G08 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 32 minutes ago, WindyCity said: Sign Hooper Draft Reagor/Aiyuk That might be the most talented skill position talent the Bears have ever had. It would be between them and the Trestman Psycho Squad. This is where I am as well. Throw all the money at Austin Hooper. All of it. Draft your burner of choice at #43 or #50. WR1 - Robinson WR2 - Miller WR3 - Reagor (for example) TE1 - Hooper TE2 - Burton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindyCity Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, G08 said: This is where I am as well. Throw all the money at Austin Hooper. All of it. Draft your burner of choice at #43 or #50. WR1 - Robinson WR2 - Miller WR3 - Reagor (for example) TE1 - Hooper TE2 - Burton Tingles. Sign a competent RG and draft one at 50 or 144 to compete. At least at that point we would get a truly excuse free evaluation of 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZBearsFan Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 9 minutes ago, WindyCity said: Tingles. Sign a competent RG and draft one at 50 or 144 to compete. At least at that point we would get a truly excuse free evaluation of 10. I’m probably trading down at 50 in this scenario to see about recouping our 3rd rounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagabears Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 This is hilarious. The tweets below his got me LMAO. https://twitter.com/Joe_Burrow10/status/1232071931249254402?s=19 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 6 hours ago, WindyCity said: That might be the most talented skill position talent the Bears have ever had. It would be between them and the Trestman Psycho Squad. You are an artist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 I'm very much out of the loop on draftees this year so I'll have to read through this thread and catch up but here's an article with a few names being thrown out there. https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/6-players-bears-should-focus-2020-nfl-combine 6 players the Bears should focus on at the 2020 NFL Combine By Bryan Perez February 24, 2020 8:30 AM The 2020 NFL Combine kicks off this week as 337 draft hopefuls will be poked and prodded in Indianapolis with all 32 teams in attendance. The Bears are without a first-round pick once again this April, but it doesn't mean this week's event is any less meaningful. In fact, it's an even more important part of the evaluation process for GM Ryan Pace, who will be tasked with finding potential starters in the second round and beyond. Here are six players the Bears are likely to keep a close eye on over the next several days. Harrison Bryant, TE, FAU Bryant profiles as an ideal fit for Matt Nagy's offense with his combination of receiver traits in a tight end's body. While he's a far cry from Travis Kelce, he'll provide Nagy with the kind of versatile pass-catcher who will be an instant mismatch against opposing linebackers and safeties. His stock is on the rise after a strong performance at the Senior Bowl, and if he runs well in Indianapolis, he'll be a strong candidate for the Bears at No. 43 overall. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton Trautman, like Bryant, had a big week of practices at the Senior Bowl and quickly shed the small-school label. He was more than comfortable going up against top senior competition and established himself as one of the top tight ends at the all-star game. He scored 14 touchdowns in 2019 and has the kind of smooth athleticism the Bears are looking for at the position. The combine is bigger for Trautman than most; he has to prove his speed and agility is among the NFL averages (or better) to completely silence the small-school chatter. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia Hall was considered a lock for the first round after the 2018 season, but his decision to return to Virginia for his senior year hurt his stock a bit. An unfortunate midseason ankle injury ended his year early and as a result, he's been a victim of the out of sight, out of mind syndrome. He can change all that with a good showing at the NFL Combine. The Bears have a bigger need at cornerback with the release of Prince Amukamara than they did at the start of the offseason, so it's a position group that will rank high on their wish list. Hall is a strong second-round prospect who brings some safety upside, too. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU Gladney is one of this year's top cornerback prospects and he may end up as a first-round pick once the dust settles. But there's always that supposed first-rounder who slides into Round 2; Gladney could be that guy. If he experiences the kind of draft-day fall that Greedy Williams (Browns) experienced last year, the Bears will be in a position to strike. Remember: Williams was projected as a first-round cornerback and arguably the best cover guy in the country but slid to No. 46 overall because of tackling and other concerns. Gladney, while not possessing as many of those red flags, could end up in Chicago's second-round range. Hakeem Adenji, OL, Kansas Adenji isn't an early-round prospect and that shouldn't change over the next several days. But he is a long-armed and experienced starting offensive tackle who could eventually find his home inside at guard. The Bears won't have a chance at any of the blue-chip offensive linemen in this year's class, so players like Adenji are the ones Pace has to focus on. His maximum upside may be as a swing offensive lineman in the pros, which has value especially with how injuries have hit Chicago's offensive line in recent years. Matt Peart, OT, Connecticut Unlike Adenji, Peart is a prototype offensive tackle prospect because of his physical makeup. He has great length and movement skills that both project favorably as a potential starter on the outside. Peart could find himself in the Day 2 range come draft weekend, which means the Bears would have to spend a second-round pick on him if they don't trade back or into the third round. That may be a bit rich for Peart's skill set. If he happens to slide into the early portion of Day 3, Chicago would have to be all-in, even in a trade-up scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 With our without finding away to keep Floyd around we're still in need of Edge Rushers. Here are a few who will test at the Combine. https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/ContentGallery/2020-NFL-Scouting-Combine-Edge-rushers-to-watch-for-the-Chicago-Bears-144155257/#144155257_1 2020 NFL Scouting Combine: Edge rushers to watch for the Bears ByZack Pearson 3 hours ago Share 0 Comments The 2020 NFL offseason is just beginning here in February and while Free Agency and the NFL Draft aren't until March and April, the next big event on the league's calendar comes at the end of February. Hundreds of NFL draft prospects will descend on Indianapolis, Indiana for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. This is a big opportunity for these prospects to impress NFL teams with meetings, workouts and interviews in Indianapolis. For the Chicago Bears, this is a very important offseason coming off a disappointing 8-8 campaign in which they failed to make the playoffs. Now the Bears are hoping to patch some roster holes and make some decisions on players in order to return to their winning ways and get back to the playoffs. The scouting for the team begins with the combine and there should be some players that the Bears should pay attention to in order to add some depth or another starter at the edge position. Going into this offseason, the position is headlined by star Khalil Mack but after him there are some questions. The biggest will be whether or not Chicago pays fellow starter Leonard Floyd the $13.2 million he is owed on his fifth-year contract. If the Bears can somehow find a way to bring him back on a multi-year deal with less money annually, they wouldn't have a hole to fill. But if they can't, they may look to the draft to find a guy to come in and replace Floyd. Veteran Aaron Lynch is also a free agent and all signs point to him not returning for another season in Chicago. That leaves just Isaiah Irving and James Vaughters as the backups, a situation the Bears would like to avoid going into the season. Would it shock us to see the Bears take an edge rusher early on in the draft? Nope. But they also have to play their cards right as there are other needs to fill as well. SLIDE 1 of 7 Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State (Photo: John Jones, USA TODAY Sports) Declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft as an underclassman, Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos is one of the the top players at the edge position going into this scouting combine and should test very well in Indianapolis. After a solid first season at Penn State, Gross-Matos turned it up a notch in his second year and earned Third Team All-Big Ten Honors while being named the Nittany Lions' Defensive Lineman of the Year with 8 sacks. In his final year he recorded 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss on his way to First Team honors in the conference. He has the physical traits to be a really good edge rusher at the next level and should be one of the first players at the edge position to hear his name called in April's draft. Gross-Matos was fantastic in pursuit during his college days and has good speed for his size at 6-foot-5 and 264 pounds. While he does project as a lineman in a 4-3 defense, the Bears could look to him to solve a need for depth or potentially a starter position as a 3-4 edge rusher. It's possible Gross-Matos could fall to the second round if a team doesn't find a fit for him in their defense. He will need to get a step quicker, be a little more physical and improve in pass coverage at the next level but all of that can be coached and fixed. SLIDE 2 of 7 Josh Uche, Michigan (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty) Another edge rusher prospect that should hear his name called on Day 2 of the NFL Draft is Michigan's Josh Uche and there is a lot to like about his game. The 6-foot-1, 241-pound linebacker didn't start a single game in three years at Michigan but still managed to record 16.5 sacks and earn second team All-Big Ten honors. The reason for not starting was due to Uche being a hybrid type player in Michigan's defense where technically he didn't have a position but more of a role to fill. Uche is a raw prospect with a lot of upside in his game. He has the physical traits such as speed, tackling, and technique that you love to see in a prospect that he can develop and get even better with proper coaching at the next level. As a pass rusher, Uche has good burst and outside speed that led him to opposing quarterbacks where he would finish the job and get pressure and eventually a sack. At the next level, Uche will have to work on some things in his game including in coverage and adapting to being a linebacker if he does play that position. Right now going into this combine he's still stuck as a hybrid player that can be an edge rusher or even a safety. It will be up to what team drafts him to determine exactly what he is at that next level. Either way, Uche's stock is trending up after an impressive showing at the 2020 Senior Bowl. Let's see if it continues at the combine. SLIDE 3 of 7 Julian Okwara, Notre Dame (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) Another prospect with an NFL bloodline is Notre Dame edge rusher Julian Okwara, the brother of former Notre Dame standout and Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara. Julian might be a more polished prospect than his brother despite a disappointing final season at Notre Dame that was cut short due to a broken leg. But he enters this scouting combine with a lot to prove and hopes to impress teams with his pass-rushing ability. At 6-foot-4, 248-pounds, Okwara is a prospect with a lot of length and above-average speed to go with an impressive skill-set. His best trait might be finishing in pursuit as he would rarely miss when closing in on his target. He will need to add some more muscle to that frame as at times he lacked strength to get around tackles when his pass rush moves failed. Speaking of that, Okwara will need to add another move to his arsenal in case he's engaged with a tackle and can't get free. Overall, he's got a high ceiling and a lot of potential but should hear his name called somewhere on Day 2 which could fit what the Bears need. Okwara could be ready to make an impact right away on a good defense but there might be some growing pains as well for him translating over to the next level. SLIDE 4 of 7 Jonathan Greenard, Florida (Photo: Matt Stamey, USA TODAY Sports) Jonathan Greenard is a prospect that has played both in the ACC and SEC in his career after transferring from Louisville to Florida in 2019. The transfer didn't seem to bother Greenard much as he put together a season in which he recorded 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks while earning All-SEC Second-Team honors. Now going into this NFL Scouting Combine, Greenard is receiving comparisons to another former Gators' standout in Dante Fowler. At 6-foot-4, 263-pounds, Greenard has a solid frame and good speed to go along with it. He flashed that ability to get off the edge quickly and beat his man to the outside. Greenard is stout in both run and pass defense, making a very intriguing prospect for any team. There are some injury concerns as he missed all of 2018 with a wrist injury and Greenard does need to work on some more pass-rush moves to polish his game some more. Still, there's a lot to like about his game and he certainly has some upside that he could turn into a solid prospect. As we go into the combine, the question marks surrounding Greenard could hold him to a second or third-round pick which would work into the Bears favor. SLIDE 5 of 7 Jason Strowbridge, North Carolina (Photo: Jim Hawkins, Inside Carolina, 247Sports) You may not recognize Jason Strowbridge's name due to the struggles North Carolina has had until Mack Brown turned things around in 2019 but the defensive lineman might be one of the more underrated prospects at his position in the draft. Strowbridge put together a solid 2018 campaign despite the Tar Heels' struggles and earned All-ACC honorable mention for his performance. He followed that up with another impressive season in 2019 finishing with 45 tackles, 5.5. tackles for loss and 3 sacks while being the staple on the defensive line. At 6-foot-4, 267-pounds has great length and size for the next level and can use that to his advantage. He doesn't find himself off balance a lot and has very violent hands that help him win battles up front. He does need to work on his footwork and manage where to go in space when he's engaged and taking on linemen. The biggest question surrounding Strowbridge will be whether teams use as a five-technique in a 3-4 defense or an edge rusher in a 4-3 defense. Obviously, the Bears would love to have him as an edge rusher in their 4-3 defense but would they be opposed to taking him and using him as a five-technique to help manage Akiem Hicks. SLIDE 6 of 7 Kenny Willekes, Michigan State (Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports) A former walk-on at Michigan State that earned All-Big Ten honors, outside linebacker Kenny Willekes now finds himself entering the scouting combine with once again something to prove but this time to NFL scouts. Willekes hasn't received as much attention or hype as some other edge prospects in this class but he has the chance to be a good player at the NFL level. He's a hard worker that has a high motor and doesn't stop until the whistle is blown. At 6-foot-4, 252-pounds Willekes has added some weight to bulk up for the next level. In terms of pass-rush moves, Willekes won't wow you with anything special but his pursuit and knack for finding the football is a big plus. He simply gets it done and the production shows that over the years. His instincts are something you can't teach and he has a very good football brain. The knack on Willekes is his athleticism. As mentioned above, he's not the quickest or most athletic player which could catch up to him at the next level. Coaches will need to find workarounds to that for his game and he could end up starting out as a situational pass rusher. Willekes should get the chance to prove himself at the next level and you can't discredit a hard worker like he is. SLIDE 7 of 7 Terrell Lewis, Alabama (Photo: Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports) The Bears already benefitted from injuries to one former Alabama prospect when they selected Eddie Jackson in the 2017 draft and now, three years later a similar situation could arise. Outside linebacker Terrell Lewis suffered injuries in 2017 (elbow) and 2018 (ACL) that caused him to miss most of those two seasons. In a healthy 2019 season, Lewis recorded 11.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and had a team-high 16 QB hurries over 11 games, a dominant showing for the edge rushing prospect. Lewis will have to develop a little more at the next level but he's very raw and potentially has a high ceiling. Going into this combine, Lewis will hope to convince teams that he's worth spending a Day 1 or Day 2 pick on come April. With great length, a good burst off the edge, and has a lot of intriguing physical traits that should translate well to the next level. Lewis does need some more time to develop another pass-rush move and should add some pounds at the next level to be stronger. Those will be some big keys for his progression as the years go on. If he falls past the first three rounds, he could end up being a steal for a team in this draft, similar to what Jackson was with the Bears. Will Ryan Pace take another chance on Alabama player with an injury past? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 FWIW I've read that Willekes has already interviewed with the Bears and he's the kind of specialist I can see drafting as a sub for Floyd on obvious passing downs. He seems like kind of a Nick Kwiatkoski type who has just enough instincts and athleticism to succeed once he can step up to the speed of an NFL game. Anyone have an idea of where he ranks as far as what round he might go in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dll2000 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 8 hours ago, malagabears said: This is hilarious. The tweets below his got me LMAO. https://twitter.com/Joe_Burrow10/status/1232071931249254402?s=19 LOL. The Youth Football coach parody account in there. I lived that for years. We had drafts and everything for real in TCYFL. A big Chicago Suburban league. Really big. Some of you may know it since this is a Bears forum and many of you probably live in IL. Ozzy Osborne was talking about Spinal Tap one time, and he's like everybody is laughing. That was really our life and how we lived it. Too funny looking back, but people took it real serious. It was crazy competitive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beardown3231 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 The fact that Bradee Anae didn't make that list is comical 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dll2000 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 13 hours ago, WindyCity said: Sign Hooper Draft Reagor/Aiyuk That might be the most talented skill position talent the Bears have ever had. It would be between them and the Trestman Psycho Squad. Hooper isn't going to be worth $$$ he will cost IMO. If you splurge do it on Henry who is an elite play maker. A gamble and costly, but Henry can at least be a difference making stud, Hooper is just an above average player. I don't like playing top $$$ for just above average joes. He is basically a good role player. Its not a good overall strategy to me. You want value with money not top dollar for okay to good players. Its like Burton. We obviously overpaid for Burton to fill an immediate need. We would do same for Hooper. Hooper is better than Burton, but he isn't worth what his price tag will be. I don't care who they draft. Just get at least 1 or 2 players that shine and another that is a solid contributor. To me go get a stud OT in FA. Guards are a dime a dozen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 24 minutes ago, beardown3231 said: The fact that Bradee Anae didn't make that list is comical Maybe the figured he'd be gone? Thought so too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZBearsFan Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 8 minutes ago, dll2000 said: Hooper isn't going to be worth $$$ he will cost IMO. If you splurge do it on Henry who is an elite play maker. A gamble and costly, but Henry can at least be a difference making stud, Hooper is just an above average player. I don't like playing top $$$ for just above average joes. He is basically a good role player. Its not a good overall strategy to me. You want value with money not top dollar for okay to good players. Its like Burton. We obviously overpaid for Burton to fill an immediate need. We would do same for Hooper. Hooper is better than Burton, but he isn't worth what his price tag will be. I don't care who they draft. Just get at least 1 or 2 players that shine and another that is a solid contributor. To me go get a stud OT in FA. Guards are a dime a dozen. With you on Henry over Hooper if both are available. Both are clear upgrades but Henry is the better player IMO. Henry’s got an injury history but I think it’s a little overblown. In 4 seasons Henry has missed 7 total games to non-ACL injuries and Hooper has missed 5, and Henry is now 2 seasons removed from the ACL. Henry’s production efficiency rates are at Kelce levels. Hooper’s aren’t quite there (though quite good), and Henry has done so without the benefit of sharing the field with Tyreek Hill or Julio Jones. I remain highly skeptical that the Chargers will let Henry go, especially if they intend to go with Tua/Herbert at QB. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topwop1 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 48 minutes ago, dll2000 said: Hooper isn't going to be worth $$$ he will cost IMO. If you splurge do it on Henry who is an elite play maker. A gamble and costly, but Henry can at least be a difference making stud, Hooper is just an above average player. I don't like playing top $$$ for just above average joes. He is basically a good role player. Its not a good overall strategy to me. You want value with money not top dollar for okay to good players. Its like Burton. We obviously overpaid for Burton to fill an immediate need. We would do same for Hooper. Hooper is better than Burton, but he isn't worth what his price tag will be. I don't care who they draft. Just get at least 1 or 2 players that shine and another that is a solid contributor. To me go get a stud OT in FA. Guards are a dime a dozen. Agreed. Hooper is a pretty decent TE but not special enough to warrant giving him a big contract like that. It'd be exactly like you said when they overpaid for Burton just to fill a big need. If it came down to either one at the same price tag then my money would be on Hunter Henry because he is more of a dynamic talent, despite durability concerns. Just my opinion though, I probably wouldn't sign either of these guys just because of how much it will likely take and would prefer a cheaper/shorter term option like Ebron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindyCity Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 minute ago, topwop1 said: Agreed. Hooper is a pretty decent TE but not special enough to warrant giving him a big contract like that. It'd be exactly like you said when they overpaid for Burton just to fill a big need. If it came down to either one at the same price tag then my money would be on Hunter Henry because he is more of a dynamic talent, despite durability concerns. Just my opinion though, I probably wouldn't sign either of these guys just because of how much it will likely take and would prefer a cheaper/shorter term option like Ebron. Hooper has been 100x more productive than Burton. Henry is the better player. If the money was equal I would like Henry. But I doubt he is truly available. Hooper is going to hit the market and is productive, can block, and healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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