Nfl Draft

Okay, now that we’ve had some time to digest the draft and some of the immediate ramifications, let’s delve into some of the teams I thought best took advantage of their selections. (Not winners and losers per se, since we can’t actually grade these drafts until three years or so elapse.) Still, what’s the NFL without some premature judging?

Continue reading "The Best and Worst Classes of the 2011 NFL Draft"

Alrighty draft fans! Day three is all wrapped up. I have to say, these later rounds leave even me little to say at certain points. Nevertheless, I'm here with a quick recap of day three's action.

Continue reading "The Final Draft: The 2011 NFL Draft, ..."

After sitting out the fourth round thanks to a trade with Washington the day before, the Chicago Bears took Idaho QB Nathan Enderle at the 29th pick (160 overall) in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Enderle has likely been tabbed to be the eventual successor to Caleb Hanie as the primary back-up to Jay Cutler. At 6’6” and 240, Enderle is a big tall, quarterback with the ability to stand tall in the pocket. That comes in handy in the Mike Martz offense, which puts a lot of pressure on his quarterbacks with plenty of deep drops. This pick is reminiscent of last year’s draft when Martz got GM Jerry Angelo to take Dan LeFevour in the sixth round. Though LeFevour was eventually placed on the practice squad and snapped up by Cincinnati, but who’s really keeping track? Oh wait, I am. I know Hanie is likely on the way out after this next season because his contract is up, but drafting a QB in the fifth round isn’t sufficient value to me. Why don’t you trade back and get a pick for next year and take a QB? I’m not sure Enderle was next on anyone’s draft board, so the value wasn’t there for Chicago.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears 2011 Draft Recap: Day Three"

Day two of the NFL Draft is all tuckered out and ready for bed, just like my sister. Amidst Chris Berman idiocies and countless Jon Gruden “that guy’s,” I’m ready for a recap of rounds two and three. Here we go!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: The 2011 NFL Draft, ..."

Trading up in the second round, the Chicago Bears jumped on Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea at the 49th overall pick. Paea would have been a possible target in the first round for Jerry Angelo and Tim Ruskell had Gabe Carimi not been available, so finding him in the second round means the Bears picked up two talents on which they clearly had first round grades. The 6’1”, 303-pound Paea set an NFL combine record with 49 reps of 225 pounds, so he’s got the strength to play up the middle in Rod Marinelli’s defense.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Draft Recap: Rounds Two and Three"

Round one of the NFL Draft is in the books! As always, there are plenty of moments that need mentioning, others that merit praise and some that are just plain head-scratching. Here are some of my highlights of round one.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: The 2011 NFL Draft, Round One"

We waited long enough, but at the 29th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jerry Angelo and the Chicago Bears selected Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi. A left tackle, Carimi will undoubtedly be a starter on the offensive line when the season starts, likely next to Chris Williams on the left side. I’ll break him down more after the draft ends, but it’s a solid start for Jerry Angelo. Carimi has a nasty streak in him, which is necessary with some of the pass rushers in the NFC North. He’s also durable, having started 49 games for the Badgers during his four years. He can definitely play guard, but look for him to get time at left tackle.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Draft Recap: Round One"

For the first time since picking Chris Williams 14th overall in 2008, the Chicago Bears will have work to do in the first round of the NFL Draft. At the 29th slot, GM Jerry Angelo needs to fill a hole and find an instant contributor/starter, not a three-year project. With expectations high after an NFC Championship appearance, there can be no whiffing at the top of Angelo’s draft.

Continue reading "Joe's Draft Day Preview: Chicago Bears, Round One"

It is time, once again, to gather at Radio City Music Hall and judge/praise players who haven’t even stepped on an NFL field yet. Isn’t it grand? Here are a few storylines to watch for during round one of the NFL Draft, airing Thursday night on ESPN and the NFL Network.

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: The 2011 NFL Draft, Round One"

With only one pick in the first two days of the NFL Draft, Jerry Angelo and the Chicago Bears made the most of their picks on day three... or did they?

Round 4, Pick 109: Corey Wootton, DE Northwestern

Continue reading "Bears Draft Recap: Rounds 4-7"

Following 74 picks, the Chicago Bears finally made their 2010 Draft debut by taking Florida Safety Major Wright in the third round Friday night. 

At 6'0 and 206 lbs, Wright ran a 4.44 40-time at the NFL combine but figures to be in play at the strong safety position. He racked 165 tackles and eight interceptions in his 41 games at Florida. He had been a target of Angelo's throughout the draft process and was the top safety left on the board. ESPN's Mel Kiper had Wright projected as a second-round talent.

Continue reading "Bears take Florida safety Major Wright ..."

What will Jerry do? 

After their relaxing day off during round one of the draft, the Chicago Bears are expected to make their first pick later tonight at pick number 11 in the third round (75 overall).

Continue reading "Bears set to pick at 75, will they move up?"

After all the waiting and anticipation, the start of the 2010 NFL Draft went according to plan. Quarterback Sam Bradford went to the Rams, Ndamukong Suh to the Lions and Gerald McCoy to the Bucs. After the known occurred, there was plenty to discuss. Here's what caught my eye from day one.

Continue reading "Joe's Draft Recap: Day One"

It's finally here. The 2010 NFL Draft is upon us and I couldn't be more excited to hunker down for two nights and another day of coverage. With the new format, tonight will only cover the first round, bringing the drama of the top picks to primetime television. 

Continue reading "2010 NFL Draft: What to Watch for on Day One"

It's one of my favorite times of the year everyone! It's time for the freaking NFL Draft! I will be watching every minute of coverage, every minute of Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. (And maybe even a little Mike Mayock). If you only want to see what the Bears do however, you can skip the first night and a half. 

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Draft Preview"

With nine picks in the final six rounds, the Chicago Bears addressed their most pressing areas of need. Wide receiver, the defensive line, and safety were all points of focus for the Bears, who used six of their nine selections in those areas. It was a solid draft if nothing else, getting value late in the draft.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Draft Day Two: Angelo ..."

So there is barely any news on the Chicago front. After waiting over five hours to make their only pick of the day at number 17 in the second round (49th overall), the Chicago Bears made a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears sent their 2nd round selection to Seattle and received the Seahawks’ 3rd round (68th overall) and 4th round (105th) choices, both of which will be on Sunday.

Continue reading "NFL Draft Day One: Bears Trade Down ..."

Mmm… draft weekend. I live for it. Call me crazy, call me an NFL freak, but I simply can’t get enough Mel Kiper or Todd McShay spouting off intangibles of some cornerback out of Florida State in the fifth round. I will be pasted to my couch this weekend, analyzing every Bears selection and dutifully following the ticker at the bottom of the screen.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears 2009 NFL Draft Preview"

Jay Cutler is a Chicago Bear. I said it. I can’t believe it. This was a pipedream. All I wanted to hear was that the Bears expressed their interest and were on the phones trying to make an offer. I did not even fathom the idea that they could actually land a franchise quarterback. General Manager Jerry Angelo not only called the Broncos, but pulled the trigger on a massive blockbuster trade, acquiring the Pro Bowl QB from Denver.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Trade for Cutler, Sign Pace"