After watching prospect after prospect climb or fall their way out of our spot at 20 in recent weeks, I am starting to come to the realization that it may be prudent not to try to get a first round offensive lineman especially if we end up reaching. Thus far, Fisher and Warmack have pushed their stock out of our range and it is starting to look like Johnson is too. On the other side, Jones and Flucker have been falling and who knows what of the other offensive linemen whose names have popped in and out of the top 20.

For added fun, I decided to look at the draft history of offensive linemen taken by the teams our new Offensive line coach has worked with. During his time as coach, only 2 first round offensive tackles were taken. A big time shock is that Lincoln Kennedy is the only first round offensive lineman he has ever coached to an all pro year. (for the record the teams Emery worked for also drafted two Offensive linemen first round).

In conclusion, given the way players are rising and falling early on in the process plus the team being spotted talking to Terron Armstead at the Senior Bowl, I would not at all be surprise that if the draft does not fall their way, I could see them passing on offensive linemen in the first round for the second year in a row.

mustang69441 wrote: After watching prospect after prospect climb or fall their way out of our spot at 20 in recent weeks, I am starting to come to the realization that it may be prudent not to try to get a first round offensive lineman especially if we end up reaching. Thus far, Fisher and Warmack have pushed their stock out of our range and it is starting to look like Johnson is too. On the other side, Jones and Flucker have been falling and who knows what of the other offensive linemen whose names have popped in and out of the top 20.

For added fun, I decided to look at the draft history of offensive linemen taken by the teams our new Offensive line coach has worked with. During his time as coach, only 2 first round offensive tackles were taken. A big time shock is that Lincoln Kennedy is the only first round offensive lineman he has ever coached to an all pro year. (for the record the teams Emery worked for also drafted two Offensive linemen first round).

In conclusion, given the way players are rising and falling early on in the process plus the team being spotted talking to Terron Armstead at the Senior Bowl, I would not at all be surprise that if the draft does not fall their way, I could see them passing on offensive linemen in the first round for the second year in a row.

the draft is still too far away to make any kind of assessment of the Bears draft.  After FA starts the Bears plans will clear up.  I hope they do not trade draft choices for a FA. The Bears are getting old fast and need some youth.

I wouldn't be disappointed unless there was a guy there who I liked on the OL and thought was worth that value.  If Warmack or Johnson were there I'd be disappointed.  Other than that if there's a guy that has a lot more value than an OL at that point I'm all for BPA.

Warmack is the guy I want but his stock has gone too high to look like he'll be there at 20. Though DeCastro fell last year and he was supposedly the next Logan Mankins or Steve Hutchinson.

I don't want them to reach on any OL in the first round. If the guy is worth the value, take him(excluding projected RTs). There should be a quality and valuable OL, LB or TE available at 20. Though I'm not high on the first round TE thing. IMO and being a full blown Emery homer, I think he's gonna be too well prepared to blow this. But like mentioned, we need to see how FA plays out first.

I get a bit annoyed when critics suggest that the Bears have neglected the OL in recent years.

Over the past five drafts, we have selected a OT in the first round of 2 of the drafts. Chris Williams in 2008 and Gabe Carimi in 2011.

Unfortunately Williams is a bust, and Carimi needs to prove that he is not a bust.

I don't think we will be able to pick up a OT at No 20 in the draft, which will start in front of Webb or Scott. I think Emery will have a close look at the FA OTs to fill the hole or provide some competition.

I could see Emery going with Te'o or Ogletree at No 20 (assuming they are available), or a TE.

The player drafted by Emery at No 20 (based on Emery goal of contending for championships every year), will be a player who will contribute this season.

AussieBearsFan wrote: I get a bit annoyed when critics suggest that the Bears have neglected the OL in recent years.

They have neglected the OL. Not completely but for a big part, they have.

Anytime23 wrote:

AussieBearsFan wrote: I get a bit annoyed when critics suggest that the Bears have neglected the OL in recent years.

They have neglected the OL. Not completely but for a big part, they have.

They've neglected in rounds 2-4.  Got to take a top G/C or T to groom occasionally in that area.  That's where they left the cupboard bare and have tried to plug in with late round/UDFA projects or other teams cast offs.  Hasn't worked.  I think Louis will be successful but's its been a process and we could really use an occasional guy who's ready to play almost from day 1.

I agree with AT23. The OL has been neglected for years. Yeah, they missed horribly with Williams and seem to have missed with Carimi. But the other additions they've made to the OL have been underachievers, UDFA's, and late round picks (Webb and Louis are 7th rounders). Idk how anyone could argue that the Bears haven't ignored the OL based on free-agents they should have signed and by sticking with crappy players for too long, waiting for them to suck a little less.

Hopefully, a new HC and offensive coaching staff will bring in fresh ideas and a not-so-friendly approach to assessing the Bears O-line. The previous regime failed miserably to fix a key problem area for years and years. Some could argue that the OL has been a serious issue since '07 and there hasn't been much done to improve it.

There is a reason the Bears have had one of, if not the worst offensive line in the NFL for at least 4 consecutive seasons now. Poor talent evaluation, being cheap and ignoring the problem are the key reasons the OL enters 2013 again, as the biggest issue.

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--- Anytime23 wrote:

AussieBearsFan wrote: I get a bit annoyed when critics suggest that the Bears have neglected the OL in recent years.

They have neglected the OL. Not completely but for a big part, they have.

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Agree with both of you guys. The middle rounds seem to be a good spot to take interior lineman. Theyre there for the taking every single year. Its not like you have to go high with those guys.

Theyve made this habit of taking end of the talent pool OL in the draft and these bargain bin scrubs in FA. People always argued with me that adding guys like OMG. Rachal, Pace, etc. are addressing OL. No.

But we've only experienced one draft with Phil Emery. It'll be a few years before we notice patterns and how he addresses needs. I do like the addition of James Brown last season. He could be a player in a couple years.

mustang69441 wrote: After watching prospect after prospect climb or fall their way out of our spot at 20 in recent weeks, I am starting to come to the realization that it may be prudent not to try to get a first round offensive lineman especially if we end up reaching. Thus far, Fisher and Warmack have pushed their stock out of our range and it is starting to look like Johnson is too. On the other side, Jones and Flucker have been falling and who knows what of the other offensive linemen whose names have popped in and out of the top 20.

For added fun, I decided to look at the draft history of offensive linemen taken by the teams our new Offensive line coach has worked with. During his time as coach, only 2 first round offensive tackles were taken. A big time shock is that Lincoln Kennedy is the only first round offensive lineman he has ever coached to an all pro year. (for the record the teams Emery worked for also drafted two Offensive linemen first round).

In conclusion, given the way players are rising and falling early on in the process plus the team being spotted talking to Terron Armstead at the Senior Bowl, I would not at all be surprise that if the draft does not fall their way, I could see them passing on offensive linemen in the first round for the second year in a row.

This is the point that I was attempting to drive at in another thread.  Yes, everybody knows we are weak on the O-line and we need desperate help there.  But I don't want us to reach for a player at #20 in the draft that really wasn't projected to go that high just because its a high-need position (O-line) on our squad.  If he's not rated that high on Emery's board (#20 overall pick), then pass on him, even if its an O-lineman.

AussieBearsFan wrote: I get a bit annoyed when critics suggest that the Bears have neglected the OL in recent years.

Over the past five drafts, we have selected a OT in the first round of 2 of the drafts. Chris Williams in 2008 and Gabe Carimi in 2011.

Unfortunately Williams is a bust, and Carimi needs to prove that he is not a bust.

I don't think we will be able to pick up a OT at No 20 in the draft, which will start in front of Webb or Scott. I think Emery will have a close look at the FA OTs to fill the hole or provide some competition.

I could see Emery going with Te'o or Ogletree at No 20 (assuming they are available), or a TE.

The player drafted by Emery at No 20 (based on Emery goal of contending for championships every year), will be a player who will contribute this season.

I agree that if T'eo falls, and there is no offensive linemen worth the value, Emery will take him.  There is just too much need to value relationship in that transaction for the Bears to pass him up.

I'm not ready to label Carimi a bust if he can be an elite guard at some point.  Dont reach on an OL just to fill the slot if talent is there take the talent.

Dam, if Te'o falls, please don't draft him.

Emery already failed with Trestman. If he added another blunder to this off-season, he needs to be replaced immediately. Not to mention the fact that Shea wasn't that impressive last season. Still early on him, but Te'o isn't worth the first rounder.

Have the Bears lost games with Trestman as HC? I must have missed that, I thought they didn't start playing for several more months

Looks like ESPN has an insider article that agrees with my sentiment. Something tells me that we will get a tackle and actually try to develop them.

I don't care if its not an offensive lineman, but it better be offense.  Our offense needs too many things not to go either OL, WR, or TE.  I hate picking defense in the first 2 rounds because if you had a defense full of pro bowlers, a good offense will still hang at least 28 on them most of the time.  Defense winning championships is a thing of the past with how all the rules favor offense and you can't breathe on a QB or WR anymore.

I believe in getting defense in rounds 3 and later and keep recyling them.  The pro to that is your money can stay on offense and you get the best out of the defenders since most will play hard for their 2nd contract.  This is the philosophy I would use if I was a GM with the exception being my offense is as loaded as it can be and is deep.

BPA, if a stud defender falls in your lap, jump on it.

Its great to have as much talent on defense as you can, but unless your offense is stacked and deep, I just believe its wasting picks in rounds 1 and 2 on defense unless there is a huge difference between the talent left on the board.  Since we need help at OL, WR, and TE...........picking a defender would be a huge mistake.

One of the biggest mistakes a GM can make is trying to spread the wealth on both sides of the ball and generally what happens is...........you get 2 sides of the ball that is mediocre.  Its an offensive leauge.  Lets keep our high draft picks on that side of the ball and our big money on that side of the ball.  Lets keep our defense full of hungry mid rounders playing for that next contract.  Just my opinion.

That's why picking the BPA makes the most sense, you're not reaching for need positions.  If the next JJ Watt type of defender is sitting at 20, i don't pass on him for OL unless the OL is ranked higher.
edit:  I saw some place where TE Tyler Eifert is popping up on more & more mock drafts for the Bears 1st pick, if he's at the top of their board when the pick comes up, i have no problem.

Agreed.  But many times the rankings are subjective and it's not really clear who is the better player.  Just because some "expert" publishes a board ranking players, doesn't make it gospel.