the draft, post-Allen

[cubzzzfanincali]

OK, so we have a much better picture of how the roster is looking going into the draft. I think it's pretty safe to say we are done with major free agency moves (watch this statement bite me in the ass).

So I thought I'd start a new draft thread since we now have a better idea. I'd say the team has the following needs:

Major needs: CB, S, SLB, DT, interior O lineman
Minor needs: TE, RB, backup QB

Of those positions, from what I have heard this draft class is deep in CB and interior linemen. Now that we have presumably solved some of our D line problems, there's less pressure on an all-defense draft like it appeared a few weeks ago. So here is a total wild ass guess about who gets taken and in which round, assuming no trades.

1: CB
2: safety
3: interior O linemen
4: DT
5: backup QB
6: SLB
7: TE

Let's see yours.

 

[richig07]

I might flip-flop CB and Safety in that order of what we take. Possibly DT and interior O-line too.

However, I'd say that's pretty accurate.

 

[anotheridiot]

First pick is just too early for a safety.

1.I still need depth at DT, Jernigan or Donald if Gilbert is gone by 14, otherwise Gilbert in the first
2.If Nix III falls to 19th in the second, you jump on him there, otherwise, I would still take Easley DT
3. safety or CB
4. OG, I expect Long to go to tackle in 2015
5. QB or TE
6 QB or TE, whichever you didnt take in the 5th
7. best athlete available.

 

[leomaz]

The first pick is not too early for safety if you want a chance at a good one....our luck hasn't worked with picking a safety in the latter rounds. We still need a punter and a long snapper........those are major needs as well but not from the draft

 

[dcenate050]

gonna need every pick to be defense to slow down aaron rodgers and lacy.

 

[nebearsfan70]

I might flip-flop CB and Safety in that order of what we take. Possibly DT and interior O-line too.

However, I'd say that's pretty accurate.

Yeah I agree with you, Rich. They need to get a Safety first, the CB, then DT.

 

[63bears40]

Hoping Pryor ( safety) or Gilbert (cb) are still there @ 14.
Really want the BPA . I think a serviceable DT could be had in the later rds.
But if a DT is the BPA @14 you scoop him up.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

yes, taking a safety at #14 IS too high usually. Safety is generally the easiest position to play talent-wise ( more people can play safety than, say, DE, NT, CB, etc.), it is the least important to the sucess of the defense, and for those basic reasons it is the lowest paid position on the defense. Yes all positions matter. But some matter more than others.

Safeties rarely get taken high in the first, and many years have gone without 1st round safeties entirely. In 2012 the first safety taken was at 48. The only safeties that get taken high are those truly special players..when you KNOW they are special, Hall of Fame grade guys. Last year they said that about Vacarro, he got taken 15th, and sure enough he is very, very awesome so far. Eric Berry another one taken high. But they are very, very rare. A lot of the best safeties in the league right now (Ward, Byrd, etc.) got taken after the first. There are more later round starting safeties in the NFL than first rounders, and without checking the stats I'd bet that's the only position on the defense that's true for.

I haven't heard anyone talk of Clinton-Nix in those epic terms. I've heard he's a very good talent, but at least in my circles, no Vaccarro or Berry types. Maybe you've heard otherwise. Yes, we need a safety, but if we draft a safety at 14, I will seriously blow an entire fusebox. If we trade down later in the first, fine, I can live with that, but 14 is a great pick, we may have the very best available to us at the more special, important, rarer-talent positions, and if we draft a safety instead, it will be a giant fucking mistake.

 

[richig07]

yes, taking a safety at #14 IS too high usually. Safety is generally the easiest position to play talent-wise ( more people can play safety than, say, DE, NT, CB, etc.), it is the least important to the sucess of the defense, and for those basic reasons it is the lowest paid position on the defense. Yes all positions matter. But some matter more than others.

Safeties rarely get taken high in the first, and many years have gone without 1st round safeties entirely. In 2012 the first safety taken was at 48. The only safeties that get taken high are those truly special players..when you KNOW they are special, Hall of Fame grade guys. Last year they said that about Vacarro, he got taken 15th, and sure enough he is very, very awesome so far. Eric Berry another one taken high. But they are very, very rare. A lot of the best safeties in the league right now (Ward, Byrd, etc.) got taken after the first. There are more later round starting safeties in the NFL than first rounders, and without checking the stats I'd bet that's the only position on the defense that's true for.

I haven't heard anyone talk of Clinton-Nix in those epic terms. I've heard he's a very good talent, but at least in my circles, no Vaccarro or Berry types. Maybe you've heard otherwise. Yes, we need a safety, but if we draft a safety at 14, I will seriously blow an entire fusebox. If we trade down later in the first, fine, I can live with that, but 14 is a great pick, we may have the very best available to us at the more special, important, rarer-talent positions, and if we draft a safety instead, it will be a giant fucking mistake.

Fair enough.

 

[63bears40]

yes, taking a safety at #14 IS too high usually. Safety is generally the easiest position to play talent-wise ( more people can play safety than, say, DE, NT, CB, etc.), it is the least important to the sucess of the defense, and for those basic reasons it is the lowest paid position on the defense. Yes all positions matter. But some matter more than others.

Safeties rarely get taken high in the first, and many years have gone without 1st round safeties entirely. In 2012 the first safety taken was at 48. The only safeties that get taken high are those truly special players..when you KNOW they are special, Hall of Fame grade guys. Last year they said that about Vacarro, he got taken 15th, and sure enough he is very, very awesome so far. Eric Berry another one taken high. But they are very, very rare. A lot of the best safeties in the league right now (Ward, Byrd, etc.) got taken after the first. There are more later round starting safeties in the NFL than first rounders, and without checking the stats I'd bet that's the only position on the defense that's true for.

I haven't heard anyone talk of Clinton-Nix in those epic terms. I've heard he's a very good talent, but at least in my circles, no Vaccarro or Berry types. Maybe you've heard otherwise. Yes, we need a safety, but if we draft a safety at 14, I will seriously blow an entire fusebox. If we trade down later in the first, fine, I can live with that, but 14 is a great pick, we may have the very best available to us at the more special, important, rarer-talent positions, and if we draft a safety instead, it will be a giant fucking mistake.

That's your opinion. We need a free safety that can actually play the game. According to Matt Bowen. There are 3 safeties who warrant 1rst picks . We're picking in the middle of the rd. So taking a safety @ 14 wouldn't make it that much of reach. Pryor if available would give us a Brian Urlacher presence @ the safety position.
Think about it. And that a safety is still a bad choice.

 

[anotheridiot]

I haven't heard anyone talk of Clinton-Nix in those epic terms. I've heard he's a very good talent, but at least in my circles, no Vaccarro or Berry types. Maybe you've heard otherwise. Yes, we need a safety, but if we draft a safety at 14, I will seriously blow an entire fusebox. If we trade down later in the first, fine, I can live with that, but 14 is a great pick, we may have the very best available to us at the more special, important, rarer-talent positions, and if we draft a safety instead, it will be a giant fucking mistake.

Me neither, Clinton-Nix is widely known as the best safety in the draft, but thats like calling a basketball player the best center in the leage when there are three name centers left on 30 teams. The risk is just too great of getting another poor safety taken too early and Emery needs wins every year now.

I just go back to two and three years ago, Wright and Conte were the best young tandem in the league. Somehow they just got stupid is not the answer. The front 7 grossly under performed. Yes, you fixed it, with a couple young players like young and a couple older players like Allen and Ratliff. We have Marshall and Jeffrey to keep under contract, you need to draft the guys that are gonna replace the older players. I think we have enough competition with Shea, Bostic and Greene to replace Briggs. You need that three players ready to replace defensive linemen.

If we go safety in the first round, the risk is trading down to the 20-23 range, pick up another second or third and take the Jimmie Ward kid from Northern IL.

 

[leomaz]

No on the Jimme Ward kid in the first rd. Ithas bust written all over it

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

I just go back to two and three years ago, Wright and Conte were the best young tandem in the league. Somehow they just got stupid is not the answer. The front 7 grossly under performed.

Although I think "best young tandem in the league" is stretching it, I'm basically with you, I think the safety play was more a reflection of the collapse of the front 7 (plus the atrocious play of Bowman) than a sudden fall-off in play. If you ask your safeties to cover up for every single weakness in the defense, it will drive them crazy, because they need to go in too many directions. If the Bears had two All-Pros at safety last year, the Bears defense still would have sucked.

That being said, I don't think either of them were great. When Major Wright, who as the strong safety is the safety with primary run stopping responsibilities, is blowing tackles right and left, that's squarely on him. There's absolutely nothing about Chris Conte that inspires me to believe that we can't upgrade from him either. We can use an upgrade at either safety spot, and no doubt at least one if not two draft picks are going there. I just hope it's not #14.

 

[NCChiFan]

I may be way off base here, because of the Idonja signing and some folks thinking that Houston will play the 3 tech, but I don't see it. I still feel we need to draft a 3 tech. I see Houston at starting LE, Allen at starting RE with Young & Bass rotating between them. That leaves Idonje, Collins, Ratliff & Paea at the tackle spots. We still need DT's.


For me, the only thing the Allen signing eliminates is a Tuitt or a Ealy. I think everything else is as it was.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

I may be way off base here, because of the Idonja signing and some folks thinking that Houston will play the 3 tech, but I don't see it. I still feel we need to draft a 3 tech. I see Houston at starting LE, Allen at starting RE with Young & Bass rotating between them. That leaves Idonje, Collins, Ratliff & Paea at the tackle spots. We still need DT's.


For me, the only thing the Allen signing eliminates is a Tuitt or a Ealy. I think everything else is as it was.

Oh, we may well draft another DT, I agree. I wouldn't rule it out, not even at #14. But I do think the need is somewhat lessened now. Even if Houston never plays a snap at DT (unlikely), in theory we could get by with Ratliff and Paea as the DTs. Sitting here today, here is what I think the Bears are going to do:

Base defense on 1st and mid-yardage 2nds:
LE: Houston
DT: Ratliff
DT: Paea
RE: Allen

2nd/3rd run-distance downs:
LE: Houston
DT: Ratliff
DT: Paea
RE: Allen/Young

Long yardage 2nds and 3rds:
LE: Young or Shea
DT: Houston
DT: Ratliff
RE: Allen

Idonije and Collins and other misc used sometimes as relief.

Your interior rush on passing downs can easily come from Houston (backup Idonije) sliding inside. Plus, if there's a solid outside rush on both sides, your NEED to generate interior rush goes down, particularly if you aren't in Tampa 2.

Yeah, I expect we will still draft a DT, and possibly in the first, but the importance has declined somewhat. It will be interesting to see what Emery decides to do.

 

[nebearsfan70]

I think the Bears draft a DT, but it will be in the later rounds. I still believe they will take a DB first round...

 

[NCChiFan]

I think the Bears draft a DT, but it will be in the later rounds. I still believe they will take a DB first round...

Hard to argue with this sentiment. I sure feel a lot better about a DB in the first round now, than I did before the Allen signing.

 

[wood20ks]

OK, so we have a much better picture of how the roster is looking going into the draft. I think it's pretty safe to say we are done with major free agency moves (watch this statement bite me in the ass).

So I thought I'd start a new draft thread since we now have a better idea. I'd say the team has the following needs:

Major needs: CB, S, SLB, DT, interior O lineman
Minor needs: TE, RB, backup QB

Of those positions, from what I have heard this draft class is deep in CB and interior linemen. Now that we have presumably solved some of our D line problems, there's less pressure on an all-defense draft like it appeared a few weeks ago. So here is a total wild ass guess about who gets taken and in which round, assuming no trades.

1: CB
2: safety
3: interior O linemen
4: DT
5: backup QB
6: SLB
7: TE

Let's see yours.

I think we go bpa on defense 1st rd. and o-lineman 2nd rd..........Rest of the draft,I don`t know much about any of the other players to give a hoot.
I just read about the top players at each position.

 

[NCChiFan]

I think we go bpa on defense 1st rd. and o-lineman 2nd rd..........Rest of the draft,I don`t know much about any of the other players to give a hoot.
I just read about the top players at each position.

Really? Slauson got a big contract, we are tied into Bushrod for the next few, Long was a ProBowler and Mills did quite well as a rookie... You thinking a Center for Garza? I could go with that idea but was thinking later rounds.

 

[anotheridiot]

Boggs is ready for center, guy hasnt even played and people want him replaced.