Team notes

[BearFan PHX]

40 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I guess the 36" arms came from his High School prospect rankings.   They said the combined shaved 1/2" off all the prospects.. Arm-Gate

This is some notable opponents he faced Michigan Josaiah Stewart,  Penn St-Abdul Carter,  Tennesee-James Pearce, Oregon-Jordan Burch, Texas-Barryn Sorrell, Notre Dame-RJ Oben

I wouldn't let him slide if available round 2. 

based on what youve said, he and a couple other names are primed for a 2nd round pick, and I suppose it just comes down to our scouts and staff evaluations. Having not seen film on him, but just based on what youve said, he is definitely intriguing.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

based on what youve said, he and a couple other names are primed for a 2nd round pick, and I suppose it just comes down to our scouts and staff evaluations. Having not seen film on him, but just based on what youve said, he is definitely intriguing.

Poles said they will bring in competition.  He played pretty good out of position against some elite players according to stat lines (i only watched a few plays on X).  Let him compete against Braxton and Kiran, worst case is he is a depth a G/T until he can win a spot.

[Stinger226]

Listening to Tom Thayer speak, he said arm length isn't that big a deal  but good feet matters. Also wingspan, it's about sliding your body in front of a speed rush .  I think Campbell is around 78, where Kiran A is 84. I can see where that makes some sense to me. Moving a bigger body in the right position.

[AZ54]

14 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Listening to Tom Thayer speak, he said arm length isn't that big a deal  but good feet matters. Also wingspan, it's about sliding your body in front of a speed rush .  I think Campbell is around 78, where Kiran A is 84. I can see where that makes some sense to me. Moving a bigger body in the right position.

32 teams searching the entire world and spending millions for big men who can play LT well.  With all that effort and money they have landed on a very select group who can do the job.  Almost everyone in that group just happens to have long arms.  That’s not a statistical aberration.   At least 33% of the teams are searching for a better LT.  If teams could get similar performance from short arm players you can bet they’d do that.   
 

Of course there are occasional statistical  outliers.  Betting your 10th pick that Campbell is that outlier is risky now because we just fixed the IOL.  What is your fallback plan if he fails at LT?  

[dawhizz]

37 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

32 teams searching the entire world and spending millions for big men who can play LT well.  With all that effort and money they have landed on a very select group who can do the job.  Almost everyone in that group just happens to have long arms.  That’s not a statistical aberration.   At least 33% of the teams are searching for a better LT.  If teams could get similar performance from short arm players you can bet they’d do that.   
 

Of course there are occasional statistical  outliers.  Betting your 10th pick that Campbell is that outlier is risky now because we just fixed the IOL.  What is your fallback plan if he fails at LT?  

I mean, technically the team currently has between 2 and 4 potential options at LT. You have Jones and Kiran, obviously, plus Wright who could arguably flip over, plus Thuney, who played there last year. That’s more options than most teams have. You can certainly quibble about the effectiveness of each of those guys and how much moving Wright or Thuney would affect the rest of the line, but they are at least viable there. If Campbell doesn’t seem to cut it at LT, you still have those options and could plug in Campbell somewhere else on the line either this year or next and presumably he would be a good player there. I say this as someone who is not really much of a fan of Campbell but did want to game out the options. 

[Stinger226]

They are planning to keep IOL  together for 3 years. Thuney isn't extended yet but I believe that is their plan. So if they draft OL at 10 it's with intentions of playing at LT. I don't think they consider Campbell a true left tackle, so how they analyze Banks, and Simmons is critical. Braxton will be up for contract and there are no way they are paying him 20 mil. Kiran was picked to compete at LT and has all the measurements but still a question mark. I think they target a prospect in the second round to compete but will have a year to develop as they let Braxton play this year. 

Josh Conerly and Charles Grant fit that scenario. 1/3 of the teams need to upgrade LT so who knows if they will be there. A story came out about Simmons not being a worker and with him not being ready off of an injury don't think they consider him. Banks is the wildcard but seen stories that his play was inconsistent after coming back off an injury last season. 

I think they go with Braxton and Kiran this year and have the prospect compete once Braxton is gone.

[dawhizz]

Charles Grant is just drafting Kiran again one year later and wouldn’t make any sense IMO. If you are drafting a LT it’s because he’s a more ready to step in at LT against NFL competition next year, not another likely project. 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

56 minutes ago, dawhizz said:

Charles Grant is just drafting Kiran again one year later and wouldn’t make any sense IMO. If you are drafting a LT it’s because he’s a more ready to step in at LT against NFL competition next year, not another likely project. 

Yes, get the guy who held up against nfl caliber talent...Campbell, Banks, Simmons, Ersery, D Jackson.  No more Lenos, Braxtons, or Kirans.  We haven't had a QB that could survive a pocket since Grossman/Orton. 

[Stinger226]

2 hours ago, dawhizz said:

Charles Grant is just drafting Kiran again one year later and wouldn’t make any sense IMO. If you are drafting a LT it’s because he’s a more ready to step in at LT against NFL competition next year, not another likely project. 

I'm not suggesting that, I think that is what they're going to do. Fans easily give up on players that had a bad year, or got injured. I don't think GMs think that way. Poles won the value picking a 5th round pick at LT that played well, not great. Braxton hasn't gotten better ( by NFL standards average) so he drafted Kiran knowing he wouldn't be available until this year. Last year the injuries made him get some playing time. Now fans are trashing 2 picks that he planned to compete this year. I don't think he has given up on that plan. Unless Braxton kicks ass this year, Poles has planned on Kiran being the future LT. 

They're questions on Campbell, Banks and Simmons as far as a true quality LT, if you draft anyone else, Kiran is equal to a prospect to be developed. He's already here and has been indoctrinated to the NFL.

If they think one of the top OL are a top LT, they will draft him, I'm saying I don't think they do. The upgrade of the IOL will help the LT and they can always give chip help if needed. Johnson is big on WRs and TEs that block, if Braxton is the starter he will have a better year. 

[Stinger226]

Ja Whaun Bentley/ LB was released by NE, we now have our SLB to replace Sanborn. Injured last year but was team Capitan and leading tackler for the previous 3 seasons. The type of player Poles likes. 

[Stinger226]

I watch a lot of videos- podcasts and have now heard two people mention Kenneth Grant NFL comparison as Akim Hicks. If he turns into Hicks do you draft him with #10?

[AZ54]

On 3/28/2025 at 5:37 PM, dawhizz said:

Charles Grant is just drafting Kiran again one year later and wouldn’t make any sense IMO. If you are drafting a LT it’s because he’s a more ready to step in at LT against NFL competition next year, not another likely project. 

Not as much of a project as you might think at first glance.  Seems every NFL team has their eye on him.    1min mark

 

[dawhizz]

Add Tyler Warren to the Bears 30 visit list. 

[Stinger226]

On 3/30/2025 at 7:59 AM, AZ54 said:

Not as much of a project as you might think at first glance.  Seems every NFL team has their eye on him.    1min mark

 

Ben Johnson had a lot of interviews today and he was talking about adding a weapon which makes sense with Jeanty but more so with Warren. Warren can be used in the slot, spread wide, as a power back . 12 scheme. I think Warren has a better chance of being at 10 instead of Jeanty.  That also opens the talk about a speed WR. Not sure any are rated blue chip other than Hunter. 

Tetairoa McMillan isn't a speed guy who seems to be considered the best WR in the draft. Matthew Golden is a different story, he slotted in the teens which could easily be picked at 10. 4.25 speed, his production was never great but I could see Johnson fawning over him like the next Tyreek Hill.

[AZ54]

5 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Ben Johnson had a lot of interviews today and he was talking about adding a weapon which makes sense with Jeanty but more so with Warren. Warren can be used in the slot, spread wide, as a power back . 12 scheme. I think Warren has a better chance of being at 10 instead of Jeanty.  That also opens the talk about a speed WR. Not sure any are rated blue chip other than Hunter. 

Tetairoa McMillan isn't a speed guy who seems to be considered the best WR in the draft. Matthew Golden is a different story, he slotted in the teens which could easily be picked at 10. 4.25 speed, his production was never great but I could see Johnson fawning over him like the next Tyreek Hill.

Warren is a good football player but he's not worth a top 10 pick.  He is nothing like Brock Bowers in the open field.  Most drafts have a TE with similar skills that can be found late 1st or in 2nd round.  IMO he's part of the scouting if we trade back quite a bit maybe to around 20.  Laporta was a 2nd Rd pick.  

[dawhizz]

2 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Warren is a good football player but he's not worth a top 10 pick.  He is nothing like Brock Bowers in the open field.  Most drafts have a TE with similar skills that can be found late 1st or in 2nd round.  IMO he's part of the scouting if we trade back quite a bit maybe to around 20.  Laporta was a 2nd Rd pick.  

Also, for as much as the Lions were in 2 TE sets last year, TEs not named Laporta had a total of 14 catches for 122 yards. Now, maybe that changes when your TE2 is Tyler Warren instead of Brock Wright, and maybe Warren gets more true WR use, but it is indicative of how much Johnson actually used a second TE as a reviving option. 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

2 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Warren is a good football player but he's not worth a top 10 pick.  He is nothing like Brock Bowers in the open field.  Most drafts have a TE with similar skills that can be found late 1st or in 2nd round.  IMO he's part of the scouting if we trade back quite a bit maybe to around 20.  Laporta was a 2nd Rd pick.  

Every position seems deep that we need except LT.

  I know Johnson runs more 2 TE sets over 3 WR, but I think having a slot WR like Egbuka would make the O more explosive than a TE. Egbuka would have to be a trade down also. 

[dawhizz]

33 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Every position seems deep that we need except LT.

  I know Johnson runs more 2 TE sets over 3 WR, but I think having a slot WR like Egbuka would make the O more explosive than a TE. Egbuka would have to be a trade down also. 

My thought is that this draft is so deep at WR you can get a good WR3 in the middle rounds. Most of the production from the lions last year was from their #1 and #2 WRs, who each had 1000 yard seasons, but after that you have Tim Patrick with 33/394. Zaccheaus had a better year than that last year. I would like to get a WR who can play in the slot but has some size - Rome is really the only WR on the roster above 6’0” who figures to actually play, so another short guy would seem to replicate the Zaccheaus / Tyler Scott / Duvernay skill set/type. I really like Savion Williams from TCU because he has shown some usage out of the backfield and in different ways that might appeal to Johnson (he’s basically Cordaralle Patterson 2.0), but Tre Harris, Pat Bryant, Nick Nash, and Tory Horton all likely mid round pick so seem like good fits in that mold as well. 

[Stinger226]

Johnson wants to attack defenses from a variety of plays. It keeps defenses on edge when you don't know where the ball is going. I think Warren fits that mold more so than from a dynamic RB because he can be used in so many ways. I'm not saying this is my opinion but what Johnson stated. If Warren is there, I think there's a 70% chance we take him.

Golden is rated a middle of the 1st round pick but his 4.25 speed will entice Johnson to take him if the others are gone.

[Mongo3451]

I'm an interview, Johnson stated that Dennis Allen told him that Tyler Warren is gonna be a problem.  Johnson went into detail beyond that...