Drafting a QB Mock Off Season

[Aesopian]

Free Agency

Bears sign CB Jaylon Johnson to 5 years 80 million

Johnson was a little hampered by injuries in 2023, but when he was on the field, he flexed his physical and mental advantage in coverage, consistently quieting receivers behind an improved pass rush. He should not hit free agency.



Bears sign WR Tee Higgins to 4 years 74 million

The Bengals have the money to franchise him, but they also may decide to pass on keeping him, short or long-term, given his injury-riddled, inconsistent 2023 and the fact they need to pay Ja'Marr Chase at the top of the market soon. Higgins is best at using his size well for big plays and red-zone work, and he will hope to get a shot as a No. 1 elsewhere.



Bears sign S Taylor Rapp to 2 years 12 million

Eddie Jackson's time in Chicago is likely done with his current contract expect Bears to sign a vet like Rapp to replace him.



Draft

* Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Falcons for 2024 second round pick, 2025 conditional second round pick

1 [1] QB Caleb Williams [USC] 6'1 215lbs

PLAYER COMPARISON​

Shorter - Patrick Mahomes

SCOUTING REPORT: SUMMARY​

Caleb Williams is the best QB prospect in all of college football and has an incredible combination of athletic skills, arm talent, and intangibles. He's also a player who consistently has produced at an elite level at both Oklahoma and USC.

It's difficult to find any serious issues in his game that can't be cleared up. The only negative that stops him from being regarded as a Luck/Elway/Mahomes generational-level talent is his lack of height, where he's listed at 6-1 but as demonstrated by Bryce Young's somewhat elastic height measurement William's actual height may be closer to six foot flat.

Expect Williams to be the first player off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft and day one-starter come September.

Commanders draft QB Drake Maye
Patriots draft QB Jayden Daniels
Cardinals draft WR Marvin Harrison Jr
Chargers draft TE Brock Bowers
Giants draft WR Malik Nabers
Titans draft OT Joe Alt
Falcons draft DE Dallas Turner

1 [9] DE Jared Verse [Florida] 6'4 260lbs

SCOUTING REPORT: SUMMARY​

In 2023, Jared Verse, now a fifth-year senior, is looking to boost his draft stock for the 2024 NFL Draft. He wants to be mentioned in discussions about the top defensive players moving to the pro game. His impressive stats give him a good start, and the upcoming season is an opportunity to make his name even more well-known in pro ranks.

Known for his elite athleticism and combination of size and speed, Verse has successfully transitioned from the FCS level to a prominent role at Florida State. Now, he’s ready for another big step. With a full college resume, Verse is looking towards the 2024 draft, not just with hope but with a solid argument for a high spot, possibly in the top half of the first round, showcasing an impressive and unusual journey through college football.

Florida State's defense is set to be one of the top in the country in 2023, and Verse is a key player in that unit. His ability to pressure quarterbacks and stop the run will be crucial for the team and will provide support for the rest of the defense.

While Verse was already on track to be a high draft pick, another strong season with the Seminoles could push his draft stock even higher, potentially placing him within the top five picks come April.

2 [42] C Zach Frazier [West Virginia] 6'2 314lbs

• Adequate foot quickness to remain outside. Can get to the second level with surprising agility when adjusting to moving defenders. Underrated athleticism, agility, balance, and even straight-line speed to contribute.
• Fires out of his stance with a good pad level, consistently winning at the point of attack.
• Solid positional run blocker who flashes the nasty demeanor and killer instinct scouts covet.
• Exhibits good patience in pass protection, sitting back in his set rather than leaning and lunging.
• He’s a coordinated athlete who can win at the point of attack in the run game, and Frazier can also move to consistently land blocks at the second level.
• Awareness is above-average for his limited experience. Sells trap block and can turn to seal. Fluid getting to and adjust at the second level.

​

3 [] S Calen Bullock [USC] 6'3 200lbs

• His length and leaping ability allow him to high-point the ball and make plays. Bullock would have had bigger interception numbers in college had opposing quarterbacks not gone out of their way to avoid him.
• He’s also very good in zone coverage, showing a great understanding of routes and the ability to close quickly.
• Has a tall frame and long arms, plus strong hands, giving him a huge catch radius.
• Flashes good ball skills. Bullock has the fluidity and change-of-direction ability to mirror quicker receivers underneath.
• Has good ball skills to locate and attack the ball in the air.
• He’s tall-framed with long arms to match. With his powerful hands, straight-line speed, and fluidity in his hips, turning and chasing downfield shouldn’t be a problem.

4 [] WR Brenden Rice [USC] 6'2 212lbs

SCOUTING REPORT: SUMMARY​

Hailing from a lineage of football royalty, Brenden Rice showcases a nice mix of size, speed, and on-the-field acumen. At 6-3, 215 pounds, he's the prototype for an NFL X-receiver. With natural hands, he's demonstrated the ability to pluck balls out of the air, and his field vision allows him to turn upfield and eat yards after the catch.

His membership of Bruce Feldman's Freaks List isn't by chance; it's a testament to his explosive off-the-line burst, evidenced by his notable 1.43 10-yard split. Scouts have been buzzing about his agility and ability to create separation, although there are murmurs about refining his route tree and high-pointing ability against more physical DBs.

Rice has all the raw tools that are required for the position. While he needs to polish some technical aspects of his game, his ceiling is high. 2023 will be massive for Rice - with a quality year at USC, he has the potential to get the attention of scouts. Currently, he's not being talked about as a top-level draftable pro player - but come around April 2024 don't be surprised if he's in the mix.

4 [] LB Jordan Magee [Temple] 6'3 225lbs

• Magee may not be a top-end mauler, but Magee has some unique traits in the run game and could probably transition to a guard spot if necessary.
• In the run game, he explodes off the line of scrimmage and consistently gets out to the second level to do damage.
• Shows excellent awareness when presented with stunts and blitzes, and he works well with teammates on combo blocks
• Anchors against larger defenders in the middle; resets hands to maintain distance. Athletic enough to help on nose tackle then pick up twist or late blitzer. Mirrors quick interior rushers. Looks to help the center when uncovered.
• Good natural athleticism, knee bend and fluid lateral movement to mirror college defensive ends.
• Dips shoulder and moves his feet to get outside leverage when needed. Strong and low coming out of his stance, effective in short-yardage situations.

5 [] RB Daijun Edwards [Georgia] 5'9 201lbs

• His vision is outstanding, and Edwards has an innate understanding of when to go and when to sit back and wait for blocks to develop. Edwards thrives as a one-cut back
• A compact runner, he has a rare blend of balance, agility and instincts.
• His passing game skills are strong. He’s a natural hands catcher who turns upfield quickly in the screen game, and he shows a great feel for setting up wheel routes.
• He flips upfield naturally in the screen game. He could probably get by as a slot receiver.
• He shows suddenness off the line of scrimmage and accelerates quickly, and his top-end speed is among the best in this draft.
• His initial burst is excellent, and he’s capable of running out of a traditional setup or taking the ball lined up next to a quarterback in shotgun.
• Edwards aggressively finishes runs and consistently falls forward in a crowd. His low pad level and a bit of wiggle keep him from absorbing big hits.

 

[Da Coach]

Would be a great scenario but I doubt we can land Higgins

 

[Butkus34]

Agreed, would be a very good off season for theBears

 

[pdxbearsfan]

Free Agency

Bears sign CB Jaylon Johnson to 5 years 80 million

Johnson was a little hampered by injuries in 2023, but when he was on the field, he flexed his physical and mental advantage in coverage, consistently quieting receivers behind an improved pass rush. He should not hit free agency.

View attachment 34632

Bears sign WR Tee Higgins to 4 years 74 million

The Bengals have the money to franchise him, but they also may decide to pass on keeping him, short or long-term, given his injury-riddled, inconsistent 2023 and the fact they need to pay Ja'Marr Chase at the top of the market soon. Higgins is best at using his size well for big plays and red-zone work, and he will hope to get a shot as a No. 1 elsewhere.

View attachment 34633

Bears sign S Taylor Rapp to 2 years 12 million

Eddie Jackson's time in Chicago is likely done with his current contract expect Bears to sign a vet like Rapp to replace him.

View attachment 34634

Draft

* Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Falcons for 2024 second round pick, 2025 conditional second round pick

1 [1] QB Caleb Williams [USC] 6'1 215lbs



View attachment 34635

Commanders draft QB Drake Maye
Patriots draft QB Jayden Daniels
Cardinals draft WR Marvin Harrison Jr
Chargers draft TE Brock Bowers
Giants draft WR Malik Nabers
Titans draft OT Joe Alt
Falcons draft DE Dallas Turner

1 [9] DE Jared Verse [Florida] 6'4 260lbs



View attachment 34636

2 [42] C Zach Frazier [West Virginia] 6'2 314lbs



View attachment 34637

3 [] S Calen Bullock [USC] 6'3 200lbs



View attachment 34638

4 [] WR Brenden Rice [USC] 6'2 212lbs



View attachment 34639

4 [] LB Jordan Magee [Temple] 6'3 225lbs

5 [] RB Daijun Edwards [Georgia] 5'9 201lbs

JJ is definitely a keeper, he batted down a 4th down pass in the endzone to preserve a victory for his NFC team with 4 seconds on the clock.

 

[HearshotKDS]

Nice work! Prob still need a vet DE and DT even if it’s $3-5m a year journeyman level. Not a huge fan of Ja’tyre Carter as only backup IOL, but I also realize you can’t fix every position and the depth in one offseason although lord knows the board seems to expect it.

 

[RiDLer80]

A rookie center coming off of a broken leg to block for our future franchise QB?

Brilliant.

 

[Xplosive]

I'm not much of a Tee Higgins fan, he's fine but I can think of 74 million better options. I don't like double dipping on signing a FA safety then spending a 3rd rounder on a safety, do one or the other...

Please let's take a year off drafting LBs when they couldn't even play all the ones we already have... C+ grade overall

 

[Probie2429]

Does anyone know when the draft is?

 

[clenbuterol_clint]

If they get the Falcons 43 I'm hoping they ship Carolina's 2025 2 and 43 to jump up in to the end of the first and grab Barton. I really think its worth the price. He's a guy I feel confident isn't just getting drafted to fill a critical hole and will end up being a high level IOL whether it's center or guard.

 

[BBBF]

Does anyone know when the draft is?

Right after the Superbowl!!!

 

[dabears70]

If they get the Falcons 43 I'm hoping they ship Carolina's 2025 2 and 43 to jump up in to the end of the first and grab Barton. I really think its worth the price. He's a guy I feel confident isn't just getting drafted to fill a critical hole and will end up being a high level IOL whether it's center or guard.

I don't see poles doing any trading up unless he first trades down with that #1 overall pick and collects a ton of picks.

 

[Aesopian]

A rookie center coming off of a broken leg to block for our future franchise QB?

Brilliant.

The problem free agency isn't much different with Connor Williams and the other injured C.

 

[ColumbusRod]

Right after the Superbowl!!!

April 25th in Detroit

 

[clenbuterol_clint]

I don't see poles doing any trading up unless he first trades down with that #1 overall pick and collects a ton of picks.

He already has a ton of picks. He has 2 2025 seconds and 2 2024 4ths. They have plenty to move up with. If a player is there you're sure about spend your resources accordingly

 

[Dpaw]

A rookie center coming off of a broken leg to block for our future franchise QB?

Brilliant.

Will be fully cleared by combine, #37 ranked prospect.

 

[dabears70]

He already has a ton of picks. He has 2 2025 seconds and 2 2024 4ths. They have plenty to move up with. If a player is there you're sure about spend your resources accordingly

So one extra pick in 2025 and we're without 6th and 7th round picks in this draft leaving us with 6 total picks in this draft. How's that a ton of picks? Yeah i'll trade down before i trade up right now.

 

[clenbuterol_clint]

So one extra pick in 2025 and we're without 6th and 7th round picks in this draft leaving us with 6 total picks in this draft. How's that a ton of picks? Yeah i'll trade down before i trade up right now.

its a ton of picks because the bears have an extra second next year and will get a second or third or both out of fields. they are still flush on picks worth something. they have plenty to trade up and grab the players they know will be day one impact starters if they want to at the end of the first round. it won't kill them. losing next years extra second to secure a guy you think could be a pro bowl level center for the next 10 years is not a big deal. they don't have enough holes between the picks they have and the cap space they have for this to not be something they can do.

 

[EDPeezy]

I don’t think JJ would sign for that. I’m guessing it would be more around the 20 million annually range. Maybe even a tiny bit more.