Ashton Jeanty

[TL1961]

RE: Najee Harris

The only thing that stands out about him is that he has stayed healthy.
He has played every game throughout his first four years.
He is a fine for the right ( CHEAP ) price.

Offensive snap counts: 83.5% 65.8% 53.1% 50.4%
Yards per carry: 3.9 3.8 4.1 4.0

He was a first round pick and Pittsburgh declined his fifth year option. He is pretty much "just a guy" or "mid." With the possible exception that you may like his health profile a little more then some other FA RB's.

I want no part of this guy. You're right, he's "mid". Or "meh". Absolutely does nothing to move the needle. Especially in a year with a strong RB draft, it makes no sense to consider this guy.

 

[Bigfoot]

Not sure if he declared, but Damien Martinez from Miami is a RB, I would like to have in Chicago. Big back who can separate, run with power, can catch, and be a 3 down back. Similar style to Levon Bell.

 

[Starion]

Normally, I would say that drafting a RB at #9 overall is stupid, especially with pressing needs at other positions.

But this draft seems set up to place the Bears in an extremely unlucky position. The Bears need a LT, but they’re stuck in a draft that doesn’t have an elite LT. Interior OL will likely be less of a need at draft time because there are some good ones available in FA.

They also need a DT and EDGE, but there’s a possibility that the elite DT and EDGE prospects will also be off the board by pick 9.

If that happens, what should they do? Trading down would make the most sense, but you need a partner to do that.

Otherwise, Jeanty would probably be BPA at 9. Should you really pass up on BPA at a position of extreme need (Bears probably have the worst RB room in the entire NFL right now) due to positional value? That’s a tougher question and a closer call than I think most people realize.

^

To the vast many who seem to be immediately scoffing at the idea of RB as 1st pick...since when was fixing the OL an either/or proposition, and since when was an OL ever fixed with a single pick?

The above addresses a draft day scenario where you assume it's the clear best move for your team to pass on the next Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry on the cheap for 5 years to instead get a second-tier OL? Who knows if Jeanty will be, but I'm certainly not hearing of any OL rated as highly as Jeanty, and def. not any Guards worth that early pick.


FWIW, they have nearly $70 mil projected cap space + another $5.5m savings if cut Everett + $4m if cut Bates.
Chicago Bears Salary Cap Calculator | Over The Cap

OL Needs:
*a starting FA Center (draft & develop also, yes - start a rookie? prob. not),
*1-2 Guards,
*and maybe a LT (IF they land an upgrade there, but if not, they need depth & competition there for sure, but could be okay with good coaching, which they've arguably never had).

 

[napo55]

If the top rated O limemen are off the board at 10 and a trade down isn't possible, Jeanty may be the best available pick
There will be good O linemen in the second round. So it really
depends on free agency and the way the draft unfolds.

 

[cwcwcwcw1]

^

To the vast many who seem to be immediately scoffing at the idea of RB as 1st pick...since when was fixing the OL an either/or proposition, and since when was an OL ever fixed with a single pick?

The above addresses a draft day scenario where you assume it's the clear best move for your team to pass on the next Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry on the cheap for 5 years to instead get a second-tier OL? Who knows if Jeanty will be, but I'm certainly not hearing of any OL rated as highly as Jeanty, and def. not any Guards worth that early pick.


FWIW, they have nearly $70 mil projected cap space + another $5.5m savings if cut Everett + $4m if cut Bates.
Chicago Bears Salary Cap Calculator | Over The Cap

OL Needs:
*a starting FA Center (draft & develop also, yes - start a rookie? prob. not),
*1-2 Guards,
*and maybe a LT (IF they land an upgrade there, but if not, they need depth & competition there for sure, but could be okay with good coaching, which they've arguably never had).

For starters, while I disagree, the people who generally argue for taking a "special" running back in the first are talking about players like Bijon or Barkley or Elliot. The key difference is that Jeanty is NOT one of those backs. He is a lot closer to the other 3-4 or more backs in this draft that will be available in the second and later rounds.

Secondly, the Bears currently have one IOL under contract. Which is Bates. They need at least 5 more. While it is reasonable to see them use FA to fill the backup spots and hopefully, depending on who is available, they also get a starting guard and center in FA. They will most likely be best served drafting a day one started for the other guard spot preferably with the pick @ 39. It would also be good to get another one, maybe at @ 41. Hopefully one or both of these guys will be one of the handfull of guard prospects that are believed to have a solid chance of transitioning to and being devolped as a future starting center also.

When the Bears draft @ 10 there is a high probablility that the best available prospect will be on the DL. Probably a DE maybe even DT.

In this likely senario drafting Jeanty would be flat out stupid and an absolute waste of draft capital.

Currently the first 9 draft picks, in no particlure order, look something like this.

QB(2) Sanders/Ward
CB(2) Hunter/Johnson
DE(1) Carter
DT(1) Graham
WR(1) McMillan

After those 7 picks even if you remove two of the following players from the list below and put them as picks # 8 and 9 your still looking at some of these guys being avaiably at @ 10.

OT Simmons ( injury concerns otherwise no doubt LT1 and top 10 pick )
OT Banks Jr.
OT Conerly Jr. ( Expected to move up boards )
OG Campbell ( I'd perfer not to draft a guard @ 10 )
DE Pearce Jr.
DE Green ( This is dependent on the senior bowl, a good showing and he is expected to shoot way up the draft boards )
DT Nolen ( I might be mixing him up with one of the other DT's but one of them is expected to rise up the draft boards )

 

[Starion]

For starters, while I disagree, the people who generally argue for taking a "special" running back in the first are talking about players like Bijon or Barkley or Elliot. The key difference is that Jeanty is NOT one of those backs. He is a lot closer to the other 3-4 or more backs in this draft that will be available in the second and later rounds.

Secondly, the Bears currently have one IOL under contract. Which is Bates. They need at least 5 more. While it is reasonable to see them use FA to fill the backup spots and hopefully, depending on who is available, they also get a starting guard and center in FA. They will most likely be best served drafting a day one started for the other guard spot preferably with the pick @ 39. It would also be good to get another one, maybe at @ 41. Hopefully one or both of these guys will be one of the handfull of guard prospects that are believed to have a solid chance of transitioning to and being devolped as a future starting center also.

When the Bears draft @ 10 there is a high probablility that the best available prospect will be on the DL. Probably a DE maybe even DT.

In this likely senario drafting Jeanty would be flat out stupid and an absolute waste of draft capital.

Currently the first 9 draft picks, in no particlure order, look something like this.

QB(2) Sanders/Ward
CB(2) Hunter/Johnson
DE(1) Carter
DT(1) Graham
WR(1) McMillan

After those 7 picks even if you remove two of the following players from the list below and put them as picks # 8 and 9 your still looking at some of these guys being avaiably at @ 10.

OT Simmons ( injury concerns otherwise no doubt LT1 and top 10 pick )
OT Banks Jr.
OT Conerly Jr. ( Expected to move up boards )
OG Campbell ( I'd perfer not to draft a guard @ 10 )
DE Pearce Jr.
DE Green ( This is dependent on the senior bowl, a good showing and he is expected to shoot way up the draft boards )
DT Nolen ( I might be mixing him up with one of the other DT's but one of them is expected to rise up the draft boards )

Great RE.

I'm certainly not annointing Jeanty, nor claim to know he is or will be the next big stud RB in the league. He better have a very high chance of this to even be in this discussion however, otherwise it's moot.

As I understand it, this is also a deep RB class, so great scouting could very well net a great rookie RB in a later round. That would be preferred.

IF there is the top DE or Edge at Bears' first pick #10, that should be the preference. This, and several other scenarios could make Jeanty a poor pick there as well, absolutely. It's early on, so this discussion is fairly premature. I'm just curious to learn more and respond to those who seem to immediately say that Jeanty would be a total waste, when there seems to be a scenario where if all lines up, the Bears could potentially have their cake & eat it to?

There are also several

 

[Da Coach]

I think Swift is a great back and he just got paid.

We just need a bruiser short distance goal line guy that could be had late in the draft.

I think you gotta go OL DL

 

[hyatt151]

The people who drafted Carimi aren't here.

Kyle Long as a RG late in the 1st was dumb?

Keep in mind, Johnson was instumental in the drafting of Gibbs in the 1st round, so I would suspect Jeanty could be in play, but I agree OL will be the 1st choice or DL, depending on their board and how things shake out, I'd love for it to be Jeanty in the 1st, just the thought of the melt down that @msadows would have would be epic

 

[msadows]

Keep in mind, Johnson was instumental in the drafting of Gibbs in the 1st round, so I would suspect Jeanty could be in play, but I agree OL will be the 1st choice or DL, depending on their board and how things shake out, I'd love for it to be Jeanty in the 1st, just the thought of the melt down that @msadows would have would be epic

Keep in mind the lions had a lot invested in the OL and the bears have 1 player.

Gibbs would be running for 3.8YPC behind this shit bears OL.

 

[msadows]

I think Swift is a great back and he just got paid.

We just need a bruiser short distance goal line guy that could be had late in the draft.

I think you gotta go OL DL

Its why i want Warren in FA. He always impresses me more than Najee and can be a good backup for swift and also cheap

 

[hyatt151]

Keep in mind the lions had a lot invested in the OL and the bears have 1 player.

Gibbs would be running for 3.8YPC behind this shit bears OL.

in my post I said OL or DL would be the main areas to address, but knowing your disdain for RB's in the 1st round , it would be epic to see your reaction if they did

 

[Da Coach]

Its why i want Warren in FA. He always impresses me more than Najee and can be a good backup for swift and also cheap

But I feel like Warren and Swift are kinda the same guy... No?

I was thinking more of a stout bruiser for short distance

 

[msadows]

But I feel like Warren and Swift are kinda the same guy... No?

I was thinking more of a stout bruiser for short distance

NFL.com predicts that the bears get Javonte Williams to be that bruiser back.

RB Index: Team fits for six running backs set to become free agents in 2025

 

[bearsfan1977]

I’d rather they draft a RB than sign one in FA. It’s a good RB draft. If they pass on Jeanty, I see them taking one in round 2 or 3.

 

[TheEarlofRobin]

I was thinking more of a stout bruiser for short distance

 

[TL1961]

I’d rather they draft a RB than sign one in FA. It’s a good RN draft. If they pass on Jeanty, I see them taking one in round 2 or 3.

I don’t want them drafting an RN!

 

[msadows]

I’d rather they draft a RB than sign one in FA. It’s a good RN draft. If they pass on Jeanty, I see them taking one in round 2 or 3.

I'd rather draft positions that matter to the success of the team

Swift is more than good enough.

 

[cwcwcwcw1]

I don’t want them drafting an RN!

I believe he is thinking of the Lions top needs this off season.

 

[Da Coach]

NFL.com predicts that the bears get Javonte Williams to be that bruiser back.

RB Index: Team fits for six running backs set to become free agents in 2025

I don't hate that idea

 

[bearsfan1977]

I don’t want them drafting an RN!

Yeah, that would be a bit of a waste. lol.