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McCaravan

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They were all hugging and celebrating like it was a huge pick. Unless they are gonna run a lot of 12 packages this year
 
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4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
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Makes him easier to trade
Makes it easier for other teams, but takes away any leverage the Bears would have in a trade. Not that Kmet would bring a huge return in a trade, but now any team knows they have 3 TEs and are looking to unload him so they're going to make low ball offers.

Most teams carry 3 TEs, but in now way should they have used a 3rd round pick on a 3rd TE with all the other needs they have.
 

PowerI66

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Jul 10, 2025
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Makes it easier for other teams, but takes away any leverage the Bears would have in a trade. Not that Kmet would bring a huge return in a trade, but now any team knows they have 3 TEs and are looking to unload him so they're going to make low ball offers.

Most teams carry 3 TEs, but in now way should they have used a 3rd round pick on a 3rd TE with all the other needs they have.
I'm not arguing. Just saying this wouldn't be the first time a team has done this
 
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McCaravan

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I know they used Smyth a lot last year and lost him but did you need to replace your 3rd TE so early?
 
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4Afan

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I'm not arguing. Just saying this wouldn't be the first time a team has done this
Agree, but it just confuses me that they would restructure him to free up money if they were planning to trade him and get all of his salary off the books.

Kmet had $7.65 million of salary converted to a bonus, reducing his cap number by $3.825 million to $7.775 million for the year. So it's not like it was a big enough number to make much of a difference in a potential trade.
 

4Afan

All-Conference
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So I guess the Bears are just going to try and win every game 52-48 this year.
 

Silver Rain

All-Conference
Jun 6, 2022
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The Athletic graded the Bears' three rounds as follows:
1. A+
2. B+
3. D+

It said the D+ is not a knock on the tight end but on the team's failure to draft for need. The second pick, Logan Jones, won the Rimington Award for the nation's top center. Since he's from Iowa, he could be the next Jay Hilgenberg.
 
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McCaravan

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The Bears picks last night are all good players. They all had strong seasons, good combines and draft analysis. These are clearly Ben Johnson's picks that fit into his version. Thomas threw 3 passes last year and did a lot of jet sweeps so he is going to be their trick play guy but his immediate contribution is a return guy.

The TE is a former Rugby player, if you ever played Rugby (I attempted to once, didn't go well 😂) its a sport you can't be afraid to hit and get dirty and he went to Stanford so he's extremely smart and had 45 catches so he has good hands. Knock on him was short arms or Kiper said he would have been a second rounder easily.

Center was the first one of that position taken. Sounds like Bradbury was a stop gap if they couldn't find a Center in the draft that fit their scheme and it seems like they did with him so he may very well be the starter.

So that being said they aren't bad picks...BUT....we clearly avoided some gaping obvious needs on defense. Edge, DT, CB and LB. Anyone drafted today will be slated as a project, sit and wait player. Yes we could find a missed gem but with Edge's that are left they are all projects. Booker was a 5th rounder, he's just starting to come around.

McCoy who would have been a sure first rounder apparently is a huge medical risk. His ACL is fine but he has some artificial bone put in that if damaged he would miss a full calendar year and may never play again....do you risk 5th round money on that gamble? If he's healthy he's an immediate contributor from the start....Very high risk/reward.
 

Wassup13_rivals219252

All-Conference
Nov 9, 2002
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I would look at it this way as far as issues with the Bears draft.

TE - not needed, this was one of the Bears few strengths before the draft. If you wanted a 3rd TE, do it with your last pick.

LSU WR - Was projected to go in the 6th or 7th round. The Bears paid a very heavy price for him picking him 3 rounds too early

DT - he may be good, but we needed to fix DT and DE before this point whether it be trade, free agency or early on the draft, not in the 6th round.

The rest of the picks were good for me.
 

PowerI66

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Good lord the Bears signed another TE as an UDFA.View attachment 1271786
Ben Johnson to Ryan Poles...
Star Wars Mas GIF by slicedbread
 
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SiuCubFan8

All-Conference
Jul 27, 2007
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It was an interesting draft. They did draft two most likely day 1 starters at positions of need.

Not defending but they have a lot of money tied up in DL, I assume unless things fell and it was a guy they loved they didn’t want to use high value assets. They have $10M in cap space, I assume they sign a vet on DL, most likely a EDGE. We will see how their plan on DL works.

I did like that they buttoned up the center spot. The Dahlman thing really tossed a wrench in the offseason.
 

McCaravan

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It was an interesting draft. They did draft two most likely day 1 starters at positions of need.

Not defending but they have a lot of money tied up in DL, I assume unless things fell and it was a guy they loved they didn’t want to use high value assets. They have $10M in cap space, I assume they sign a vet on DL, most likely a EDGE. We will see how their plan on DL works.

I did like that they buttoned up the center spot. The Dahlman thing really tossed a wrench in the offseason.
Poles has high faith that Turner is going to have a big season and they drafted him last year so we will see. This is also a possibility and at this point he would come cheap so if they swing and miss so be it. He had 8.5 sacks last year.
 

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
3,966
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It was an interesting draft. They did draft two most likely day 1 starters at positions of need.

Not defending but they have a lot of money tied up in DL, I assume unless things fell and it was a guy they loved they didn’t want to use high value assets. They have $10M in cap space, I assume they sign a vet on DL, most likely a EDGE. We will see how their plan on DL works.

I did like that they buttoned up the center spot. The Dahlman thing really tossed a wrench in the offseason.
That $10 mil in cap space is for rookie contracts.
 
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Silver Rain

All-Conference
Jun 6, 2022
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The TE is a former Rugby player, if you ever played Rugby (I attempted to once, didn't go well 😂) its a sport you can't be afraid to hit and get dirty and he went to Stanford so he's extremely smart and had 45 catches so he has good hands. Knock on him was short arms or Kiper said he would have been a second rounder easily.

I can see a rugby player with exceptional speed and toughness succeeding at the edge position. Tight ends that have been converted to defensive ends include Keion White of the Patriots and Stefon Sullivan, Seahawks.
 
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Wassup13_rivals219252

All-Conference
Nov 9, 2002
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"This is news to me but I am looking into it now. Hope it's true".

- Jarrett Payton on X (in response to Bears draft pick WR Zavion Thomas from LSU is a relative of Walter Payton.)
 

Wassup13_rivals219252

All-Conference
Nov 9, 2002
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What's your thoughts on Caden Barnett?

Caden Barnett, a former Wyoming offensive lineman, has signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent (UDFA). He is a 6'4", 316-pound guard/tackle who signed a deal with significant guaranteed money, giving him a "genuine" chance to make the 53-man roster
 

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
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What's your thoughts on Caden Barnett?

Caden Barnett, a former Wyoming offensive lineman, has signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent (UDFA). He is a 6'4", 316-pound guard/tackle who signed a deal with significant guaranteed money, giving him a "genuine" chance to make the 53-man roster
Not sure if he'll make the team, but I like him just because his nick name is the Vanilla Gorilla.
 
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