BearFan PHX

He is definitely shooting up boards in the mediasphere since the combine, but I dont see him being truly successful in the NFL. Of course thats just my opinion, but I would imagine teams agree given his size and how he got handled by the top opponents? At least not a top 15 pick IMO.

So, I dunno. It seems like some draft sites have it so my favortie picks around pick 17-22 are still there in the 2nd round when we pick again. But DraftBuzz.com seems to value players the way i do, and they have 4 random seed settings for their draft simulator. If you use any but #4 (which is a wild card and not realistic IMO) then Banks is always gone before we pick. I'd like to see people here using draftbuzz for mocks because it is either the most realistic, or the worst case scenario (if people dont think its realistic). HB Jeanty almost always falls to us, and that means other players like DT Mason Graham, OT Kelvin Banks, TE Kevin Warren and often WR McMillan are usually gone by our pick. As Ive said before I really dont trust Will Campbell. Simmons is good, but has surgery risks. To me Membou is a non starter because he is small, and played on the right side. He player with fire, but quality opponents were able to get the better of him, and I see that only continuing in the NFL. I hear the Bears are talking to the OT from Oregon, so maybe we have some 2nd round stuff that goes beyond my research. If Banks is there at 10, Id take him, but I do encourage everyone to play with the draftbuzz simulator, and dont use random seed 4. 1 or 2 are the most realistic to my view, or the most worst case if you want to see it that way. Either way we have to be prepared for the draft to go that way, and it isnt pretty!

Yeah, for me it's Banks, who will probably be gone, Simmons, but Im afraid of the injury or Conerly who is not a clear cut first round talent. The rest, to my eye, are not going to be good. Maybe we will trade up for Banks, or maybe we will feel comfortable with Simmons' injury status. Or maybe we have our eye on a developmental player int he 2nd or 3rd round, and will ride with Jones/Amagadje this year. I just hate that plan because we all agree that Caleb needs protecting, and i think you can get a sack off of Jones anytime you need one with a bull rush. I feel like teams are holding that move in reserve until an important 3rd down. And that's an achilles heel I cant stand! But like you say, I dont see a clear cut answer, but last night I started really thinking about it, and I realize we really REALLY need a LT. Hmmm

Totally agree. I think Jones is a liability, and i hope we find a replacement for him, or Amagadje steps up. Maybe some think Jones is serviceable, and it's cool if we disagree. But we definitely agree that keeping Caleb upright is job #1, so if we disagree about what to do about Jones it's because we disagree about our evaluation of him, not whether having a decent LT is important!

because you could potentially get something of value for him. If someone else sees him as a starter, and would pay that value, and we see him as a backup and having that value, then we profit from a trade because of the difference in valuation. The good teams dont even keep all their good players, because they cant pay them all as starters when the big contract comes due. The smart teams trade them a year before that, like Belichicks Patriots trading Akiem Hicks to us. It's not that they didnt see he had value, it's that they wanted the draft picks so they could get more talent not on a big contract, rather than having Hicks one more year and then losing him as a cap casualty for nothing. You gotta get value from players that arent in your long term view when you can. And I know that kills fans who love the players on the roster, but its what you have to do to be sustainable. For example, you wanted to keep Jenkins, because youre a fan of the players, but now we are stronger without him.

I spent tonight double checking my beliefs about OT. If I thought we absolutely had to draft a LT at 10, Id take Banks. But i think he might well be gone before 10. So I looked at the rest, and only Simmons and Conerly looked OK to me. The rest are in my "no" pile. Conerly is definitely a tier lower, so I guess the big question is... Is Simmons OK? How does he grade out medically right now? And would I pick a guy who might well be the 20th pick in other years at 10? I really dont like the idea of Braxton Jones again, and I cant count on Amegadje. Hes too much of an unknown. So what do we all think of Simmons as our future LT for the next 10 years? Is that possible? He has that kind of ceiling, but is it realistic?

We still don't know what the Bears will actually do, but you can see that a lot of people don't think that's an insane thought. IF there is a blue chip real stud at LT that should be the pick, but Im not sure there is, and that opens to the door to all kinds of things. And who knows what Johnson thinks of the players we currently have.

Seems like it. But if he's gone, we do have a need for an actual WR3. We probably already did even with him here TBH. Doesnt mean it will be in round 1, but I think we will see a WR in the first 3 rounds? I think with the first 4 picks we will get at least 3 players out of these five positions (in no order) WR, HB, S, DL, OL

nice! hes a pro bowl returner. we can use a guy like that!

I still think if there was a stud LT we would take him at #10. It's our only real hole. But my personal opinion is that none of the OTs in this draft are going to be great. And if the Bears have a guy they think will be great, then it's almost sure they will take that guy. But if they see them the way I see them, then they could pretty much take any position other than QB But, dawhizz, .your point that narratives die hard on the pens of sportwriters is absolutely true. Once a story gets into the echo chamber, it bounces around even after new information should have modified it. But it doesnt. Youre absolutely right.

there do seem to be more good DTs in this draft than any other position. That could mean taking one at #10, or waiting and grabbing one in the early 2nd round?

according to the mocks anyway. It's MUCH harder to predict what we might do than any other draft I can remember. This is a testament to Poles and Johnson and the whole staff. Our roster, at least on paper, looks as complete as it's been in a while, and we could literally do anything in the draft other than QB. It's a new era of competency at Halas Hall!

Caleb on the cover of Madden 2025? LOL

Other than LT, of which this draft really has no sure fire studs, we don't really have any position of "need" - of course a stud Edge is always great to have, but we could use a superior player at pretty much any position other than QB, and we have a decent starter at every position. Looking down the road, we might also want (in addition to LT, in no particular order) OG, TE, HB, WR, Edge, DT, LB, S and CB. A case can be made for each. So really, I think after our amazing preseason so far, we are looking at Best Player Available now, and if that's a S, TE, WR or HB, so be it. If it's a DL so much the better. But HB Jeanty, WR McMillan, S Emmanwori, TE Loveland and CB Johnson would all make us better too. And quality developing depth at OG, DT and LB now will help us in a couple years to find cap room to keep growing. I dont think looking only at position and in comparison to this years roster is the way to think about this anymore. We're good right now. Holes are filled. Sure we could use a pro bowl LT or Edge, but if they arent available to us, It's time to get into a sustainable mode where we look at the roster 2 and 3 years out so we can take BPA every year going forward. I wish there was a stud LT I trusted. But there isnt, so BPA it is for me. At Edge or whatever position.

at 20, Emmanwori would be a GREAT pick. 10 is a little early, but he is a hell of a player and so is Starks.

honestly, we could draft ANY position at 10 and I wouldnt be shocked (other than QB) we really are in a BPA position. And McMIllan is widely mocked to likely go before we pick anyway.

fair enough - I wasnt looking to disagree, just wondering why. After watching tape I totally soured on Campbell, and Banks looked better to me. ANd like you, Im looking for more data, which is why I asked

no love for Kelvin Banks Jr?

It's good that we are looking at all sorts of positions. It means our roster is pretty solid, it means we wont have to reach for a position, and it means other teams dont know what we will do either. We are in good shape heading into the draft. Those two second rounders are going to bear fruit too. They could go anywhere.

I'm just saying, he's not a deep threat. Usually when people talk about a WR1, they are talking about someone that plays the X position? McMillan is a really good possession receiver, and he could really help us. So I dont think the question is whether he would be good to add to the team or not, that's a no brainer easy YES. The question is whether there is another player who could help more. And Im also saying, let's not make that choice based on positional need, but solely on the ability of the available players. Best player available other than QB or RT.

You know, here's the thing. Poles has done such a good job filling holes on our roster, that its not really clear WHO we might take. We can use help in a lot of areas, and we dont NEED help much anywhere from a rookie starter. OL - we could use a stud LT, and developmental players inside. The only one we cant use is a RT. WR - we could definitely use another good one TE - Kmet is OK, but I dont think anyone is scared of him. A real stud here could push him out after this year. HB - Same thing. We dont have a true stud here. QB - we are set. so on offense, the only thing we truly dont need to draft is QB or RT DL - you can always use more. We dont have a game wrecking top 5 Edge rusher, or DT. Grady is older. We can always use top talent here. LB - if you draft a young fast guy that Allen likes, you can save a TON of cap room letting Edmunds go after this year. Maybe Edmunds will make himself indispensable this year, but we could use a young LB stud going forward. S - Byard is getting older and Brisker has concussion problems. There are two excellent hard hitting SS in this draft. Either could help us. CB - Stevenson will probably be OK, but you can never have too many. Basically, we dont have many glaring holes where a rookie NEEDS to come in and start, but we could use a stud rookie at almost any position. We are in a place to truly look best player available, regardless of positional need. And with a new coach, honestly NO ONE knows what we will do. Other teams cant really predict us this year, and so I think us trying to do that is foolish too. Now it's totally cool to say who you think we OUGHT to draft - which players are best and could help us - but making the case that we need (or dont need) a certain position is really hard to say. *IF* you believe one of the LTs is a true stud, I think that would be the clearest positional need. But Im not sold that any are, so its impossible to say based on positional need what we might do - it's more a matter of player evaluation. We can all have our opinions, but I dont think you can say _______ is good, but we dont need an _________, unless its a QB or a RT. Every other position is a possibility IF you think the player is that good. For example, we might take a Safety at 10. People would be shocked, say it was a little too early etc, and Im not predicting it, but its a possibility like so many others. And if you think they are the best impact player on the board, and youd be happy with them at #14 or something, you can take em if you cant trade down.

I dont see McMillan as a WR1 type. Hes not quite fast enough. but he's 6' 5" and runs between 4.46 and 4.55 - hes a possession receiver, a slot guy. Like Keenan but not the same exact style. hes like a WR/TE - great red zone target, great working across the middle. But not a deep threat. Like a faster TE split out. Like a Power Forward in basketball. He would help get Odunze and Moore open. Put him underneath in a high/low and SOMEONE is open. Johnson could use him as a chess piece for sure. And he could have a role similar to Laporta's. Kmet would still be inline to block, or release, and the nickel would have to fight McMillan's huge body. Too fast for a LB, and too big for a nickel or safety, and that would mean Kmet would have an even better matchup too. 11 personnel with Moore, Odunze, McMillan, Kmet and whoever the back is would cause a ton of problems for defenses. And we really do need a real 3rd WR. And again, I am just describing how McMillan could really help us, not arguing that he is a better choice than a DT, or an OT etc. But he would be a good choice for sure. If hes even still there at 10.

lol

maybe we need to draft a DT instead so we can grow some sacks

The best argument against taking McMillan would be simply to say another player who is a better choice. McMillan will be good for whoever drafts him, if we could get him without spending a pick, we'd be lucky to have him! But maybe there is another player who can help us even more, and that's a perfectly good argument.