If the draft falls this way... Who you taking?

[BaBaBlacksheep]

A wasteland? It's one of the deepest positions in the draft. Calvin Pryor, Deone Bucannon, Ahmad Dixon, Dion Bailey, Terrence Brooks...there are going to be some very good safeties available through the fourth or fifth round.

How is this a deep list? Pryor is gone in the first in a bunch of mocks I'm seeing. I see a couple other guys of the four you listed that look intriguing in later rounds but I'd hardly call it a "deep" group. Who else?

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

U sure about that? They aren't going to sign 2 outside FAs. McClellin is already gone from DE. Peppers is probably going to be cut. Even if u re-sign Wootton and sign a top FA, your depth is still a pair of guys picked in the last 2 rounds.

And there's no chance Jernigan is there at 51. He's a 1st round pick or worse case is gone by 45. I don't see Sutton or Donald as fits.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think they said McClellin is done at DE. They just might try him more at LB. Did they ever say Shea will NOT be playing DE next year and is 100% a LB?

 

[Omeletpants]

 

[botfly10]

I don't like a safety in the 1st. Whatever else happens this offseason, the Bears are in life and death desperate need of a young, cheap stud on the D line.

Really, they need TWO starters for the D line, preferably both on rookie contracts.

 

[TL1961]

If they sign one DE in FA and let Peppers walk, as we think they will, they should then have ONE starting DE. Wooton is a backup. They need another DE.

I would be OK keeping peppers at a reduced rate if possible. He gets bashed here for hi splay, but I noticed all the runs past our DE this year were on the side opposite Peppers. He still has value. just not $18 million worth.

But assuming he's gone, and we sign ONE, we need to draft one high. I am not sure what to think of Ealy. Jernigan won't be there in the 2nd.

IF we keep Melton and Ratliff, we still need to draft one DT pretty high. Maybe 3rd round. If the right guy is there in the 2nd, make it DT there.

Obviously FA will make a difference in the draft. That's not news. We need to address at least two defensive positions in FA, if not three. But we will still need to draft a lot of defensive players.

I am eager to see what we can do in FA. I am not sure which positions I expect them to be able to fill. Is there a CB worth having that will fit the budget?

I know there are a few possibilities at DE and S.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Jernigan.

I would not be terribly unhappy with Hagemann or Dennard. I would try to be OK with Nix, but ND players are always overrated, and didn't he have an injury?

Safety is a deep position this year. I thought the consensus is that DT is NOT deep? Is that wrong?

Will Sutton, Aaron Donald, DaQuan Jones, Anthony Johnson, Ego Ferguson, Daniel McCullers, Deandre Coleman, Justin Ellis, Shamar Stephen, etc.

 

[rawdawg]

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think they said McClellin is done at DE. They just might try him more at LB. Did they ever say Shea will NOT be playing DE next year and is 100% a LB?

I don't know if anything was definitive, but looks to be leaning away from him at DE anymore. And even if he is at DE, the point remains. Even with Greg Hardy and Wootton, the depth of Shea, Washington and Bass doesn't scream "position fixed" don't use an early pick on a DE.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I don't like a safety in the 1st. Whatever else happens this offseason, the Bears are in life and death desperate need of a young, cheap stud on the D line.

Really, they need TWO starters for the D line, preferably both on rookie contracts.

OK Bot. Then give me a name! Who you picking?

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I don't know if anything was definitive, but looks to be leaning away from him at DE anymore. And even if he is at DE, the point remains. Even with Greg Hardy and Wootton, the depth of Shea, Washington and Bass doesn't scream "position fixed" don't use an early pick on a DE.

I agree with your point about DE being a need....just pointing out the demise of She Butter at DE isn't written in stone yet. (unfortunately)

 

[rawdawg]

Will Sutton, Aaron Donald, DaQuan Jones, Anthony Johnson, Ego Ferguson, Daniel McCullers, Deandre Coleman, Justin Ellis, Shamar Stephen, etc.

First 2 are undersized. Johnson has underperformed in college. McCullers is one of my last favorite DTs in this draft. Didn't come anywhere near consistently being a factor in college. Coleman looks like a 3-4 DE. The last 2 are proJects the way Zach Minter was. I don't think it's a deep class but heavy at the top.

 

[dabears70]

I'd go DT Jernigan or DE K.Ealy.....it's all about the D-Line people and i hope we get a real MLB also.

 

[dabears70]

It's senseless to even think about corners and safeties until we fix the defensive line. The D line is what makes or breaks any defense. You need defensive lineman capable of causing disruption at the line of scrimage, otherwise linebackers will have to compensate in the running game and secondaries will be forced to cover for long periods of time because of the lack of pass rush.

Everything else is bell and whistles until we fix the defensive line.

Nix, Jernigan, Hagerman, Truitt, Ealy or Murphy would all be acceptable picks at number 14 in my mind. Even better if we can steal Aaron Donald in the second round.

Ahhhh it's refreshing to see people that know what they're talking about......agree 100%

 

[WindyCity]

In order

1. Trade Down
2. Louis Nix
3. Kony Ealy
4. Calvin Pryor
5. Ra'Shede Hageman
6. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
7. Stephon Tuitt

 

[TL1961]

I agree that we can't afford a CB or S in the 1st.

We definitely need to upgrade the D Line. (Though I would like CJ Mosley for MLB)

But in the scenario posted by the OP, I want DT or DE. Jernigan, Hagemann, maybe Murphy. Maybe Nix. Ealy scares me. Not sure he can get off blocks. I may suffer from "another-Shea-itis".

 

[Omeletpants]

The trade down nitwits have shown up. Worst defense in the NFL and they cant find anyone in first round to take. Cause they want a million guys in camp and hope that some shit sticks to the wall

 

[rawdawg]

The trade down nitwits have shown up. Worst defense in the NFL and they cant find anyone in first round to take. Cause they want a million guys in camp and hope that some shit sticks to the wall

You still think too black and white. Trade down doesn't mean get a worst player. It means getting the guy you want later while also getting an extra pick to work with.

That being said, I agree with you in this case. In this draft, at 14, I can't see any conceivable reason to trade down (unless they are trading down like 2 picks which is probably pointless). They'll get a really good player at 14, and probably have a pretty decent choice of which good player they want....all that also fill an immediate need.

 

[NCChiFan]

In order

1. Trade Down
2. Louis Nix
3. Kony Ealy
4. Calvin Pryor
5. Ra'Shede Hageman
6. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
7. Stephon Tuitt

I have got to believe the F/A period will determine where the Bears go with this pick. If can grab a DE then we go interior, if we can't, but sign Ratliff, Melton and Collins, I believe the Bears will go with best available DE. Wouldn't rule out other positions based on what high quality player drops though, as long as it isn't on O.

Trading down would tell me, there are to many guys that graded out alike, some are still projected to be on the board further down where you trade to. Sometimes the depth in the draft works this way.

 

[TL1961]

You still think too black and white. Trade down doesn't mean get a worst player. It means getting the guy you want later while also getting an extra pick to work with.

That being said, I agree with you in this case. In this draft, at 14, I can't see any conceivable reason to trade down (unless they are trading down like 2 picks which is probably pointless). They'll get a really good player at 14, and probably have a pretty decent choice of which good player they want....all that also fill an immediate need.

Trading down two spots would only happen if they were to get the same guy two spots lower. That makes it anything but pointless. They get their guy and an extra pick. Two spots wouldn't be worth a high pick, of course. But if they get the same guy they'd get anyway, ANY additional pick makes the trade anything BUT pointless.

 

[Runruffshod75]

DE - Trent Murphy!!!

Trent Murphy is a name that should be mentioned more for possible first round prospects, but isn't. The Bears need a DT & a DE one just as bad as the other, & IMO DE - Trent Murphy in the first round, & DT - DaQuan Jones in round two would be the best combination of available defensive line talent remaining when the Bears are picking, especially if they can trade back in the first to get Murphy & net a pick or two they so desperately need. If the Bears could get Murphy, DaQuan Jones & a pick or two out of it that would be a sweet deal for them. I think Murphy will make a great pick.

I do think Murphy is the Anti McClellin so to speak, & going to be a beast DE in the NFL.

 

[BearsFan51]

The trade down nitwits have shown up. Worst defense in the NFL and they cant find anyone in first round to take. Cause they want a million guys in camp and hope that some shit sticks to the wall

Trading down is a skill, and the Rams executed it beautifully last year when they traded down and picked up a Top-10 player in the draft in Alec Ogletree. You can do it right, but you're correct I don't know if any one player will fall that far. My guess would be that Louis Nix is the one that falls that far because of a knee injury to weight concern. You can't have 345-pound DTs who have even a hint of knee problems, that makes me lose sleep at night.