D-Line Combine Stars, Dreamy Depth, Is a “Feeding Frenzy” Coming? And Other Bears Bullets

Good morning! This set of Bullets is coming from an Amtrak train this morning because I’m on my way to St. Louis for Arch Madness. It’ll be my first time in the area since my memorable Friendsgiving trip. And my beloved Southern Illinois Salukis will be taking on the Missouri State Bears.

So if you see me tweeting about my preference to see the Bears lose tonight, that’s why.

  • I feel as if the big takeaway from Thursday’s Combine action was that if the Bears were going to trade back in the draft to take an edge defender, then this is the time to do it. The options seem plentiful. Sure, Will Anderson Jr. stands out above the rest. But as we’ve discussed previously, this class is loaded with talent that should go in the first two rounds. It makes trading down a little less scary.
  • Patrick has a round-up of Thursday’s happenings over at BN’s NFL wing:
  • If you were looking for a big, individual winner from Thursday’s events, then you’d probably point at the big guy from Alabama:
  • As I was saying earlier, Anderson is giving off Khalil Mack vibes — and I’m VERY into it.
  • Size. Speed. Strength. Big numbers at the college level. The ability to rush the passer *AND* stuff the run. Anderson does it all. And he has done it against some stiff competition in the SEC. It’s not as if you can win SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors and take home All-American recognition while coasting in that conference.
  • AHEM!
  • Add NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock to the list of those who were impressed by the pass-rushing prowess of Thursday’s top performers at the Combine. The depth was definitely something to write home about and is encouraging on so many levels. Depending on if the Bears can tack on additional draft capital, I wouldn’t mind double-dipping along the defensive line on NFL Draft weekend. It probably wouldn’t be ideal when you consider how many other needs this team has, but it is fun to think about the possibilities.
  • Alternatively, the Bears using the draft and free agency to bolster that defensive line might be the best deployment of resources. Imagine flexing that cap muscle to sign Dre’Mont Jones (it’ll take a bunch of flexing based on recent reports) in free agency, then maneuvering to take Will Anderson Jr. in the draft. That is a dreamy scenario to me.
  • This tweet is *chef’s kiss* good:
  • With all these intriguing DL options, trading down isn’t all that scary. But before we fully go down that rabbit hole, Patrick Finley (Sun-Times) points out the Bears have to wait out teams to go “all-in” on drafting a quarterback. It might not take much to get there. However, it isn’t like we need much to get the ball rolling in that direction. After all, it just takes two teams being crazy about one QB to accelerate the process.
  • To that end, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks the Bears could have a “feeding frenzy” for that top pick. Ryan Taylor (NBC Sports Chicago) sorts through what that could mean for this team if that scenario plays out.
  • The “feeding frenzy” could result in a tremendous haul of draft picks:
  • Seriously … sign me up for THIS. Because getting multiple future first-round picks and still drafting in the top 10 is a dream scenario I’d love to see happen — even at the expense of losing out on a prospect of Will Anderson Jr.’s caliber.
  • This is tremendous news if you’re a Bears team trying to move out of the first pick:
  • Sending this tweet in the GM group chat would make Ryan Poles a legend, IMHO.
  • Friend of the program Greg Braggs Jr. is really in his bag at the Combine. (CHGO)
  • Heart-warming stuff:
  • I wonder if the Bears see what the Blackhawks are doing and plan on drawing inspiration from it:
  • Oof! The Bulls are a MESS:
  • Nico leading off would make him an interesting fantasy sleeper, especially if the guys behind him in the order can knock him in:
  • written by

    Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

    more bears news

    Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft Fits: Defensive Linemen

    The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos....

    And Now Penei Sewell Has Signed a MASSIVE Extension With The Lions

    Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is hard at work today! It's fitting that just a day before the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off in Detroit, the Lions have locked up two franchise, homegrown cornerstones just hours apart. This morning,...

    Take a Look at the New Chicago Bears Stadium Renderings

    The Chicago Bears unveiled plans for their downtown lakefront stadium proposal on Wednesday. And as you might expect, it is very kind on the eyes: https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1783185834490888461 The Bears even gave the project a code name — The Burnham Park Project: The...

    Amon-Ra St. Brown Signs MASSIVE Extention With Lions

    We have a new highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL! According to a report from NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the Lions have made Amon-Ra St. Brown the richest wideout in the NFL with a four-year, $120 million contract extension...

    Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft Fits: Offensive Linemen

    The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos....

    Stadium Stuff, Rome and Caleb, New Bears Hires, and Other Bears Bullets

    The 2024 NFL Draft is just one day away. Soon, we'll get to hear those magic words: "The Chicago Bears are on the clock." And they'll mean something! ICYMI: The Bears, who are set to have a press conference at...

    Ian Cunningham is Getting an Extension From the Bears

    Ian Cunningham is set to stick around for a little while longer. The Chicago Bears assistant general manager is getting some years tacked on to his contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. No details on how many more years are...

    The Bears Are Expected to Ask For Some Public Money For New Stadium

    If you have followed pro sports stadium projects in the past, then you probably are aware that taxpayers tend to end up footing a hearty chunk of the bill. And while the Chicago Bears have not yet made public their...

    Bears GM Ryan Poles Isn’t Necessarily Looking to Trade For More Draft Picks

    Ryan Poles has done well in creating a bevy of picks in each of his first two NFL Draft classes as Chicago Bears general manager. And even though the Bears have a league-low four picks in this week's NFL Draft,...

    Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: 4.0

    We’re just over 24 hours from the NFL Draft, and all I can say is finally. Finally, we’re done with the speculation. I’ll never forget the Bears Twitter Civil War of 2024 centered around the Caleb Williams vs. Justin Fields...

    Latest News

    Nuggets vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 3 – Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Denver Nuggets are slight 1-point favorites in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, starting at 10:00 PM ET on TNT. The Nuggets have a 2-0...

    76ers vs. Knicks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 3 – Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers are 4.5-point favorites for Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, tipping off at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. The Knicks lead the...

    Oilers vs. Kings NHL Playoffs First Round Game 3 Prediction: Picks, Live Odds and Moneyline – Friday, April 26, 2024

    The Edmonton Oilers are moderate favorites (-130) away at the Los Angeles Kings (+110) on Friday at 10:30 PM ET.Oilers vs. Kings Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Oilers (-130)Underdog: Kings (+110)Total: 6Best Oilers vs. Kings Promo Codes[lasso type="table" id="1" link_id="1597816"]How to Watch...

    Brewers vs. Pirates Probable Starting Pitchers – April 25

    The Milwaukee Brewers (15-8) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (13-12) square off in Pittsburgh on Thursday. First pitch is at 12:35 PM ET at PNC Park.The Brewers will call on Freddy Peralta (2-0) against the Pirates and Mitch Keller (2-2).Brewers vs....

    Golden Knights vs. Stars NHL Playoffs First Round Game 3 Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Saturday, April 27, 2024

    The oddsmakers have the Vegas Golden Knights at -120 on the moneyline, and the Dallas Stars at +100, for their matchup on Saturday, April 27 at 10:30 PM ET.Golden Knights vs. Stars Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Golden Knights (-120)Underdog: Stars (+100)Total:...

    How to Watch Guardians vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    On Thursday, Josh Naylor and the Cleveland Guardians (17-7) contest a rubber match against Tyler O'Neill and the Boston Red Sox (14-11) at Progressive Field, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the...

    Maple Leafs vs. Bruins NHL Playoffs First Round Game 4 Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Saturday, April 27, 2024

    The sportsbooks are expecting a close game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins when they clash on Saturday at 8:00 PM ET, with the Maple Leafs at -112 on the moneyline, and the Bruins at -108.Maple Leafs vs....

    How to Watch Mariners vs. Rangers: Live Stream or on TV

    Caleb Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners (12-12) visit Adolis Garcia and the Texas Rangers (13-12) on Thursday in a rubber match, with first pitch at 2:35 PM ET.The article below will give you everything you need to watch Seattle play...

    Padres vs. Rockies: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Thursday, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres (14-13) face Ryan McMahon and the Colorado Rockies (6-19), with first pitch scheduled for 3:10 PM ET at Coors Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the San Diego-Colorado...

    2024 Las Vegas Raiders Big Board: Potential First-Round Fits Including Tackle & Cornerback

    The desert heat is rising in Las Vegas, and so are the expectations for the Raiders. The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and the Silver and Black hold the 13th overall pick. Will they prioritize shoring up the offensive...

    more bears news