The draft is approaching, and many people are confident in their opinions about prospects. Those opinions, however, sometimes disagree.

I am not a fan of box score scouting a college prospect. I am not impressed by a receiver putting up a hundred yards a game if those games are against mid-tier teams, but I do want to see how he played against teams where he was on a level playing field against other top prospects. I also do not care very much about the NFL Combine. There’s some limited data that shows that 40-time (or alternately the three-cone drill) is a decent proxy for baseline athleticism, and success in some positions seems to correspond well with the vertical jump, but I’m not worried about bench presses nor do I care about hand size. I’ll check to see if those two scores are decent (or occasionally eye-popping) and then I’ll just start watching the kid play.

Once upon a time, I spent hours and hours from January through March going over the video available on college prospects, more or less looking to confirm or disprove impressions I had picked up by watching what was probably too much college football. As time went on, I had less time to spend on this, and I needed a way to focus my “tape watching” habits. This gave rise to what I called my Confidence Board, based on the fact that if I had a Top 10 impression of a guy and eight or nine other big boards (or positional boards) said the same, then I could be confident in my impression. By contrast, if someone had scores all up and down the boards, then I wanted to be sure to watch the guy play myself so that I could see why there was such a variation in opinions.

This time, I gathered boards from Pro Football Network (February 17th), Pro Football Focus (Match 6th), Bleacher Report (March 9th), DraftTek (March 20th), Walter Football (March 22nd), CBS Sports (March 25th), and ESPN Best Available (March 25th). I only use public boards because I like to be able to share my raw data. I never personally use Daniel Jeremiah because his board usually only goes to 50 and also because for a little run there, he would give me twice as many running backs and quarterbacks in his Top 50 as I got on anyone else’s Top 100 and it got old, fast (a few times I would include him just as a nod to his fans in the comments).

Unquestioned Blue Chips

These are the 8 players who are in the Top 20 on all seven boards. While there is no such thing as a sure thing in football, these are probably the closest players available to a “safe bet” unless there are lurking concerns behind the scenes.

Nothing to say here, except that this is obviously some major football talent. For me, personally, Joey Porter is the third-best corner in this draft. However, he benefits from not having any major critics. Will Anderson is clearly one of the top players in the 2023 NFL Draft, and quarterbacks always get mentioned early and often.

Blue Chips with Asterisks

These are the players who still average being placed in the Top 20, but who have at least a few detractors, relatively speaking.

The fact that we are now at 18 players who average a score in the Top 20 begins to explain a lot about the draft process already. It’s one thing to say that a team should take the “best player available”, but it’s another to see that even the so-called experts can’t even really agree on the tiers some of these players belong in, and that’s without even including two of the most important considerations–whether or not the player in question clears medical checks and character evaluations–as well as whether or not the player is even a fit within the system that will be played.

Some of these players, like Bijan Robinson, are likely getting knocked down because of position; some are also being judged by things as simple as a measuring tape, like Peter Skoronski.

Possibly Blue

These are the players who are Blue Chip (or Top 20) on at least one board. By now, there are some pretty wild fluctuations.

I’d be tempted to dismiss many of the idiosyncrasies as being the fault of WalterFootball, but players like Nolan Smith have squirrely ratings from all over, with two scores in the Top 15 and two out of the Top 50.

Squirrels and Nuts

Which board produces the most outliers? Obviously, once we get toward the end of the Top 100, things get even more difficult to sort out. However, among the Top 50 composite-ranked prospects where there was more than a 2-rank, the two most likely to provide the outlier score were Pro Football Network with 16 outliers (13 of those were much lower-ranked than the average) and Pro Football Focus with 12 (10 of those were much lower-ranked than the average). Meanwhile, CBS, DraftTek, and ESPN all had no more than two outliers in this group.

Finally, for anyone who just wants to see the raw data in a semiorganized format, here is a link. I noted when the source was updated, and any player outside of the Top 100 was normalized to 101.

Check out this exclusive interview we did with offensive tackle prospect Jake Witt.

Northern Michigan’s Jake Witt has had the internet buzzing since working out at Central Michigan’s pro day on March 15. The basketball player turned tight end turned offensive tackle is still honing his technique, but NFL Scouts are fully aware of Witt's potential.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler just wrote a fantastic article about the athletic 6’7”, 302-pounder, and now our own Mason West had a chance to talk with Witt about his interesting path to the NFL Draft.

Witt told us that the Chicago Bears were one of the first teams to reach out to him, well before his explosive pro day, and that he spoke with general manager Ryan Poles.

You can check out the video version of our exclusive interview on our 2nd City Gridiron channel here.

And the audio version can be found on the WCG podcast channel here.

2nd City Gridiron is the video home for all the WCG content creators, so hit the link to subscribe and help us grow that brand!

The WCG Podcast Channel is available anywhere you get your Podcasts, including platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Audacy, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Podbean, Audible, TuneIn, and many more, so be sure you subscribe wherever you get your audio!

The Bears signed two running backs in free agency and both bring some skills to Chicago's running back room.

A season ago, the Chicago Bears got 2,064 yards from scrimmage from their stable of running backs, but their most versatile back is now wearing the Honolulu Blue of the division rival Detroit Lions. With David Montgomery off to Motown, the Bears signed 26-year-old D'onta Foreman coming off a career-best 940 yards from scrimmage.

The big difference between Montgomery's and Forman's play is D-Mo had 34 receptions for 316 yards, while D'Onta caught five for 26.

Foreman, while a good pass blocker, hasn't been asked to be an integral part of the passing game in any of his previous three stops, but it's an opportunity he relishes in Chicago.

"And also, what people don't give me credit for because I haven't been able to show it a lot with the teams I've been on is how well I can catch the ball and what I can do in the backfield as far as being a receiver," Foreman said in a recent interview with CHGO. "That's something that I really want to showcase. I'm looking forward to it, man. Being here, if I get that opportunity, it'll take my game to a different level."

The USA Today’s Doug Farrar ran some numbers for Foreman last year that paint an interesting picture of his effectiveness.

Comparing D’Onta Foreman and Nick Chubb, Weeks 7-18.

Foreman: 191 carries for 876 yards, five touchdowns, 32 missed tackles forced, 12 carries of 15 or more yards.

Chubb: 192 carries for 876 yards, five touchdowns, 41 missed tackles forced, 12 carries of 15 or more yards.

His 2022 season proved he could run at the same level as the best backs in the NFL, so if Chicago can unlock his receiving skills, the Bears may have a steal at just $3 million for 2023.

Contributing in the passing game is something the returning Khalil Herbert hasn't done much of either. In 2022 he had nine catches for 57 yards, and his struggles as a pass blocker could be a reason he wasn't on the field as much on passing downs. It's also likely why he didn't simply slide into the RB1 role with Montgomery's departure.

Foreman (6', 235 pounds) and Herbert (5'9", 212) should be in line for the bulk of the carries with the Bears, and that's a good thing because this tandem was among the league leaders in rushing yards over expected.

Herbert may never be a plus pass blocker, but even minimal improvement in this aspect could increase his playing time, and with his big play potential, that's a good thing.

But there's a third tailback that could be looking for playing time, and while his signing could be looked at as a way to bolster the special teams, he's also ready to step in and show there's more to his game. Travis Homer (5'10", 202) didn't get a lot of offensive playing time with the Seahawks, but head coach Pete Carroll trusted him in one respect.

Homer is an accomplished pass blocker and an underrated receiver with 32 receptions and 318 yards in the last two seasons while playing just 346 snaps on offense. Much of his playing time came in the two-minute drill and in obvious passing situations.

The 24-year-old may carve out a role as Chicago's third-down back, and in case you didn't know, he was compared to Austin Ekeler when he was coming out of Miami in 2019. That may seem like an unrealistic comparison now, but in 2018 Ekeler wasn't considered one of the most prolific pass-catching backs in the league yet.

Chicago also has second-year pro Trestan Ebner and fullback Khari Blasingame on the roster, but that won't stop them from adding another running back if there's one high on their board in the draft or if there's one they like as an undrafted free agent.

What are you expecting from Chicago's stable of running backs in 2023?

We are now a month(ish) away from the NFL draft. The question is offensive or defensive line, or someone else?

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

NFL mock draft: Jalen Carter to Bears with No. 9 overall pick - NBC Sports Chicago - Jalen Carter is still one of the most talented players in the 2023 NFL Draft class, and Ryan Poles picks him to beef up the Bears defensive line.

Bears’ Justin Fields wants to improve situational football, per report - NBC Sports Chicago - Justin Fields showed the Bears enough to lead the team moving forward, but he’s far from a finished product at quarterback.

Bears’ Matt Eberflus among favorites to win Coach of the Year award - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears and Justin Fields would need to improve significantly for Matt Eberflus to win the prestigious NFL award.

Panthers’ moves hurt Bears’ best-case scenario for trade return - NBC Sports Chicago - When trading the No. 1 pick to the Panthers, Ryan Poles placed a bet against Carolina in 2023. It was a smart move, but the Panthers’ offseason additions have dampened the Bears’ long-term outlook for that blockbuster trade.

Questions remain for Bears as NFL kicks off annual meeting - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears are in a different place, with different expectations, than they were at last year’s annual league meeting.

Bears GM Ryan Poles weighs risk, reward of trading down to No. 9 in draft - Chicago Sun-Times - Poles led a strong Bears delegation to scout Alabama’s pro day, but the Crimson Tide’s two biggest stars are out of his reach after trading the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers.

Ryan Poles in no rush to upgrade Bears’ defensive line - Chicago Sun-Times - After passing on the best available linemen in free agency and moving out of Will Anderson territory in the draft, the Bears might not get a marquee player to fill one of their biggest needs — their NFL-worst pass rush — unless they get a chance to roll the dice on Georgia standout DT Jalen Carter.

CHGO Bears Podcast: Chicago Bears 2023 mock draft: Predicting Ryan Poles’ picks after free agency - CHGO - Dive into our post-free agency Chicago Bears mock draft, analyzing potential picks, team -needs, and predicting rookies GM Ryan Poles could select in the draft.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Robert Saleh: Aaron Rodgers’s interest shows how far Jets have come - ProFootballTalk - “Two years ago when we first got there, just thinking about where we were and how far we’ve come, to have a guy like him want to play for us is pretty cool and shows how far we’ve come,” Saleh said.

INFANTE DRAFT GUIDE

WCG’s lead draft analyst Jacob Infante’s 2023 NFL Draft guide is out now on his Patreon! Make sure to subscribe if you haven’t already. For just $1 a month, you’ll get access to his entire big board, a 7-round mock draft for each team, in-depth scouting reports, player comparisons and more exclusive content! Ken’s Note: Denmaster Ken recommended!

POLISH SAUSAGE

As broadcasting patterns shift, potential antitrust liability looms for the NFL - ProFootballTalk - For the most part, the NFL sails through clear, open waters. But there’s an iceberg out there, whether the league is worried about it or not.

Dave Ziegler "confident" Jimmy Garoppolo will improve the Raiders - ProFootballTalk - “Simply put: Proven leader, proven winner,” Ziegler told Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com.

Bills continue to balance getting the most out of Josh Allen with protecting him - ProFootballTalk - The Bills continue to try to strike that balance, five years into Allen’s career.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Schmitz' Building the Chicago Bears Draft Board: Let’s talk about Running Backs - Windy City Gridiron - Our Chicago Bears’ Building the Board scouts look at their first group of linebackers right here.

Fan Driven NFL Mock Draft: Participate Now! - Windy City Gridiron - This week have a chance to help play out a mock draft!

Infante's 2023 NFL Draft interview: Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker - Windy City Gridiron - WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst speaks with the veteran leader of Cincinnati’s offense.

Duerrwaechter: Loading up the Armory - Checking out the Bears’ Upgraded Arsenal on Offense - Windy City Gridiron - The amount of weaponry available to Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears’ offense for 2022 amounted to having a peashooter. In 2023, that arsenal is much more substantial, and potentially going nuclear.

Householder: 2023 Chicago Bears initial win total released - Windy City Gridiron - DraftKings Sportsbook dropped their initial win totals for NFL teams today. Let’s see where the Bears land

Wiltfong: 2023 NFL Free Agency - Biggest Winner and Biggest Loser - Windy City Gridiron - The people have spoken!

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THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder, Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Making Monsters with Taylor Doll and Dylan Ryan, Bear Bones from Dr. Mason West and Danny Meehan, Bear & Balanced from Jeff and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., and T Formation Conversation from Lester; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert is another fun one.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Jack R Salo; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Robert Schmitz; T.J. Starman; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; 2nd City Gridiron; Like WCG on Facebook; Like 2nd City Gridiron on Facebook.

Our Chicago Bears’ Building the Board scouts look at their first group of linebackers right here.

The Chicago Bears may have added three veteran linebackers during free agency, T.J Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and Dylan Cole, but don’t rule out the possibility that they’ll look at the draft for another at some point. Chicago’s current depth and the value of the position will no doubt affect how they stack their board, but they had seven linebackers on their 53-man roster at times in 2022, so they obviously want options at the position. Backup linebackers are core special teamers, and the Bears need players to man the third phase too.

For several months now, the WCG crew has been working hard on a simple idea: building a Chicago Bears draft board in an attempt to create as authentic a list as possible while tailoring it specifically to one team (rather than the scheme-free evaluations that are so common around the internet).

We’ve been scouting the players available in the 2023 NFL Draft, and we’ll continue to do so, with the end game being a fully-fledged Draft Board. Today we talk through our next batch of player grades — specifically, these linebackers:

Remember, this list isn’t in order of quality/ranking! Simply order of appearance!

Our initial Draft Board (1.0) will be on a Google Document that we’ll share here as soon as it’s done, and keep your eyes peeled over the next few weeks — we’ll be adding players to it in batches of 10 as we try to show the process of how draft boards shuffle week-by-week.

We’re excited! We want to hear your thoughts — do you agree with today’s grades? Do you disagree? Let us know!

Video version here:

The podcast version is available here:

And in case you missed the original introduction video for Building the Board, check it out below for an overview of the project!

This week have a chance to help play out a mock draft!

The hot period of free agency is winding down and we are now entering that mini-lull until the NFL Draft talk really heats up.

With the Chicago Bears sitting on the ninth pick, what they do with that pick will be determined by what the eight teams do in front of them. Here’s your chance to help get a glimpse as to how those picks may unfold.

Follow me, Bill Zimmerman on Twitter, (or just go to the link each time if you loathe my content) and check in each day as we unfold a pick or two and build up to the Bears selection at nine.

Early returns have CJ Stroud going first to the Panthers.

We’ll make it possible for teams to trade back, it should be fun. We will mock this at least to the ninth pick and see where else we can go with this, but that’s up to your participation.

Let’s have some fun and see what lays ahead for the Bears with the ninth pick!

WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst speaks with the veteran leader of Cincinnati’s offense.

An experienced veteran of Cincinnati’s offense in 2022 and one of the top kick returners in the nation, Bearcats wide receiver Tre Tucker understands the importance of being a team player.

Tucker is a speedy receiver who’s done some serious damage against AAC secondaries, especially out of the slot. He’s looking to carry the momentum he picked up over an illustrious collegiate career into a strong career in the NFL.

Windy City Gridiron spoke with Tucker about the Senior Bowl, his friendship with teammate and fellow wide receiver Tyler Scott, what it meant to be the first Group of 5 team to make the college football playoff, and more.

JI: You were a part of some special Cincinnati teams. What was your favorite moment from your time there?

TT: I’d say just the whole entire thing, just because of the brotherhood that we built there. It’s special. I got to be around some tremendous guys, the staff was tremendous, Coach [Luke] Fickell, and our staff was just amazing. There’s no moment, like the wins and losses. Those are great, obviously the Cotton Bowl or playing in the playoffs, [but] I think, the end of the day, the people I got to play with there made it special.

JI: What did it mean to you to be able to be the first team outside of the Power 5 to make it to the college football playoff?

TT: It means everything. Right now, it’s weird, because we talk about it all the time with some of the guys: we don’t really know how special it is until a few years later. A few years from now, we’ll really see, but I think we know that we did something that’s never been done. I think that’s just kind of our mentality at Cincinnati. We weren’t really looking like, “hey, let’s win the whole thing”. Obviously, we didn’t. It was more of like for us, we looked at the Grand Prize, that our biggest day in our program was just winning championships, in our conference. Do that, that’ll set us up to what we wanted to do, and that’s what we did, and we ended up in the College Football Playoff. I think about three, four years from now — with the new format that they created, obviously, they’re in the Big 12 now — but I think we’ll really realize that, “wow, we were the team that did that. There’s only gonna be one team”.

JI: You and Tyler Scott have known each other since you guys were kids, and now you’re exiting Cincinnati at the same time and entering the NFL Draft. What does it mean to be going through this process with him?

TT: I think it means everything, honestly. I’m not just saying that because he’s like my brother, but I think it means everything. He’s always been like my little brother. I’m the youngest of 12 siblings, I’m the youngest, so [with] him, it’s kind of like, “oh, well, that’s my little brother”, so it’s great. It’s unreal. There’s just no way [you] would have told us, “you guys are going to play with each other in college, then start next to each other, and then enter the draft together, you know what I mean? It’s unreal, but I know it’s for a reason. Like I said, there’s no one I’d rather ever do it with other than him. It’s just amazing.

JI: I asked Tyler the same question, so I’m gonna ask you: what would it mean for you two to somehow get drafted by the same NFL team?

TT: If we got drafted by the same team. I mean, I just want to let you know: if a team did that, they’re gonna get two studs. You’re gonna have two guys in your locker room that are just one person. It’s like a two for one. I can’t even put into words how crazy and how great that would be. I don’t have words for it.

JI: He mentioned you guys are so in sync with each other and know how to motivate each other, which brings out the best in both of you.

TT: Yeah, 100%. The thing about us is, if you look at us, our numbers are very similar in everything. I mean, it’s weird. We lift the same, we run the same — I’m the faster one (laughs), but everything we do, we’re very close. I think you’re right: he hit it on the stone. I know what he responds to, because for me, now I can know what I respond to. Maybe we’re lifting together, and I’m like, “hey, bro...” He’ll do some different, but I do something different, but I can also compete, like “hey, look, I’m doing it this way. I know you’re doing that, but listen.” He’s going hard and [gets] his weight goes up. Me and him, it’s weird. It’s an ongoing competition, every day. We have some more competing, but it’s silent. It’s not screaming like, it’s like we never like it’s funny because people as a human media, we don’t bet you don’t even it’s understood like okay, well, someone has to win. It’s got to be near you. So yes, it brings the best out both of us.

JI: A lot of people in the Bearcat programs have touted you as a leader in the locker room. Can you speak to how you’ve grown as a leader and what traits you think make a good leader?

TT: In my life, I’ve always strived to be an alpha. I think it’s just that, but I’ve always been a person, like I said, an alpha leader and a leader, not a follower. I grew up with people who weren’t doing the greatest things, and I’m just like, “well, that’s not good for me. I’m not gonna do it.” I’d rather people go, “hey, what you doing? Oh, you know what I do?” Because let me tell you: peer pressure is a real thing. I think that’s how it always separated with me, and then I think people started to gravitate towards me, because the [demeanor], that attracts people. People can feel it. For me, it’s personally something that’s built over time, how I carry myself. When I got into college, you’re going in with guys like Desmond Ridder, Myjai Sanders, guys who were leaders, obviously, with the program, but they had to pave their way, as well. [In] a great program, you don’t come in and be a leader. You have to understand there’s leaders there. That’s a great national program. I don’t know what it’s like, but I know if your program has sporadic leaders — because it could — but I know, from my experience, our leaders were our older people, because that’s just how the system was built. So for me, obviously, I got elected as team captain, and that was probably my greatest honor, because, the team votes on it. It shows, over time, I’ve always done the right thing, but not just doing the right thing on the field, [but] off the field. I wasn’t a big partier. I’m not a drinker and smoker, so just being a good example to look at when guys need it, because I know there’s times where like, “oh, man, well, everyone else doing it. I might as well do it. Well, hey, wait. Tre’s not doing it, and that’s our leader.” It could be a good example.

JI: What was it like to take part in both the Senior Bowl and the Combine?

TT: it’s a blessing, honestly. I grew up, I could remember the first time I saw the Senior Bowl on TV, I was like, “oh, wow, it’s the best players in the country. I want to play in that.” As I got older, I’m like, “oh, man, that’s a tough game to get to. I got to really go,” and then the Combine is even [more] amplified. Everyone knows about the NFL Combine. That’s the staple of it all, because everyone’s there: every prospect, whether junior or senior, however old you are, everyone’s there, whereas the Senior Bowl is 100 people, your top 100 senior guys or whatever. It was just tremendous when I got my Senior Bowl [invitation], and I didn’t even know so was there for a while. Our coaches, they don’t tell the guys. [They want us] to stay focused during the season, which is good, but I didn’t know. I’ll never forget how I found out: my coaches were leaving [for Wisconsin], they’re all, “hey, come on to the office”. We got to talk to a little bit, so they gave my invite, but they’re all leaving, so it’s like you couldn’t really celebrate it with them, but we’re celebrating now. The Combine, I remember when [the invitation] hit my phone. I couldn’t believe it. It was December 30, and I can remember the date, and I was just like, “this is something that I’ve dreamed of”. Being able to participate in it, being one of those selected 319 people being there…and I think someone said at the Combine: 319 people get selected, but I bet [if] they had an urge to call 90 people, they show up that same day that they’d be ready to go the same day. It’s a blessing and honor.

JI: Were you satisfied with your Combine performance?

TT: I’m a high-level competitor. I’m gonna go in anything, show them like, “hey, I’m gonna do my best”. At the end of the Combine, I could have done better. I think I did well overall, but I’d say on the 40, I messed up a little bit. I haven’t ran 4.4 since high school, even though that’s blazing. I’ve been clocked at some bizarre times, so I’m going to correct that at the Pro Day. Other than that, I feel like I did well in the drills. I’m really excited to even improve on that even more, and even show off my shuttles and three cones and all that stuff, too, because it’s another one of my strengths. Overall, man, I think I did well. I don’t think people understand the Combine’s designed for you to not do well. That’s the point of it: who can prosper in an environment like that? It’s tough all week, which personally, I love it. It’s good. You pick the guys you want out of that who could thrive when the times get tough, because that turns into a game.

JI: You beat Tyler in the 40-yard dash by 0.04 seconds. Did you talk a little trash about that to him?

TT: I think we’re pretty upset about how that transpired, but he knows who the faster one is. Even at Cincinnati, I always said, if we raced 10 times, I’d win 9. [I wouldn’t win] 10 out of 10. I’ll get tired eventually. It’s kind of a thing where he’s trying to get me, so I had to uphold that. And look, if I would have ran a 4.62, and he ran a 4.63, a win’s a win. For him, I know, we both were really disappointed about [our 40s], so we weren’t really ecstatic about it. So We’ll compete with that again at this Pro Day (Editor’s note: Since this interview took place, Tucker re-ran his 40-yard dash and finished at 4.32).

JI: How do you spend your free time outside of football?

TT: I’m a big relaxer, so I like to watch Netflix shows. I’m gonna do a lot of weird shows like Manifest and The 100. I love to catch up on my shows. I’m so busy, flying here, training here. going to this place. It’s so crazy that the Senior Bowl and the Combine put together, that’s two and a half weeks. I mean, that’s half a month, in two different states while you’re trying to do training. My thing is, “hey, if you work hard enough, you should have this feeling”. At the end of the day, I like sightseeing. I like going out — not going out to clubs, bars — but going out, maybe seeing somewhere I haven’t seen, seeing historic buildings. I’m a history guy. I’m in Kentucky right now. Obviously, I went to school in Cincinnati, so Kentucky is only a few minutes away, but just the history of it like the Ohio River, things like that.

JI: Those shows you mentioned, what kinda genre are they in?

TT: I don’t like scary movies. I’m not a big scary movie guy.I think it’s more like sci-fi or thriller. I like the mystery. The 100, it’s about a group of like 100 kids who get sent space because the Earth blew up or something like that. Now, they get sent back down there to see if they can move on, and they just discover a bunch of different people survived. Obviously, Manifest is about a plane disappearing, so just stuff like that; I do like to be on my toes when I’m watching stuff.

JI: I’m almost done with Demon Slayer on Netflix, so I might have to take one of those up once I finish.

TT: Trust me. I think you’ll love it. I’m sure you’ve heard Outer Banks, too — that’s kind of common — but I like that show, as well.

JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?

TT: Football-wise, I think I’m very physical. No one’s going outphysical me. I’m very fast. I’m a football player. I’m tough, you know what I mean? I love the game. I’m very versatile. I can play anything. Outside of football, I’m a true definition of a leader. I value that. I don’t just lead when I’m on the field. Anyone can do that; that’s easy, but what do you when the coaches aren’t around? What are you like then; are you representing your organization, your team? I do that very well. I take pride in that, because I want to be that guy that people look at. I can make the right decision, not, “well, hey, everyone’s doing it, so I’m gonna do it”. I’m the biggest competitor. I don’t like to lose, whether it’s even card games. We could be competing, who can put wood on a truck the fastest. I just don’t like losing; that’s my biggest thing.

The amount of weaponry available to Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears’ offense for 2022 amounted to having a peashooter. In 2023, that arsenal is much more substantial, and potentially going nuclear.

Everyone covering and rooting for the Chicago Bears anticipated a significant amount of changes being made to their entire roster heading into the 2023 off-season. In my opinion, upgrading their weaponry around the quarterback is tied with beefing up the pass protection on offense in terms of importance. This matches the recent league-wide trend of paying much more of a premium for receivers and tight ends than in recent years.

There was no conceivable way to overlook the importance of having actual and dependable targets available to the quarterback within any modern concept on offense.

The Bears could not protect Justin Fields — nor did they supply him with enough ammunition — to make any passing game work in 2022. It was like fielding a howitzer without having the proper artillery crew or any large caliber shells available. The skilled position groups around Justin Fields were a complete mess, with the minor exception of running back.

Bets were made on small investments to suddenly pop once introduced into larger roles — looking right at Byron Pringle on this one. As with any cheap investment, you'll usually get cheap results in return. That type of nonsense could not continue.

Basically, I've broken enough tables over this topic to warrant consideration for admittance into Bills' Mafia. Early on during the 2023 free agency period, GM Ryan Poles has changed the landscape considerably between tight end, running back, and especially at wide receiver. There's also plenty of time left for even more improvements to arrive.

While the offensive line is still... offensive on paper, the amount of viable upgrades for the remaining positions are worthy of recognition. This is a monumental step forward for a team that is betting on Justin Fields to become the quarterback many feel he's capable of developing into — a quarterback who wasn't provided with a respectable inventory of weapons up until now.

The good times will keep on rolling here. When looking at some of the data, and statistics, my positive feelings are firmly reinforced. The potential return on investment is astronomical if everything pans out as planned.

You'll see why — starting with their biggest arrival in DJ Moore.

One young star receiver's arrival shall open up opportunities for everyone else to feast

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

I won't stop talking about this move for quite a while. And, yes, I do plan on getting a jersey once they're available and I'm done with all my training. So, of course, this will be the most in-depth portion of this article.

The Bears haven't seen a talented young receiver who possesses as much untapped potential as DJ Moore has in quite some time. One will say Allen Robinson's signing in 2018 is comparable, yet he was also coming off from a torn ACL. There are no yellow or red flags with the acquisition of DJ Moore.

It is incredibly easy to see the level of immediate impact this trade will present to the Bears on offense. Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus (PFF) brings up the following statistics to consider.

Granted, during the 2022 regular season, the actual sample size for Justin Fields was pretty small. He never had much of an opportunity to attack the intermediate routes consistently from week to week. That was due to two crippling factors on offense.

1. Lack of adequate pass protection
2. Lack of separation from his targets

Factor number two was the result of not having a player who can routinely settle in and attack the soft spots in coverage.

Darnell Mooney is a fantastic deep threat who can get vertical in a hurry. Chase Claypool is the freakishly big and athletic target who can compete for any layup. On paper, they complement each other rather well. It was unfortunate we got to see only a handful of games when Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney, and Justin Fields were together on the field at the same time. Chemistry is key for any growth to be realized.

The options aside from Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool were... well, non-existent. That's the nicest way for me to write that statement.

Mooney and Claypool were the only two wide receivers for the Bears who proved to be any semblance of a threat. To compound the issue, neither player has shown the capability of navigating through traffic in the intermediate range between 10 to 20 yards downfield. The corps as a unit ranked dead last in every statistical category for the 2022 season. A difference maker had to be found. The free agency market had no real options available.

Enter DJ Moore, stage right. In a trade that was brilliantly executed by Ryan Poles.

DJ Moore is that guy who can win their routes immediately from the snap of the ball. He's not simply fast in terms of straight-line speed (4.42 forty in the 2018 combine). His short-area quickness, intelligence, and explosiveness in his route running allows him to easily find himself and sit in the pockets within zone coverage. And you can forget about lining up in man coverage against him.

This is the kind of receiver Ryan Poles has been searching for quite a while now. A playmaker who can win his routes, gain separation, and bust brackets in coverage naturally with a combination of length, speed, and explosiveness. Since 2019 we've seen DJ Moore rack up over 4,413 receiving yards, which ranks 7th in the NFL amongst all receivers. He is also ranked 17th out of 84 receivers in yards per route run. All while dealing with a revolving door of quarterbacks and a lack of credible support within the receiving room in Charlotte.

It's not like this trade won't help DJ Moore out, either. Far from it.

Being paired with a young, strong-armed franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, who excels at attacking the intermediate range — when possible — will be a major boon for DJ Moore's career. This whole transaction reminds me a great deal of when Stefon Diggs was acquired by the Buffalo Bills from the Minnesota Vikings after his fifth year as a pro in 2020. Diggs finally got himself a chance to team up with a young, strong-armed franchise quarterback in Josh Allen. The results have spoken for themselves.

Here are the career numbers between DJ Moore and Stefon Diggs per Pro Football Reference.

(The * annotates a Pro Bowl Appearance and the + for First-Team All-Pros)

"Oh, but DJ Moore didn't have any All-Pros or Pro Bowls in his first five years. So he's not even a number one receiver." Okay, Genius, neither did Stefon Diggs. Look at how that move has turned out for him three years later. Stefon Diggs is one of the most dangerous receivers in the entire league when he has a real answer at quarterback launching him rockets downfield.

Did I mention how bad the quarterback situation in Carolina was for DJ Moore to begin with? It was severe enough to warrant the Panthers firing Matt Rhule into a black hole during the earliest stretch of the 2022 regular season. It made all the sense in the world for them to turn the dual-authentication launch keys with Chicago on this historic trade before free agency even began.

The timing between each trade for Moore and Diggs is close to being identical. That realization gives me goosebumps thinking about how much more dominant DJ Moore can still become while young and healthy. It's absurd the kind of damage he is capable of creating in the receiving game. In every aspect of offensive play design and schematics.

The best part about this trade is, unlike the aforementioned deal for Stefon Diggs, the Bears actually have a net gain of draft picks instead of the usual net loss in any deal featuring a young star receiver. For only their first overall pick — the ultimate lottery ticket for any team seeking their next franchise quarterback — the Bears gained DJ Moore, first-round picks, and second-round picks between 2023 and 2025. The inclusion of the star receiver was a mandate for any deal to be completed between Chicago and Carolina.

There was also no need to negotiate a new contract for DJ Moore. His current deal was done and dusted during the 2021 off-season, which saw the monetary value in contracts for receivers inflate to unreal levels. He's set to be with the Chicago Bears for at least the next three seasons on a relatively team-friendly deal.

In comparison, the Buffalo Bills surrendered their first, fifth, and sixth-round picks for 2020, along with a 2021 fourth-round pick for Stefon Diggs. That trade has resulted in a win/win for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills. I suspect the same can eventually happen for the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers.

His all-around ability as a top receiving option allows for Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool to be featured in more comfortable roles and concepts. Those of which highlight their strengths much better than what Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was forced to attempt in 2022. And then some.

Darnell Mooney had his best season when some attention was drawn away by Allen Robinson in 2021 while shifting between the slot and the perimeter as a "Z" type of receiver. Chase Claypool is at his best on the perimeter as a true "X" from what we've seen with the Pittsburgh Steelers and his brief time with the Chicago Bears. Claypool hasn't really been a productive option from the slot.

Moving into 2023, I fully expect DJ Moore to be the "F" or "flanker" to pair with Chase Claypool on the perimeter. From there, Darnell Mooney slides inside as the "Z" from the slot. We'll likely see some rotation between Mooney and Claypool, depending on matchups and personnel on defense. However, Moore is also relatively unstoppable when lining up from the slot. I can foresee plenty of looks where Mooney and Moore are stacked on the weak side of the formation.

With the pressure to be the primary threat off both Claypool and Mooney, they'll be able to win their one-on-one matchups more efficiently. And both those players have proven capable of being solid complimentary options to a featured receiver like DJ Moore. They will be able to move freely against coverage along with the weaponry at tight end — more on that later.

Luke Getsy really wanted to attack the intermediate routes more often during the passing game. Ditto for his quarterback in Justin Fields. They simply didn't have the right combination of players to properly layer the routes within the spacing concepts of any Shanahan-influenced offense. Between the primary trio of Moore, Claypool, and Mooney, they finally have the ability to create layers within the passing game. With more options likely on the way shortly.

Robert Tonyan is a serious red zone threat who complements Cole Kmet perfectly at tight end

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Fielding weaponry on offense should never be exclusive to upgrading the wide receiving corps. Tight ends play more of a role within the receiving game than ever before. The Bears have a decent and ascending player in Cole Kmet. He was also the only player they really had at the position.

Yet, he's more of a balanced in-line "Y" tight end as opposed to being a high-end threat in the receiving game. Landing a receiving specialist to compliment Cole Kmet, particularly when entering the red zone, was important. A most significant issue for Luke Getsy when he wanted to lineup in "12" personnel more often than not.

Robert Tonyan, the former Green Bay Packers tight end, solves this problem exceptionally well. He also knows the offense, so his transition will be seamless. All while being on such a small contract for a player of his talent level.

Few will forget the impressive year Robert had in 2020 as the latest receiver-turned-tight end to make a big jump in the pros. That season featured him scoring 11 touchdowns and generating 33 first downs per NFL.com's official resource center. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in 2021, which brought forth questions about his long-term outlook in Green Bay. He bounced back the following season in 2022 with a very solid performance as a featured option in the receiving game. Especially when targeted in the red zone.

Meanwhile, we've seen Cole Kmet slowly develop into one of the better young tight ends who can be featured on all three downs. A prominent theme in his career has been his viability as a threat in between the 20s on the field from north to south. Up until 2022 he never saw much of an opportunity, nor a lot of success, as a target in the red zone. I would attribute this both to the player and Matt Nagy's negligence prior to Luke Getsy's arrival as a play-caller.

The numbers for both players show almost a complete contrast between how each was used within their respective teams. It also paints the ideal picture for how both players will be used together in Chicago. Cole Kmet looks to be the featured player at tight end for all three downs. Robert Tonyan stands to be the red zone target and the “Joker” when paired with Cole Kmet on the field.

Remember when I mentioned how much damage Cole Kmet does when targeted between the 20s? Check out this capture below of his situational stats from 2022 on the NFL's official site.

Out of Cole's total of 544 yards, we see that 371 were generated between the Bears' own 21-yard line to the 50-yard mark. An additional 99 yards came from between the opponent's 49-yard line to just outside of the red zone. That leaves a remainder of 74 yards for everywhere else. He generated similar numbers during his 2021 campaign.

Now here is a screenshot for Robert Tonyan's situational stats for 2022.

What jumps out is the relative balance of his stats on both sides of the 50-yard line. In his best season (2020), he hauled in 27 out of his 52 total receptions on the opponent's side of the field. When looking at NFLSavant, he was the 2nd most targeted player in the red zone for Green Bay in both 2020 and 2022. Robert has usually feasted when given his chances to hit paydirt. For his career, he's averaged over 88% completion percentage on his targets.

That is a stark contrast to what we've seen in Chicago.

While Cole Kmet has technically been the most targeted player for the Bears during each of their past two seasons, the actual completion percentage has been at 65.57%. Per NFLsavant.com, Cole Kmet went 10-for-10 (100%) and scored 5 out of his 7 total touchdowns in the red zone for the 2022 season. His best mark prior to that was 7-for-13 (53.8%) in 2021 without a single touchdown. Hopefully, 2022 is a sign for things to come, as his first two seasons were less than optimal.

Where Cole Kmet holds the advantage is his ability to be a lead blocker in the wide-zone concepts on offense. It's not that Robert Tonyan can't do that himself; rather, he's that more valuable as a receiving threat. When the dirty work was needed, the Packers usually rotated Mercedes Lewis into the lineup. In comparison, Cole Kmet ranked as the 9th best run blocker among tight ends per PFF.

Luke Getsy comes with his own unique blend of experiences with various schemes on offense. The principles observed include influences from Joe Moorhead, Mike McCarthy, and of course, Matt LaFleur. All of them featured a healthy dose of "12" personnel in their respective play-calling strategies. The Bears finally have a pair of tight ends who make "12" personnel viable to use.

We will see a completely re-tooled running back rotation with more new faces expected soon

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

If things go well in 2023, we will not see the Bears approach anywhere near the top of the league with their running game. Not because they will be bad; instead, it won't be as necessary. There was absolutely no balance whatsoever last year.

Losing David Montgomery to the Detroit Lions is a sizeable loss for the Bears when considering his value as a true all-purpose back. Instead of opting for a one-for-one replacement in free agency, Ryan Poles has opted to initiate a committee between capable veterans in Khalil Herbert, D'Onta Foreman, and Travis Homer. There's also a very likely chance another back will be drafted in a few weeks.

This is the one skill position group that doesn't have a real upgrade in comparison to 2022. Not yet anyway.

On one hand, the Bears' decision with David Montgomery was forecasted by Khalil Herbert's emergence as a big threat in the running game. Herbert's 5.7 YPC average ranked him squarely as #1 in the league. Newly signed Bear D'Onta Foreman averaged 4.5 YPC, ranked 17th overall, and had an incredible year once Carolina finally leaned on him from week six onward. David Montgomery averaged 4.0 YPC and ranked considerably lower.

On the other hand... none of the backs in the Bears' stable stand to make any meaningful contribution to the receiving game. Travis Homer has flashed a little potential on occasion during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. His value in pass protection, though, far exceeds that of either Khalil Herbert — who really struggles in that department — or D'Onta Foreman. Travis Homer stands to be the primary guy — and a very good one at that — as their third down specialist. Yet another player in a specialized role, nonetheless.

David Montgomery was able to do everything as a dependable featured back for Chicago. That cannot be overstated. That is the one glaring weakness when considering the Bears' situation at running back. Having such specialized roles in any committee of backs makes any offense far too predictable in the long term. It also reduces the playbook options on the field depending on who's been sent out.

You can make the argument that D'Onta Foreman is a better fit in this offense as a runner than David Montgomery was last season. Foreman is larger, stronger, and much faster than Montgomery. Foreman's powerful and explosive one-cut style and ability to convert short yardage or any "to-go" situation into a successful play is crucial for this Bears offense.

When paired with Khalil Herbert, the tandem of Foreman and Herbert will be incredibly hard to stop. It's basically a knight in Justin Fields' dual-wielding maces of pain with the idea to physically beat defenses into submission. Oh, and Chicago's biggest running threat is also... Justin Fields. The quarterback run game will make a strong appearance in 2023, as we saw in 2022. It'll likely just be more carefully selected depending on in-game situations.

Again, none of the current options on their depth chart present much versatility. I'm beginning to doubt that Trestan Ebner — a 2022 Bears draft pick himself — is being seen by his own coaching staff as a viable option in their immediate or long-term plans. I also don't expect Ryan Poles to get into any real spending with running backs for the rest of the year. D'Onta Foreman is set to earn $3M and some change for the 2023 season.

Having a strong running game will be important for 2023, as their passing game will go through play-action and RPO concepts more often than not. They cannot afford to go overly one-dimensional again. Luckily, there are feasible options to be had in the near future, at least for completing their rebuild at running back.

The 2023 draft is incredibly deep when looking at potential three-down players at running back to build with for the long term. I'm sure some on here will be pissed if the Bears select such a back in the 2nd round. Depending on how the rest of free agency shapes up and what the board looks like on draft day, I won't be surprised or remotely upset. I do feel a day three pick is more likely, though. A player like Eric Gray in, say, the 4th round would make complete sense. Only time will tell what happens the rest of the way.

Finding that one complete three-down back to round out the stable in the backfield is an underrated need.

There's still plenty of work to be done — yet the Chicago Bears are definitively better with building Justin Fields' supporting cast

Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

It is worth mentioning that the next Annual League Owner's Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona is set to kick off shortly. A lot of times, additional free agent signings and even trade acquisitions get finalized during these meetings. Ryan Poles has repeatedly said he's not only aware of how much cash he has left to spend, he's been less than subtle about admitting he's waiting for the "right player" to become available. There might be big news coming down the pipeline shortly.

Even so, with all the focus within the trenches lately, the sheer amount of improvement in the skilled positional groups on offense is outstanding. Justin Fields needed weapons in the worst way possible. Through the combination of a major trade — DJ Moore — and a scattering of smaller deals throughout the roster, the Bears have achieved real success so far. This is also just the beginning of what will continue to be a busy off-season at 1920 Football Drive.

DraftKings Sportsbook dropped their initial win totals for NFL teams today. Let’s see where the Bears land

It’s a Saturday night in March and there’s basketball on the TV. What better time to talk about NFL team win totals than right now?

DraftKings Sportsbook released their initial win total amounts for NFL teams Saturday and that means an excuse to talk about gambling.

They set the Chicago Bears win total over/under for 2023 at 7.5.

That’s not bad for a team coming off a league-worst 3-14 record and held the No. 1 overall pick in the draft until a couple of weeks ago.

But with the trade adding draft picks and DJ Moore, plus free agent additions to the defense, suddenly the bookmakers are a little bullish on the Bears.

The San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs all have the highest win totals at 11.5.

The Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans have the lowest at 5.5.

Elsewhere in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions o/u is set at 9.5 and the Minnesota Vikings at 8.5. The Green Bay Packers are set at 7.5.

As a reminder, if you’re picking the games and trying to count wins today, the Bears’ opponents are:

Home: Packers, Lions, Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Cardinals

Away: Packers, Lions, Vikings, Chiefs, Las Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns

There is better juice on the Bears’ under 7.5 (+100) than the over (-120), which again shows that perhaps there is some optimism that the Bears could go over.

For beginners, a plus number means a larger payout, but is the less-favorable outcome according to the betting market (less likely to happen, longer odds), a minus number would be that it’s more favorable and thus, more likely and shorter odds. A 100-unit bet on the Bears over would pay 83.33 units back while 100 units on the under would pay 100 units.

What do you think? WIll the Bears win more or less than 7.5 games this year?

The people have spoken!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Chicago Bears fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

We share the SB Nation poll questions here on WCG from time to time in the offseason to get some Bears-specific thoughts from our audience, but each week there's a set of questions that are emailed out to fans from all 32 fanbases.

This week's national questions revolved around the early wave of free agency, and the Chicago Bears were the overwhelming favorite as being the biggest winner with 50% of the results.

Again, these aren't just Bears fans; this is one of the questions to went to the inbox of all NFL fans. I'm sure the huge trade factored into the results, and why wouldn't it? The deal became official at the start of the league year, and getting D.J. Moore is the centerpiece of Chicago's offseason so far. The Carolina Panthers made out pretty well in the trade too, and fans had them as the second-biggest winner with 24% of the vote.

A franchise-altering trade has kept the positive vibes flowing about the Bears, but a yet-to-happen trade is a big reason the Green Bay Packers were voted the biggest loser of the early free agency period.

The Aaron Rodgers drama and Green Bay's inability to trade their diva QB has football fans down on that franchise.

And again, these aren't just Bears fans stuffing the ballot box to kick the Pack; this is 53% of the Reacts' voters from all 32 teams selecting Green Bay as the biggest loser of the early free agency period.

Winning or losing an offseason doesn't mean much in the standings once the season starts, but remember that last year's free agency winner, the Jacksonville Jaguars, used their spring boost to catapult them to their first playoff appearance since 2017.

Chicago fans are clamoring for offensive line help, but don’t rule out the best wide receiver in the draft class.

Chicago Bears fans are a passionate bunch. It’s one of my favorite aspects of this mildly tormented crowd of fanatical lunatics that I’m proud to be a part of. While any pick other than an offensive lineman at 9th overall in the forthcoming 2023 NFL Draft will likely be met with a raging outcry from Chicagoland, Bears fans need to prepare themselves for the possibility of Ryan Poles going a different direction.

Poles has made it clear since taking the GM job that scheme fit and building through the draft are going to be pillars of how he constructs his roster. So far, he’s lived up to it. While right tackle is still a glaring need, there are plenty of options for him to explore, including providing Justin Fields with yet another weapon.

The Bears have Fields on his rookie contract, and will want to put him in every position to succeed before deciding to pick up his fifth-year option next offseason. Poles added a bonafide No. 1 option in acquiring D.J. Moore, but both Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney are set to be free agents after the 2023 season.

Enter the possibility of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a ‘Blue Chip’ Talent

Trust me when I tell you that I desperately see the need for an offensive lineman like Paris Johnson, Peter Skoronski, or even Broderick Jones to be the pick at No. 9 overall or after a trade-down if Poles can swing it, but there are other “blue players” that will be on the board at nine. Smith-Njigba absolutely fits the bill.

After missing almost the entirety of the 2022 college football season due to a hamstring injury, Smith-Njigba is healthy and impressing NFL front offices at every stage of the pre-draft process. He tore up the combine by posting elite agility drill times, which is fitting for the skillset that we’ve seen on the field since his incredible sophomore season at Ohio State that saw him post 1,606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

At the Buckeyes pro day, Smith-Njigba ran the 40-yard dash, with stopwatches clocking him between a 4.48 and 4.52 second time. To be blunt, I wouldn’t care if he ran a 4.60. Speed is great, but it isn’t critical to success at the next level for a wide receiver with the nuance and understanding of route running that he has.

Amon-Ra St. Brown ran a 4.46. DeAndre Hopkins ran a 4.57. Ceedee Lamb ran a 4.50. Cooper Kupp ran a 4.62.

Sure, speed and explosiveness are typically coveted, but the art of getting open is equally important. For a “slow” wide receiver, Smith-Njigba posted an elite 4.01 yards per route run as a 19-year old sophomore in an offense that also featured Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who both went in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Smith-Njigba is one of only three wide receivers since 2017 to post a YPRR north of 4.0 in a single season in all of college football. Since 2015, there have only been seven wide receivers from the Power 5 to average over 3.0 YPRR against both man and zone coverage across their entire college career. Those receivers are:

• Ja’Marr Chase
• DeVonta Smith
• Jaylen Waddle
• Tee Higgins
• Jerry Jeudy
• Marquise Brown
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba

That’ll do.

Smith-Njigba’s suddenness in and out of breaks and the manner in which he manipulates defenders will translate remarkably well to the next level. He would provide Fields with a high-end second receiving option opposite of Moore. If Chicago wants Fields to take a leap forward, this would be one way to help facilitate that step.

And yeah, they played together, which is objectively fun.

Day 2 Offensive Tackle Options

If Chicago drafts Smith-Njigba, they’ll have a major question and need entering the second day of the NFL Draft, but Bears fans shouldn’t panic. There are options that could be available to them, and Poles has the flexibility to potentially make moves during the draft to go get a lineman if he has the conviction to do so.

Athletic, zone-scheme offensive linemen that could be available on Day 2 of the draft include Blake Freeland, Matthew Bergeron, Anton Harrison, Jaelyn Duncan, and others.

If Poles elects to take the best wide receiver in the draft class, Bears fans should take a deep breath and wait to see how the rest of the draft shakes out. Just remember that Chicago’s starting left tackle, Braxton Jones, who started all 17 games as a rookie, was a Poles selection in the fifth round last year.

As free agency and draft prep continues, many are wondering if the Bears will add more to their OL.

With free agency drifting into its third week in a few days, things have slowed down quite a bit.

There’s been a trickle of low-end, special teams and depth signings, but nothing that gets fans excited like those early days.

This is natural, but there are still a lot of good players out there that would be a fit for teams, and that could very well end up as starters.

The NFL Owners Meetings are coming up, and it’s typical that this brings another wave of moves.

Similar to the Combine, it’s one of the few times in the calendar when the entire NFL world is in the same place, meaning that coaches and owners are around, which usually means some agents will be around, too. Deals are bound to happen.

While Chicago Bears fans spent the early part of March celebrating the moves the team did make, attention is now turning to the moves they haven’t.

Where’s the offensive line help?

So let’s look at some of the names remaining on the free agent market that the Bears could look to add ahead of the draft.

Billy Turner, T - Turner should be familiar with the Bears’ scheme from his time playing for the Green Bay Packers when Luke Getsy was an assistant. They overlapped from 2019-2021. Turner started 43 games over those three seasons at tackle and guard. That kind of flexibility and scheme familiarity cannot be overstated at this point in the offseason. Turner was injured last season and started only seven games for the Denver Broncos.

Isaiah Wynn, T - A disappointment in New England after being a first-round pick, Wynn could be a nice addition with starting experience and a prime candidate to compete with a draft pick. As an end-all, be-all expected starter he would leave a lot to be desired.

Cameron Erving, RT - The Bears have been adding a lot of Carolina Panthers castoffs, leading to many jokes. While some are hoping for bad things for Carolina, others are calling the Bears the Chicago Panthers. Erving would continue the migration of Panthers to Chicago. He started zero games last year and has bounced around the league. This is the point in free agency where it’s harder to find bone fide starters that don’t have questions or drawbacks, but Erving would come with experience and the potential to compete with a rookie.

Cameron Fleming, RT - Fleming is a bit of a late bloomer. After starting just 26 of his first 75 NFL games, he’s started 35 of his last 36 games. He was a 15-game starter for the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Jesse Davis, T - Davis has experience at guard and tackle. He was a starter with the Miami Dolphins over his first four years in. the league but last year had zero starts after Pittsburgh traded a seventh-round pick to acquire him.

Conner McGovern, C - The expectation right now is that the Bears will move Cody Whitehair back to center and draft one in the second or third round of the draft. But what if they just signed one to hold down the fort until a rookie was ready? Whitehair is a fine center. Not great, but not a liability. They could do better than Whitehair and McGovern comes with a load of starts (84 games).

Who would you like to see the Bears add on the o-line?

WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst speaks with one of the fastest wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott has been one of the biggest risers at his position in the 2023 NFL Draft in recent months.

The former track star has some of the most electric tape in this year’s class, showcasing the vertical speed needed to take the top off of defenses and the agility needed to make would-be tacklers look silly. He stepped into a bigger role for the Bearcats’ offense in 2022 and figures to be one of the best big-play weapons not just coming out of the Group of 5, but in all of college football.

Scott spoke with Windy City Gridiron about making the college football playoff, his close relationship with teammate and fellow wide receiver Tre Tucker, knowing your role, and more.

JI: You were a part of some special Cincinnati teams. What was your favorite moment from your time there?

TS: I’d probably say being able to be a part of that playoff run [in 2021], being able to be the first Group of 5 team ever to make the college football playoffs, going through all the ups and downs, just the journey to get there, and just being a part of something special, that was from years before. Being able to continue to climb that mountain, losing the year before to Georgia in the Peach Bowl [after the 2020 season], cracking the top 10 in the following year, going through the season, go through ups and downs, and just have so many different adversities, and ultimately continue to win...at the end, we had an opportunity to play for a national championship.

JI: You and Tre Tucker have known each other since you guys were kids, and now you’re exiting Cincinnati at the same time and entering the NFL Draft. What does it mean to be going through this process with him?

TS: Man, it just means a whole lot. We grew up together running track. We actually never really talked about playing college football together, when we were young. We knew eventually we’ll get to this stage, and if you told us we’d be at Cincinnati together, we wouldn’t even believe it, at the time, coming up. Being able to share this field, especially last year, being able to start together — he’s in the slot, I’m outside — and just being able to share the field, it meant a lot, and being able to go through a lot of the same journey, going through all the ups and downs. We’re like brothers; if he feels lower back pain, I feel lower back pain. If he feels tightness, I’m tight. We go through everything together. We ended up signing with the same agent, and then ended up training together and stayed at the same spot down in Tampa, Florida. Then, on top of that, they put us together in the same room, when we were at the Combine. It just means the world to me to be able to go through this process with him.

JI: Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you guys got drafted by the same team? You don’t have control over it, but imagine how cool that would be.

TS: It would just bring the best out of both of us. We know how to motivate each other. We find accountability in each other, so being able to be in the same locker room would be huge and definitely a dream come true. Just the thought of that gets me excited. But, as you said, we don’t have too much control over that, but that would work for me, as well.

JI: Your speed obviously stands out on tape, but you’re also a good route runner. Can you speak to how you can use pure speed to your advantages, and if you face any hurdles as a technician because of that speed?

TS: First and foremost, I just want to give credit to my [wide] receivers coach — who was at Cincinnati while I was there, who’s now at Wisconsin — Mike Brown. He just helped me all the way. Coming into college, I had never played receiver. I’d played running back from when I was 8, all the way to my senior year in high school. When I first got to college, it was kind of brand new to me, and so I had to transition into learning how to really see defenses. Playing running back, it’s like 8 guys in a box, and everything is pretty instinctive. Then, the transition to go to receiver, we’re looking at more of triangles, less people out there. You see two to three guys, you’re looking at different keys, and things of that nature. It’s also more of a mental game, as well, because you have to be pretty much a quarterback out there, as well, because he’s seeing the same thing that you’re seeing. Pre-snap, it could be something, and then post-snap, you got safeties moving down, the linebackers moving out or in, players moving all over the place. You got to really have good eye discipline on, as well as the quarterback, so you can make the right reads and make the right cuts and run the right routes. Some routes have different conversion [points]. Those type of things are kind of difficult at times to navigate, but I think that’s what makes the game fun.

JI: Some guys just have speed and don’t know what to do with it, but listening to you speak and watching your tape, you’re not one of those guys.

TS: Yeah, you talk about [knowing] what to do with it, I think the biggest thing is just knowing when to use it, and knowing that you don’t have to go 100% speed all the time. You just have to make the DB feel that kind of speed, have that intimidation. Sometimes what I’ll do is, on plays where it’s a run play to the opposite side of the field, I like to just run off and run a deep route and just run off the line and just sprint past the DB, just so you can feel my speed. [I] set a tone for the game, just say, “okay, this is what you’re going against, this is the type of speed that you’re going to be feeling throughout the game”. That may cause DBs to respect you and move back a little bit.

I’ve seen quite a bit — during my course at Cincinnati — with guys wanting to play off so many times and bring safeties over top. Especially in the back end of the season, [I was] seeing a lot of Cover 2s and things of that nature. Guys were left on islands out there, so just like I said, [it’s helpful] just knowing when to use [that speed], knowing how and when to change gears, knowing that you don’t really have to go 100% speed all the time, and just knowing when to turn that gear on and when to turn it off.

JI: You took on a bigger role in 2022 and generally just put up better numbers each year. What were some of the things you prioritized in the offseason to make that jump?

TS: The previous year, during that playoff run, I finally earned that starting spot over at the ‘X’ wide out position. At the time, I humbled myself when I came through the door at Cincinnati, but I had humbled myself even more being the starter by realizing what was around me, realizing what was going on around me, realizing the players that were here and it was kind of their time. You had Desmond Ridder, you had Alec Pierce, you had Jerome Ford, you had two great tight ends. It was just kind of realizing what was going on around me, and just kind of knowing that it’s just for me to do my job. [I’ve] been a reliable target. I may not be the guy that’s gonna get 50-plus catches in a season, but I might be the guy that [gets you] that big play spark or just be a reliable target when everything else is locked out. I had stat lines last year where I had one catch, one touchdown, and that was all that was needed from me, like I said: just knowing my role and doing my job my sophomore year.

Coming into my junior year, [I knew] that we lost some production to the draft and knowing that we’re gonna need an extra guy to step up in the receiver room, and I wanted to be that guy. I had been through the fire my sophomore year in all the big games and all the high pressure situations. They prepared me; I was around a lot of great leaders and a great group of guys. I was prepared and ready to take that next step as kind that leader, that coach and receiver, My junior year, whenever somebody needed a play, I was the guy to call on. [I] just give credit to Coach Brown and realized what was going around me. Those were kind of the two factors.

JI: What was your experience like at the Combine?

TS: It was just surreal, really. You grew up watching it every single year, and you wish one day to be a part of it, and to finally be walking those halls and being able to see Lucas Oil Stadium, being a part of something that only 300 guys get invited to, it’s an honor. Then, you just go through the process, and honestly, it’s a lot. It’s a grind. The whole week is a grind: so many different interviews, and media and in medicals. But through it all, I’m just grateful for the opportunity just to be there and to be able to share my story of who I am and where I come from and what drives me to be great. I just take it all with gratitude.

JI: Were you satisfied with your performance?

TS: I’m never really satisfied. I wish I could have jumped a little higher, maybe a little farther. I had great numbers, but...I could have ran a little bit faster. It was nowhere near what I was expecting, which I’ll be running it at my Pro Day (EDITOR’S NOTE: Scott ran a 4.32 at his Pro Day on Mar. 23 after running a 4.44 at the Combine). Overall, like I said, it’s just more [being] grateful just to be there and have the opportunity to compete and feel like I belong. I’m just determined in everything that I do, but [I’m] obviously gonna be redoing some things, or at least the [40-yard dash]. I’m excited for this process and what comes next.

JI: How do you spend your free time outside of football?

TS: Honestly, I don’t really do too much. As I’ve gotten older, and starting to come into just a little bit more financially, I’ve gotten into finances. I’ve just been really invested in the world of finance. I like studying those type of things. I love spending time with my girlfriend — going on two years now, being together — we love to go to the movies. I love watching movies and binge-watching shows, things of that nature. I love candles, and working out — that’s another thing — I love working out and finding different ways that I can improve my body. I don’t really do too much. I’m known as the old head of the Cincinnati football team...I’m the one that you call when it’s 4 in the morning and somebody’s drunk or plastered and needs to get picked up. I’m that guy to call. I’m kind of the oldhead/mature one of the group but, but I still like to watch movies, listen to church sermons and just relax.

JI: What’s the last movie you’ve watched?

TS: The last movie I’ve watched is definitely Rocky. I’ve seen it a million times. To be specific, it was Rocky III. I mean, I love Rocky. It’s probably my favorite movie of all time, favorite series movies of all time. It’s just so well put together.

JI: Can you speak a bit to the importance of faith in your life? I’m a man of faith myself.

TS: It just starts with my family, my mom and dad, what they’ve instilled in me: the faith, you as far as our beliefs and upbringing. As I got older, I found my own journey, I walked with Christ and eventually gave my life to Christ. [It was] a pretty young age in my teens, and [it’s] the pedestal of everything that I’ve done. The way I think, the way I talk, the way I walk, it all stems from my faith in God. It’s just a catalyst of how I think and how I move. It’s been number one, as far as my life is concerned.

JI: It’s great to have that center of life like that.

TS: It gives you a foundation of who you are, because you’re gonna come across a lot of different temptations, and just a lot of different things, a lot of different beliefs, a lot of different views. In your life, just having a solid foundation, knowing who you serve first and foremost before anybody else — before any coach, before any prestigious figure, any type of title — just knowing who the ultimate title is, [it’s the] most important thing for me.

JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?

TS: I think the number one thing you touched on is the speed. You’re gonna get a lot of speed out of me, someone who’s going to stretch the field, put pressure on DBs, get a safety out the box, which opens up the run game, as well. You’re just gonna get someone who’s gonna be a game-changer, a playmaker. The crazy stat when I was at Cincinnati, I averaged like 43 yards per touchdown catch. [That’s] the type of guy you’re gonna get, as well as someone who’s very polished on special teams. During my sophomore campaign, as Cincinnati I started [at] receiver, but I also earned the starting position at gunner, coming off the edge and rushing the punter: often times, all in the same season. I continued to do that this past year, as well. You’re gonna get someone who’s very polished on special teams, [and] was part of the top-5 punt team the last few years that I started as a gunner, as far as yards is concerned. You’re gonna get someone who makes the impact on special teams, and someone who knows their role and wants to do their role and just want to be part of a winning team and have an impact.

The latest Bears Banter podcast has Lester Wiltfong as a guest and we discuss the offseason so far

The latest Bears Banter Podcast has dropped!

This month hasn’t been too exciting for the Chicago Bears. Nope, all they did was trade the first overall pick in the draft and bring in ten new players!

Lester Wiltfong joins the podcast to discuss what moves the Bears have made thus far, but we also discuss what moves the Bears haven’t made and what moves they still must make!

We dive deep into the trenches on both sides of the ball and discuss the new weapons at Justin Fields disposal and the totally revamped group of linebackers! Make sure you check it out!

Plus, as promised, I said if I advanced to the third round of the Bears Twitter bracket, I would hold my open for 30 seconds. A promise is a promise so check out my attempt, the last few seconds will leave me gasping for air.

Check out the jam-packed podcast below!

Greg Gabriel give his scouting report on two players that are in play for the Chicago Bears at 9 overall.

It's no secret that the Chicago Bears are in need of a quality right tackle for the 2023 NFL season. At the beginning of veteran Free Agency last week, the Bears tried hard to sign former 49er Mike McGlinchey but dropped out when the guaranteed money got much higher than they were willing to commit, especially for a player who is already 28 years old.

There were no other veterans they were seriously interested in, which means it's a fairly good bet that the Bears will try to fill that need with one of their picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft. In fact, if the Bears don't trade back, the chances of them selecting a tackle at nine overall are pretty good. At nine, the Bears just may have the opportunity to select the first tackle off the board. If that is the case, the two best tackles available are Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. and Georgia's Broderick Jones.

Let's take a look at their games.

Paris Johnson Jr.

Johnson is a true junior at Ohio State who entered the Draft as an underclassman. As a true freshman, he played right guard and got into five games as a reserve. As a sophomore in 2021, Johnson started every game again at right guard. He was playing guard because OSU had veteran players at the tackle positions and wanted their five best linemen playing, so Johnson played inside. This past season with the left tackle position open, Johnson became the starting left tackle and started every game.

Physically, Johnson is just what we look for in a tackle. He stands 6060 – 313 with 36' arms and has very good athletic ability. He had 29 reps of 225 at the Combine, which is excellent for a player with such long arms.

Watching the tape, Johnson makes things look easy. He plays mostly from a 2-point stance but will get down into a 3-point stance at times. He has excellent initial quickness, and despite being 6'6", he comes off the ball low and under control. When he makes contact with his opponent, he has a natural snap in his hips and runs his feet to get movement. I wouldn't call him an overpowering tackle; he just plays so consistently and makes things look so easy that he wins on a consistent basis.

When trying to get to the second level, he runs well, can adjust on the move, and make productive blocks in space. When used to pull, it's the same. His overall athleticism and body control are excellent for such a big man.

In pass protection, he can set quickly, keeps his back straight, and has a very good punch to jolt his opponent. For the most part, he keeps his hands inside. He shows very good ability to sink his hips and anchor, and his mirror ability vs moves is excellent. He also has the quick lateral agility to set wide and stop speed. Johnson is very alert for stunts and blitzes and constantly plays with poise. It's fair to say that going into next month's Draft he is the best tackle in this Draft. He shows on tape that he can easily play well in space, and that makes him a strong fit for the Bears. The fact that he spent over a season playing guard on the right side means there would be little or no adjustment for him to play right tackle.

Broderick Jones

Like Johnson, Jones is a third-year player, but he doesn't have the extensive starting experience that Paris has. As a freshman, he lined up as a backup right tackle and got into just a couple of games for mop-up duty. As a sophomore in 2021, he was again a backup but got into every game. When the starter at left tackle went down in the ninth game with an injury, Jones started the rest of the season and gained valuable experience. This past season he again started every game at left tackle.

In the Georgia media guide, Jones was listed as being 6'4", and because media sizes are generally overstated, I felt that he might not be quite that tall. In his case, his media guide size was understated as at the Combine he measured 6050 – 311 with 34 3'4" arms. As big as he is, he still ran 4.97 in the 40, had a 30" vertical jump, and a 9'0 standing long jump, so he is explosive. He did not bench at the Combine nor at his Pro Day last week.

From an experience and technique point of view, Jones is not as advanced as Johnson, but he may have more upside down the road. Looking at his hand use in both the run and pass games, he still needs work. He doesn't consistently keep his hands inside, but at the same time, he is more violent with his hands.

Watching Jones' overall play, he is a strong and nasty player who looks to finish and punish on a consistent basis. As good an athlete as Johnson is, I feel that Jones may be a little better as his feet are a bit quicker, and he seems to have a bit more "quick twitch" to him. Johnson has not timed to date, and he looks like a 5.0 to 5.05 type compared to Jones’ 4.97. Yes, it's negligible.

As a run blocker, Jones consistently gets movement and easily gets to the second level and out into space. Like Johnson, he is a perfect fit for the Bears' outside zone scheme. In pass pro, Jones shows a very quick and explosive punch. Where he can get in trouble is with his hands, as he can get them outside the frame of his opponent. His quick feet, agility, and recovery are rare. No one is going to beat him with speed, and he anchors extremely well.

Overall, I really like both players. Both have experience on the right side, but Jones may be a natural left tackle, and if the Bears drafted him, they may have to move Braxton Jones to right tackle. Both players are plug-and-play types, with Johnson being more ready for the NFL than Jones, but Jones may be the better player two years down the road.

What it gets down to is if the Bears make that decision to select a tackle at nine and both are there, it's which one are they most comfortable with. They both have the talent to be long-time starters and potential Pro Bowl players. The Bears can win with either one. Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus could have a tough but nice decision to make in five weeks.

Although it is difficult to isolate the contributions of a single member of the offensive line, there might be some signs that under the right circumstances, it’s worth defying conventional wisdom on drafting centers too early.

There are many fine things said about college offensive linemen prior to each draft, and offensive tackles are one of the few positions that can be expected to see prospects taken even before all of the top quarterbacks are gone. However, in terms of draft value and financial investment, the center is one of the great unloved positions in professional football. Not as high profile or as doted upon by draftniks as running backs, centers can play a major role in the success of a football team. Yet for economic reasons as well as a steady belief in how readily quality centers can be found later in the draft, it is typical for teams to wait before drafting one. Here are the exceptions to the rule–the times and places when teams spent a first-round pick on the guy who would touch the ball on every play.

If you missed them, check out the prior two installations in this series, on running backs and on tight ends.

Travis Frederick (2013) Drafted at #31

The Hype: Centers aren’t hyped, but even if they were, Frederick would not have been the guy. Mike Mayock’s reaction to the Cowboys picking him was “I had a third-round grade on this guy,” and Matt Miller declared “I hate this pick.” He was instantly considered a reach. WalterFootball thought he might have been a good fit at guard and had aa second-round grade on him.

Early Accomplishments: In his first five years, Frederick earned four Pro Bowls and 1 1st-Team All Pro Selection while playing all 80 of his available games. During that time, the Cowboys had one of the highest yards per rush attempt in the NFL (and 3 of these 5 years were before Elliott was drafted) and were in the top ten fewest sacks allowed per game consistently as well.

Analysis: Frederick might very well have been a transformative player worthy of an unusual investment against conventional draft wisdom. Given how strong the investment was in offensive line by the Cowboys, isolating which piece made a critical difference is difficult, but he was definitely a contributor. Roughly a quarter of the selections drafted in the last ten spots of the first round make it to a Pro Bowl in their first five years, and Frederick absolutely pancaked that marker.

Cameron Erving (2015) Drafted at #19

The Hype: WalterFootball raved about him, saying “For the NFL, Erving could be a 10-year starter at center and has Pro Bowl potential. He could be the best center prospect since Mike Pouncey came out in the 2011 NFL Draft.” NFL.com barely posted a few lines of analysis that they copy/pasted into two different areas of their write-up. In fact, there were not a ton of general draftnik write-ups available for him besides team-specific reports scouting needs for their teams, and many of them noted his versatility and ability to play tackle.

Early Accomplishments: Playing three positions in five years on two teams is, after a fashion, a type of accomplishment. Erving had 42 starts in his first five years, but he was shuffled around and he never really settled in at center. He actually ended up as a left tackle for a majority of his career, more or less taking advantage of the versatility noted by many.

Analysis: After converting from defense, he played tackle in college and the NFL tried to make him a center, only to find out he was better as a tackle. In this case, it’s arguable that the Browns drafted an offensive line generalist and came away with a solid piece. It was even tough to decide whether or not to list him here given that the majority of his snaps in college and in the pros were spent outside of the position.

Ryan Kelly (2016) Drafted at #18

The Hype: I want to reiterate that centers don’t get hype, and the NFL.com profiles for even the best prospects can feel rather lazy compared to the attention lavished on even middling running backs. However, WalterFootball comes through for us here: “Sources say that Kelly is the best center in the 2016 NFL Draft. He smart [sic], tough and reliable, with good size and athletic ability for the position. They feel center is an intangible driven position and that he is very strong in those areas. They also say Kelly isn’t the caliber of center prospect as Maurkice and Mike Pouncey. Kelly also isn’t the athlete Cam Erving was last year. All three of those players went in the top 20 of their draft classes. Thus, Kelly isn’t projected to be a top-20 pick. However, sources from multiple teams say they think Kelly will be one of the 10 best centers in the NFL during his career.” As it turns out, Kelly was in fact a top-20 pick.

Early Accomplishments: Kelly managed 66 starts and two Pro Bowls in his first five years with Indy, he saw six different quarterbacks start at least one game in that time. During his two Pro Bowl years the Colts struggled under Brissett but made the playoffs with Rivers.

Analysis: It’s probably not too surprising that Kelly’s best years came after the Colts also drafted Quenton Nelson. Kelly is proving a stalwart player, and he has earned multiple Pro Bowls. Although the Average Value metric from Pro Football Reference is fairly flawed, it does rank him as the twelfth most valuable player from his class. He, like Frederick, seems to have been a consistent asset to his team.

Frank Ragnow (2018) Drafted at #20

The Hype: Considered a day-two pick by Lance Zierlein, Ragnow was the guy you might expect to see drafted in the first round. “Ragnow won’t wow you with foot quickness or athleticism, but he takes smart angles to his blocks and shouldn’t be limited by scheme. His size, power, and anchor is a big plus as is his ability to swing over to guard if needed. Ragnow could struggle to stay connected to blocks against athletic interior linemen with quick hands, but his baseline play is equal to a solid NFL starter.” Matt Miller compared him to Chris Chester and suggesting he could be a Round 2 selection. However, WalterFootball was optimistic, saying “Ragnow remains [sic] me of Mangold, and that is a real compliment to Ragnow. Over his career, Mangold was one of the best centers in the NFL. Mangold (6-4, 307) and Ragnow are identical in size with similar quickness and athleticism that give them special skill sets. In the 2006 NFL Draft, Mangold was the 29th overall-pick, and Ragnow could go in the same region in the 2018 NFL Draft. Ragnow could have a long solid NFL career like Mangold had with the Jets.”

Early Accomplishments: Starting all 65 of the games he played across his first five years, Ragnow was selected to the Pro Bowl twice for Detroit (and made a 2nd-Team All Pro in there as well). Ragnow was considered by Sports Illustrated to be the top center in the game in 2021 and a Top 5 interior lineman in general.

Analysis: This is another first-round center with a solid list of accomplishments. Given Detroit’s struggles, though, it’s hard to say whether or not they would have been better served investing in another position at this time.

Billy Price (2018) Drafted at #21

Early Hype: Typically, Price was thought to be a second-round pick who would “eventually be a good starter” by NFL.com, with Zierlein saying “Plays like a Wildling at times with tremendous explosiveness, strength and, almost excessive initial charge. Price’s power and leverage give him a huge advantage over most centers in this draft. He should be able to come into the league and deal with NFL power right away. However, his impatience as a blocker and tendency to charge in head-first will be used against him by savvy NFL opponents if he doesn’t get it cleaned up.” Matt Miller was a little more positive, “Billy Price ranks as our top center in the 2018 class but will likely come off the board after other interior linemen because of the pec injury he suffered at the combine. His power, technique and athleticism make him an early starter, which is why he gets a Round 1 grade.” After discussing his pros and cons, WalterFootball played Nostradamus and said “The Bengals could use a center upgrade. Price could get consideration for Cincinnati in the first round.”

Early Accomplishments: A foot injury sidelined him in his rookie campaign, but by 2020 he only started a single game, and by 2021 he was traded. He was on his fourth team by the time he took a game snap in 2022.

Analysis: Maybe the pec injury never recovered and maybe the foot injury slowed him down, but whatever the reason, his 45 career starts did not leave teams impressed, and he’s currently unsigned.

Garrett Bradbury (2019) Drafted at #18

The Hype: A little. Matt Miller was positive, giving him a second-round grade and saying “Bradbury is a safe bet to be a long-term starter in the NFL and should walk into his rookie camp with a starting job in hand. He’s an ideal fit in any zone-blocking scheme, and his experience at guard and center make him versatile enough to lock down any of the three interior jobs. He has Pro Bowl potential.” WalterFootball was up and down on him, saying “In the NFL, Bradbury could develop into a starting center early in his career. He could go as high as late in the first round, but is more likely to be a second-round pick…There could be a lot of teams in the market for Bradbury on the second day of the 2019 NFL Draft. Arizona needs to improve its offensive line, and Bradbury could interest the organization as a potential plug-and-play blocker.” The strongest praise came from Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports, who used Jason Kelce as his player comp and said “Get Bradbury in an NFL strength and conditioning program for a year or two and a zone-blocking scheme ... and watch him flourish. He has the loosest hips and quickest feet I’ve ever scouted at the center spot. He’s just a little top heavy right now and doesn’t have the strength or weight to anchor. Like Kelce, Bradbury is ultra-aware of stunts and has the elite lateral mobility to pick up multiple assignments on a given play.

Early Accomplishments: Starting 57 of the 66 games available, Bradbury is an interesting first-rounder in that his club declined to pick up his fifth-year option but then later signed him to a 3-year contract. For those who care about Pro Football Focus’s rankings, he has been ranked as high as 9th among starting centers after spending most of his career in the low 20s (or at the bottom of the league).

Analysis: Bradbury is not a disappointing player, exactly, in that he has been able to play games. However, there is a strong case to be made that a player who is drafted in the top 20 should probably at least be able to start, so that might be too low of a bar.

Cesar Ruiz (2020) Drafted at #24

The Hype: Compared to James Daniels by Lance Zierlein, Ruiz was described as “Athletic and tenacious with the combination of skills and technique to fit into a variety of blocking schemes on the next level. Ruiz wins early with initial quickness and fast hands into first contact. He works to convert early advantages into wins. He’s consistent in securing down-blocks and has the athletic traits to become a second-level factor. He’ll give some ground to power rushers and needs help against wide-bodies, but the tape checks out. Ruiz has early starting potential and should develop into a good pro with guard/center flexibility.” WalterFootball thought of him as a second-day draft pick, but was cautious. “Teams like Ruiz’s versatility to play guard or center in the NFL. While he could play guard, center is his best position. There are some projections of him getting late first-round consideration, and while he may not go that high, Ruiz is safe to be a second-round or early third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.”

Early Accomplishments: Versatility has indeed been key to his career, with Ruiz playing in 46 games and making starts. He has played both center and right guard as necessary over the last three years.

Analysis: Ruiz has been available, and that matters in the NFL. He has also been able to hold down two different spots. However, he has been evaluated as a “minus” guard or as a slightly below-average guard by at least a few outlets, and so the best that can be said about him is that he does not seem to be a liability to the Saints while holding down a starting position.

Conclusions

At center, we actually see a perfect illustration of the argument that is frequently used for running backs. Yes, there are busts. However, there is a vastly more consistent return on investment from centers taken early than on running backs. Good running backs can be found at almost every level of the draft, but good centers seem to require a much more significant investment.

From 2011-2018, only four centers were drafted and then went on to the Pro Bowl in their first five years. Only one of them was taken outside the first round (Jason Kelce), and the other three were all 1st-round picks. To some extent, it should be expected that teams find more of their Pro Bowlers early on. However, during the same time period 23 running backs were drafted who then went on to earn at least one Pro Bowl honor in their first five years, and 17 of them were drafted outside the first round. Even if we stretch to include Elgton Jenkins (who has only played four years) because of his two Pro Bowl honors so far, then 80% of centers to make the Pro Bowl on their first contact were taken with a pick in the top two rounds. By contrast, only 48% of running backs who earned a Pro Bowl in their first five years were taken with a pick in the first two rounds, with nearly as many of those (5) found in the second round as the first (6).

We are now 34 days away from the NFL Draft, and the Bears sit at the ninth overall pick... for now...

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Ed Oliver trade wouldn’t fit Ryan Poles’ Bears rebuild strategy - NBC Sports Chicago - Ryan Poles said he can’t fix everything this offseason. Trading for Ed Oliver feels like an unnecessary force unless the price is much cheaper than the No. 9 pick.

Where do DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney and the Chicago Bears wide receivers rank? - In Thursday’s CHGO Bears Podcast, the guys discuss where the Bears’ wide receiver room ranks among the rest of the NFL and plenty more.

Film Review: What Nate Davis adds to the Chicago Bears offensive line - CHGO - Bears general manager Ryan Poles upgraded the offensive line by signing guard Nate Davis. Here is what the newest offensive lineman adds to the offense

Dannehy: Poles Playing Dangerous Game In Trenches - Da Bears Blog - Generally speaking, the best way to create a good offensive line is to invest resources into it. That’s what makes Ryan Poles’ decisions up front so confusing.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Raiders sign Duke Shelley - ProFootballTalk - The Raiders have signed cornerback Duke Shelley away from Vikings, the club announced on Thursday.

Cam Newton may be a fit in Detroit, analyst argues - Pride Of Detroit - The Detroit Lions have a need for a backup quarterback. Could Cam Newton fit the bill—or even challenge for a starting job?

INFANTE DRAFT GUIDE

WCG’s lead draft analyst Jacob Infante’s 2023 NFL Draft guide is out now on his Patreon! Make sure to subscribe if you haven’t already. For just $1 a month, you’ll get access to his entire big board, a 7-round mock draft for each team, in-depth scouting reports, player comparisons and more exclusive content! Ken’s Note: Denmaster Ken recommended!

POLISH SAUSAGE

Bryce Young declines to weigh in at Pro Day workout - ProFootballTalk - As he prepares to enter the NFL, former Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young has a pair of significant red flags. One is undeniably flapping in the breeze. The other is a little more fuzzy.

Report: Raiders met with Bryce Young on Wednesday night - ProFootballTalk - The Raiders may have signed Jimmy Garoppolo, but they’re still in the market for a long-term solution at quarterback.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante’s 2023 NFL Draft: Late-round WRs for Bears to target - Windy City Gridiron - WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst looks at some of the top sleeper WR prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Berckes: I hate the Carolina Panthers - Windy City Gridiron - It’s been building up but this is the year for the Panthers to pay

Householder: Chicago Bears sign former Titans LB Dylan Cole - Windy City Gridiron - GM Ryan Poles adds a depth and special teams piece

Wiltfong: A closer look at Ryan Poles’ offensive line additions - Windy City Gridiron - Ryan Poles has been on the job for about fourteen months now, so is there anything to learn about his vision for the offensive line based on his previous transactions?

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THE RULES

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The NFL’s Annual League Meeting will get started on Sunday, and there will be plenty discussed.

The NFL's Annual League Meeting will get kicked off this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona, and it'll go through March 29. While there could be some player deals discussed, and it's likely the possible sale of the Washington Commanders could be touched on, it's also expected that commissioner Roger Goodell will receive a contract extension. But also on the agenda will be a vote on the new 2023 playing rules, bylaws, and resolutions proposed by the league's competition committee and NFL clubs.

In total, 17 playing rules proposals, five bylaw proposals, and four resolution proposals made the cut, and you can read all about them in detail here. Here's the general list of proposals to peruse, along with some of my thoughts.

2023 Playing Rule Proposals Summary

1. By Philadelphia; amends Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2, to permit the use of zero (“0”) as a jersey numeral; to allow kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99.

2. By Philadelphia; amends Rule 6, Section 1, to permit a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play (4th and 20 from the kicking team’s 20-yard line) for an onside kickoff attempt.

3. By Los Angeles Chargers; amends Rule 4, Section 6, Article 3 and Section 7, Article 4, to make the adjustment of the play clock following an Instant Replay reversal consistent with other timing rules.

4. By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, Article 9, to expand the coaches’ challenge system to include personal fouls called on the field.

5. By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 1, to provide clubs more opportunities for a third challenge.

6. By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, to expand the Replay Official’s jurisdiction to allow for consultation regarding penalty assessment.

7. By Houston; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 2, to expand the Replay Official’s jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth down attempts.

8. By Los Angeles Rams; amends Rule 15, Section 1 and Section 3, to make fouls for Roughing the Passer called on the field subject to replay assist and/or review by a coach’s challenge.

9. By New York Jets; amends Rule 12, Section 2, Article 6, to expand the trackback prohibition to players who go in motion and go beyond the center to block (“split-flow block”) a defender below the waist.

10. By Competition Committee; to change the definition of a launch to leaving one or both feet.

11. By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for tripping a personal foul.

12. By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegally handing the ball forward consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.

13. By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegal punts, drop kicks, or placekicks consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.

14. By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line when a touchback occurs from a punt.

15. By Competition Committee; to prevent the offense from benefitting by an extension of the half as a result of their foul.

16. By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line if there is a fair catch on a free kick (kickoff and safety kick) behind the receiving team’s 25-yard line.

17. By Competition Committee; to clarify use of the helmet against an opponent by removing the “butt, ram, spear” language from Article 8 and incorporating those actions into Impermissible Use of the Helmet.

Scrapping the onside kick for a 4th and 20 play would bring some excitement to the end of games, but I'd be surprised to see the NFL adopt an XFL-style rule this year.

Adding more things to review to the current instant replay system could extend games even longer, but the more they do it, the more they'll eventually streamline things.

Any help the refs can get in determining roughing the passer is a good thing.

I like the idea of a third coach's challenge being awarded.

Do any of those rules catch your eye?

2023 Bylaw Proposals Summary

1. By Detroit; amends Article XVII, Section 17.3, to allow a club to designate an emergency third quarterback from its Inactive List or Practice Squad who would be eligible to enter a game in the event the first two quarterbacks on the game day Active List are ruled “Out.”

2. By Los Angeles Chargers; amends Article XX, Section 20.2, and Article XXI, Section 21.4, to seed Wild Card teams higher than Division Championships in the playoffs if (i) the Division Champions have won-loss-tied percentages lower than .500, and (ii) the Wild Card teams have four or more wins than the Division Champions with losing records.

3. By Competition Committee; to change the claiming period to Monday for players who are waived on the Friday and Saturday of the last week of the regular season.

4. By Competition Committee; to insert Strength of Victory as the second tiebreaker for awarding contracts.

5. By Competition Committee; to adjust the rules for postseason signings to account for standard elevations rule; to freeze postseason rosters at 4:00 PM New York Time on the Wednesday following the last week of the regular season.

The third quarterback rule makes a lot of sense, and there was a variation of it years ago.

I'm not sure how I feel about the playoff seedings. I get wanting to reward teams with a better record, but winning your division should matter for something.

Do any of these five proposals do anything for you?

2023 Resolution Proposals Summary

G-2. By Buffalo; to make the regular season and postseason roster transaction deadlines the same; changes the transaction deadline for Saturday night postseason games to 4:00 p.m., New York time on Saturday.

G-3. By Los Angeles Chargers; to provide greater clarity as to a player’s availability for a game.

G-4. By New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota, New York Jets, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington; to establish one preseason roster reduction date and related procedures.

G-6. By Philadelphia; to require game clocks to display tenths of seconds for the final 30 seconds of each half.

The Chicago Bears are finally involved in a proposal, and G-4 seems like a no-brainer. Having teams go from their 90-man offseason roster down to a 53-man roster following the final preseason game seems beneficial to the players. Teams don't always play their number ones much in preseason anyway, so giving them more bodies to get out there in weeks two and three offers more flexibility and provides opportunities for fringe players to showcase their abilities.

WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst looks at some of the top sleeper WR prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

There’s no such thing as too many weapons in the NFL.

The Bears made a major investment at the wide receiver position to kick off the 2023 offseason, acquiring DJ Moore in the trade that saw Chicago move down from the No. 1 pick. He joins a receiver room with Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool in the starting lineup, along with the likes of Velus Jones Jr. and Equanimeous St. Brown coming off the bench.

Although the Bears’ group of wide receivers looks worlds better than how it looked to start the 2022 season, that shouldn’t stop them from investing in the position in the 2023 NFL Draft. Mooney and Claypool are both slated to hit free agency after the end of this next season, and with the likes of Jaylon Johnson and Cole Kmet also having expiring contracts, one of the aforementioned receivers might leave.

There’s been plenty of talk about top receivers in the 2023 draft, such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston and Zay Flowers. This year’s class has some intriguing prospects likely to be selected early, but there’s a good shot the Bears will choose to wait until later in the draft to address the wide receiver position.

Here are 7 sleeper wide receiver prospects Chicago could target on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Andrei Iosivas, Princeton

I’m gonna get this one out of the way, since most of you who regularly read WCG have probably picked up on the fact that I’m a fan of Iosivas. If you’d like to find out more about him, you could click on my author name and read almost any of my draft articles. Odds are I’ve gushed about him in one of them.

Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia

Talk about a size-speed mismatch! Ford-Wheaton is a 6-foot-4, 221-pound ‘X’ receiver who ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the Combine. He accelerates well off the line of scrimmage and has the deep speed needed to stretch the field vertically. His catch radius is massive, and his combination of physicality and ball skills make him a threat on 50-50 balls. Though raw as a route runner and not super twitchy after the catch, he has some intriguing tools and would be worth taking a shot on as early as Round 5 if you’re Chicago and as late as a seventh-round selection.

Matt Landers, Arkansas

Another intriguing size-speed threat, Landers is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds with 4.37 speed. He’s a long-strided runner who exploded for 901 yards and 8 touchdowns on 47 catches at Arkansas this past year after a strong 2021 season with Toledo. His ball skills are certainly impressive, and he’s shown some promise in regards to his speed release. I have an undrafted grade on him purely off of tape because of a limited route tree, inconsistent separation and body catching. However, he’s someone who should be drafted, as his tools are too enticing to risk letting him hit the undrafted free agent market.

Tre Tucker, Cincinnati

Tucker is a departure from the previous two molds, being a smaller but shiftier slot receiver. He ran a 4.40 at the Combine and looks even faster than that on tape. His raw speed allows to create serious vertical separation, and he’s quite agile and creative when he gets the ball in his hands in space. He’s also an accomplished kick returner who had 2 touchdowns on special teams during his time at Cincinnati. Size and physicality lack a bit, but he has the YAC skills needed to thrive inside at the next level. He seems like a likely Day 3 pick who offers significant special teams value.

Xavier Smith, Florida A&M

With 87 catches for 1,021 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Rattlers this year, Smith stands out as arguably the most intriguing HBCU wide receiver in this draft. He’s undersized but is a shifty receiver with good spatial awareness against zone coverage and nice burst coming out of his breaks. His coordination attacking the ball in the air is good, and he’s shifty coming out of the slot. He won’t wow anyone in terms of strength or the competition he faced, but he deserves a shot to crack an NFL roster.

C.J. Johnson, East Carolina

If you like Ole Miss’ Jonathan Mingo in this draft but don’t want to take him around Round 4, Johnson might honestly be better value that you can get later. He’s a bulky receiver at 6-foot-2 and 224 pounds with massive hands. He has the size of a boundary ‘X’ but might be best suited as a big slot in the pros. Not only is he physical at the catch point, but he’s a powerful runner after the catch with good ball-carrier vision. He’s not a great route runner and won’t wow anyone with speed, but he’s a fun player the Bears may want to consider in Round 7 if he’s available.

Charlie Jones, Purdue

Jones was one of the biggest breakout stars in college football in 2022, but he’s honestly flown a bit under the radar in the pre-draft process. He exploded for 110 receptions, 1,361 yards and 12 touchdowns for Purdue this past season and finished David Bell’s role as their No. 1 receiver incredibly well. He has one touchdown each as both a kick returner and a punt returner, and those tools help him as a wide receiver. He’s agile after the catch and changes direction seamlessly in space. Jones’ deep speed is quite strong, too; he ran a 4.43. He’s older, a bit skinny and doesn’t sell route concepts super well, but he’s a legit playmaker who could be a realistic Round 5 option.

It’s been building up but this is the year for the Panthers to pay

I hate the Carolina Panthers.

There, I said it. I hate everything about them. As crazy as this sounds though, I’ve never really put together the pieces until now.

Are you North or South Carolina? Pick a side!

The word “Panthers” sure looks a lot like “Packers” – disgusting!

Oh, your color is “Carolina Blue?” How creative.

Your list of Hall of Fame players is just sad… no one drafted by the Panthers and only players signed at the end of their careers? Way to go, guys!

I’m still mad about the Greg Olsen trade.

And signing Charles Tillman and making the Panthers part of his legacy. Stay away!

I’m still mad about the Steve Smith playoff game too!

Seriously, coleslaw on top of the BBQ? Just put it off to the side like everyone else!

Your all-time winningest coach is a former Chicago Bear. You want to be the Bears so bad, don’t you?

Speaking of coaches, why did you inception us to hire John Fox?!

Why does your mascot look like a Bear? You’re confusing your players!

The mascot’s name is Sir Purr. I mean…okay, that’s pretty funny.

I hate them so much, I want them to lose every single game this upcoming season. I’m talking 0-17, embarrassing football. I want them to have to the worst record in the league so that I can feel as though I truly got my vengeance as a fan. No cooling off period – I need it now.

I predict that this will all be out of my system and I can go back to not caring at all about the Carolina Panthers in 2024. Until then, my list:

1. Panthers

2. Packers

3. Everyone Else

Note: Completely unrelated to the above, the Chicago Bears own Carolina’s first-round draft selection for next year.