The 2024 Draft

[Heinz D.]

Because Poles is one of 32 holding the position of NFL GM in the world We're Joe Palookas reading whatever we can on the Internet, a lot of which is about ... Poles and his decision making and building of the team. So I tend to believe that he'll get it right more than we will but there will be times (cough cough Claypool) that he misses and, I believe, guys on the Board preached against the trade.

But...if people argue from a position that Poles is always right (which you're not really doing, but bear with me here), then what's the point of posting on an internet football forum?

I thought the Claypool trade was a fantastic idea, but you're correct, not everyone here did. I was wrong, Poles was wrong.

I thought Poles would draft a DE at #9, but a lot of that was based on actual video evidence that he was going to do so. Poles changed his mind, probably because of what his new QB wanted. So, in this case I was wrong about what Poles ended up doing, but not wrong (in my opinion) about what I thought the best move would be there. Some guys on the board are probably steamed that Poles took the punter in the fourth. I'm not steamed at all. I thought it was a great pick.

I do have faith in Poles. And I agree with you that he'll have more hits than misses. The thing is that opinions are like assholes--everyone has one, and they all stink...

[karhu]

Just a quick nod to how international this class is.

Odunze's grandfather is from Nigeria, and in at least one interview he's said something like "well, you know Ibos, we such-and-so." And his mom's family is from Utah, which sometimes seems like another country.

Amegadjie's mom is from Cameroon and his dad's from Togo or Benin, I forget which. Both Francophone countries (I conflated his background and Odunze's in the Discord discussion, but his dad lived in France for a long time, so it's got to be one of those thin countries between Anglophone Ghana and Nigeria). Spoke French at home before he spoke English, kinda like my grandpa who was born in Chicago but always had a bit of a German accent.

And then a punter right out of Australia.

It's not the NBA or anything, and maybe it's just a coincidence this year, but from where I'm sitting it's really cool.

[karhu]

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

It might just come down to whether Jenkins takes a hometown discount. With his injury history, the team needs to have a backup plan in place, and that backup plan alone cuts into his leverage over his next contract. Which means that some other team, more willing or desperate to take a gamble on his health, will probably outbid the Bears. Then it's down to Jenkins.

In other words, Poles could like him a lot, and both sides could want him to return, and the contextual stuff--money, roster construction--might not let them strike a deal.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

It might just come down to whether Jenkins takes a hometown discount. With his injury history, the team needs to have a backup plan in place, and that backup plan alone cuts into his leverage over his next contract. Which means that some other team, more willing or desperate to take a gamble on his health, will probably outbid the Bears. Then it's down to Jenkins.

In other words, Poles could like him a lot, and both sides could want him to return, and the contextual stuff--money, roster construction--might not let them strike a deal.

This is my feeling as well. The only way we keep Jenkins is if he settles for less than his market value. Poles shouldn’t be paying top dollar for an injury prone G.

[Grizzled]

Because Poles is one of 32 holding the position of NFL GM in the world We're Joe Palookas reading whatever we can on the Internet, a lot of which is about ... Poles and his decision making and building of the team. So I tend to believe that he'll get it right more than we will but there will be times (cough cough Claypool) that he misses and, I believe, guys on the Board preached against the trade.

But...if people argue from a position that Poles is always right (which you're not really doing, but bear with me here), then what's the point of posting on an internet football forum?

I thought the Claypool trade was a fantastic idea, but you're correct, not everyone here did. I was wrong, Poles was wrong.

I thought Poles would draft a DE at #9, but a lot of that was based on actual video evidence that he was going to do so. Poles changed his mind, probably because of what his new QB wanted. So, in this case I was wrong about what Poles ended up doing, but not wrong (in my opinion) about what I thought the best move would be there. Some guys on the board are probably steamed that Poles took the punter in the fourth. I'm not steamed at all. I thought it was a great pick.

I do have faith in Poles. And I agree with you that he'll have more hits than misses. The thing is that opinions are like assholes--everyone has one, and they all stink...

I liked the Claypool trade even at a 2nd rounder. I faulted Poles for not taking offensive guys in '22. I didn't fault him for trading away the defenders (Roquan, Quinn, etc.). He pulled off one of the best heists in NFL history. He seems to be able to evaluate talent. I don't think anyone on this Board has their nose up his you-know-what. Yes, the Bears needed a DE but Odunze rated higher as a prospect than any of the DEs. That's the process which seems to work best.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I agree with every word of this except the trade up for the DE. I wasn't a fan of that.

I'm curious, why didn't you like the trade?

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Jenkins is my favorite current Bear by a large margin. I love isolating his play. But I too think he's on the way out. And I don't even think it's because of injuries. He hasn't had a back problem since he started taking Pilates (hear that DP ). We have Braxton's contract coming due in two years and Wright's in three years. I expect to see Kiran take his spot next year and then maybe Jones' sport two years from while Poles fills the interior with more draft picks.

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

So you'd part ways with by far the Bears best OL on the grounds that a year later a contract for a much less effective OL in Braxton will be due even though you also expect the newly drafted Kiran Amegadjie to take his spot and 2 years further down the line a new deal for Wright will be on the cards (one that would presumably take account of there being a 5th option on him) who has yet to prove he's at Jenkins' level?

I mean I get the argument regarding Jenkins injury history and that he's missed games but not extending your best OL because you have lesser players to pay a year or two down the line I find somewhat baffling.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Amegadjie's mom is from Cameroon and his dad's from Togo or Benin, I forget which. Both Francophone countries (I conflated his background and Odunze's in the Discord discussion, but his dad lived in France for a long time, so it's got to be one of those thin countries between Anglophone Ghana and Nigeria). Spoke French at home before he spoke English...

So you're telling me he's basically French? Well I've gone right off him now...

[karhu]

Amegadjie's mom is from Cameroon and his dad's from Togo or Benin, I forget which. Both Francophone countries (I conflated his background and Odunze's in the Discord discussion, but his dad lived in France for a long time, so it's got to be one of those thin countries between Anglophone Ghana and Nigeria). Spoke French at home before he spoke English...

So you're telling me he's basically French? Well I've gone right off him now...

Hey, his folks got here as quick as they could!

[Bearfacts]

Yup, another huge benefit and we added yet another OL this year who has a good shot at becoming a starter within two years.

I'm hoping Tevin Jenkins finally makes it through an entire 17 game season and makes an All Pro team. I think Poles would love to keep him but he's gotta show he can play a full season. Theoretically he could offer Allen a two year extension beyond 2024 with an out after 2025 since Odunze's rookie contract will run through 2027, 2028 with his option but if he's what we believe he'll be he'll be extended before then.

So yeah, the window is opening again and he's got so much of his roster under either rookie deals or deals that will be team friendly as the cap increases there shouldn't be much of a problem adding a key player or two in FA and still having the cap to retain our own top guys. The cap management issue along with his roster building has been very impressive.

I don't think Poles keeps Jenkins.

We are loaded with draft picks next year. Loaded, including a first and two seconds.

Imagine having the 20th(?) overall pick and taking the best guard on the board. I'd be fine with that.

I love Jenkins' approach to the game and the OL is obviously better when he's a part of it, but it's not an ideal situation with him.

All that's not ideal is his injury situation and that calf injury was kind of freakish. If that's in the past he's another Kyle Long as an OG and only 26 years old. I don't know what the 2025 OL class is like but IMHO we need to stop re-drafting positions at some point and pay to keep our own FA. When healthy Jenkins is one of the highest graded OG in the NFL and once he started in 2023 he didn't miss another game. Tough to let a guy like that hit FA getting nothing for him.

I know we'll have 3 picks in the top 60 but we'll need to look at DL and possibly a FS to work in behind Byard. If there's a top IOL prospect I'd rather it be a kid who plays OC as well so we can develop a rookie there for the long term. What I might prefer is that we move on from Davis and move Jenkins back to RG pairing him with Wright. If we do spend a 1st round pick on an OG put him at LG but as it stands Jenkins is our best and most versatile IOL.

[HurricaneBear]

Yes...

Hey man!

I haven't connected with you about the draft.

WE GOT SUPER DUPER OFFENSE!!!!!

It's finally happened and I still can't believe it's true! 3 elite WRs, an above average TE, a good group of backs and a solid or better line. The cherry on top is a generational QB. He may not have Sex Panther swag, but Caleb definitely has his own swag and this team has so desperately needed that.

Personality and Super Duper Offense in one draft!

Now my question for you is this, which (incredibly low bar) Bears offense record do we think they break first?

[o-pus #40 in B major]

Tory Taylor was one of the few weapons for Iowa.

I'm worried there's not enough tread left on those tires

His workload should drop off big time, don't you agree?

[The Marshall Plan]

I agree with every word of this except the trade up for the DE. I wasn't a fan of that.

I'm curious, why didn't you like the trade?

We don't need to be doing the trade up thing.

There is plenty of talent on this roster and to do a trade up into the fifth I'd rather hang onto the fourth rounder we gave up.

[The Marshall Plan]

Hey man!

I haven't connected with you about the draft.

WE GOT SUPER DUPER OFFENSE!!!!!

It's finally happened and I still can't believe it's true! 3 elite WRs, an above average TE, a good group of backs and a solid or better line. The cherry on top is a generational QB. He may not have Sex Panther swag, but Caleb definitely has his own swag and this team has so desperately needed that.

Personality and Super Duper Offense in one draft!

Now my question for you is this, which (incredibly low bar) Bears offense record do we think they break first?

I'm fine with Williams' personality. He may not have jorts or a mullet, but he'll make up for it in other ways.

For the record, my guess would be most consecutive forward passes completed which is probably like four.

[dplank]

It isn't that I WANT Jenkins to go. I just don't think Poles will pay him whatever the market is for an oft injured guard when we have a ton of picks next year.

TBH with you I don't know what my preference is. I respect the argument for replacing him via the draft.

Jenkins misses a lot of games. Whatever the reason is. He misses a lot of time. That can't be flippantly dismissed.

Jenkins is my favorite current Bear by a large margin. I love isolating his play. But I too think he's on the way out. And I don't even think it's because of injuries. He hasn't had a back problem since he started taking Pilates (hear that DP ). We have Braxton's contract coming due in two years and Wright's in three years. I expect to see Kiran take his spot next year and then maybe Jones' sport two years from while Poles fills the interior with more draft picks.

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

He’s my favorite player also. Barring a significant injury this year I’d keep him for sure. I’d use Kiran to replace either Jones or Davis, and then I’d draft another OL high next year for the other one. Wright isn’t due for a while. So Jenkins would be the only expensive guy up front, we can easily pay him market value. I can’t stand Nate Davis, his $$ is where we need to focus cost savings measures, not Tev IMO.

[wab]

Jenkins is my favorite current Bear by a large margin. I love isolating his play. But I too think he's on the way out. And I don't even think it's because of injuries. He hasn't had a back problem since he started taking Pilates (hear that DP ). We have Braxton's contract coming due in two years and Wright's in three years. I expect to see Kiran take his spot next year and then maybe Jones' sport two years from while Poles fills the interior with more draft picks.

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

He’s my favorite player also. Barring a significant injury this year I’d keep him for sure. I’d use Kiran to replace either Jones or Davis, and then I’d draft another OL high next year for the other one. Wright isn’t due for a while. So Jenkins would be the only expensive guy up front, we can easily pay him market value. I can’t stand Nate Davis, his $$ is where we need to focus cost savings measures, not Tev IMO.

This is pure conjecture on my part, but my gut feeling is that Jenkins isn't the live/eat/sleep/die football player type that Poles is drawn to. He definitely has the meanness on the field that Poles likes, but Poles has made several comments about Jenkins that allude to him not loving his work ethic. Stuff like "he's going to have to work hard at it" and "that's completely up to him" when referencing getting back on the field after an injury.

I would love for Jenkins to stay with the Bears and be a dominant inside force for a decade, but I put it at about 60/40 that he leaves in FA. At least as of this moment.

[LacertineForest]

Jenkins also wasn't Poles' pick. I think that factors into it, although to a lesser degree than say the cost of keeping him vs. the performance of a replacement-level player on the roster.

[LacertineForest]

Some aggregate draft rankings for all 32 teams (can't get it to show as an image, so you'll just have to click the link):

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https% ... 94220e94c5

[Yogi da Bear]

Jenkins is my favorite current Bear by a large margin. I love isolating his play. But I too think he's on the way out. And I don't even think it's because of injuries. He hasn't had a back problem since he started taking Pilates (hear that DP ). We have Braxton's contract coming due in two years and Wright's in three years. I expect to see Kiran take his spot next year and then maybe Jones' sport two years from while Poles fills the interior with more draft picks.

My only hope for Tevin is that he plays so well and is healthy, he becomes impossible to let go. Maybe we'll cut Davis after this coming season and use that savings to extend Tevin. But then you still have Jones coming due the following season and Wright the year after....

So you'd part ways with by far the Bears best OL on the grounds that a year later a contract for a much less effective OL in Braxton will be due even though you also expect the newly drafted Kiran Amegadjie to take his spot and 2 years further down the line a new deal for Wright will be on the cards (one that would presumably take account of there being a 5th option on him) who has yet to prove he's at Jenkins' level?

I mean I get the argument regarding Jenkins injury history and that he's missed games but not extending your best OL because you have lesser players to pay a year or two down the line I find somewhat baffling.

I wouldn't part ways with him. Like I said, he's my favorite Bears. But I don't believe that Poles truly appreciates him. He wasn't a pick of his. Also, I think that Poles believes he can find offensive linemen. And looking at Wright and Jones, who's to say he's wrong? I hope DP is right and that we release Davis, resign Jenkins, and move Kiran into Tevin's spot. But I'm not sure that he is.

[Boris13c]

A++

this is the first time in a long time I am legitimately filled with hope and optimism after the draft rather than the usual forced optimism from drinking Bears meatball Kool-Aid

it is a new experience

thank you Ryan Poles

[Yogi da Bear]

Gross. I love meatballs and I love koolaid, but "meatball" koolaid simply doesn't do it for me.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I'm curious, why didn't you like the trade?

We don't need to be doing the trade up thing.

There is plenty of talent on this roster and to do a trade up into the fifth I'd rather hang onto the fourth rounder we gave up.

Surely the Bears needed a pass rusher opposite Sweat? In fact it was considered such a need many pundits as well as members of this forum predicted Poles would use the #9 pick on one.

Booker's young and there are suggestions that had he stayed in college another year he might have developed into a R1 pick. Seems like a potential bargain when you hear things like that and worth a punt for a R4 pick (never mind a R5) let alone one in a year's time.

Also pick 144 was the 9th pick in R5. If the Bears make the playoffs this year their R4 pick in 2025 will fall somewhere between picks 119 and 132 (allowing for 3 comp picks at the end of the round like this year), a difference of 25 picks or fewer. It's not a particularly significant trade draft capital-wise.

[Bearfacts]

It might just come down to whether Jenkins takes a hometown discount. With his injury history, the team needs to have a backup plan in place, and that backup plan alone cuts into his leverage over his next contract. Which means that some other team, more willing or desperate to take a gamble on his health, will probably outbid the Bears. Then it's down to Jenkins.

In other words, Poles could like him a lot, and both sides could want him to return, and the contextual stuff--money, roster construction--might not let them strike a deal.

This is my feeling as well. The only way we keep Jenkins is if he settles for less than his market value. Poles shouldn’t be paying top dollar for an injury prone G.

I'm not willing to call Jenkins injury prone. The worst of it came from drafting a kid with known back issues in college but that's been over and done with for over two years. The four games he missed at the beginning of 2023 came from a freak calf injury not ligament issues or something else more concerning over the long haul. The other miss was due to a concussion. NFL protocol on that is what it is. Twenty years ago he would've played with it and it's not like other NFL OL don't also miss games for the same reasons.

I agree that he needs to play as many games as possible in 2024 but when he's on the field he's one of the highest graded OG in the NFL. He's our best OL and one of our own draft picks. If Poles plans on sustaining a winning team taking care of our own FA looms large in the overall scheme of things. Realistically if he earns a top ten deal it's gonna be in the $18 mil AAV range but he'll also be the only OL earning that kind of money in 2025. Braxton Jones isn't in line for a new deal until 2026 and Wright 2027.

That gives Poles a whole lot of time to work with and several more cap increases. Now that we finally seem to have the offensive weapons we've needed for years it's not time to go cheap on the OL. But that's not to say we should stop drafting rookie OL every year from now on so we always have developing guys who are able to replace costlier vets when needed. At the very least Poles may want to use a tag on Jenkins so he can retain some degree of control over negotiations. The kid does have trade value.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

That Carolina trade last year, a parting gift from Lovie has absolutely turbo-charged the building of this team.

We have built a great roster and we still have 7 picks next draft

The Lovie Smith Texans' 2-point conversion will go down as the single greatest play in Bears history.

[Arkansasbear]

It so cool seeing these guys' reactions when they get the call telling them they are about to be drafted. But just one I'd like to see it go down like this:

"Hey, man this is Brian Gutekunst, GM of the Green Bay Packers, are you ready to be a Packer?"

Player, "no man, the team picking next has really expressed some interest in me and I'd rather play for them than the Packers. Heck, I'd rather play for anyone other than the Packers. Can you not pick me and if I go undrafted and no one signs me as a free agent, I'll give you a call. I've got your number on my caller I.D."

[The Marshall Plan]

We don't need to be doing the trade up thing.

There is plenty of talent on this roster and to do a trade up into the fifth I'd rather hang onto the fourth rounder we gave up.

Surely the Bears needed a pass rusher opposite Sweat? In fact it was considered such a need many pundits as well as members of this forum predicted Poles would use the #9 pick on one.

Booker's young and there are suggestions that had he stayed in college another year he might have developed into a R1 pick. Seems like a potential bargain when you hear things like that and worth a punt for a R4 pick (never mind a R5) let alone one in a year's time.

Also pick 144 was the 9th pick in R5. If the Bears make the playoffs this year their R4 pick in 2025 will fall somewhere between picks 119 and 132 (allowing for 3 comp picks at the end of the round like this year), a difference of 25 picks or fewer. It's not a particularly significant trade draft capital-wise.

Everybody gets excessively hopeful about late round picks for some reason. I think the people here making Maxx Crosby comparisons should be a tad embarrassed.

It really comes down to me not seeing a need to trade up.

So we traded a fourth round pick for this guy?

Didn't we just get Keenan Allen for a fourth?

Who do you think will have a bigger impact for us next year?

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Surely the Bears needed a pass rusher opposite Sweat? In fact it was considered such a need many pundits as well as members of this forum predicted Poles would use the #9 pick on one.

Booker's young and there are suggestions that had he stayed in college another year he might have developed into a R1 pick. Seems like a potential bargain when you hear things like that and worth a punt for a R4 pick (never mind a R5) let alone one in a year's time.

Also pick 144 was the 9th pick in R5. If the Bears make the playoffs this year their R4 pick in 2025 will fall somewhere between picks 119 and 132 (allowing for 3 comp picks at the end of the round like this year), a difference of 25 picks or fewer. It's not a particularly significant trade draft capital-wise.

Everybody gets excessively hopeful about late round picks for some reason. I think the people here making Maxx Crosby comparisons should be a tad embarrassed.

It really comes down to me not seeing a need to trade up.

So we traded a fourth round pick for this guy?

Didn't we just get Keenan Allen for a fourth?

Who do you think will have a bigger impact for us next year?

Agreed that people always go overboard on every new pick before they've even stepped foot on an NFL field... even though we know many won't pan out including high picks. I'll never forget all the proclamations that Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene were the replacements for Urlacher and Briggs!

Obviously Allen will have the bigger impact this season, but he's also 32 years old and is costing $23m and well as that R4 pick.

The drafting of Booker is one for the future not the present. It was a straight 1-for-1 pick swap; Poles didn't give up extra picks to move up to select him. Don't look at it as trading a fourth round pick for him, look at it as spending a 4th round pick on him and getting the player in the building a year early to develop him.

Poles and co obviously believe he has potential but whether he pans out or not, as with any player only time will tell.

Personally I'd sooner have a rookie with potential getting a few snaps as part of the DE rotation than an ageing veteran who costs significantly more and whose low/mediocre ceiling is already well established.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Better still:

"Hey son, your phone's ringing. Are you going to answer that?"
"Nah, it's the Packers."

[Arkansasbear]

Everybody gets excessively hopeful about late round picks for some reason. I think the people here making Maxx Crosby comparisons should be a tad embarrassed.

It really comes down to me not seeing a need to trade up.

So we traded a fourth round pick for this guy?

Didn't we just get Keenan Allen for a fourth?

Who do you think will have a bigger impact for us next year?

Agreed that people always go overboard on every new pick before they've even stepped foot on an NFL field... even though we know many won't pan out including high picks. I'll never forget all the proclamations that Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene were the replacements for Urlacher and Briggs!

Obviously Allen will have the bigger impact this season, but he's also 32 years old and is costing $23m and well as that R4 pick.

The drafting of Booker is one for the future not the present. It was a straight 1-for-1 pick swap; Poles didn't give up extra picks to move up to select him. Don't look at it as trading a fourth round pick for him, look at it as spending a 4th round pick on him and getting the player in the building a year early to develop him.

Poles and co obviously believe he has potential but whether he pans out or not, as with any player only time will tell.

Personally I'd sooner have a rookie with potential getting a few snaps as part of the DE rotation than an ageing veteran who costs significantly more and whose low/mediocre ceiling is already well established.

I was sure Bostic would be a pro-bowl level player. Loved him in college. Greene not so much.

Regarding the Crosby comparison, I will say it’s not just the meatheads here saying that. That’s the comp many “experts” have been putting on him. I hope it comes to be.

[wab]

No one is saying Booker is Maxx Crosby 2.0. At best people are calling him Great Value Brand Maxx Crosby. Or Maxx Crosby Lite.

Those aren't quite the same thing.