The Chicago Bears are wrapping up the last of their pre-draft visits with prospects they’re trying to get a better feel for. GM Ryan Poles has met with several interesting names, including some notable wide receivers, defensive backs, and even quarterbacks. However, the majority of names to pop up in recent weeks maintain a clear plan from the Bears’ perspective. They either play on the offensive line or the defensive line. It’s been remarkably consistent. Poles and the team brass seem intent on gathering as much info as possible in both areas.
That trend continued in recent reports. Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network said the Bears met with breakout TCU pass rusher Dylan Horton.
“Dylan Horton, the explosive and athletic pass rusher who recorded four sacks against Michigan in the CFB semifinal playoff game, looked terrific in drills. Horton was put through both linebacker and defensive line drills. The Patriots, who met with Horton, project him as a 3-4 OLB in their system. He also met with the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears.”
Horton had 10.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss last season. He’s explosive off the snap with good length and instincts for hunting quarterbacks. Now another name has joined him. Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network revealed the Bears also have an interest in Cincinnati guard Jeremy Cooper.
Cooper was a rock-solid pass protector during his time there, showcasing his awareness, technique, and athleticism. It probably doesn’t hurt he’s a Chicago-area native.
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Last but not least is Jaelyn Duncan.
He might be the most intriguing tackle prospect in the 2023 class. While not polished compared to other big names, he is a freakish athlete with size, length, quickness, and mobility. The big issue some have with him is a passive mentality with his blocks. He doesn’t finish enough for their liking. That is where such visits can be beneficial. Poles can get inside his head to see his thought process.
The Chicago Bears are sending a clear message.
They’re going to be active on the offensive and defensive lines in this draft. That is hardly a surprise. Both areas remain glaring weaknesses for this roster. They still need two legitimate edge rushers, a right tackle, and probably a center. The odds of finding all of that in one draft are beyond long. Still, that won’t stop Poles from trying. He has ten picks in this draft, including four in the first three rounds. He should be able to secure at least two key spots up front with good players.
All three of these players mentioned have a chance to be available on Day 3 of the draft. The Chicago Bears have six picks in that range and there are reasons to think Poles may look to add more. So it makes sense he’d use several of his Top 30 visits on prospects who may be there. It’s how he ended up with Braxton Jones last year. No doubt he hopes lightning may strike again.
Bears_Down: The salary cap floor is one of the stupidest rules in the NFL. It’s easy to get around. For example, all they have to do is offer Nathan Peterman exactly the same contract they signed him to, or maybe $1 more, and offer him a $45 million dollar bonus if he makes (not throws, but catches) 10 interceptions. Since he’s never on the field on defense, it’s massively unlikely he’ll get 1, let alone 10. That money counts for the cap floor, and if the bonus is not achieved, it carries forward to increase next season’s cap. Win-win for… Read more »
WaltJohan: If we want to have a productive discussion on this website, and learn something, we need to be tolerant of other points of view. I often disagree with what Thomas Gena says, but he’s clearly not an idiot. I welcome his disagreements with my opinions, and don’t want to insult him or anyone else here. On the other hand, if we want to have a massive “Poles is a god (small g), the Bears can do no wrong, and they won’t lose a game for the next ten seasons” love fest here, then sure, comments like the ones Gena… Read more »
Gena
No one cares if you’re ‘right’. You’re still an Ahole.
Russell – taking your question seriously. Someone like Horton falls to the later rounds for a lot of good reasons. In his case, he started his career as an undersized LB for a weak team (New Mexico) in a weak conference. He showed some promise as a pass rusher but was not up to par overall and did not play a lot. However, over the course of his college career, he added something like 50 pounds, transferred to TCU and moved to DE. It took him until his fifth year to reach a point where he was worth NFL consideration.… Read more »
There are always Gems in the draft that nobody knows or talks about…Especially in this draft that is deep on defensive…I’m so optimistic Poles and Cunningham will find a few. Bear fans its okay to be excited…you should be!