Gotta say... Ryan Pace showed Guts this week.

[Mikefive]

Others have said this before me, so I'm not pretending that this is my idea. But two things that are abundantly clear after the 2017 draft are...

1. Pace has some big time guts, and...
2. Unlike what has been suggested in earlier drafts... John Fox is nowhere close to driving this boat. Ryan Pace is.

Pace has cast his lot with Trubisky in a huge way. It the guy he believes in the guy and did what it took to go get him. It wasn't a popular move. I certainly didn't agree with it, nor did most of us. But he had competition for his guy, ignored the negative consequences and made his bold move. Whether it was the right move or not remains to be seen. But you have to like the brass ones he showed by pulling the trigger.

And on the second point, there's no way in hell that Fox would've wanted us to take a QB at 3, much less trading up to 2 to get one who isn't going to play this year most likely. Fox wouldn't have taken a D2 TE either. But Pace is clearly the boss and he showed it this week.

Love or hate what happened this week--and I'm leaning more toward the latter right now--you have to RESPECT Ryan Pace for being brave and bold and putting his job on the line by going all in on his convictions. That's what good leaders do.

[wab]

I was bewildered and confused as to what Ryan Pace was doing prior to this draft. Now, and finally, I can see a semblance of a plan. All of these picks are high upside who won't be forced into significant roles before they are ready. That's been the problem with this team.

I like what Pace did with this draft. I may not have picked the same players, but I feel (and I'm in the minority) like the philosophy was sound.

[thunderspirit]

I agree that the philosophy is sound.
I also would likely have picked different players, at least with regard to Tarik Cohen and Jordan Morgan.

But I do see the overarching plan.

[docc]

I haven't posted until things calmed down a bit..

I see the plan..plus moving up to get a good..maybe even better than good QB prospect..Pace has a plan and the guts to do it.
Don't rush these guys..get them some playing time..see what we got,

We'll see how this plays out..

[DaSuperfan]

I didn't agree with some of the players chosen either but I do give the guy credit for sticking his neck out on the line. I respect that he targeted who he feels is a franchise QB and was aggressive to get his man. He did the same thing with Leonard Floyd last year and I was skeptical of that move too, but that has turned out okay so far.

Let's be honest though, this draft's success hinges on the fate of Trubisky. He'll either make it or break it. It'll be fun to watch how it unfolds either way. I'm just happy we've addressed the QB position with some conviction - if nothing else, it'll make the Bears' inevitably terrible 2017 season have something exciting to watch.

[mmmc_35]

I like what Pace did with this draft. I may not have picked the same players, but I feel (and I'm in the minority) like the philosophy was sound.

I am of the exact opposite mindset. I really feel like the Bears did a poor job, drafting and maneuvering. I am glad to hear optimism but I currently have little. I think the Bears got to cute, and didn't have enough substance. Obviously you and I are among the draft geeks here, so I hope your correct this time.

The Bears with several roster inadequacies, in a really deep draft, ended up with 5 picks. That's not positive.

Round 1 Trubisky
- I have no problems with the Bears drafting a QB. I like Trubisky. He fits the NFL QB mold with enough arm, accuracy, and mental ability. I obviously was in the Mahomes band wagon, but Trubs is right there too. I do believe the Bears could have gotten that pick cheaper, looking solely on what Cleland and Jets would have had to offer. However I understand it. Really its a good pick that people are giving a bad grade due to shock, and the overpaid thought process. I don't like the payout, but I won't kill the

Round 2 Shaheen
- Bears were able to trade back and recoop some picks. They took a big athletic D2 TE with good hands. This is a projection pick. I don't mind the player, and I hope their projections are correct. However one can not state without a doubt this will work out. I saw Brian Perez use my Martellus Bennett comparison. Exept Bennett is better, but more unstable. Its a high risk pick, and the floor for a D2 player is low, with several prospects on the board who fit scheme and roster needs. I think several of those players had less risk, and just as much upside.

Round 4 Jackson
-The Bears traded up for Jackson. Giving up more picks, that a weak roster can't afford. I am not the fan of his as some fans. He obviously has talent and is athletic. King was more my guy but I can understand Jackson. I just don't think he will ever be the main stay of this defense and in my opinion will likely end up being a career back up. I hope those two major injuries are flukes, but those sinewy guys seem to get injured a lot. That's my belief anyway. Again the upside could be high but the floor is mighty low.

Round 4 Tarik Cohen
- A fun kid to watch, but a midget. I don't know were everyone else places situational backs but I don't have them above CB, 5T, OT, etc. On a good team, I understand this pick. You could hit on Sproles, or end up with an new Garrett Wolfe (I know you all have reasons to disagree with the comp.). How many 5'6" players make it. The odds are very much against him. Along with at most 7 touches a game if that. This is a luxury pick the Bears couldn't afford. The odds of this being successful are also low. Especially with talented players still on the board.

Round 5 Jordan Morgan
- Guard again isn't a position of need right now. There are several other spots that could have been addressed. I feel semi compfortable about him working out as a back up , because the Bears coached him at the senior bowl. The Bears second prospect from the great D2 ranks. The need and positioning doesn't match to me.

Overall the Bears ended up with a bunch of possible future starters, all of whom have a low probability of success. I don't believe they will all be unsuccessful I am just stating fairly factual information.

[Atkins&Rebel]

In general, Pace gives off an 'I'm smarter than you' vibe when making his draft picks.

I really have no real problem with him going after the QB of his choice in this draft class, even at the cost he gave up. "but he gave up so much to move up 1 spot!" Yeah get over yourself. The cost is nothing to secure the team's future. We've seen teams trade up in front of us and leave us wanting at the QB spot before, and Pace did what he felt he had to in order to secure his guy.

Then I feel like he went off the rails. Unless he's tired of Miller (who is still a weapon when healthy), and is admitting that Braunecker Brown and Pruit are hopeless to develop, Then I don't understand TE project pick.

Cohen seems like a Dri Archer/Garrette Wolfe pick...who might be a fast weapon, but more likely will be a wasted pick.

Eddie Jackson and Jordan Morgan seem like value picks compared to who was on the board, but I feel like Pace wanted Thompson in the 4th and panicked when he went off the board.

All in all, we may get a few glimpses of this draft class during the season, but I expect this whole class to be red shirted unless they make a push in camps.

[BamaBear09]

I see he has a plan but I don't know how well received it will be, he has put both the veteran QB with question marks and the rookie QB with question marks on a razor edge... if Glennon falters fans are going to go crazy for Trubisky to play... I can hear the booing now... and if that happens and Trubisky is shoved into the lineup, if he doesn't play well off the rip, then the fans will destroy him... as has been said, I really hope Trubisky is mentally tough enough to handle this because it could get very rough before it gets better for him.

The big question really should be is Glennon mentally tough enough to handle what is coming?

[mmmc_35]

I don't see his plan. This whole off-season seemed so chaotic I don't think it was thought out at all.

[UOK]

I see he has a plan but I don't know how well received it will be, he has put both the veteran QB with question marks and the rookie QB with question marks on a razor edge... if Glennon falters fans are going to go crazy for Trubisky to play... I can hear the booing now... and if that happens and Trubisky is shoved into the lineup, if he doesn't play well off the rip, then the fans will destroy him... as has been said, I really hope Trubisky is mentally tough enough to handle this because it could get very rough before it gets better for him.

The big question really should be is Glennon mentally tough enough to handle what is coming?

Fans would've been booing and wanting the backup regardless of who it was.

If Trubisky comes in and throws a single pick, idiot fans will start booing and suddenly crying for Glennon or some other backup.

Chicago fans are mostly morons who change their tunes on guys in a heartbeat, but will totally give a guy a million opportunities if he's got "moxie" or any form of charisma. Glennon could transition from "overpaid mediocre stopgap starter" into "disrespected blue collar guy," and win the hearts of a portion of the fanbase, simply because Trubisky, "the chosen one," didn't have to earn anything in the eyes of the stupid.

[Boris13c]

I guess having guts is one way to look at it

I still don't get the trade up 1 spot thing other than Pace really really really wanted Trubisky, and that move certainly secured that ... so now their fates are intertwined ... Trubisky becomes what Pace thinks he will become and they're both golden ... Trubisky becomes the next Brady Quinn or Tim Couch then they're both toast

so while I don't understand the move, I'm happy to support the player, and I will be rooting for Trubisky to be the no doubt day 1 starter in 2018

[BamaBear09]

I see he has a plan but I don't know how well received it will be, he has put both the veteran QB with question marks and the rookie QB with question marks on a razor edge... if Glennon falters fans are going to go crazy for Trubisky to play... I can hear the booing now... and if that happens and Trubisky is shoved into the lineup, if he doesn't play well off the rip, then the fans will destroy him... as has been said, I really hope Trubisky is mentally tough enough to handle this because it could get very rough before it gets better for him.

The big question really should be is Glennon mentally tough enough to handle what is coming?

Fans would've been booing and wanting the backup regardless of who it was.

If Trubisky comes in and throws a single pick, idiot fans will start booing and suddenly crying for Glennon or some other backup.

Chicago fans are mostly morons who change their tunes on guys in a heartbeat, but will totally give a guy a million opportunities if he's got "moxie" or any form of charisma. Glennon could transition from "overpaid mediocre stopgap starter" into "disrespected blue collar guy," and win the hearts of a portion of the fanbase, simply because Trubisky, "the chosen one," didn't have to earn anything in the eyes of the stupid.

Oh I agree, and I definitely don't think its fair but the reality of it is this situation is no win for all involved. Pace looks like a dunderhead spending starter money on a QB who, by all accounts, no one else was willing to spend that level of money on... he just traded draft capital to move one spot to take a QB who may have been there at 3 because I really doubt that SF really wanted to risk losing Thomas to trading down too far. And now there are reports that Pace and Fox are at odds and Pace already is looking ahead for different coaches, so barring the Bears winning the super bowl this season, it is looking more and more like Fox will see the door next off season. The Bears leadership looks completely disorganized at this point and are pretty much the laughing stock of the NFL. A lot were saying the Bears had the worst roster in football and this draft did nothing to add any guys who will start next year... at least not yet, we can hope some of these guys do well in camp and come out as starters... but seems most will be special teamers at best right now with hope they develop into starters eventually... Pace has put A LOT of stock in his ability to spot ascending talents, which is a lot of faith in unproven potential and either it's going to work out (I reaaaaaaaally hope it does) or it won't and the Bears franchise will suffer and the fans will continue to see losing football...

[UOK]

Oh I agree, and I definitely don't think its fair but the reality of it is this situation is no win for all involved. Pace looks like a dunderhead spending starter money on a QB who, by all accounts, no one else was willing to spend that level of money on...

Let's go one at a time here. He had to give Glennon a lot of guaranteed money up front so that:

1. There wouldn't be a bidding war to get Glennon, the only decent QB available, more money than they were already willing to offer, and

2. They wouldn't have to guarantee his contract multiple years beyond year 1.

The Bears have the cap space to make that move and the deal was a glorified one year contract. Why people keep acting like Pace got fleeced over it continues to astound me, and this is coming from somebody who hates Mike Glennon and didn't want the team to sign him.

he just traded draft capital to move one spot to take a QB who may have been there at 3 because I really doubt that SF really wanted to risk losing Thomas to trading down too far.

SF wanted to draft Reuben foster and were fielding calls about their 2nd pick from multiple teams. The Bears traded the 3rd pick, yes, but the sweeteners were two 3rds and a 4th - rounds that don't typically yield starters. Also consider that Trubisky was clearly the top-rated QB among scouts and if he had gone back to college likely would've possibly been the consensus #1 overall pick next season. Like Pace said, when you're this high up in the draft you don't want to sit on your hands and assume you'll be back there next year. He wanted his QB of the future and went out and got him. Try to understand that without being emotional and irrational about forming an opinion.

And now there are reports that Pace and Fox are at odds and Pace already is looking ahead for different coaches, so barring the Bears winning the super bowl this season, it is looking more and more like Fox will see the door next off season. The Bears leadership looks completely disorganized at this point and are pretty much the laughing stock of the NFL.

Also not true. That was a Jason La Canfora report, who, if you've heard of him, is one of the most sensationalist yellow journalism-pushers in the NFL, and almost everything he says is unfounded. He's trying to push content using anonymous sources and cherry-picked quotes to dramatize molehill non-stories into mountains.

A lot were saying the Bears had the worst roster in football and this draft did nothing to add any guys who will start next year... at least not yet, we can hope some of these guys do well in camp and come out as starters... but seems most will be special teamers at best right now with hope they develop into starters eventually.

Ideally you don't come out of the draft with a lot of game 1 starters, and a lot of rookies should play special teams. That's just kind of ... football.

.. Pace has put A LOT of stock in his ability to spot ascending talents, which is a lot of faith in unproven potential and either it's going to work out (I reaaaaaaaally hope it does) or it won't and the Bears franchise will suffer and the fans will continue to see losing football...

This is the risk of supporting a team in the NFL. It either works out or it doesn't. I don't see how this is a surprise.

[wab]

The media is the worst. They put out mock drafts (literally a guess), get everything wrong, and the GIVE OUT DRAFT GRADES ON WHAT THEY GOT WRONG.

I mean, I love the draft, and mocks, and grades, and everything. But nothing that they do around this is rooted in any basis of fact.

"I guessed they'd take player X, I was wrong...WHAT ARE THEY DOING?"

[UOK]

The media is the worst. They put out mock drafts (literally a guess), get everything wrong, and the GIVE OUT DRAFT GRADES ON WHAT THEY GOT WRONG.

I mean, I love the draft, and mocks, and grades, and everything. But nothing that they do around this is rooted in any basis of fact.

"I guessed they'd take player X, I was wrong...WHAT ARE THEY DOING?"

Essentially the goal for mock drafts is to

1. Address team needs
2. Dole out players according to the oatmeal-slush consensus of about 50,000 supposed "experts"
3. Get maximum value, ideal fits, and other stuff that sounds good on paper but doesn't necessarily translate

We're all guilty of it, but we don't get paid to speculate.

The other problem is that MANY MANY people, armchair GMs, fantasy football assholes, and casual fans aplenty LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to read these stupid Draft Grades articles, so there is compulsion financially to push these out from every publication with a sports page.

[thunderspirit]

+1 to everything UOK said in response to BamaBear. I could've written much of that myself (though considerably less eloquently).

[Boris13c]

The media is the worst. They put out mock drafts (literally a guess), get everything wrong, and the GIVE OUT DRAFT GRADES ON WHAT THEY GOT WRONG.

I mean, I love the draft, and mocks, and grades, and everything. But nothing that they do around this is rooted in any basis of fact.

"I guessed they'd take player X, I was wrong...WHAT ARE THEY DOING?"

Essentially the goal for mock drafts is to

1. Address team needs
2. Dole out players according to the oatmeal-slush consensus of about 50,000 supposed "experts"
3. Get maximum value, ideal fits, and other stuff that sounds good on paper but doesn't necessarily translate

We're all guilty of it, but we don't get paid to speculate.

The other problem is that MANY MANY people, armchair GMs, fantasy football assholes, and casual fans aplenty LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to read these stupid Draft Grades articles, so there is compulsion financially to push these out from every publication with a sports page.

as an fyi, the Washington Post gave the Bears a D+ for their draft, lowest of all the teams in the NFL

note 2, the consensus mock guess by the Washington Post writers was that the Bears would take Jamal Adams with the #3 pick

[UOK]

as an fyi, the Washington Post gave the Bears a D+ for their draft, lowest of all the teams in the NFL

The 2012 Seattle Seahawks draft included:

- Rd1: Bruce Irvin (solid NFL career, 22 sacks in first 4 years)
- Rd2: Bobby Wagner (3x pro bowler, multiple-time all pro)
- Rd3: Russell Wilson (2012 rookie of the year, 3x pro bowler)
- Rd4: Robert Turbin (reliable backup running back, decent/unexceptional NFL career)
- Rd7: JR Sweezy (49 career starts at guard)

Bleacher Report evaluated their draft class as such:

After one of the worst picks in the first round I can ever remember, the Seattle Seahawks didn't draft any positions of need or draft for the future.

Pete Carroll is proving why he didn’t make it in the NFL the first time. Not only was Bruce Irvin a reach at No. 15, the Seahawks proved they were oblivious to their madness by celebrating their selection.

As if the day wasn’t bad enough, Seattle selecting Russell Wilson, a QB that doesn’t fit their offense at all, was by far the worst move of the draft. With the two worst moves of the draft, Seattle is the only team that received an F on draft day.

Grade: F

Nothing these reporters and experts say is worth a flying shit. Nobody knows anything, and you can't tell how a guy will be in the NFL until they actually play.

[Boris13c]

as an fyi, the Washington Post gave the Bears a D+ for their draft, lowest of all the teams in the NFL

The 2012 Seattle Seahawks draft included:

- Rd1: Bruce Irvin (solid NFL career, 22 sacks in first 4 years)
- Rd2: Bobby Wagner (3x pro bowler, multiple-time all pro)
- Rd3: Russell Wilson (2012 rookie of the year, 3x pro bowler)
- Rd4: Robert Turbin (reliable backup running back, decent/unexceptional NFL career)
- Rd7: JR Sweezy (49 career starts at guard)

Bleacher Report evaluated their draft class as such:

After one of the worst picks in the first round I can ever remember, the Seattle Seahawks didn't draft any positions of need or draft for the future.

Pete Carroll is proving why he didn’t make it in the NFL the first time. Not only was Bruce Irvin a reach at No. 15, the Seahawks proved they were oblivious to their madness by celebrating their selection.

As if the day wasn’t bad enough, Seattle selecting Russell Wilson, a QB that doesn’t fit their offense at all, was by far the worst move of the draft. With the two worst moves of the draft, Seattle is the only team that received an F on draft day.

Grade: F

Nothing these reporters and experts say is worth a flying shit. Nobody knows anything, and you can't tell how a guy will be in the NFL until they actually play.

their are 2 differences between what the the reporters and experts guess / say and what we guess / say :

1) the reporters and experts have conned someone into actually paying them for their random guesses while we do it for free and essentially our own entertainment

2) the paid reporters and experts present their guesses as if they have some super secret inside knowledge making their guesses facts (a lie) where we readily admit it is a random guess and aside from a few random trolls are not all knowing assholes about it

bottom line is, they aren't any better than we are in spite of being paid to be and having more resources to help them

[UOK]

bottom line is, they aren't any better than we are in spite of being paid to be and having more resources to help them

To validate that point, multiple huge outlets - ESPN, CBS, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, Sporting News - all negatively shat upon the Seahawks 2012 draft class. Meanwhile the fan-run SB Nation website gave very accurate grades, were very fair and thorough with analysis, and saw the forest through the trees.