Chicago Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles gave assistant GM Ian Cunningham the stage Tuesday at Halas Hall for the annual pre-draft information convention.
After the Bears held the Brian Piccolo Award ceremony, Cunningham met with reporters to preview what’s forward this week as they put together to make 10 draft picks, beginning with No. 9 in Thursday’s first spherical.
In addition to Cunningham’s ideas on Georgia defensive sort out Jalen Carter, listed below are 5 issues we heard.
1. The Bears’ additions to the offensive line this weekend shall be telling.
It received’t be solely the gamers they select however the place they’re chosen. It has been established for months {that a} sturdier entrance ought to be a precedence because the Bears enter a pivotal analysis season for quarterback Justin Fields.
Poles signed guard Nate Davis in free company to assist stabilize the inside of the road, and there’s a presumption in lots of league circles that the Bears will add one of many high offensive tackles within the draft, with numerous mock drafts linking them to Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson, Tennessee’s Darnell Wright or Georgia’s Broderick Jones with the No. 9 choose.
But don’t be shocked if the Bears make that swing later. While Cunningham acknowledged the expertise of these 4 “household names” on the high of the sort out board, he instructed the Bears really feel comfy with the choices additional down the board whereas noting he’s drawn most to a mix of measurement, athleticism and aggressive spirit.
The Day 2 sort out choices might embody Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron, Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison, Ohio State’s Dawand Jones or Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan.
“If you trickle down, you get a lot of the similar skill set but maybe not the top-tier athleticism,” Cunningham stated. “But you (still) feel comfortable with it. We were able to take Braxton Jones last year in the fifth round. And when you have a guy like Chris Morgan, who is one of the better offensive line coaches and one of the best teachers in the league at the position, you feel comfortable with some of those guys.”
2. Plenty of commerce situations are being thought-about inside Halas Hall.
As it stands, the Bears personal 10 alternatives. After choosing at No. 9, they face a wait of 43 alternatives earlier than they return on the clock at No. 53 within the second spherical. So is there a risk the entrance workplace would maneuver — maybe through a commerce up in Round 2 — so as to add one other choice in that vary from No. 10 to No. 52?
“That’s something we’ll revisit after Day 1 and see where the dust settles,” Cunningham stated. “We’ll meet after the draft (Thursday) night and then we’ll come back in on Friday and meet again and see where the board is. We’ll make those decisions then.”
Depending on how the board breaks Thursday — maybe most notably with the quarterback class — the Bears additionally might take into account a commerce down from No. 9 if affords are available. Such a deal might add picks for Day 2 or Day 3.
3. Bears employees members have a greater really feel for what they’re focusing on of their second yr collectively.
Cunningham echoed Poles’ feedback on the NFL annual assembly wherein the GM stated higher understanding of what the teaching employees is on the lookout for has helped coming into their second draft. The Bears stored most of their teaching employees from Year 1 into Year 2.
“We have a feel for the coaching staff, their fit, their vision, their role, the scheme,” Cunningham stated. “The relationships we have with those guys, we’ve communicated a lot better, just in terms of natural time on the job.”
As the Bears prepare for a busy few days, Cunningham stated he’ll attempt to discover “calmness through chaos.” Another good thing about extra time with the group is that they know whom they will depend on to lighten the temper throughout a high-stress weekend.
“I’m the one that’s probably with the stern face, and those guys are trying to poke me,” Cunningham stated. “So, yeah, it’s just learning each other and feeling each other out.”
4. Linebacker Jack Sanborn and working again David Montgomery are the Brian Piccolo Award winners.
The Piccolo Award is given yearly to 1 rookie and one veteran who “best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of the late Brian Piccolo,” in response to the Bears. Players vote on the award, and the ceremony sometimes options an replace on the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund.
Sanborn received the award after going from an undrafted rookie final spring to a participant who had 64 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits and two sacks in 14 video games, together with six begins.
“It’s very humbling to be here, and at the same time I know there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Sanborn stated. “But it’s definitely rewarding and it’s definitely extra confidence and extra hunger and motivation to continue to improve and continue to help this team, help this organization become a winning team for this city. Because that’s what everyone around here deserves.”
The Bears signed free-agent linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards final month to take over beginning roles, possible pushing Sanborn to strong-side linebacker. Sanborn stated he has talked to Edmunds and admires his starvation to get higher. Sanborn and Edwards are each from the northwest suburbs, had the identical highschool coach, Luke Mertens, and performed collectively at Wisconsin.
“I’m very familiar with T.J., have a lot of respect for T.J.,” Sanborn stated. “I always kind of looked at him as almost like a mentor in a way, going through a similar situation that I was in last year. And look at him now, carved a role in Philadelphia and became the great player that he is today.”
Montgomery signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Detroit Lions final month, so he wasn’t current on the ceremony. But he provided a thanks to the Bears and Chicago followers by working backs coach David Walker.
Walker praised Montgomery, a two-time winner of the award, for his work ethic, professionalism, competitiveness and starvation to enhance and stated “his impact in this building and this community will be felt for a long time.”
5. Sanborn understands why Bears followers are thrilled the Green Bay Packers traded Aaron Rodgers.
One of the primary Bears video games Sanborn remembers is the NFC championship sport in January 2011, when Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was damage and Rodgers led the Packers to a 21-14 win on the best way to profitable the Super Bowl. So he will get Bears followers’ pleasure over Rodgers leaving the NFC North.
“Yes, I very much do,” Sanborn stated.
Sanborn continued to look at lots of Rodgers throughout his time at Wisconsin after which obtained to play towards him final yr.
“He’s obviously a great player,” Sanborn stated. “I do know from many cases as a fan but additionally final yr as a participant. … No matter who replaces him, it’s nonetheless an NFL-level quarterback that’s going to come back in. Their aim goes to be to attempt to beat us, and our aim goes to be to attempt to beat them.
“He’s a tremendous talent. We’ll see what he does in New York.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com