raw

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.

Some draft thoughts. I've been thinking about the draft in general and how it relates to the Bears specifically. And the Bears have some very clear draft needs: EDGE, DT, Safety, long-term C. But they could also look to add CB depth with all the injuries they suffered there last year and the loss of Wright. They could add a RB3. They should add a WR with the speed element. They could add a Mike LB of the future. And they have been sniffing around various early round offensive tackles. Based on what Poles and Ben are saying, I think the OT stuff is a smokescreen. It honestly makes no sense to add an OT early. If you add a guy in the 1st, you've effectively ended Ozzy's Bears career. He's not going to get the draft preference over the 25th overall pick. He obviously isn't going to supplant Wright at RT. And Ozzy is too big (6'8) to be a guard. Plus, they brought back Jones and added former top 10 pick, Jedrick Wills to compete for LT.....and still have Benedet and FWIW, Amegadjie. Seems odd to panic at LT this year when you just won 12 games with nearly the exact same LT situation, but not as healthy. I think the biggest need, on paper, is probably DT. You simply don't have enough juice there. Dexter feels like a bad scheme fit and Grady is no longer the player he was in his prime in Atlanta. Neville Gallimore is a "fit" signing, but with all 3 having outs in their contracts after the year, there is a huge long-term need here. Ideally, at 25, you'd find a building block for that position, but I don't think you really have a clean Dennis Allen fit you want to take there. I love Caleb Banks, but he has a broken foot and is Dexter size. Kayden McDonald was a 30-visit just yesterday, but he's also huge and limited to just a run defender (aka the Billings role, which he didn't seem to fit). And it's worth noting that Dennis Allen (with the Saints and Raiders) never drafted a DT over 300lbs in the first 5 rounds. The only sub-300 guy in the top DT group is Peter Woods, who I don't think has the length that the Bears look for. Another thing that stood out to me was the comments from Poles and Ben about needing to get faster on defense. Where they spent what little FA money they did, they spent on getting faster with Devin Bush and Coby Bryant. So with all this being said, in a weak draft like this, I think your strategy has to change a bit. You are going to be let down if you go into this draft trying to plug holes with 10-year starters. Just not a lot of those guys in this draft. So, I think you have to focus on scheme fit and players who have a specific role on your team for the near future. Don't get hung up on age of prospects. And have a very specific plan for each player you bring in. Most of this draft class isn't going to be getting 2nd contracts anyway. I'd probably take a gamble with the first pick. This will likely be your only chance at finding a potential star in this draft. If you can get an older guy that is a sure producer early (looking at you Mesidor) then that's a pick I make in a heartbeat. If not, I'd shoot for the biggest upside, best athletic profile on the board, whether it would be seen as a reach or not. That player would probably be at Edge, CB, or safety for me. After that, get your DA fit sub 300lb DT. Get more athletic on the back end of the defense. Take a swing at the most athletic linemen and back half defenders you can find. That being said, I am hesitant to go too far into the DA fits. If the Bears defense isn't much better in 2026, I think he could be the fall guy and be out. But speed also adapts well to different systems. But if the guys you pick this year aren't great fits, you're probably talking about backups anyway for the most part and using a much deeper 2027 draft to elevate the top end of the roster.

Cards 3rd is at the top of the round 65 overall. I'd take that in a heartbeat.

Exactly. Micah Parsons was had for 2 firsts and an aging player. Crosby will be 2-3 years older at the time of trade and already has a contract that the trading team has to maneuver under their cap space. Parsons is also the better player, so that + age + the ability to build his contract extension to your personal cap situation is much more valuable than Crosby, IMO.

The No-est of brainers. Essentially a single 1st for Crosby and the top 5th rounder for DJ. I've been hoping for a late 4th (Buffalo, Baltimore).

I think I disagree, especially in the Bears situation. 1. Caleb played 19 games this year. 17 last year despite 56 sacks. No history of injury in college, despite taking a lot of hits, so a backup isn't likely to be needed as much as say....behind Burrow in Cincy. 2. Backup QBs are likely to lose more games than they win over the long-term anyway. 3. The Bears had Case Keenum last year, a competent backup. There are several others like him. 4. The Bears have Ben Johnson. He can probably develop another competent backup QB. If a team is willing to give up a top 100-120 pick for Bagent, it's definitely worth considering, and that pick may have more value than Bagent simply by actually seeing the field on a more consistent basis.

LOL. Bill Belichick finished SHORT of the 40 of 50 votes needed to get into the Hall of Fame. So, 10 Superbowl appearances as HC, with the most all-time wins (6) and 2 other wins as a coordinator NOT enough to make 1st ballot. There's your bar.

What I said last week. Walker is probably not leaving Seattle (Charbonnet ACL tear last week). Achane is probably not getting traded. I'm with WF22 that IDK if Etienne is a true upgrade over Swift, but I do think he has more of the Gibbs stuff than Swift. Though Swift was a big time pass catcher in Ben's offense in Detroit. I think in the short term, the cap hit is probably a wash. You get 7M room from cutting Swift and I'd imagine Etienne gets 8-10M per season (for about 3 years). So the 1st year cap hit is probably a little less than Swift's, but dead money makes it pretty even.

Oh man, I would love Achane. Don't imagine it'd take more than like a 3rd + change with this being the last year on his rookie deal, and he's an amazing fit for Ben Johnson's offense. I'm in a weird place with Swift. I love what he did this year, but he is a year removed from being one of the least efficient RBs in the league. And now without Eric Bienemey to scare him into hitting the hole like a man, I'm afraid he'll revert. You'd save 7M from cutting him, but you'd almost certainly have to go RB earlier than you'd like or pay another guy similar money to come in. Part of me REALLY wants to basically swap him out for a faster, more dynamic game-breaking RB (Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, Achane trade is what I'm thinking).

Contributors who are free agents: KR Devin Duvernay WR Olamide Zaccheaus TE Durham Smythe OL Braxton Jones CB Nick McCloud S Kevin Byard S Jaquan Brisker DE Dominique Robinson DT Andrew Billings DT Chris Williams DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka LB D'Marco Jackson CB Nahshon Wright CB/S CJ Gardner-Johnson LS Scott Daly Non-contributors who are FAs: QB Case Keenum RB Travis Homer LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin CB Jaylon Jones S Jonathan Owens S Elijah Hicks Cut/trade candidates: WR DJ Moore DE Dayo Odeyingbo LB TJ Edwards LB Tremaine Edmunds RB D'Andre Swift RB Roschon Johnson OL Kiran Amegadjie LB Amen Ogbongbemiga LB Noah Sewell Staying on roster QB- Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent (trade is possible, I guess) RB- Kyle Monangai WR- Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Jahdae Walker TE- Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet (trade is possible, will not cut) OT- Darnell Wright, Ozzy Trapilo (injured), Theo Benedet IOL- Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, Luke Newman, Jordan McFadden (RFA, but imagine will get tendered if thought enough to start him over Newman/Benedet in a playoff game) DE- Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Daniel Hardy (RFA, likely tendered), Shemar Turner (here or DT) DT- Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter LB- Ruben Hyppollite CB- Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Zah Frazier, Terrell Smith, Josh Blackwell S- None Needs: QB3- very low priority (UDFA) RB- high priority if cut Swift, medium if keep him (Day 2 vs Day 3) WR- low priority if keep DJ, medium if trade DJ (FA add vs late Day 3) LT- medium to high priority due to Trapilo injury (Day 2 vs FA swing add) IOL- low to medium, not really a need, but always add linemen, no backup C (Day 2 or 3) DE- high to very high priority (FA, trade or early draft pick) DT- highest priority IMO (FA, trade and/or early draft pick) LB- anywhere from low to high priority depending on cuts/trades (FA, early draft pick) CB- medium to high priority, lot of bodies, 4 of 6 missed at least 2/3 of the season (Day 2 or Day 3, cheap FA) S- medium to high priority, depends on who they bring back and lack of bodies (all)

Wonder what the alternative would have been if McFadden had to leave. I'm assuming Newman, but is it possible they go to Benedet at LT and move Thuney back to LG? Ryan Bates season debut? LOL. Would have been a mess of a situation.

Nah, if you bring Wright back it has to be to play CB. I'm not paying him to play a new position, and FS would be in lieu of Byard, so you're downgrading the position and paying about the same amount. Obviously younger, but that is offset a bit by him learning the new position.

I think you bring 1 of Brisker/Byard back. And then 1 of Hicks/Owens. I lean Byard and Hicks. Byard is a captain and takes the ball away. Hicks is also his direct backup at more of a free safety type so I keep him. He's also younger and probably better than Owens, though I'd miss seeing Simone Biles pregame. Brisker will be more expensive, most likely and require a longer term commitment due to age, but is also a concussion away from serious questions about his career.....so maybe he is cheaper than we think? I'd still like to draft a guy with more speed, versatility and takeaway potential than Brisker, while also adding an affordable FA S that can start if the rookie isnt ready.

Mesidor will be there at 25 because he will be 25 before he gets drafted. That's a tough call to take him that high and have to make a 2nd contract decision on him at 28, 29 with the 5th year option.