AZ54

The article in question: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0,920709.column

I'm not so sure they aren't considering him as a full-time DE but possibly as someone to consider if they trade back in Rd 1. Drafting him as a LB at 19 would be a mistake IMO, at least for this year and next, because of the greater need for a speed rusher. At best McClellin would be our starting SLB but in our division he'd always be off the field on 3rd down, and maybe more often than that when we are in nickel situation. Our D has been pretty good the last couple years but we can't get off the field on 3rd down even 3rd and long. IMO we need to get some speed injected into our pass rush to solve that problem.

Seeing some reports the Bears are expressing 1st Rd interest in Shea McClellin. http://profootball.scout.com/a.z?s=127&amp...17785&fhn=1

I think its DE in the first. In my mock on the NFL site I actually ended with us taking Coples. After reviewing each teams needs and players available it just ended up that he fell to us because of the question marks on his drive. If Coples isn't there I still prefer Nick Perry over Mercillus. I see him more explosive and powerful than Mercillus. After Perry bulked up to 270lbs and still ran in the 4.6s while benching 35 reps he answered the biggest questions. My pick - Nick Perry.

I agree, I think there's a young CB picked in the draft and at this spot taking the CB fits team needs better than adding competition for the 3rd RB spot. Another point is Bell playing special teams on coverage where he improved last year and would/could Rainey fill that role? We've already signed players to handle the KR/PR spots and if you draft Quick then, with Hester on the roster, why do we need Rainey? I'm not sure Quick will last to our pick in the 3rd Rd but if he does grab him. Allen in the 2nd seems a bit of a reach and I think (hope) if we go LT in Rd 2 there will be someone better available ...could Adams fall to us after the recent reports? If we go Oline in Rd 2 before Allen I'd prefer to grab one of the more talented OGs and just kick Chris Williams back outside. I don't see Allen being better than him at LT especially in his rookie year.

No you are using the wrong analogy. I said our LT spot is a concern but aside from that, given that we have more competition for our interior spots on the Oline for the backup roles the line has improved. Set the LT position aside from the discussion (i.e. take away the question marks on the LT ) and go from LG to RT. Is there a glaring a need to put a 1st, or 2nd rd pick on fixing those spots? You might feel there is but I don't. Getting to the 3rd rd there might be a talent there to good to pass up if someone falls but otherwise I'm content grabbing a guy in the later rounds. Again, if we are not considering the LT need, then in Rd 1 and 2 I prefer to address DE and one of WR/CB/DT or LB. Now if the plan is to put Williams back at OT to compete for either starting LT (or be backup OT) then the need to find interior help early in the draft increases and it should be addressed in the early rounds but I think a good OG could be found in Rd 2, and preferably Rd 3. If Williams stays as LG there is still a need IMO to find help early in the draft to fix LT but that doesn't change the fact that I think from LG to RT we have a good Oline. IIRC two seasons ago we were talking about Johan Asiata stepping up and being a solid backup or possibly a starter. Where is he now? Who was Edwin Williams when we brought him in? I see a big difference in the quality of the backup talent Emery is bringing to our roster versus what JA brought in. I really like having some experienced players in Spencer (JA guy) and Rachal competing with young inexperienced players for jobs. May the best man win. I didn't say Rachal pushed our starting Oline talent up a notch because we still must solidify the LT position but he does increase the talent level and competiton of the backup depth. I view that as a positive plus Emery has only been at this for a couple months and hasn't even had his first draft yet. The $64,000 question is: Does Tice see LT as that big of a need?

A couple seasons ago, and really heading into last year before the Spencer deal, our Oline depth was a bunch of guys with potential. Nobody could say anything about guys like E. Williams or some of the other guys we've had as backups. Now we have two backup OG in Spencer and Rachal who were both early round picks and both have played a lot of games. Despite the questions around Rachal both of these guys represent a big upgrade in Oline depth. Take away the question marks on the LT spot and we wouldn't be talking much about Oline for this draft in the early rounds. With the exception of Jason of course.

4.6+ forty at the combine, no bench press there and then he runs faster at his team's pro day but only 4 reps in the bench press. Add in the body fat % and it all fits. The person who most believe the hype on Wright was Wright himself.

Yet they have one of the best MNF victories ever when they were "let off the hook", and perhaps it was the best MNF comeback ever. When Urlacher goes into the Hall of Fame that game provides all the highlights needed for his introduction. He was phenomenal.

I was a huge fan of Burfict his first couple years but he just hasn't developed. If he had looked like a better player on the field then I'd agree with you and we could put aside his poor conditioning at the time of the biggest job interview of his life. I just didn't see it last year at all. I didn't see the fight to get off blocks. I didn't see the hustle to get in on plays away from him, he'd run that way but not like you see Urlacher chasing down a play. No we're not losing much if we use our 7th Rd pick but I just don't see even a 10% chance Burfict gets his act together and makes the team. That's why I'd rather grab a guy who has that 10% chance. I do see him as a better fit as an ILB in a 3-4 defense and if a teams take a chance on him I expect that's their base defense. I could be wrong. At this point I really think he'll just be a UDFA and he will get a chance in someone's camp. NFL skills really? From the master of Oline skills no less? ....Let's see you should be fast 4.4-4.6 forty if you are a WR, RB, CB, ...eh you get the idea. There is a certain amount of physical ability that is needed to compete at the NFL level be it strength, speed, quickness. If your skills don't fall into that window then you won't be there no matter how much you hustle, or how much heart or work ethic you have you will not play in this league. Right now I don't see Burficts skill set falling into that window. Ask Mike Haas about that, and he still holds the record for most receiving yards in a Pac 10 game among many other receiving records. Burfict might hold the ASU record for most 15 yards penalties in his career.

Yes, we're missing backup LBs who know how to play the game, or have at least have some experience.

I'm going to drive to the other side of Phoenix to see the Bears play the Cardinals.

I don't know how many ASU football games you've watched but I've seen plenty and I've been watching Burfict on the field since he was a true freshman. Highlights are just that, highlights. I'm assuming they didn't include some of his many drive killing personal fouls, most often for late hits? I do agree he arrives like a ton of bricks and once he sees where the play is going he shows up but he is not anywhere close to being an instinctive player and read/react skills are very slow. I even went so far as to key in on him with slo mo replays using DVR this past season, he's just not that good but every now and then he makes a nice big hit. Naturally the coach messed him, the same coach who helped Brock Osweiller become a likely second round pick. The same coach who has Omar Bolden as a solid late round pick even though he didn't play last year. Why is it only the coaches fault when the head case, Burfict, can't play the game intelligently? Why is it the coaches fault he runs so slow and couldn't get in shape for the combine? Around ASU and in the media here Burfict was widely mocked for his attitude toward his coaches. I just don't see a reason for us to draft Burfict. He doesn't fit our scheme and he hasn't shown that he has learned anything from his college experience. I can't see how that attitude is going to translate to NFL success where far more game preparation and individual work ethic is needed to be successful. In the 6th or 7th rounds I prefer to find a guy with those traits, or at least one who has the athletic ability you look for. Burfict isn't offering either.

What is Vontaze Burfict going to do in our defense with his 5sec+ forty time? Do you think this late round pick can play special teams? I just don't see him fitting in our style of play and if he gets drafted I think it will be by a 3-4 team with the intention being to play Burfict at ILB.

I wouldn't move up at all, not even for Kalil. That would leave too many holes on the rest of the roster. We could adequately fix LT at our spot in Rd 1 and add a WR, CB, DT, or DE and be a better team overall.

I still say in our division with the Packers and Lions offenses we better get some serious pass rush help or our DBs will never look good no matter who is back there. Not to say we must do that in Rd 1 I hope we take the best player available even if it's Keuchly. We have to grab the talent that falls into our lap and there should be a solid value pick waiting for us at 19.

I'd be happy with Fletcher Cox at #19. Seems like he'd be good value there and he definitely fills a need at DT. He should upgrade our pass rush quite a bit. Add a DE later maybe a guy like Irvin in the 2nd Rd. That seems early for him but he's been rising up draft boards lately. Then we should have early pressure on any pass play coming from one of several places: Peppers, Melton, Cox, occasionally Izzy, and on 3rd and long Irvin. If Paea picks up the pace this year that could be an excellent line. Add WR in Rd 3, I think someone like Juron Criner could work for us. Then go OG in Rd 4 and take CB Omar Bolden out of ASU in Rd 5. Bolden needs more time to fully recover from his knee injury but we don't need to throw him into action right away. If he recovers fully he's a pretty good CB.

The dice have been rolled and I'm sure they won't come up with a 7.

I don't see a new GM, especially a guy like Emery, putting this kid in the locker room in his first draft. The last point above about him heading straight into the league's substance abuse program is key too. If we are ready to win now with the right additions then you need someone you can depend on not a project who might take a year or two to turn his life around. Expect him to end up on a team where the GM or head coach are on the hot seat and need to do all they can to save their jobs and so are more willing to take the gamble.

I don't like the idea of Jones at #19. Late riser, coming off serious injury, and scouts had to scramble back to his tape to see if his on-the-field performance matched his athleticism. Not what you want to hear, especially that last part, about the 19th pick in the draft.

If anyone is interested the Chicago Bears' website put up a nice collection of highlight videos of the top draft prospects at all positions (except kickers lol) http://www.chicagobears.com/2012DraftProspects.asp

We have too many needs to go after two DE early.

If OG is the target in Rd 1 we can easily drop back quite a few picks to the end of the first and still pick up good talent.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bruce+...&FORM=VIRE1 I watched some video highlights of Irvin, link above shows good/not so good plays. I like Irvin as a situational pass rusher and think in Rd 2 he'd be a good pick for us. He doesn't have the strength to be a good run defender but he did better with bull rushed than I expected. He's a freakish athlete, very quick, if he can add 10-15lbs and keep that quickness he could good DE for us. He fits Lovie's scheme in that he keeps working to the ball even down the field. Overall I like Perry as best fit for us. He's bigger, stronger and gets through double teams plus he displays more pass rush moves. Merciius is more of a complete DE than Irvin but I don't see enough explosion for him to be a great pass rusher in the NFL. I prefer to have Irvin (and his potential) in Rd 2 over Mercilus in Rd 1. Of course that means we add someone like Cordy Glenn or Jonathan Martin in Rd 1.

I think we have to expect the arrow to still be pointing up for both Melton and Paea (who was back from a serious knee injury and participated little in training camp). I view DE as more of a critical early round need than DT where we should be adding to depth behind Melton and Paea.