Shanahan tree. So is about 1/3 of the playcallers in the league. So that's why you saw a bunch of TEs this year. And the TE position has typically been a position where you don't get great production right away. But with guys like Loveland, Warren and Bowers early production; teams are naturally valuing the position higher. While they may not get that level of players, they aren't going to stop chasing that.

In general, they hit all the positions I thought they would, except Edge. The big issue is the overall big picture. Like you can't just keep saying "we didn't like any of the DL in this class" or "we didn't have any guys we liked fall to us". Well, Poles has shown the willingness to trade up. He traded up for Tyrique Stevenson and this year for Muhammad and Vanderberg. So he definitely has the ability to identify a guy he wants and go get him. I just don't know why he doesn't "go get him" when that guy is in the trenches constantly. Poles has got to show more foresight. If there's even a remote chance you don't come out of Day 2 with DL help, then you HAVE to do more in free agency or on the trade front. I understand people gave up astronomical amounts for Crosby and then Dexter Lawrence, but the lack of a plan B/C is hurting Poles, IMO. And I understand that Dayo/Grady took away a lot of ability to really make a big splash there in free agency, but then you gotta do more to identify and get your guy in the draft. And I will appreciate the fact that the focus early in the draft has been getting and supporting your QB. But you've had a clear weakness since 2022 when Brisker led the team with 4 sacks. Poles has made the effort, but with Sweat, Dayo, Grady, Dexter, Pickens, Ngakoue, Darrell Taylor, whatever, but it's clearly still not good enough. You can't keep missing opportunities to make it good enough. Whether it's more draft capital, better scouting, more aggressive trading, or more wise free agent spending, there's not much of an excuse to have this DL (on paper) at this point in his regime.

I think the Bears ended up with a solid draft, but took a questionable route to get there. Thieneman- full disclosure, I had McNeil-Warren as the better safety, by just a tad. That being said, I am willing to go against my gut and go with the consensus best player on the board at the position of biggest need. Obviously, he's a day 1 starter at safety, so no issues with the pick. Interesting though, Bears could have gone elsewhere here and still had EMW, who went 58. There just wasn't anyone better than Thieneman on the board IMO. Logan Jones- again, I didn't have him as my top C, but clearly the Bears did. Of course, my C1 didn't go til the 5th round (Hecht). I'm willing to get on board with this move. Jones was my C2, so they got consensus top 2 players (by most accounts) at S and C. The next C went off the board at 63, so there may not have been the ability to take him at 69 after the trade down. My only concern is you could have traded down from 57, taken Jones and 60 and maybe gotten a bit more in that trade down? Roush- I know a lot hate this pick, but in hindsight, I get it. TEs were coming off the board like crazy. 5 TEs went off the board before him, 4 of those within a 15 pick span where the Bears had the two 2nds. So, if the Bears truly identified Roush as their guy, and felt they HAD to have him, then this was the right place to pick him. Three more TEs went before the Bears next pick, and he undoubtedly would have been gone by 124 or wherever they picked. Thomas- It was obvious to me the Bears were going to take a really fast WR in this draft. Like TE, WRs came flying off the board at a record pace as well (most pass catchers in top 100 ever). But it's perfectly fair to question the pick and player. The pick, obviously front 4 was a huge need. And this was a real sweet spot for many of the DTs I liked personally. But the Bears didn't apparently. The player, I think if you wanted speedy, gadgety guy, there were guys like Brenan Thompson and Skyler Bell who were either just as fast (Thompson) or plenty fast enough (Bell) who are better at actual WR things. And then there were speedy outside guys like Bryce Lance or Colby Young who can fly and were better players too. Muhammad- no problem with this pick or player. CB getting some 2nd round steam in the last week or so. Got him in the 4th, CB is a depth and long-term need for sure. No issues here. You basically lost your chance to add any real DL help by this point anyway so take the best player out there, which Muhammad had a legit argument to be that. Elliott- again, the DL left wasn't going to move the needle any. Got him in the late 5th and was projected to go in the 4th or so. Depth LB. Only issue is that you just drafted a depth LB in the mid rounds last year with Ruben Hyppollite. Van den berg- I actually love this dude. He is very raw as a player, but he has elite athleticism with a 10 RAS and elite strength (35 reps of 225, dad was Mr Olympia South Africa). That strength just has to be more football functional. Definitely a late pick I can see making the team and outplaying his draft status. Good pick.

Have you considered he's motivated?

The only guy of my "almost certainly " that was left. Didn't expect that. I actually liked McNeil-Warren better, but consensus had Thieneman as a top 15 ish player.

Players who will almost certainly be gone before 25. Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Francis Mauigoa, Sonny Styles, Rueben Bain, Caleb Downs, Spencer Fano, Monroe Freeling, Jordan Tyson, Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Mansoor Delane, Kenyon Sadiq, Vega Ioane, Dillon Thieneman My top options at 25 (mostly in order) 1. Ahkeem Mesidor 2. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren 3. Malachi Lawrence 4. Keldric Faulk 5. Max Iheanachor 6. Kayden McDonald 7. Chris Johnson 8. Colton Hood 9. Peter Woods 10. TJ Parker 11. Christen Miller 12. Caleb Lomu 13. Treydan Stukes

Nah, WR should be surprising. Everyone says they're taking BPA, but best player available is based on a team's draft board. A team's draft board is heavily influenced by team need. So unless it's another Burden situation where a guy like Jordan Tyson, who they think is a top 10-15 guy is there at 25, they aren't going to take him. Like I don't see them taking Omar Cooper Jr even if they have him higher than an Edge, safety or LT they really like. Of course, they also probably wouldn't have Cooper that high to begin with is my point.

Yeah, I never suggested to ignore it. In fact, my most recent post said the opposite.

Theoretically. But those negative statistics with patellar tears are heavily weighed by guys that got hurt more than 7-10 years ago and are much older than Ozzy is going thru his tear.

Trapilo is 6'8, I dont see him moving inside. The others, maybe you can put Proctor there, but idk about any of the other guys

Starting to warm up to the idea of OT at 25. I previously said that an OT at 25, effectively ends Ozzy Trapilo's career, but that may not really be the case. I think there's a decent amount of snaps for Ozzy as the extra 6th linemen in short yardage and pseudo 13 personnel. Then there's always injuries. He wasn't drafted super high to where you are completely throwing away a super asset (56th pick) and gives you a really talented swing guy. But to be fair, I also believe he showed enough last year to where he could be the starting LT of the future and nobody would bat an eye. The Bears are in a better position on paper than they were at this point last year. Nobody was sure if Braxton was ready at LT. Theo Benedet was just the guy in the Speedo from 2024, and wasn't even thought to have a roster spot. Amegadjie was this ball of clay. Didn't have a pure lottery ticket like Jedrick Wills who they signed this offseason. And Ozzy had not yet been drafted. Yet the Bears didn't draft OT early last year. But to be fair, Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks went off the board before 10 and the next OTs didn't go until 29 and 32. My change of heart is due to the Bears not simply having the realistic option to go OT top 10 last year. Also, just because they got away with a hodge-podge at LT last year doesn't mean that's the ideal situation this year w/ a downgrade a center. There's also may be no Colston Loveland available at 25 who is a great prospect and perfect fit. So it's definitely something to keep on the table. The problem at 25 is you aren't getting a sure thing at LT. I do really like Max Iheanachor and Caleb Lomu who project to be potential options on the board then. But I also do NOT like Kadyn Proctor (who played at 380 for Bama) or Blake Miller, who I don't see with elite LT upside. Iheanachor and Lomu though are also big projections as Max has played football for only like 3-4 years and Lomu is super young at 20-21 years old. So if you gamble on those guys and they aren't ready to start Day 1, they aren't in any better off than last year, while also creating a potential log jam at LT of the future with Ozzy.

I didn't know he did have him add weight. I know Dexter lost a bunch of weight last offseason (based on photos), I just assume he got back to his normal playing weight based on not hearing anything either way from the team. But clearly, I could have missed that. And if so, it could have been the latter, but who knows. DA was kinda stuck with Dexter and Billings not being great fits for what he usually goes for from his interior DL.

I didnt say him being just a run defender was a bad thing. Just saying thats never been the type of guy that Dennis Allen goes for.