Bye Week Mock Draft (just 4 rounds)

[jason]

Well not on the interior it doesn't. The interior is fine. I don't know what you are talking about. If you replace Jamarcus Webb with someone with talent, you suddenly no longer have offensive line issues. I would be furious if a 1st round pick was wasted on a center or guard.

 

The interior is not fine. You, and the parents of either Rachal or Spencer, are the only ones who think it is.

[jason]

The DL shot upwards again from Shea this year, that's the numbers difference. I wasn't counting htis year's draft yet on the "New GM" grounds, did I fail to explain that? My bad.

 

I don't think you can just discount this year's draft because of a new GM. The same HC is still here, and the philosophy prevails.

[Bears4Ever_34]

The interior is not fine. You, and the parents of either Rachal or Spencer, are the only ones who think it is.

 

Obviously I'm not the only one who thinks this. I know you won't be satisfied until every position on the offensive line is going to the Pro-Bowl, but you're going to be waiting an awfully long time because that's never going to happen. You have to be judicious with your draft picks. There is nothing wrong with the center or the RG on this team. If you want a new LG, fine, get one later in the draft or in free agency. The Bears main concerns going into next year's draft are at left tackle, and finding guys on defense to replace the ones that are playing at those impact positions right now (For the Cover 2).

[balta1701-A]

Obviously I'm not the only one who thinks this. I know you won't be satisfied until every position on the offensive line is going to the Pro-Bowl, but you're going to be waiting an awfully long time because that's never going to happen. You have to be judicious with your draft picks. There is nothing wrong with the center or the RG on this team. If you want a new LG, fine, get one later in the draft or in free agency. The Bears main concerns going into next year's draft are at left tackle, and finding guys on defense to replace the ones that are playing at those impact positions right now (For the Cover 2).

To look at it another way...if you found a 2nd round quality Guard who could step in at that LG spot, that's one spot where the Bears could make a decent upgrade over this year. Possibly LT too, depending on whether Webb can repeat his performance from the last couple games. Depth on defense at those positions is fine...but 2 of the key guys you're replacing are LB's, and unless Te'o is on the board when you draft, typically teams can find LB talent in the middle rounds. Especially if it's someone you're not expecting to start for a year or two.

[Bears4Ever_34]

To look at it another way...if you found a 2nd round quality Guard who could step in at that LG spot, that's one spot where the Bears could make a decent upgrade over this year. Possibly LT too, depending on whether Webb can repeat his performance from the last couple games. Depth on defense at those positions is fine...but 2 of the key guys you're replacing are LB's, and unless Te'o is on the board when you draft, typically teams can find LB talent in the middle rounds. Especially if it's someone you're not expecting to start for a year or two.

The same can be said for offensive lineman. There are numerous examples of late round draft picks that wind up as starters or even pro bowl players.

 

And quite honestly, I dont think there is going to be any waiting around for urlacher. He just isnt right. I think this could be it for him.

[balta1701-A]

The same can be said for offensive lineman. There are numerous examples of late round draft picks that wind up as starters or even pro bowl players.

 

And quite honestly, I dont think there is going to be any waiting around for urlacher. He just isnt right. I think this could be it for him.

While that's true...my rule of thumb is...I don't expect a guy from the 5th, 6th, or 7th round to step in immediately as a starter and not struggle...while I expect that a first round pick and often a 2nd round pick is being drafted to play in game 1 and maybe start.

[Mongo3451]

So, we get get 3 picks in the 1st 4 rounds. Let's look at key players(aging or average/poor) with no quality depth behind them.

 

Urlacher = Aging, coming off injury, obviously not his former self. Huge dropoff in backup.

Webb = Young and talent with a doorstop for a brain. Huge remainder of season for this kid. Again, talent behind this position is below par.

Tillman = won't stay young forever. Good depth at CB as of now, but FA could hurt us. Also, not any quality youth in the pipeline.

Briggs = Same as Tillman, but no depth behind him.

Garza = Same as Briggs, but no depth behind him. Spencer will NOT be this team next season.

 

Now, let's look at positions we are solid and young on. (DL, S, RB, QB, WR, K, P, PR/KR) I do not look at these positions as strongly.

 

So, we've indentified 5 players with 3 picks to grab a quality player.(2 OL, 2 LB and 1 DB) This is what we should be focussing on.

 

Since odds are that starting OLT's aren't found past the 3rd round, you can rule that out. I also wouldn't want to reestablish our legacy of MLB's with a marginal starter. So, I rule that out also. Webb controls everything here. If he turns out to be a player, we go LB, C/G, CB in no specific order. This is the best way to place talent and youth where it is needed most. If Webb continues to be an enigma, THAT becomes #1 pushing everything back a spot.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

So, we get get 3 picks in the 1st 4 rounds. Let's look at key players(aging or average/poor) with no quality depth behind them.

 

Urlacher = Aging, coming off injury, obviously not his former self. Huge dropoff in backup.

Webb = Young and talent with a doorstop for a brain. Huge remainder of season for this kid. Again, talent behind this position is below par.

Tillman = won't stay young forever. Good depth at CB as of now, but FA could hurt us. Also, not any quality youth in the pipeline.

Briggs = Same as Tillman, but no depth behind him.

Garza = Same as Briggs, but no depth behind him. Spencer will NOT be this team next season.

 

Now, let's look at positions we are solid and young on. (DL, S, RB, QB, WR, K, P, PR/KR) I do not look at these positions as strongly.

 

So, we've indentified 5 players with 3 picks to grab a quality player.(2 OL, 2 LB and 1 DB) This is what we should be focussing on.

 

Since odds are that starting OLT's aren't found past the 3rd round, you can rule that out. I also wouldn't want to reestablish our legacy of MLB's with a marginal starter. So, I rule that out also. Webb controls everything here. If he turns out to be a player, we go LB, C/G, CB in no specific order. This is the best way to place talent and youth where it is needed most. If Webb continues to be an enigma, THAT becomes #1 pushing everything back a spot.

But if you sign a good LT (Clady or Long) or a quality OG (Levitre), you now can go LB-DB-LB-C in the first 4 picks and not have to worry about drafting a guy who may or may not suck.

[Mongo3451]

But if you sign a good LT (Clady or Long) or a quality OG (Levitre), you now can go LB-DB-LB-C in the first 4 picks and not have to worry about drafting a guy who may or may not suck.

[jason]

The same can be said for offensive lineman. There are numerous examples of late round draft picks that wind up as starters or even pro bowl players.

 

And quite honestly, I dont think there is going to be any waiting around for urlacher. He just isnt right. I think this could be it for him.

 

But in the grand scheme of things, it makes WAY more sense to draft OL early than it does for LB, particularly with the Lovie-2. It's a lot easier to find a great athlete and plug him into a LB position than it is to find a guy who can protect the QB. I'd love a probowler across the OL, but I know that's not going to happen. What I do what, however, is competence at every position, and I don't believe the Bears have that. Maybe the guys will improve the rest of the year and in week 17 I'll change my tune, but right now I'll trust history.

[balta1701-A]

But if you sign a good LT (Clady or Long) or a quality OG (Levitre), you now can go LB-DB-LB-C in the first 4 picks and not have to worry about drafting a guy who may or may not suck.

I guess the question in that regard is going to be...will the Bears be in a position this offseason to extend the guys they need to (Cutler, Melton) and also make a big offer to a free agent OT?

[jason]

So, we get get 3 picks in the 1st 4 rounds. Let's look at key players(aging or average/poor) with no quality depth behind them.

 

Urlacher = Aging, coming off injury, obviously not his former self. Huge dropoff in backup.

Webb = Young and talent with a doorstop for a brain. Huge remainder of season for this kid. Again, talent behind this position is below par.

Tillman = won't stay young forever. Good depth at CB as of now, but FA could hurt us. Also, not any quality youth in the pipeline.

Briggs = Same as Tillman, but no depth behind him.

Garza = Same as Briggs, but no depth behind him. Spencer will NOT be this team next season.

 

Now, let's look at positions we are solid and young on. (DL, S, RB, QB, WR, K, P, PR/KR) I do not look at these positions as strongly.

 

So, we've indentified 5 players with 3 picks to grab a quality player.(2 OL, 2 LB and 1 DB) This is what we should be focussing on.

 

Since odds are that starting OLT's aren't found past the 3rd round, you can rule that out. I also wouldn't want to reestablish our legacy of MLB's with a marginal starter. So, I rule that out also. Webb controls everything here. If he turns out to be a player, we go LB, C/G, CB in no specific order. This is the best way to place talent and youth where it is needed most. If Webb continues to be an enigma, THAT becomes #1 pushing everything back a spot.

 

Very good breakdown. I'd even say you can rule out Briggs for a secondary reason, because in this scheme a guy who has speed and instincts will succeed at his position. It's not like Briggs is the best tackler out there; people have been talking about his tackling problems for multiple years (no hitting problems though). You're right; this all hinges on Webb. The thing that sucks though is Webb will likely pull a Jauron/Lovie, doing just enough to keep his job when it matters, but not enough to really dominate. I think the first three rounds should be OT, CB, OG/C.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

I guess the question in that regard is going to be...will the Bears be in a position this offseason to extend the guys they need to (Cutler, Melton) and also make a big offer to a free agent OT?

If Urlacher and Hester walk, that frees up a lot of money.

 

Plus, Cutler isn't a FA until after next season. While it's not ideal to let him go into the season as a lame duck, he'd probably rather have Clady or Long protecting his life and wait a month or so to get an extension than to get an extension right away and continue to get clobbered thanks to Webb.