AZ54

I can't wait for this sideline show to begin with Brian Schottenheimer as the band leader and Matt Eberflus playing second fiddle.

What catches my eye is the quicker cuts Monangai can make versus the two step change of direction we see with Roschon.

It all forces a defense to plan for many options in the game. I'm curious to see how Ben uses all these talents against the Vikings defense. If Caleb can read it quickly and get the ball into the playmakers hands these players can feast.

He’s a better player than Roschon Johnson.

Wow down to a single weak link on the Oline. I hope that’s all we’re dealing with because it will be a massive change from the jail breaks we’ve seen the last few years. FWIW our new center has the exact same issue as Braxton with bull rushes so time will tell. Hopefully the new Oline coach can help both of them fix it.

Braxton is pretty good as a run blocker. I'd say for the running game we're likely to be among the best in the league this year.

This is going to be the hot topic all off-season and maybe into the season. Bears are starting it off correctly by keeping Darnell Wright at RT. That leaves us with a 3 way battle at LT. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bears/2025/05/01/bears-ozzy-trapilo-will-play-left-tackle/83388491007/

I still have the vision of Ben Johnson in the draft room hearing about trading up for a RB and like a little boy at Christmas being excited for his new toy. Then being disappointed when it didn’t happen. Then the box opens up later and inside is “stud” Luther Burden.

None of which means he didn't inquire about moving up. I fully expect him, and every other GM, to be doing that throughout the draft to assess trades values up or down as the process plays out. As far as I know teams won't disclose who they are picking until agreement is reached on value. Since it's a fact we didn't reach an agreement with any team on a trade up I find it suspicious anyone would know who we were thinking about trading up for...unless the leak is from inside the house!

RB is one of the easiest positions to find a good player. I rather like the backup OG we got late in the draft and the CB, and the RB. I'd have been equally happy with Skatebo too. It's kind of a wash for me either way. Regardless I'm not that concerned about finding a RB this year or next as long as our Oline is doing it's job.

If I'm banking on one I'll take the guy with an elite work ethic.. Chubb.

If you really want to do a poll make sure to include the collective opinion of "the board" because I'll take that any day over any analyst. That may sound like nonsense but the varied opinions and the debate here all add more value to my evaluation of players than any 10-20s clip from Brugler or Jeremiah. Yet through it all, not one of us, nor "the board" is completely correct. FWIW I find I disagree with Jeremiah and Brugler a fair amount, even though I like both. Shedeur Sanders getting drafted where most future backup QBs get drafted was a correct call by me. If you listen to them enough you can figure out what traits they prefer the most in their evaluations. But what trait does your coach value the most? What traits fit your scheme the best? What role does your coach plan to use that player for? Those topics are all discussed here best. In the end Jeremiah had Banks listed as 27th overall and the next day he put out his last mock draft and had him going in the top 10. That type of cognitive dissonance is all over the draft media landscape.

The only GM who got all the guys he targeted for the draft was Phil Emery. Good players are going to have a lot of buyers. I have no doubt a RB was on their wishlist of upgrades. However, I like how Poles played the hand he was dealt. While I think Ben Johnson wanted a RB, perhaps even one of the Ohio State RBs, I don't think he was disappointed in the least by the WR that fell in his lap in Rd 2. In the press conference afterward Johnson commented how impressed he was with overall organization of the draft process, how the draft was managed by Poles, and I think by correlation the good talent that was added to the roster overall. Meanwhile his old team was doing this: https://www.detroitlions.com/news/detroit-lions-trade-up-2025-nfl-draft-wide-receiver-isaac-teslaa "The Lions moved up 32 spots from No. 102 to No. 70 in the third round to select TeSlaa. Detroit gave up pick 102 in the third round of this year's draft and both of their third-round picks in next year's draft to get into a position to select TeSlaa. Detroit received a sixth-round pick this year (No. 182) and a sixth-round pick next year in the trade." I don't know anything about Tesla except he is a good athlete but was generally ranked as a day 3 prospect, and that could have been anywhere from Rd 4 to 7. They are going to miss those two 3rd Rd picks next year.

Exactly. We're carrying 4 OTs on the roster right now with 1st Rd pick, 2nd Rd pick, 3rd Rd pick (albeit a late 1st/2nd Rd grade), and a 5th Rd pick. There was chatter that Kiran could play inside but that is not why he was drafted. That's two years in a row with significant draft capital toward fixing LT. We have to assume the team is happy with Darnell Wright. Something is going to give I just don't know when. OTAs and snaps at LT will give us our first insight. Braxton will be on the sidelines. Whatever they try first is what they feel gives them the best option to succeed. If they are splitting first team snaps out of the gate then it's a wide open competition. Do they even try Darnell at LT early this offseason?

Yes. We’re staying the exact same thing. It was not viewed as an urgent need but a pick could or would have been made if the value was there.