Bears 11.0: Free Agency, College Pro days, Draft & beyond

Dresden · Post #601 » by **Dresden** » Tue Mar 18, 2025 3:03 am

Teven apparently not getting much interest:

While one report suggested the Bengals had expressed interest in Jenkins, The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. added his own reporting on Monday to the topic:

"Teven Jenkins is a name out there in recent days, but was never a realistic option for the Bengals. There’s a reason the former Bears guard wasn’t scooped up early in free agency and reportedly is taking a visit to Seattle on Monday in a league where players rarely take visits anymore. New Bears coach Ben Johnson seemed to speak loudly with the investment and resources given to immediately replace Jenkins (and other interior linemen) in Chicago and the rest of the league seemed to agree. The Bengals are among them. They aren’t pursuing him."

chitowndish · Post #602 » by **chitowndish** » Tue Mar 18, 2025 10:36 am

Taking Rome over Bowers is a big part of my problem with that whole line of thinking.

Dresden · Post #603 » by **Dresden** » Tue Mar 18, 2025 3:44 pm

chitowndish wrote:Taking Rome over Bowers is a big part of my problem with that whole line of thinking.

If we were going to take a TE this high, that was the time to do it.

molepharmer · Post #604 » by **molepharmer** » Tue Mar 18, 2025 4:46 pm

Dresden wrote:
chitowndish wrote:Taking Rome over Bowers is a big part of my problem with that whole line of thinking.

If we were going to take a TE this high, that was the time to do it.

Gonna go out on a limb and suggest that if LAV takes Jeanty, Bowers' targets and impact will decrease. Course LAV also severely needs WR help, so maybe they take McMillan at #6 and pick up a RB at #37. Last year, they had very little skill position talent other than Bowers.

Dresden · Post #605 » by **Dresden** » Tue Mar 18, 2025 4:59 pm

Speaking of McMillan, what do people think of him? 6'5", 4.48 40 time- he and Rome would be a handful for DB's, esp. if they are on the smaller side. We could possibly trade DJ at some point to make room for him. Is he a better prospect than Tyler Warren?

Almost Retired · Post #606 » by **Almost Retired** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 1:10 am

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/bears_first_rounder_whod_let_ben_johnson_display_his_creative_side/s1_16634_41923646

nomorezorro · Post #607 » by **nomorezorro** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 2:33 am

it's neat to think about how warren could be used, but ultimately, i find it kind of hard to buy the bears would use a top 10 pick on a guy who would be their #3 option in the passing game (or who would turn their last top-10 pick into the #3 option)

my best guess at how their board looks is something like:

1. graham
2. josh simmons (if the medicals check out)
3. jeanty
4-5. shemar stewart / mykel williams
6. membou (if they think he can play LT)

Post #608 » by **fleet** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 1:59 pm

Jvaughn wrote:
fleet wrote:
Jvaughn wrote:
Probably closer to 3rd or 4th unfortunately.

Not that Kmet is necessarily overpaid assuming prior to last year’s production, but if I could get a 3rd or 4th, and unload Kmet’s money and draft Warren, I’m doing that all day long.

Wow, you're that high on Warren? Like I said, I didn't see much of him this year, so I'll defer to your opinion. How close to Bowers impact would you expect from him?

The guy is getting a lot of comparisons to Jeremy Shockey. So imagine adding Jeremy Shockey. Warren can be moved around at least as much if not more than Shockey imo.

nomorezorro · Post #609 » by **nomorezorro** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 4:11 pm

Read on Twitter

my outlook on stewart/williams has generally been "i don't really like it, but i understand the desire to take a big swing on a high-upside EDGE, so whatever", but the more i see the more i lean towards being actively opposed to taking either one of them at 10.

related: bradyn swinson on day two...hello

Jeffster81 · Post #610 » by **Jeffster81** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 7:08 pm

chitowndish wrote:Taking Rome over Bowers is a big part of my problem with that whole line of thinking.

Rome over Bowers was always the right call.

_txchilibowl_ · Post #611 » by **_txchilibowl_** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 7:25 pm

Jeffster81 wrote:
chitowndish wrote:Taking Rome over Bowers is a big part of my problem with that whole line of thinking.

Rome over Bowers was always the right call.

Explain. Because so far the results refute that.

panthermark · Post #612 » by **panthermark** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 7:53 pm

I don't have a problem with Rome over Bowers.
Mostly because we had just signed Kmet to a long term deal, and Rome was a top tier guy.

If you adjust their numbers by TARGET, they are not too far off.

Remember, Brock led his team in targets with 153. Rome was 3rd on the Bears with 101.

Increase all of Rome's numbers by 50% based on targets, they look a lot better. Tough being a 3rd option (which is why Allen should have been moved!)

Brock:
153 targets, 112 catches, 1194 yards, 61 1stD's, 5 TD's

Rome
101 targets, 54 catches, 734 yards, 37 1stD's, 3 TD's

Rome +50% (off the top of my head)
151 targets, 81 catches, 1101 yards, 55.1 1stD's, 4.5TD's

CW did not do Rome any favors on deep balls as well.

1985Bear · Post #613 » by **1985Bear** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:09 pm

Rome vs Bowers is a great debate in regards to drafting. Bowers is great, and it’s possible he continues to be the best TE in football for next 5 years. If Rome develops into a nice Tee Higgins type production, Call him a #1 but not top 15 WR: Who gets the bigger 2nd Contract?

If I had to bet $100 on who gets a bigger second contract Bowers or Rome? I am betting it’s Rome.
Bowers has to pray he gets Darnell Mooney money.

This is the positional value argument that does factor in draft picks. Jamar Chase on a rookie deal is way better for team building than Bowers.

Im not taking Warren at 10.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

panthermark · Post #614 » by **panthermark** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:12 pm

Heck, take a look at MHJ and McBride in Arizona (McBride went to the Pro-Bowl as a TE. Similar numbers to Brock).
Then look at Nabors in NY.....170 targets! Also went to the Pro-Bowl. (He clearly led the Giants in targets!)
Look at Brian Thomas Jr and his targets (133)! Went to the Pro-Bowl. He more than doubled the #2 player on the Jags for targets.

You start going down the list of 1st round WR's (except Ricky...who got shot), it is a damn shame how much Rome got shafted.
Xavier Worthy had 98 targets, 2nd on the Chiefs behind Kelce.
Xavier Legette had 84 targets, that led the Panthers.

Only Poles can answer as to why KA wasn't moved at the deadline to a contender while this team was in a tail spin because of all the 1st round pass catchers that were not shot in the off-season, only our guy managed to be 3rd on his respective team in targets....and that incudes our TE being completely forgotten about. The rookies that were 2nd in targets on their teams (MHJ and Worthy) were 2nd to TE's that went to the Pro-Bowl!!!! All of them (minus Rome and Ricky) were the #1 WR options.

Howling Mad · Post #615 » by **Howling Mad** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 9:44 pm

Speaking of WR, here's your shifty slot speedster. The first signing I actually know something about. Once considered a YAC threat, got injured in JAX and was sent to ST due to lingering hamstring issues. If the hamstring issues are behind him, Duvernay > Tyler Scott.

Read on Twitter

Dresden · Post #616 » by **Dresden** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 11:05 pm

panthermark wrote:Heck, take a look at MHJ and McBride in Arizona (McBride went to the Pro-Bowl as a TE. Similar numbers to Brock).
Then look at Nabors in NY.....170 targets! Also went to the Pro-Bowl. (He clearly led the Giants in targets!)
Look at Brian Thomas Jr and his targets (133)! Went to the Pro-Bowl. He more than doubled the #2 player on the Jags for targets.

You start going down the list of 1st round WR's (except Ricky...who got shot), it is a damn shame how much Rome got shafted.
Xavier Worthy had 98 targets, 2nd on the Chiefs behind Kelce.
Xavier Legette had 84 targets, that led the Panthers.

Only Poles can answer as to why KA wasn't moved at the deadline to a contender while this team was in a tail spin because of all the 1st round pass catchers that were not shot in the off-season, only our guy managed to be 3rd on his respective team in targets....and that incudes our TE being completely forgotten about. The rookies that were 2nd in targets on their teams (MHJ and Worthy) were 2nd to TE's that went to the Pro-Bowl!!!! All of them (minus Rome and Ricky) were the #1 WR options.

I think there's a lot of reasons why Rome saw fewer targets, but it's hard to blame it Keenan Allen not being moved. For one thing, Allen seemed to have the best chemistry with Caleb. So why would you trade your rookie QB's favorite target when he's struggling so badly to begin with? another reason might be that the Bears O line was so poor last year and Rome might have been running more deep routes, which Caleb didn't have time for. Another reason might be that Rome just didn't get open as often- that was one knock on him coming out of college- his inability to get separation.

Also the Bears offense as a whole was one of the worst in the league, so ran fewer plays, and fewer pass plays.

Rome may have been unique in that he was drafted top 10 but was WR3 on his team. I don't know how many WR's in the past 10 years went into a situation like that. The thinking obviously was to give Caleb a lot of targets. Turned it that having targets wasn't the issue- it was having enough time to throw. Plus a crappy offense by Waldron.

In any case, I don't see how Rome "got shafted". If that applies to anyone, it was Kmet, and it was to his credit that he never complained about that one bit. Rome willl get his opportunities this year. Let's see what he makes of them.

NecessaryEvil · Post #617 » by **NecessaryEvil** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 11:08 pm

Rome was born to be a bear. Love him. He's going to be great.

But mannnn I tried to tell any and everyone last draft to GET BROCK BOWERS

I saw Caleb/Bowers as a Pat/Travis type duo eventually. Looks like I woulda been spot on.

:banghead:

Jeffster81 · Post #618 » by **Jeffster81** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 1:04 am

NecessaryEvil wrote:Rome was born to be a bear. Love him. He's going to be great.

But mannnn I tried to tell any and everyone last draft to GET BROCK BOWERS

I saw Caleb/Bowers as a Pat/Travis type duo eventually. Looks like I woulda been spot on.

I liked Bowers as a prospect but I like Warren more. I think Warren/Bowers can be the new Kelce/Kittle. Can't go wrong with either.

NecessaryEvil · Post #619 » by **NecessaryEvil** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 1:29 am

Jeffster81 wrote:
NecessaryEvil wrote:Rome was born to be a bear. Love him. He's going to be great.

But mannnn I tried to tell any and everyone last draft to GET BROCK BOWERS

I saw Caleb/Bowers as a Pat/Travis type duo eventually. Looks like I woulda been spot on.

I liked Bowers as a prospect but I like Warren more. I think Warren/Bowers can be the new Kelce/Kittle. Can't go wrong with either.

I’d be pretty happy to land Warren if Jeanty is gone

dice · Post #620 » by **dice** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 1:59 am

nomorezorro wrote:it's neat to think about how warren could be used, but ultimately, i find it kind of hard to buy the bears would use a top 10 pick on a guy who would be their #3 option in the passing game (or who would turn their last top-10 pick into the #3 option)

my best guess at how their board looks is something like:

1. graham
2. josh simmons (if the medicals check out)
3. jeanty
4-5. shemar stewart / mykel williams
6. membou (if they think he can play LT)

most common projection for membou is 7 to jets

for simmons it's 25 to texans