raw

He had some solid highlight blocks, as opposed to Herbert who had 0 blocks at all. But overall, Johnson was not very good blocking from my eye test.

The thing about the RB market, is you don't really have to pay guys that much. I think you can give a guy a 1-2 year deal and don't have to pay more than 12Mil AAV to get the top guys. I'm good with a late round RB as well, but I'd have no qualms about a short term deal for a RB in their late prime (27-29) if they are truly a difference maker. Foreman was a healthy scratch and was not happy about it.

Exactly. I'd probably splurge for a top RB on the FA market, simply because the Bears need another weapon. They'll likely not spend on a big time WR, so you're likely counting on a rookie WR. It's a lot to expect a rookie to be your 2nd best offensive weapon even if he's a top 10 pick. Give me Saquon, Jacobs, Ekeler, or Pollard, if for nothing else for the underneath threat to open things down field and both RBs under contract (Herbert and Roschon) were horrible pass blocking.

Teams are usually pretty good at not reaching top 5-10. I think those will be the top 3 picks, but I doubt they all go to the top 3 teams. There will be trades, especially with NE if they really want to go QB. Someone would willingly trade up for MHJr (Giants, Chargers, wouldn't hate the Bears doing it if the price is right). I'd imagine Daniels goes top 8, he put together a really solid season and there's QB needy teams all through the top 8. NE, NYG, and Atlanta could all take him, not to mention a team could trade up. A team like the Giants could take Daniels and sit him a year, which would probably be an ideal situation for him. As for Bowers, I almost look at him as the 4th WR in this class. He 100% can split out. In fact, he's more of an H-back, U TE, big slot than he is an inline TE like Kmet. I don't think he projects as a better blocker than Kmet, but Cole hasn't been as good as he can be blocking yet either. I think of Bowers like an Evan Engram type. Engram quietly had a 114 catch season this year, just under 1000 yards. He's not quite the Kelce height mismatch. He's not quite as big as Kittle. He's probably not as versatile as LaPorta. But I honestly think he's going to be close to Vernon Davis and his record TE athleticism. He's more explosive than Engram and he can block unlike Engram, though I prefer him as a move blocker rather than inline. I don't really see the Bears drafting Bowers. That being said, all the OCs they have interviewed really like 12 (2-TE) personnel, so they can definitely play Bowers and Kmet together. I just don't know if they would want to spend top 5 money and a top 10 pick on the same position.

Yeah, that takes him off my draft board for sure

I think I like Waldron the most, but Kubiak is a toss up 1B situation. Olson and Coen would be the same order for sure, but admittedly, I don't know much about Coen

Yeah, Bo Nix is more similar to Trubisky than Drake Maye is. I like Maye, but I'm not sold on him, even over Fields. I'd have much more of an internal debate if the Bears had the #2 pick. I'd probably lean Maye, but I do think if they were both in this same draft and without knowledge of Fields' NFL performance, I'd probably slightly prefer Fields as a prospect.

If it makes you feel better, Trubisky is only 6'2, and Maye is 6'4-6'5, and they have completely different body types. Of course, both wore #10 for UNC and are definitely white

Without knowing what we already know about him at the NFL level? I'd say QB2 or QB3, depending on how you feel about Maye. I probably like Maye more as a prospect, but I'd be more apt to keep Fields if the Bears had pick 2, for example. But I thought he was a clear QB2 in 2021 and he went 4th (of course, 2 ahead of him are terrible so he should have been QB2).

That would be a miracle

Charcoal Thursday

Quinn Ewers and Carson Beck will be up there as well. Then if Jalen Milroe and Drew Allar can take steps forward, they'll be up there.

This sums up my thoughts on the next OC. Go after guys that aren't calling plays but have that potential. Frank Smith may be a HC candidate, but if he doesn't get a job, he could look for a chance to call plays. That being said, Luke Getsy was a guy with potential as a playcaller that didn't call plays.

No mention of Vrabel's firing in this thread? The biggest decisions left are if the Bears retain Eberflus and if the Raiders remove the interim tag or remove Antonio Pierce himself.

I wouldn't turn down Mike Evans, but I think it'd be a waste of money. I don't see the need to pay a WR that much when you have a premium pick in a great WR class to draft a WR that will be cheaper over the next 4 years. Obviously, you could do both, but again diminishing returns.

It's good to trade up at a reasonable price for someone good. Bad to trade up for someone bad.

Be very comfortable. I think JPJ is the best C in this draft, and I've had a man crush on Van Pran for 2 years. I have no problem taking him in the early-to-mid 2nd if you get a pick there somehow. He's also played some guard in 2022, as a heavily used reserve. So, if you get a FA center and add him in the 2nd, you have at worst some competition for the mediocre Davis and an injury hedge for Jenkins and a best, he's one of your best 5 and you have pretty good depth.

I said early in the season, you can't give Flus another young QB and you can't give Fields another new offense. The FO has to see this. This is what every other Bears FO has done and it has literally never worked. What's the definition of insanity again?

https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1744349382420341240?s=20

I just don't think, if you're the Bears, you can't continue with what is pretty clearly the worst head coach and QB in the division. Maybe it's not super far off between the Vikings HC and Flus. And obviously a new HC and QB doesn't guarantee any better, but you simply can't tie another year or 2 when there is too much proof these guys aren't good enough. You also have the biggest asset in football with the #1 pick and potential head coaches will be knocking down the doors to get the job. You can't pass up these opportunities to try to salvage an "improvement" at the end of this season, which ultimately ended 4-3, when there's enough to say it's not good enough.

Are you talking about Josh Allen here? Or Lamar Jackson?

The thing is, the QB is so important and sought after that the top prospects are pretty well known well in advance. Like we new last year Caleb Williams and Drake Maye would be 1-2. We knew Trevor Lawrence would be QB1 in his class. We knew Bryce Young would be in the #1 pick conversation after his Heisman season. Same with Jameis in that year. And there are definitely guys that come out of nowhere like Joe Burrow and Kyler Murray and are consensus #1 picks. But those guys that come out of nowhere aren't going to be considered as good of prospects as Williams/Maye unless they put up a near perfect season like Burrow. Even if they do, Williams and Maye put up great numbers/film for 3 years. No ebbs and flows in their games with 3 years as starters without severe nitpicking. All QBs in the 2025 draft will be either underclassmen who weren't eligible to come out this year or QBs that could come out but didn't because they aren't as good as Williams/Maye from a prospect level. Like I said, someone could take a huge step forward, but they will still be behind QBs that were at this point as freshman Power 5 starters.

This would honestly make me laugh. All the arguing I've done on Twitter about Fields v Caleb, only for the Bears to pick what's behind door #3

You really think counting picks in 2025 as upgrades makes logical sense? First of all, they won't upgrade anything for 2024 so IDK why you would count them. Secondly, when that pick is made, there will be a whole new roster. Maybe Montez Sweat gets a career ending injury so then you're drafting a DE but you're also not upgrading that position from Sweat. Third, you can't count 1 of those picks you get as an upgrade, because the Bears already have the #1 pick. They aren't "gaining" a 2024 first if they trade. They are moving down. Lastly, they have to actually hit on these picks.

Well yeah, my point wasn't that it was a good idea, just that it's going to happen.