We’re solely eight days from the centerpiece occasion of a big Chicago Bears offseason: the NFL draft on April 27-29 in Kansas City, Mo.
Who will the Bears choose at No. 9, or will they commerce down once more — and even again up? And the place does Kansas City’s famed barbecue rank amongst NFL cities? The Tribune’s Brad Biggs tries to reply all of them in his weekly Bears mailbag.
What are the professionals and cons of the Bears buying and selling down within the first spherical? — Kenny B., Peoria
The most evident motivation for buying and selling down could be so as to add extra depth to this draft class and probably to the cache of 2024 picks, relying on how far down the board Ryan Poles is keen to slip. The Bears have a fairly large hole from their first choose at No. 9 and their subsequent choice at No. 53, the choose they acquired from the Baltimore Ravens within the Roquan Smith commerce. If Poles can commerce down and really feel assured concerning the participant he can land and bridge that hole earlier than the second choose, that is likely to be an interesting choice.
The Bears at present personal 10 picks, with 5 within the prime 103:
- Round 1: No. 9
- Round 2: Nos. 53 and 61
- Round 3: No. 64
- Round 4: Nos. 103 and 133
- Round 5: Nos. 136 and 148
- Round 7: Nos. 218 and 258
You have to return 20 years for the final time the Bears had 5 choices within the first 103. Cornerback Charles Tillman and linebacker Lance Briggs have been two of the gamers they drafted that yr.
In the final seven drafts, the Bears haven’t had greater than three picks within the prime 103, and that occurred solely 3 times:
- 2022: Nos. 39, 48 and 71
- 2018: Nos. 8, 39 and 51
- 2016: Nos. 9, 56 and 72
The Bears even have had large gaps as a result of they’ve used draft capital to commerce as much as choose quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky (2017) and Justin Fields (2021) and to commerce for edge rusher Khalil Mack in 2018. Last yr their third choose was No. 71 and their subsequent choose didn’t come till No. 168. In 2021 their second choose was No. 39 and the following choose didn’t come till No. 151. In 2020 their second choose was No. 50 and their third was No. 155. In 2019 their second choose was No. 126 and their third didn’t come till No. 205.
One result’s the Bears have a scarcity of drafted and developed gamers who determine to be key gamers sooner or later. So buying and selling down so as to add draft capital is smart early within the rebuild.
The flip aspect of buying and selling down is a 3-14 workforce that earned the No. 1 choose (with an help from the Houston Texans) must wait even longer to make its first choice. The Bears want an impression participant — honestly, impression gamers — from this draft, and the decrease you go, in concept the decrease your possibilities of hitting. At No. 9, the Bears may have the primary or second choose of offensive linemen. Move down they usually is likely to be staring on the third or fourth lineman to return off the board.
If an impression defensive participant isn’t obtainable at No. 9, possibly there’s an edge rusher they really feel snug with somewhat later. But when the Bears moved from the primary choose to the ninth, they risked lacking out on the highest defensive gamers — a transfer they will justify by the addition of broad receiver DJ Moore to offer Fields a first-rate goal.
Financially or strategically, which place would the Bears, with their first choose, most prefer to see on a fifth-year rookie deal? Do you assume this could possibly be a lot of an element within the determination? Might it, for instance, cause them to take a more in-depth take a look at one of many cornerbacks? — Damian W., Missoula, Mont.
I get the place you’re going with this, contemplating the worth of the place and the fee and forecasting lengthy vary. I don’t assume it may be an element on this case in any respect. The Bears want to knock it out of the park with this choose. If profitable, they’d be signing that first-round choose to a profitable extension earlier than he will get to the fifth-year choice in his rookie deal. They want bona fide distinction makers who can turn into constructing blocks for a return to profitable methods. Calculating what the fifth-year choice is likely to be in 2027 can’t be a consideration.
Scale of 1 to 10: How assured are you within the Bears choosing Jalen Carter subsequent Thursday? — @just_acy
Just spitballing right here, I might say 25%. Some consider there’s an opportunity Carter will stay on the board at No. 9. Others are comparatively assured his ground is No. 6 to the Detroit Lions with the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5 looming as an actual risk. Carter reportedly made pre-draft visits to each workforce choosing between No. 5 and No. 10, together with the Bears. If he falls to No. 9, it could be honest to imagine a number of groups eliminated Carter from their draft boards. As I wrote just lately, the chance Ryan Poles would have with Carter is making an error in character analysis together with his first first-round choose on a participant with broadly recognized make-up issues.
We have seen all types of debate concerning the Bears buying and selling again from No. 9. What about the potential for them shifting up a number of spots to draft an impression defensive participant that begins to slip? — Roger S., Channahon, Ill.
I like the way in which you’re going towards the grain there. I’m undecided the percentages of which might be very excessive, however I wouldn’t rule it out. Trading as much as No. 3 with the Arizona Cardinals could be very expensive, in order that looks like a no-go. The Seahawks at No. 5 and Lions at No. 6 each personal two first-round picks, so that they’re in a great spot to remain put and take the blokes they need. That leaves the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 7 and Atlanta Falcons at No. 8. The Bears may transfer as much as a kind of spots with out paying an arm and a leg. The argument towards that will lie within the reply I supplied to the primary query: Ryan Poles is likely to be pushed to accumulate extra picks, particularly early on this draft. Good query and undoubtedly one thing to ponder.
Players more likely to be June 1 cuts? Cody Whitehair? Eddie Jackson? — @canuckboy670am
The Bears received’t reduce Whitehair except they clearly exchange him with a middle through the draft. That’s a risk, however the workforce has expressed confidence in Whitehair returning to middle. They wouldn’t be doing him any favors in the event that they launched him after the draft.
The workforce additionally has expressed confidence in Jackson getting back from his Lisfranc ligament harm. He performed properly final yr and there isn’t a transparent alternative on the roster. It’s not just like the Bears are in a salary-cap crunch and must create house by shedding a high-paid veteran. Right now, it appears to be like like each gamers might be with the workforce this season. They can’t reduce both one except a transparent starter is added.
Some revered draft analysts have Darnell Wright as one of the best OT within the draft though he’s a proper sort out. The Bears have an acute want at that place. Should they simply choose him? Seems like in the event that they picked him they’d have a fairly full line that could possibly be a tricky run block unit. — @themaxconnor1
The Bears have been fairly good run blocking final season and certain could be even higher with Wright and free-agent addition Nate Davis. I believe Wright has an opportunity of being chosen within the teenagers. He may loom as a goal in a possible trade-down situation. It is dependent upon when the run on tackles begins. If the Raiders (No. 7) and/or Falcons (No. 8) choose one, they could possibly be snapped up fairly shortly.
Which participant, if obtainable at No. 9, is a MUST DRAFT vs. commerce again? — @snoman1983
I think about the Bears would waste no time turning of their card if edge rushers Will Anderson of Alabama or Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech one way or the other fell to No. 9. That appears unlikely. By now the Bears most likely have a fairly good deal with on how they really feel about Georgia defensive sort out Jalen Carter. If he supplied satisfying solutions throughout his pre-draft go to, you most likely may put him in that class as properly. It simply is dependent upon how the workforce feels about him. Is there much less danger at No. 9 than there could be at No. 1 and even No. 4? Sure. But it’s nonetheless the primary first-round choose for Ryan Poles.
This yr’s draft is hosted in Kansas City, recognized for his or her BBQ. As a fellow lover of BBQ, please rank the 5 finest NFL cities primarily based upon their BBQ joints. — @gridassassin
Before the closure of Dr. BBQ’s in St. Petersburg, Fla., after the constructing that housed the restaurant was closed, I might have positioned Tampa Bay atop the checklist. Regular mailbag reader Ray Lampe, aka @DrBBQ, is pretty much as good because it will get. With that joint now not an choice, I might stack up the highest 5 as Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com