2025 NFL Draft Crushes

We are a little over a week from the Super Bowl but for 30 unhappy fanbases all eyes are on the offseason.  That means finding refreshing Twitter for new position coach hires, looking at free agents and scouting potential rookies.  

Mock draft season is one of my favorites.  Nothing is better than using any of the simulators available and ending up with 15 picks and dominating computer GMs.  No matter how unrealistic it is, I can't help myself.  But while we all wait for Ben Johnson to fill out his staff,  I decided to share a couple of my favorite prospects in the upcoming draft who I hope found their way to Chicago.

Nic Scourton - Edge - Texas A&M

Credit: Julio Cortez -AP

Scourton initially came on my radar in 2023 when he was Second Team all Big ten at Purdue. He dominated the competition with 10 sacks.  He then transferred to the SEC this season where he he got a nice NIL deal and delivered with a first team all-SEC season. 

At 6'4, 280 pounds his body is ready for the NFL His lethal spin move would be a perfect addition opposite Monte Sweat.  When looking up what scouts think of him, his draft projection ranges anywhere from top ten to the second round.  

If he is there at 39 the Bears would sprint to the podium.  I don't foresee him lasting that long but if Ryan Poles drops back a couple spots in the 1st to gain some extra draft capital it would get an A+ grade from me.

Pat Bryant - Wide Receiver - Illinois

Keenan Allen had an up and down season in his lone year in the Windy City. But due to age and likely salary demands I see him leaving this offseason and I feel Pat Bryant is the perfect replacement. His 6'2, 208 pound frame works in the slot or on the outside.  While the height is solid, his 6'5 3/4" wingspan is exactly the type of target Caleb Williams needs. 

Bryant is not a burner by any means but what he lacks in burst he makes for in footwork and route running (sound familiar?) You love to see that Bryant increased his stats every season and it is not just one particular stat.  His receptions, yards and touchdowns increased from the previous season all four years.

He also contributes in the run game as a sound blocker but my favorite thing about him is his clutch factor. Some say you can't measure clutch but this past season 3 of his 10 touchdowns were game winning scores in the final 30 seconds of the 4th quarter or overtime in one score games. And these weren't just five yard outs, check out his 40 yard touchdown on 4th and 13 here.

It seemed like every week the Bears were in a one score game and having a player Bryant who relishes the big moment would be a big-time boost for the offense. He currently is projected to be a 4th or 5th round pick but I can see him moving up to the third round with a strong Senior Bowl and combine.

Jackson Hawes - Tight End - Georgia Tech

You may be asking, "Why would a tight end who ended the season with only 16 catches and less than 200 yards earn crush status?"  The answer is simple. the guy is a blocking machine!! Whether he is leading a running back on wham block or releasing to help block on a screen, if Hawes gets his hand on a defender they're not going to make the tackle. Also, Hawes has some brains, he earned second team All-Ivy League during his three seasons at Yale before transferring to the Yellow Jackets. 
Currently, he is not projected to be one of the first ten tight ends taken but his skillset is missing on the Bears current roster.  His addition would allow Kmet to split out and be more of a receiving threat.  And while Ben Johnson insists his Bears offense won't be a clone of his past Lions teams, I would say Hawes is very similar to Brock Wright, the #2 tight end in Detroit. I desperately want to see the Bears clear out the tight end room (except for Kmet). Hawes as a likely a day 3 pick would have a great chance at making the roster as a special teams contributor / jumbo package tight end.

My Early FA / Draft Plan for the Bears

Now that the Bears have their new general, it is time to get him some quality troops.  The Bears have three top 41 picks and plenty of cap space so Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson will have ample opportunity to add talent on both sides of the ball.

Step #1: Freeing up more money

Cut Ryan Bates ($4 million) and Gerald Everett ($5.5 million).

These two moves would generate nearly $10 million in additional cap space.  Ryan Poles' love affair of Ryan Bates needs to come to an end.  He is consistently injured and when he does play he does not show enough to warrant his salary.  

Everett, was brought in with new Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron in the offseason. But when Waldron was fired, Everett saw his playing time drop the rest of the season.  After playing 61% of the snaps in the season opener he ended up only playing single digit snaps in 7 of the final 8 games.  He can take his 8 catches to a new team while Johnson finds a better fit for his offense in FA.

This brings the total money available to ~$76 million, set aside $10 million for draft picks and $66 million is plenty to bring in some quality free agents.

Step #2: Instant impact free agents

The offense needs a boost, plain and simple. And the area that is most needed is the interior offensive line. Luckily for the Bears, the top free agent in football plays right guard. 

A Rocky Top reunion of Pro Bowl Right Guard Trey Smith and current Bears Right tackle Darnell Wright could give the Bears a formidable duo for the next five years. The two played together for two seasons in 2019 and 2020 before Smith graduated and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.

It will cost the Bears though.  They will likely need to reset the Guard market with a large offer.  Assuming he gets a five years deal, the contract will likely reach nine figures. This is where having a quarterback on a rookie deal really benefits Chicago. Smith will turn 26 next summer and he has only missed 1 game over the last 3 seasons.  Add in the built in chemistry with Wright and there are certainly worse ways to spend $105 million over 4 years. In free agency, there will always be a slight overpay but in this case it is very worth it.

Drew Dalman, the Atlanta Falcon's Center, is the next target for the Bears.  Ryan Poles is a former Offensive lineman who has failed with nearly every one of his trench acquisitions. Luckily, Dalman is entering his prime, turning 27 next October. A fair contract of 3 years, $40 million should land the promising center.  He is coming off a great year, where PFF ranked him 4th among all centers. His strength is run blocking and I'm sure Deandre Swift and the rest of the bottom 10 ranked rushing attack would appreciate this addition.

The last acquisition in free agency will be to add some much needed speed to the field.  DJ Moore and Rome Odunze are great duo to build a passing attack but the Bears need someone to fill the Jameson Williams hole in this offense. Keenan Allen's likely departure frees up plenty of targets and cap space for a younger, shiftier replacement. A receiver like Tutu Atwell on a 1 or 2 year prove it deal fits in perfectly. The advance stats love him, ranking him near the top of average cushion and targeted air yards. A two year, $12 million gives him a chance to join an up and coming offense while also setting him up for a bigger payday down the road.

Step #3: Add in some Rookie Reinforcements

The first three picks of the draft need to be over 250 pounds. The Bears desperately needs to get more dynamic in the trenches. And despite the free agent acquisitions above, Will Campbell is still too good to pass up at #10.  A potential starting line of:

Braxton Jones - Will Campbell - Drew Dalman - Trey Smith - Darnell Wright

would have Caleb Williams and every Bears fan smiling.

Campbell has the potential to play multiple position on the line. Scouts love his toughness. When he gets his hands on defenders they do not get away.  The fact he started as a true freshman in the SEC and ended up second team All-SEC shows his skillset is no fluke. 

The major concern for him is his arm length. While a questionable length for a tackle, it would be great for a guard.  Give him a year at left guard surrounded by veterans and watch him flourish.  As a bonus, they could decide to move him to LT next offseason when Jones' contract is up.

Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen were a great duo in the SEC and the Bears would be lucky to keep them together in the pros. The Bears were middle of the pack in the league with only 40 sacks on the season. Umanmielen had 10.5 sacks himself this past season and profiles as a 3-4 edge rusher but his skillset would be valuable in any defense.  He could provide instant pass rush as he builds up his strength.  

Nolen provides much needed depth on the interior defensive line. His 6.5 sacks earned him All American status. And he is not just a pass rusher, he is a dominant run defender. The Bears' rush defense torpedoed once Andrew Billings was injured. These two defenders at the very least are contributors in their debut seasons and in a perfect world are the Bears' version of the Rams' rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. 

Finally, TreVeyon Henderson would be a great compliment to Deandre Swift. He has three down potential at the next level. He finally had a fully healthy season, that I think could be contributed to splitting duties with Quinshon Judkins. He might not be the most physically imposing running back at only 5'10 and 207 pounds but he is a big play machine and would be a great addition in a deep running back class.

Bears 2025 Coaching Staff Thoughts

2025 is off to a great start for the Chicago Bears. It started with a win on the road over their hated rivals up in Lambeau.  And now, they have their new head coach in offensive guru, Ben Johnson.  The fanbase was shocked when the franchise for the first time since...... well ever, landed the number one target in the coaching carousel.  Do we know how he will be as a head coach? No, but the fact the Bears walked into the bar, saw the prettiest girl in the place and swept her off the feet, has to instill hope that this regime won't have the same ending as usual.  

Sure, this relationship can end up in a hate-filled divorce like nearly every relationship in the league but maybe, just maybe, it is happily ever after time at Halas Hall.

 

But Ben is just one man.  Who is going to complete his staff? According to reports, former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is the leading candidate to become Ben Johnson's defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. While his head coaching career has been a disappointing 26-53 between stops in Oakland and New Orleans. His defenses have remained strong when tasked to only focus on that side of the ball.

Looking at the 2021 season (his final as a DC), the Saints were fourth in in scoring defense (19.7 points per game), opponent net yards per play (5.08) and run defense (93.5 yards per game), seventh in total defense (318.2 net yards per game) and eighth in sacks (46).  His aggressive style, featuring multiple looks will be a welcome change to the basic cover 2 shell life that has been occupying Soldier Field the last three seasons.

But who will help Ben Johnson bring the Bears offense into the 21st century? Right now, Hank Fraley, the Lions offensive line coach is the rumored top name.  With Johnson, most likely keeping play calling duties, the Bears could go in may directions for this space.  A hire like Fraley would be met with open arms in Chicago, especially by Caleb Williams.

Too often the Bears play calling and execution led to arguments about who to blame on sacks? Was Caleb holding the ball too long? Is Braxton Jones a legitimate left tackle? Does Nate Davis know he is allowed to touch the defensive tackle across from him?

All you need to do is read quotes from the Lions' Pro Bowl Center and All Pro left tackle to know the type of value he would bring to the team. I am not saying Darnell Wright will turn into Penei Sewell but if he starts playing up to his potential and the Bears continue their poaching of the Lions and bring in Kevin Zeitler to solidify the inside with Dan Skinner as the extra lineman.  All of a sudden Ben Johnson isn't the only person in the room with any knowledge of the offense getting implemented. 

The Bears will have to beat out the Seahawks who recently brought Fraley in for a second interview, as well as his current team the Lions, who can offer the same position. All three spots have different strengths and weaknesses.  In Seattle, he would have play-calling powers since current HC, Mike Macdonald calls the defense.  But he has to be wary that Macdonald has already gone through one OC after after he fired first-time NFL OC Ryan Grubb after one season.  Detroit and Chicago both offer different levels of familiarity.  In Chicago, he would have an expanded job role and get to mold a brand new room that likely will have three new starters.  Also, he probably would be given an assistant head coach title despite a lack of play calling. But it'll probably be hard to top Detroit if they decide to promote him.  In Detroit, he knows the room, and as noted above, they love him.

A name to watch, to me, if Johnson decides to go away from the current Lions staff is Tavita Pritchard. Pritchard is the current Quarterbacks Coach for the Washington Commanders.  Anyone see how that Jayden Daniels guy has played this season? But its not just his work with the rookie. Before joining the Commanders in 2023 he spent over a decade at Stanford.  During that time, he saw four quarterbacks get drafted into the NFL - Andrew Luck, Kevin Hogan, Davis Mills and Tanner McKee. With a Caleb Williams entering his second season, it is important to give him all the help possible and I think a Pritchard/Johnson combo could be just what it is needed.