AZ54

Just looking at his physical stature there is every reason to think Tremaine Edmunds can be effective as a pass rusher/OLB. He measured 6'4 1/2", 253lbs, with arm length to fend off OTs of 34 1/2", wingspan of 83". https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/20...d-measurements/

Rumors are swirling down at the Combine. Bears trade Howard and in exchange receive Landry and a 3rd Rd pick. Howard is not a good fit with his lack of receiving skills. https://twitter.com/Eric_Edholm/status/970011249550479360

Some thoughts sitting here on vacation watching the WR/QB Combine show. I didn't see everything so just caught a bit here and there. Allen Lazard ran well today coming in at 4.55. If we're looking for a bigger redzone type of target based on what they showed today this draft provides quite a few good options with Lazard being one. Sutton ran well and looked good catching the ball. Toss in guys like Auden Tate and Jaleel Scott too. We could put Simmie Cobbs in that discussion as well. I watched some highlights of him last night and noticed that he never really got separation. He ran a bit slow at the combine 4.64 but he has phenomenal hands and with an accurate QB who can throw him open I believe he'll be good redzone threat. Between the 20's he might have to be a teams 3rd or 4th option. In other words I think he could replace a guy like Inman on the roster but might offer more in the redzone than Inman. DJ Chark... speed was there but after reading that he's had issues with drops I was surprised that he looked pretty natural catching the ball in the gauntlet drill. I didn't get to see him catching the deep passes to see how well he tracks the ball. James Washington...looked pretty stiff to me in some of his movements but he's a natural hands receiver and is outstanding tracking the deep ball. Christian Kirk did not run as fast as I expected based on his film. He looks very natural catching the ball. I still like him and what he does on film running away from people stands out even if his forty time is somewhat average. Trey Quinn (the other SMU WR) stood out as a good late Rd prospect as well. St Brown is a very good athlete but doesn't (or didn't) track the deep ball well, at least on one route. I still think he'll be a very productive WR in the NFL. Ridley is still the best WR prospect in this draft IMO. He will be a very good #2/1a WR. He does not have elite speed but he is fast enough to get open deep. His route running and ability to cut at speed and gain separation will make him open early and often. He's natural tracking the deep ball and makes the catch look easy. I still think he'll struggle with some of the top physical corners in the NFL and he's not that good on the jump balls. He only had a 31" vertical so that fits what we see on tape. I still don't see his value being worth the #8 overall pick but I like him in a trade back scenario. -------- Kudos to Shaquem Griffin who I just watched put up 20 reps in the bench press. You have my respect sir. It's hard to say how the NFL will view a one-handed player but I suspect if he gets a shot he'll become a special teams standout.

I said I'd draft him at #8 and then trade Howard. The main reason is not just his running skills, it is his ability as a receiver and how important that is for the type of offense we're going to be running. Between Cohen (when lined up as slot WR) and Barkley you have big play potential likely moving to opposite sides of the field. Keep Shaheen running the middle seams and LB and Safeties have some choices to make. We should get at least a 4th rd pick for Howard but maybe a 3rd, or we package him with a 4th Rd pick to move up.

I don't know about the interview portion either but he has all the appearances of a player who has not worked to get in shape for the combine which is a big red flag. His running was not just bad, it was historically bad as in worst 10yd split ever. They even dug up a list of OTs who have run 5.8 forty at the combine, very small list, and no names that can be remembered. 14 reps on the bench, while lifting weights is somewhat more difficult for those with longer arms, but Kolton Miller put up 24 reps. In fact he looked surprisingly fluid (at least I was surprised) in the movement drills. At the end of the day it's not the numbers as much as, what to me appears to me, an obvious lack of preparation that is the red flag. The NFL requires a lot of dedication to be good and while people give Massie a lot of flack over his lack of movement skills he puts in the work in the offseason to be at his best. Maybe there is something going on in his personal life that is affecting him but scouts need to dig in to understand this.

I never liked Rosen that much when I watched his games live the last couple years. I see the NFL arm talent but in some ways he reminded me of Cutler locked in on receivers. On a positive note he doesn't have the INTs to go along with that. Darnold has more ability to make plays out of nothing IMO but he needs to learn to reign that in a bit. He also is better built to handle the rigors of the position. Question marks abound on all 4 of the top QBs and scheme fit will be critical for teams.

I don't want him on our team regardless of draft round. You don't fail the biggest interview of your life like this. He doesn't appear to have done any workouts prior to the combine. 14 reps on the bench press and then today it was painful watching him run.

Looks like you were spot on with Wilson. Doesn't mean he'll end up here but being at the combine with everyone talking to everyone there has to be some fire behind this smoke. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...impression=true

He warrants a visit to Halas Hall. Pace should try to understand directly from him how an elite player fell so far and where his head is at now.

I said a couple months back that we should do this, and I'm still on board with making this happen. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/28/b...-eddie-goldman/

He should be remembered as one of the great Bears RBs. I do mean great, not just good. He wasn't flashy in his running style but his ability to beat teams via the run or pass for many years was elite. Plus he was productive for a long time and that's hard to do at the RB position. He finished as the 2nd best RB in total yards gained for us, ~2500 yards more than Anderson, ending his career with a 4.2ypc average. Plus he finished 7th in Bears history among receivers. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/team...r-receiving.htm https://www.pro-football-reference.com/team...eer-rushing.htm Through it all he was always a professional and represented the organization with class.

If Cleveland drafts #1 Darnold, then at #4 say they trade back with AZ at #15 picking up (#15 + #47 + AZ 1st Rd next year) so Arizona can draft Allen. Cleveland ends the first two rounds of the draft with Darnold #1, Ridley WR #15, Rankin OT #33, Leighton Vanderesche LB #35, Sony Michel RB #47, Kevin Tolliver CB #64. In 2019 they draft again with two 1st Rd picks. I don't think they'll miss Barkley that much.

Of course this was the hot topic in the owner's quest to find a new GM. It is the most important position in the NFL. I've seen some people say that, or at least put in some mocks, Cleveland can just grab whoever is left at #4. There is negligible difference between #1 and #4. I think that's wrong and given what they've allowed to happen with their high picks the last two seasons they should absolutely take who they believe is the best QB prospect there and leave nothing to chance. Nor is there any other player who is a must have like they tried to do last year drafting Garrett first and then working to move up for Trubisky. Grab best QB prospect and then one of Barkley, Chubb, or Nelson and they had a very good draft. From our viewpoint (not needing a QB) they all have question marks that somewhat level the playing field. One of them is Rosen's stated desire not to play in Cleveland. That just adds to the other questions I have about him and his attitude. If he ended up in Cleveland at #4 that would be a complete PR disaster. They must avoid that scenario at all costs. Josh Allen has been very inconsistent and inaccurate. Yet at the Senior Bowl he improved during the week quite a bit. Mayfield? Darnold had numerous questionable decisions this past season but he's still the prospect I like the most among this group. Among these 3 I can only see them taking Allen or Darnold.

That was his speed WR instead of Wheaton. Last year with a lame duck HC, plus the losing record, I can see why some FA stayed away. This year with a new HC should be different. Players will know these coaches want them for several years (if we're offering a multi-year deal).

I think McPhee was a good FA choice. Demps was mainly a 1yr stopgap. He largely prefers to fill out the roster with 2nd/3rd tier FAs with high salary (higher than we'd like to see) but minimal risk for the team. He's not afraid to go after some longer term deals either as he offered Jeffrey more than any other team, and likewise with Bouye last year. Neither wanted to be here.

I think the picks go: CLE Darnold (GM was hired to draft their QB and can't bypass the first chance at doing so, not even to take one at #4) NYG Rosen (I think Eli is nearly done even if they won't say it) IND Chubb CLE Saquon Barkley (no better friend for a rookie QB) DEN Josh Allen (Elway has to get a QB but I'm not sure Allen is it, I wouldn't be surprised if he trades up to take Rosen. If he gets Cousins then we'll see Nelson go here) JETS Baker Mayfield TB Marcus Davenport (there has to be one surprise ahead of us and pass rushing talent always moves up late) CHI Quenton Nelson with Tremaine Edmunds as option #2 ...and once again I don't see a safety, Fitzpatrick, going top 5, nor top 7.

All we know is that Mel doesn't know how to utilize any talent. They used Leonard Floyd in a similar way when he was there. The combine will go a long way to determine if Carter will be there for us in Rd 2 which is very likely. Rd 3 we don't have...yet. As edge rushers go, I think Kemoko Turay is a better prospect than Carter because he has shown better first step quickness. He has durability concerns that make grading him a challenge.

Just keep in mind Mel Tucker was his coach.

It seems Carter has moved up draft boards quite a bit ahead of the combine. I'm just linking one example but after seeing nobody talk about him in January his name now pops up quite a bit. http://draftanalyst.com/pre-combine-lineba...ds-taking-shape "Josey Jewell of Iowa, Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter and Darius Leonard of South Carolina State all grade as second-round values. I stand firm on my belief that Carter will end up in Round 1. Leonard comes off a tremendous showing at the Senior Bowl, although there is some concern that he may be unable to handle complex defensive schemes and must play in a simplified system, which will have an adverse effect on his stock."

This just got a bit more interesting. Jacksonville just signed Bortles to a 3yr contract extension. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000091...ar-54m-contract Robinson reportedly does not like Bortles as his QB (too inaccurate). It is easy to find all sorts of reports on this: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/08/nfl-jaguar...-allen-robinson The Bortles deal is at just $18mil/yr but it puts the team in a spot now where they are a playoff team with that defense and won't typically be drafting high enough for years to come in order to get one of the best QBs. The extension also does not appear to affect their cap space significantly although full details are yet to be released. It is clear they aren't going to spend big on a FA QB this year now. What does Robinson think about playing with Bortles for what is likely 3 more seasons in the prime of his career? If Bortles stays the same inaccurate QB then he's looking at working with a rookie down the road. The Jags D is built to win now. No doubt the team will argue that with Robinson on board the offense/Bortles would be much improved and ready to compete in the playoffs. How will all this affect negotiations? Franchise tagging him, as is typical from a player's perspective, won't help matters and might put Robinson into a spot where he just takes the 1yr deal even more determined to leave in 2019. With limited cap space, tag-and-trade options could be in play for the front office but again we have a player coming off a serious injury. Will other teams risk draft picks along with the big contract? I expect he'll get the franchise tag but this could easily be a situation that drags out into the summer.

Legacy BS and they should just get rid of it. All teams in the league have now adapted and it's a free market. If you want the player pay the player. Plus getting rid of all these free picks will make the UDFA market after the draft a little more interesting.

Legacy BS and they should just get rid of it. All teams in the league have now adapted and it's a free market. If you want the player pay the player. Plus getting rid of all these free picks will make the UDFA market after the draft a little more interesting.

If I had to go there I'd take Ohio State draft and that's mainly because I think the value of Price, Jones, and Hubbard out weighs the similar picks on the other side given our needs. Look at the two Oline prospects and for me I'll protect Trubisky. In exchange of this draft Trubisky gets vet FA WRs which is a much bigger help than two rookies on the roster. Despite all the hype on Ward I figure the early CBs are an even swap.

I was never that interested in Landry. Is he better than who we put on the field last year? Absolutely, but not worth the money, and now draft pick, it will take to sign him. Let somebody else make the mistake.

I understand this is the time of disinformation. If their intention is to understand or help drive a trade down option then they are also driving teams (i.e. Buffalo) to know they may need to trade ahead of #11 to get their QB. Either way they are helping us. How much help we won't know until draft day. Could end up being negligible.