There’s a lot going on this video, but the whimsical look on Mitch Trubisky’s face as he gazes upon the the Lombardi Trophy during this video is something else:
His facial expressions are of someone curious on how to go about winning another one. And frankly, I have the same curiosity.
Trubisky’s whirlwind weekend is over. He is now a member of the Chicago Bears and is without a doubt the most important player of the team’s draft class. And even though neither he nor his draft classmates will be taking the field soon, there is still much to digest and discuss with regards to what happened over the weekend. So let’s dive in…
GM Ryan Pace should have no regrets about what happened at the NFL Draft, or so says Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald columnist Mike Imrem. Viewing the draft through a wider scope, Imrem applauds Pace for boldly attempting to find the team’s franchise quarterback while struggling to understand why Pace is facing criticism for making a move fans have begged several general managers to make over the years. Previous general managers have done so with quarterbacks such as Jay Cutler, Rex Grossman, and Cade McNown. Pace becomes the latest to shoot his shot, using Trubisky as the centerpiece for the future. Trubisky is the great unknown. But as soon as we find out what he is, we’ll also figure out what Pace’s future is in the NFL.
The Wall Street Journal also took a crack at breaking down the NFL Draft, doing so in a unique way by grading picks using Bill Parcells’ measurement scale. One of the biggest takeaways here has direct ties to the Bears, and it adds a fresh angle. Neither head coach John Fox nor offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has experience in developing a quarterback like Mitch Trubisky. So making Trubisky the second overall pick is quite the leap of faith. Compare that to what the Kansas City Chiefs did in trading up to draft Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid is a quarterback whisperer with a history of developing quarterbacks with athleticism and big arms. Reid was an assistant who helped develop Brett Favre with the Packers, while later moving on as the head coach of the Eagles where he would help Donovan McNabb grow into a star signal caller. Just add Fox and Loggains’ inexperience to the pile of risk the Bears are taking on in drafting Trubisky.
Mark Potash analyzed every Bears angle from the NFL Draft over at the Chicago Sun-Times, tackling everything from the team’s biggest misses, regrets, a potential quarterback controversy, and more. Teammates Adam Jahns and Patrick Finley did likewise in a comprehensive weekend review of a critical three-day stretch of decision making for the Bears’ front office.
Over at Pro Football Focus, analyst Steve Palazzolo explains how every player draft fits in their team’s new scheme. It’s a comprehensive read that is worth your time, especially if you want to see where players you would have preferred the Bears drafted over the weekend fit with their respective squads. As for the Bears’ skill position players, Palazzolo sees tight end Adam Shaheen as a boom-or-bust second-round pick, safety Eddie Jackson as a cornerback-turned-safety with skills that could translate into him being a playmaker at free safety, and Tarik Cohen as a change-of-pace back with potential to be great in the open field.
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times provides a list of the undrafted free agents who have agreed to sign with the Bears. Also, SB Nation has a UDFA signing tracker for the entire NFL. There is usually a handful of players from this group who make noise in training camp. Some even make the team. Cameron Meredith, the team’s leading receiver last year, was an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State. Proving once again that it’s all about taking advantage of the opportunities when they are presented to you.
In case you thought things were unhinged at Halas Hall, the Buffalo Bills fired general manager Doug Whaley and all the team’s scouts upon the conclusion of the draft. This means the Bills will go into 2017 with a general manager who didn’t hire this head coach or re-work quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s contract, or make any picks in the recently concluded NFL Draft. On the surface, it seems like a recipe for disaster.
Because it’s never too early for to mock the NFL Draft, SB Nation’s Dan Kadar has a ridiculously early look at 2018’s prospects. The draft’s order is based on Super Bowl odds from an online sportsbook that gives the Bears the fifth longest odds. A second consecutive year with a top five pick wouldn’t look good for the rebuilding Bears, but it would net the team Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick. And that would make sense after not choosing a cornerback in this draft, plus the projected departures of Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara. Naturally, what stands out in this mock draft is that six quarterbacks go in the first round. That includes five in the top 11 and three going to each of the top three picks in the draft. This is worth noting, of course, because of what the Bears did to get Trubisky.
[adinserter block=”9″]
NEWSLETTER
