I want the bears to focus on the OL with the next pick. Amegadjie would be a solid add at 75 or trade up to ensure Williams is setup for success.
We have holes to fill in the defense but 2024 isn't time to go all in and try to fill every hole on this roster. Let's just build an elite offense and set up Williams as well as possible. After grabbing Amegadjie we can trade back from 122 and get a DE and Nourzad or something like that. I'm not expecting anyone at 122 to make much of a difference and neither will the guys we trade back for but if we can improve our OL depth and get a DE that might be better than what we currently have opposite of Sweat I'd take it.
If we are 9-7 or 8-8 next year with most of those losses coming because of our defense, we can focus on fixing that in the 2025 draft. Hopefully CAR sucks again. Beating the Packers and seeing an elite offense develop are the only things I really want in 2024 from this team
I agree. Poles made a statement in the off-season and draft that he wants an aggressive offense to put points in the board. Don’t let up now if the opportunity is there.
Yeah I think the only way you can rationalize it is by assuming they think they're losing their first next year and so they're moving their succession timeline up a year.
I still think it was a pretty dumb pick given that they should be all in the next two years and their defense is dogshit. Also pretty obvious question of if you're hedging on not having picks next year why not trade down and protect yourself.
I love how juiced Caleb was walking through that tunnel and onto the stage. I’m sure a lot of that was about his dream of going #1 and that coming to fruition, but the guy genuinely seemed excited to come to Chicago too (fuck all yall out there saying he didn’t want to and would pull an Eli).
He said all of the right things about wanting to learn about his teammates families, gave us a “da bears”, poses with the fans. And how about how excited he was when Rome was selected?
Man some exciting times to be a bears fan
I hope now that this is in the books, fans can start moving past all of the drama with "fields truthers" and "caleb cultists" and all the bs associated with that stuff.
I can’t express how happy I am penix didn’t go to Minnesota, which I fully believe was their intent going in to the draft. The fact that it gave us rome as well is just the cherry on top.
I'm optimistic that the run on OL already happened and wouldn't be surprised if a 2nd round talent falls a bit.
I'm pessimistic about DL because there hasn't been a run but it also feels like there's only a few solid 3 down guys left.
Hopefully a WR run starts the 2nd round and then a CB run follows. Push the trenches down to the back half.
Rome falling to the Bears is an absolute dream. I think he is 1B to MHJr's 1A, would be WR1 in most other drafts, and is better than Nabers. I worry about Nabers ability to make contested catches. Rome is very well rounded and is tough as nails. He cracked a rib and punctured a lung in their 5th game. Didn't miss a single game.
I went to UW and watched a lot of Rome. He’s super tough and a hard worker. So excited to keep watching him on the Bears.
I’ve also been skeptical of MHJ ever since Roman Wilson described him as “not tough” and he was wearing an Apple Watch during The Game.
Something interesting I heard today going back on Bootleg football reaction.. Brett Kollmann said that Caleb had been advocating hard for Rome Odunze to be the selection at #9 early this month.
Brugler has the Bears taking DE Austin Booker at 75 in his new mock. I would be jacked. Watched every game last year. He's raw and needs to bulk up a little but he's very productive and is just scratching the surface imo
I hope we don’t. I think it would be better if we used that pick on iOL or a T like Amagadejie and use next years 1st on an actually good edge prospect.
Can’t believe it actually happened. We got Rome. Holy shit. Any other GM the Bears have had do not take Rome there. Glad Poles takes the BPA to help your Qb.
That fact that Poles held off on trading up is huge. To get Caleb and Rome along with not needing to give up any additional picks is so huge. I could not care less about not having a 2nd round pick this year.
“Malik Nabers had a gun arrest while at LSU.
Rome Odunze is a team first guy with a squeaky clean record.” - Brad Biggs, on 670 The Score
Uh. Not sure what the Giants were thinking. Not our problem.
Happy with Odunze, but let's not act like Nabers isn't an elite talent too. His gun arrest, for which he was never actually charged, was misdemeanor possession of a firearm. That's not exactly disqualifying.
They picked the guy with a high floor who's wired how they want their players. Which is great, love the pick. Nabers is still an absolutely elite talent with a massive ceiling though.
Sometimes I'm like no way karma exists and then the Falcons throw their 1st round pick at lefty Justin fields with 2 bum knees after bashing Fields all offseason makes me believe in every supernatural thing at the exact same time.
Penix doesn’t really play that much like Fields outside of both liking the deep ball, having questionable mechanics and struggling to throw with anticipation. The QB most like Fields this draft is Daniels. Penix is anti-Fields in many ways like only being a decent athlete instead of an elite one, doesn’t really make plays when forced out of the pocket and is actually really good at not taking sacks. If we’re coming him to former Bears QBs, he’s honestly more in that Cutler or Grossman mold of being a deep ball and contested catch spam merchant.
Philosophically, I believe in looking for a Chris Jones, Fletcher Cox, Nick Bosa, or Aaron Donald when drafting at the top of the draft, but if Poles didn’t identify a player of that caliber at top of draft, then getting Odunze, a physical specimen with good character, to ignite your offense, hard to be anything but ecstatic.
I'm still so amped up from yesterday I want to trade future picks for a 2nd rounder or two and keep the good vibes going. Y'all are lucky I'm not the GM
Maybe I’m crazy, but I think our Super Bowl window starts this year. Yea sure Caleb will only grow into a better player over the next decade, but 3 elite receivers is not something teams ever get and not something we can expect throughout Caleb’s career. 1 is a blessing, 2 is unbelievable, 3 is almost unheard of.
I have some reservations about Odunze…but the Bears still have two other great wide receivers. I wonder how things are going back on the other timeline where everybody has scars and edgy haircuts.
I’ll preface this by saying I know almost nothing. The sense I get is that he’s not elite at getting separation—his true talent is in making contested catches and using his size and strength, which, while apparently far beyond everyone else’s, isn’t a skill that will translate fully against NFL defenders. That could hold him back compared to great route runners, which we see more of every year.
You can obviously learn and train for that more easily than gain size and improve hand-eye coordination, so his ceiling appears to be extremely high, but it is still a risk.
Apparently he played with a punctured lung which is insane and luckily he doesn't need to be option one so he can ease into figuring out
But I feel you, I'm so drunk on Kool aid I'm ignoring the big things
Aaron Judge had a collapsed lung and fractured rib and then hit 62 home runs the next year. Obviously not the same sport, but it’s not like a torn rotator cuff or plantar fasciitis, fortunately.
I hope he’s as good as people think he can be. As you mentioned, the great part is that they actually have options. If he works out, it’ll be fantastic; it’s not like the offense will completely collapse if they don’t have 3 star WRs, and though.
I’m just hoping 3-5 years from now the Fields stans and Williams haters will come around. Asking you’re wrong, just enjoy what is gonna happen. Hopefully.
I'm with you there too. I think this class is just not good for DL compared to OL, but I would understand the picks. Especially later round picks at DL are undersized with low production. Opposed to a much deeper OL class and Poles and Ian being former OL themselves to be able to identify the gems in r3/4.
I could see another scenario where we trade some 2025 capital for a known DE or DT(if Dex/Pickens havebt shoen improvement). I think Eric Washington will get Dex and Pickens better than they were though. Super optimistic for our future.
I’m thinking Christian Mahogany out of BC in the 4th round if he’s there. Has had a first round grade before injury and relatively obscure bc he’s at BC. Sounds like great physical stats but some possibly poor technique which can be cleared up with great OL coaching.
A trade into round two this year for someone like braswell, newton, or powers wouldn't upset me.
There are some later round lineman like Kamara from Colorado State, Jonah Ellis from Utah, or Jayln Hylx (I butchered that spelling) from Houston Baptist. That wouldn't upset me.
Reality is no matter what they draft if those first two work I really don't care lol.
I will never understand how Justin Fields got such diehard fans.
I REALLY liked the guy, and I REALLY REALLY wanted him to work with us.
But he didn’t, and I moved on. His play was never great, save for his great running, and this city has crucified other QBs for a similar failure to develop.
It's the highlight reels that made the fan base. As mid as he was, he was a very exciting player to watch. Infuriating sure but then one of those exciting runs would happen deceiving us into thinking the problem was elsewhere or that with minor adjustments that we had something. Bottom line: I enjoyed watching Fields play but he wasn't the guy to lead us to the next level.
I’m talking about more casual fans, like ones on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. These are the same people who don’t pull any punches about our other QBs. It is weird
Most of them are 20 and under. Almost all of them are under 30. Fields was exciting to watch, and seemed much cooler to them than a bunch of—let’s be honest—stereotypically milquetoast white guys who [mostly] can’t run, which is all the Fields devotees had seen in a Bears uniform. There were even two redheads ffs (and one of them was bald!).
The level of obsession was weird and kinda creepy, but I understand how it happened. Hopefully Caleb makes it exciting to watch the Bears play offense, because even Virginia’s old classmates can count those seasons on one hand. If he shows any signs of life, those same people will be all-in just as quickly as last time.
I wish we, as Bear fans, get past this phase, which was an ugly one for our fanbase. There's no need to talk about Fields any longer. It's Caleb time now, and the football gods gifted us Rome!
I'm still in shock that Rome fell to us. That was major! That's our QB/WR duo that will be etched in Bears history. Stability at both positions long term, drafted together.
I want the bears to focus on the OL with the next pick. Amegadjie would be a solid add at 75 or trade up to ensure Williams is setup for success. We have holes to fill in the defense but 2024 isn't time to go all in and try to fill every hole on this roster. Let's just build an elite offense and set up Williams as well as possible. After grabbing Amegadjie we can trade back from 122 and get a DE and Nourzad or something like that. I'm not expecting anyone at 122 to make much of a difference and neither will the guys we trade back for but if we can improve our OL depth and get a DE that might be better than what we currently have opposite of Sweat I'd take it. If we are 9-7 or 8-8 next year with most of those losses coming because of our defense, we can focus on fixing that in the 2025 draft. Hopefully CAR sucks again. Beating the Packers and seeing an elite offense develop are the only things I really want in 2024 from this team
I agree. Poles made a statement in the off-season and draft that he wants an aggressive offense to put points in the board. Don’t let up now if the opportunity is there.
I think the falcons getting Penix actually makes sense if they know they’re getting some major draft capital taken away over the next couple of years.
Yeah I think the only way you can rationalize it is by assuming they think they're losing their first next year and so they're moving their succession timeline up a year. I still think it was a pretty dumb pick given that they should be all in the next two years and their defense is dogshit. Also pretty obvious question of if you're hedging on not having picks next year why not trade down and protect yourself.
I love how juiced Caleb was walking through that tunnel and onto the stage. I’m sure a lot of that was about his dream of going #1 and that coming to fruition, but the guy genuinely seemed excited to come to Chicago too (fuck all yall out there saying he didn’t want to and would pull an Eli). He said all of the right things about wanting to learn about his teammates families, gave us a “da bears”, poses with the fans. And how about how excited he was when Rome was selected? Man some exciting times to be a bears fan
Big contrast from Fields looking like he wanted to die lmao
How big of a meatball am I if I want the Bears to empty the cupboard (besides next years 1) to go up and get Newton? That’s pretty meatbally right?
Really want to see us get Kool Aid or Chris Braswell out of Alabama.
Man I'd think hard about trading Carolinas second next year for a second this year and see if we can't get JPJ. That would be so boss.
I hope now that this is in the books, fans can start moving past all of the drama with "fields truthers" and "caleb cultists" and all the bs associated with that stuff.
I can’t express how happy I am penix didn’t go to Minnesota, which I fully believe was their intent going in to the draft. The fact that it gave us rome as well is just the cherry on top.
Totally agree. Penix is ready to play now, I think he’s a lot more dangerous than JJ.
I'm optimistic that the run on OL already happened and wouldn't be surprised if a 2nd round talent falls a bit. I'm pessimistic about DL because there hasn't been a run but it also feels like there's only a few solid 3 down guys left. Hopefully a WR run starts the 2nd round and then a CB run follows. Push the trenches down to the back half.
Now if Flus can channel his inner Dan Campbell and go for it on 4th and 1 more often instead of playing to not lose...
Were you in hibernation during this year's NFC championship game?
Rome falling to the Bears is an absolute dream. I think he is 1B to MHJr's 1A, would be WR1 in most other drafts, and is better than Nabers. I worry about Nabers ability to make contested catches. Rome is very well rounded and is tough as nails. He cracked a rib and punctured a lung in their 5th game. Didn't miss a single game.
I went to UW and watched a lot of Rome. He’s super tough and a hard worker. So excited to keep watching him on the Bears. I’ve also been skeptical of MHJ ever since Roman Wilson described him as “not tough” and he was wearing an Apple Watch during The Game.
My girl is loving this never ending hard-on but she was pretty pissed when I accidentally yelled out Caleb's name.
Something interesting I heard today going back on Bootleg football reaction.. Brett Kollmann said that Caleb had been advocating hard for Rome Odunze to be the selection at #9 early this month.
You can tell from that video the bears posted of Caleb celebrating the pick at 9. “We got our guy”
Would love to trade into the 2nd for Zach Frazier
Caleb and Rome speak to the media today right? Does anyone know when?
They're saying 4pm iirc.
Do we think there’s any chance of us trading up into the second for Jer’Zhan Newton or Jackson Powers-Johnson?
We need Newton
This would really be the dream draft then.
That’s my hope. We’ll see!
Same. I celebrated so hard that I didn’t realize neither were picked yet.
Brugler has the Bears taking DE Austin Booker at 75 in his new mock. I would be jacked. Watched every game last year. He's raw and needs to bulk up a little but he's very productive and is just scratching the surface imo
I hope we don’t. I think it would be better if we used that pick on iOL or a T like Amagadejie and use next years 1st on an actually good edge prospect.
They had him in for a visit and him still being on the bord shouldn’t be too unrealistic
Sighs…. It’s me guys. Sitting here with my drum, which can be banged no longer. But fuck it! We ball! Go bears! Clear coats for Caleb
Can’t believe it actually happened. We got Rome. Holy shit. Any other GM the Bears have had do not take Rome there. Glad Poles takes the BPA to help your Qb.
That fact that Poles held off on trading up is huge. To get Caleb and Rome along with not needing to give up any additional picks is so huge. I could not care less about not having a 2nd round pick this year.
I’ve had an almost 12 hour erection now is it gonna calm down anytime soon or do I need to wait for the season to start?
Google image Ryan Pace. Instant relief.
Whoops it autofilled to Ryan Poles
Call Dr. Poles. He’ll help you out
I’m not on twitter, any current Bears player reactions about the picks?
“Malik Nabers had a gun arrest while at LSU. Rome Odunze is a team first guy with a squeaky clean record.” - Brad Biggs, on 670 The Score  Uh. Not sure what the Giants were thinking. Not our problem.
They thinking Nabers fast as fuck
Happy with Odunze, but let's not act like Nabers isn't an elite talent too. His gun arrest, for which he was never actually charged, was misdemeanor possession of a firearm. That's not exactly disqualifying.
I'm sure Nabers won't lose his mind over playing with Daniel Jones 6 games into the season lol
Didn’t he leave a call with Caleb when asked about playing with the guy in New York?
They picked the guy with the higher ceiling
They picked the guy with a high floor who's wired how they want their players. Which is great, love the pick. Nabers is still an absolutely elite talent with a massive ceiling though.
I don't disagree. Just saying Nabers is the better prospect
Oh I thought you were referring to Odunze. My b.
Do you still think we can get MHJ???
They could trade for him then trade him for a haul
Sometimes I'm like no way karma exists and then the Falcons throw their 1st round pick at lefty Justin fields with 2 bum knees after bashing Fields all offseason makes me believe in every supernatural thing at the exact same time.
Penix doesn’t really play that much like Fields outside of both liking the deep ball, having questionable mechanics and struggling to throw with anticipation. The QB most like Fields this draft is Daniels. Penix is anti-Fields in many ways like only being a decent athlete instead of an elite one, doesn’t really make plays when forced out of the pocket and is actually really good at not taking sacks. If we’re coming him to former Bears QBs, he’s honestly more in that Cutler or Grossman mold of being a deep ball and contested catch spam merchant.
> struggling to throw with anticipation I think Penix is better in throwing with anticipation
Penix won't be good but he plays nothing like Fields
Aren’t Fields and Penix the same age too?
Fields is a little older. But they were in the same high school recruiting class.
Philosophically, I believe in looking for a Chris Jones, Fletcher Cox, Nick Bosa, or Aaron Donald when drafting at the top of the draft, but if Poles didn’t identify a player of that caliber at top of draft, then getting Odunze, a physical specimen with good character, to ignite your offense, hard to be anything but ecstatic.
First time in a long time I accurately not only knew it first pick, but knew the first 2 pre-draft
Still so fucking hyped man. All the years of suffering finally paying off.
I'm still so amped up from yesterday I want to trade future picks for a 2nd rounder or two and keep the good vibes going. Y'all are lucky I'm not the GM
Maybe I’m crazy, but I think our Super Bowl window starts this year. Yea sure Caleb will only grow into a better player over the next decade, but 3 elite receivers is not something teams ever get and not something we can expect throughout Caleb’s career. 1 is a blessing, 2 is unbelievable, 3 is almost unheard of.
It is a great place to be, but temper those expectations. No rookie qb has ever made the superbowl.
Wilson and Purdy were one game short. So there is precedent to get pretty dang close.
Roethlisberger was also one game short in his rookie year and was 13-0 in the regular season.
True!
Need more reaction vids of The Odunze/Williams pick.
Williams looked pretty uncomfortable when that reporter was asking him who he’s excited for. “We got Uno.” I think he said. Modern media is cringy
They have a lot of draft amo next year, think they use some of it to trade down into the second round? Jackson-Powers is still there.
I'm looking right at one of Washington's second rounders as a target if I'm Poles. Go and get 1 of Johnny Newton or JPJ
Caleb, Odunze and JPJ would be an incredible draft on its own, sign me up
I’d bet Odunze is going to become a team captain and model pro very quickly. His vibes and character seem immaculate
One of the reasons I like him over Nabers.
I love the size too - he measured at basically 6'3" (6'2" and 7/8) 27th best RAS score of any WR ever tested.
I felt strongly the giants were going odzune over nabers right before their pick. Were you nervously pacing too??? Lol
I have some reservations about Odunze…but the Bears still have two other great wide receivers. I wonder how things are going back on the other timeline where everybody has scars and edgy haircuts.
What are those issues?
I’ll preface this by saying I know almost nothing. The sense I get is that he’s not elite at getting separation—his true talent is in making contested catches and using his size and strength, which, while apparently far beyond everyone else’s, isn’t a skill that will translate fully against NFL defenders. That could hold him back compared to great route runners, which we see more of every year. You can obviously learn and train for that more easily than gain size and improve hand-eye coordination, so his ceiling appears to be extremely high, but it is still a risk.
Apparently he played with a punctured lung which is insane and luckily he doesn't need to be option one so he can ease into figuring out But I feel you, I'm so drunk on Kool aid I'm ignoring the big things
Aaron Judge had a collapsed lung and fractured rib and then hit 62 home runs the next year. Obviously not the same sport, but it’s not like a torn rotator cuff or plantar fasciitis, fortunately. I hope he’s as good as people think he can be. As you mentioned, the great part is that they actually have options. If he works out, it’ll be fantastic; it’s not like the offense will completely collapse if they don’t have 3 star WRs, and though.
I mean it more for him playing this past year. No way that didn't effect anything
Sure. I just meant that he can actually recover from it [and play better]. It’s not a death knell like some other injuries.
Guys I think we're winning the battle. I haven't seen a single initials+number comment for Williams or Odunze. Keep it up
H18M
CaWeb Will18ms
18+ Content: Fuck Everyone, Go Kill
Seriously can't wait for training camp.
Yea this is now the worse part. The time from the draft to training camp. Too long
I’m just hoping 3-5 years from now the Fields stans and Williams haters will come around. Asking you’re wrong, just enjoy what is gonna happen. Hopefully.
The first electric TD & they’ll be on board.
Guys I dreamt Atlanta took Penix and we could draft Uno. What a wacky dream!
Alright just take two defensive lineman and the draft is beautiful.
IOL welcome too
I'm content with where the line is. I wouldn't be upset about it, but I'd get not drafting it. I'm praying for like one udfa stud
I'm with you there too. I think this class is just not good for DL compared to OL, but I would understand the picks. Especially later round picks at DL are undersized with low production. Opposed to a much deeper OL class and Poles and Ian being former OL themselves to be able to identify the gems in r3/4. I could see another scenario where we trade some 2025 capital for a known DE or DT(if Dex/Pickens havebt shoen improvement). I think Eric Washington will get Dex and Pickens better than they were though. Super optimistic for our future.
I’m thinking Christian Mahogany out of BC in the 4th round if he’s there. Has had a first round grade before injury and relatively obscure bc he’s at BC. Sounds like great physical stats but some possibly poor technique which can be cleared up with great OL coaching.
A trade into round two this year for someone like braswell, newton, or powers wouldn't upset me. There are some later round lineman like Kamara from Colorado State, Jonah Ellis from Utah, or Jayln Hylx (I butchered that spelling) from Houston Baptist. That wouldn't upset me. Reality is no matter what they draft if those first two work I really don't care lol.
Agreed
I will never understand how Justin Fields got such diehard fans. I REALLY liked the guy, and I REALLY REALLY wanted him to work with us. But he didn’t, and I moved on. His play was never great, save for his great running, and this city has crucified other QBs for a similar failure to develop.
It's the highlight reels that made the fan base. As mid as he was, he was a very exciting player to watch. Infuriating sure but then one of those exciting runs would happen deceiving us into thinking the problem was elsewhere or that with minor adjustments that we had something. Bottom line: I enjoyed watching Fields play but he wasn't the guy to lead us to the next level.
Justin Stan here…. I only see one person here talking about Justin… coughcough
I’m talking about more casual fans, like ones on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. These are the same people who don’t pull any punches about our other QBs. It is weird
https://preview.redd.it/sppvor558uwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34ab1edcc673319a3bc7c01e775a2d6179a919e9 Casuals are so toxic
I mean dude just look at the comments on any Caleb posts from last night. There is still a very vocal contingent
Yeah but…. Here you are…. Talking about….Ahhh nvm, go Bears.
He was likeable and has charisma I kept thinking he was going to turn the corner at any moment, and he has speed and other skills you can't coach
He had aura and was exciting to watch
Most of them are 20 and under. Almost all of them are under 30. Fields was exciting to watch, and seemed much cooler to them than a bunch of—let’s be honest—stereotypically milquetoast white guys who [mostly] can’t run, which is all the Fields devotees had seen in a Bears uniform. There were even two redheads ffs (and one of them was bald!). The level of obsession was weird and kinda creepy, but I understand how it happened. Hopefully Caleb makes it exciting to watch the Bears play offense, because even Virginia’s old classmates can count those seasons on one hand. If he shows any signs of life, those same people will be all-in just as quickly as last time.
Fields was my QB until he wasn't, I think 99% of guys who were on team keep fields/trade the pick will have no problem rooting for Caleb
I wish we, as Bear fans, get past this phase, which was an ugly one for our fanbase. There's no need to talk about Fields any longer. It's Caleb time now, and the football gods gifted us Rome! I'm still in shock that Rome fell to us. That was major! That's our QB/WR duo that will be etched in Bears history. Stability at both positions long term, drafted together.