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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  2. <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
  3.  <title>Windy City Gridiron -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>A Chicago Bears community</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49985/windy-fav.png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2025-04-30T16:00:00-05:00</updated>
  7.  <id>http://www.windycitygridiron.com/rss/current/</id>
  8.  <link type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" rel="alternate"/>
  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2025-04-30T16:00:00-05:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2025-04-30T16:00:00-05:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Here’s when the Chicago Bears rookies will be on the field at Halas Hall</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="NFL: MAY 05 Bears Rookie Mini-Camp" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IkVdmjI4GQunKGoKJaPh2C2QoP8=/0x0:4313x2875/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74058359/1141575164.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;We have the dates for Chicago’s Rookie Minicamp! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="owuye4"&gt;Earlier today, the league announced offseason workout dates for all 32 teams, and if you’re having déjà vu, that’s because the NFL announced &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/3/24400465/nfl-offseason-workout-program-dates-announced-for-the-chicago-bears-rookie-halas-hall-mini-camp-ota"&gt;some dates&lt;/a&gt; earlier this month. However, a closer look revealed that this set of dates now also has the rookie minicaps listed. &lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;p id="UVqT3w"&gt;We’ll get our first look at the 2025 rookie class of the &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt; on Friday, May 9, through Sunday, May 11. The beat reporters will surely be limited on what they can report on, but regardless, it’ll be good to finally get some real info from Halas Hall. &lt;/p&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="VbHWRz"&gt;Even if draft picks don’t sign their contracts by minicamp, there are contractual safeguards in place in case of an injury, so everyone should be there. &lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="UMAJhA"&gt;Speaking of injuries, first-round draft pick Colston Lovelend is still rehabbing his shoulder, but the expectation is that he’ll be full go by training camp. &lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="xqfcdg"&gt;The Bears have yet to officially announce any undrafted rookie signings, but I was able to find reports of ten undrafted free agents (UDFAs) and several rookie minicamp invitees, which are listed&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/26/24417474/chicago-bears-2025-undrafted-free-agent-news-and-rumor-tracker-udfa-nfl-draft"&gt; in this tracker&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="jzcWWz"&gt;In addition to the rookie minicamp, the NFL has issued guidelines for additional rookie workouts this offseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p id="zOQnHm"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Each club may hold a rookie football development program for a period of seven weeks, which in 2025 may begin on May 12. During this period, no activities may be held on weekends, with the exception of one post-Draft rookie minicamp, which may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the draft.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  27. &lt;p id="ojQ5wW"&gt;The veterans will next of on the field for their voluntary OTA Offseason Workouts on May 20-22, May 28-30, and June 9-11, with their Mandatory Minicamp currently scheduled for June 3-5. &lt;/p&gt;
  28.  
  29. </content>
  30.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24421084/chicago-bears-rookies-will-be-on-the-field-at-halas-hall-rookie-minicamp-workout-nfl-loveland"/>
  31.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24421084/chicago-bears-rookies-will-be-on-the-field-at-halas-hall-rookie-minicamp-workout-nfl-loveland</id>
  32.    <author>
  33.      <name>Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.</name>
  34.    </author>
  35.  </entry>
  36.  <entry>
  37.    <published>2025-04-30T14:03:42-05:00</published>
  38.    <updated>2025-04-30T14:03:42-05:00</updated>
  39.    <title>Chicago Bears 2025 Undrafted Free Agent News and Rumor Tracker</title>
  40.    <content type="html">  
  41.  
  42.    &lt;figure&gt;
  43.      &lt;img alt="NCAA Football: Texas El Paso at Arizona" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OyyRBf8J_0sw6pCRzoRv7C-hlnk=/0x0:2291x1527/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74050149/usa_today_21441140.15.jpg" /&gt;
  44.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  45.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  46.  
  47.  &lt;p&gt;We’ll be tracking all the reports and rumors about the Chicago Bears' undrafted free agent search and their rookie minicamp invites right here.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="r1IDFj"&gt;While scouts, coaches, and front office personnel are poring over their draft scenarios and draft boards during the &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft"&gt;NFL Draft&lt;/a&gt;, others are working the phones to set up their post-draft pickups. A team’s 2025 rookie class isn’t complete after the three-day NFL Draft, because there’s still work to do to fill out their 90-man offseason rosters with undrafted free agents.&lt;/p&gt;
  48. &lt;p id="lm9PPV"&gt;The UDFA frenzy is a race to plant seeds with players and agents, showing them that your club is their best option. Nothing is official until the player signs a deal, which is why we’ll see some early reports walked back as some players change their minds for a better offer. Keep in mind that nothing is official until the player signs a deal with their new club.&lt;/p&gt;
  49. &lt;p id="pmAwSI"&gt;We’ll keep track of all the reports and rumors surrounding the &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt;' UDFA class and their rookie camp invitees in the trackers below.&lt;/p&gt;
  50. &lt;h3 id="o45foP"&gt;These UDFAs are reported to have signed with the Bears.&lt;/h3&gt;
  51. &lt;h5 id="SBkrOH"&gt;&lt;/h5&gt;
  52. &lt;ol&gt;
  53. &lt;li id="YTCXBi"&gt;Deion Hankins, RB, Texas State (&lt;a href="https://x.com/ayden_oredson/status/1916347033478221871"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  54. &lt;li id="MH2s6S"&gt;Jereme Robinson, DE, Kansas (&lt;a href="https://x.com/MSwain247/status/1916314806073647239"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  55. &lt;li id="WMMFdV"&gt;Tysheem Johnson, S, Oregon (&lt;a href="https://x.com/JamesCrepea/status/1916282310409982437"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  56. &lt;li id="opFIyc"&gt;Jahdae Walker, WR, &lt;a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com"&gt;Texas A&amp;amp;M&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/dae2walker/status/1916273873156264071"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  57. &lt;li id="pq4NxU"&gt;Xavier Carlton, DE, Cal (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AndrewDiCecco/status/1916276994993488034"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  58. &lt;li id="iv8yfr"&gt;Jonathan Kim, K, &lt;a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com"&gt;Michigan State&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/mzenitz/status/1916272189952630942"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  59. &lt;li id="eid0Bs"&gt;Luke Elkin, LS, Iowa (&lt;a href="https://x.com/ScottDochterman/status/1916270710235726084"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  60. &lt;li id="yow5qV"&gt;J.P. Richardson, WR, &lt;a href="https://www.frogsowar.com"&gt;TCU&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/BradBiggs/status/1916271152202186874"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  61. &lt;li id="as8UoK"&gt;Power Echols, LB, North Carolina (&lt;a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1916270689625035005"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  62. &lt;li id="jF5xrg"&gt;Major Burns, S, &lt;a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com"&gt;LSU&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1916267873410166880"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  63. &lt;/ol&gt;
  64. &lt;h4 id="NpjGWw"&gt;&lt;em&gt;If my math is correct, the Bears have 80 players on the roster, leaving only 10 spots for UDFAs.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  65. &lt;p id="HVWHcH"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Some of the players listed as UDFA signees may only be try-out invitees, so stay tuned for the official announcement from the Bears, which we’ll share here at WCG as soon as possible.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  66. &lt;h3 id="5wUsZd"&gt;Chicago Rookie Camp Invites&lt;/h3&gt;
  67. &lt;p id="9HwWCW"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  68. &lt;ul&gt;
  69. &lt;li id="wiYrAh"&gt;Jeremiah Walker, CB, Stephen F. Austin (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1917655072026112397"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  70. &lt;li id="QYTKDZ"&gt;Thomas Gordon, TE, Northwestern (&lt;a href="https://x.com/NUFBFamily/status/1916909991484608876"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  71. &lt;li id="2LHPaD"&gt;Isaiah Greene, CB, Campbell (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1916701012867379346"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  72. &lt;li id="sykU0D"&gt;Jeremiah Hunter, WR, Washington (&lt;a href="https://x.com/NextPageSports1/status/1916559828371017837"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  73. &lt;li id="r3c22x"&gt;Dominick Mazotti, TE, UMass (&lt;a href="https://x.com/UMassFootball/status/1916628550997680179"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  74. &lt;li id="kUsRlU"&gt;Emmit Bohle, OL, &lt;a href="https://www.houseofsparky.com"&gt;Arizona State&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/Commit2theFork/status/1916541771166712298"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  75. &lt;li id="hRudK0"&gt;Luke Elzinga, P, Oklahoma (&lt;a href="https://x.com/ParkerThune/status/1916292453172170924"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  76. &lt;li id="YZO4Sm"&gt;Devin Kirkwood, CB, UCLA (&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/3point0labs/p/DI9q7LqzS6-/"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  77. &lt;li id="Kb7e3k"&gt;Vershon Lee, OL, South Carolina (&lt;a href="https://x.com/FAMAgency/status/1916545287016886422"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  78. &lt;li id="QSM9Z3"&gt;Sebastian Pares. G, Eastern Illinois (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1916326139124973949"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  79. &lt;li id="jUWHtJ"&gt;Michael Batton, LB, Houston (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1916318044244128129"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  80. &lt;li id="oSBehd"&gt;Cole Nelson, DE, &lt;a href="https://www.gobblercountry.com/"&gt;Virginia Tech&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1916287637310054473"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  81. &lt;li id="c10eCX"&gt;Gio Paez, DT, LSU (&lt;a href="https://x.com/whalexander_/status/1916274860453421448"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;
  82. &lt;/ul&gt;
  83. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="7ZHiqm"&gt;
  84. &lt;p id="5EMvEr"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aaron Leming is also tracking things on a &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tzJKAQSkzEOlBB494wGAQwJzHdlDDhE8xHpuRtAS9HQ/edit?gid=0#gid=0"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Google Doc&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, so you can check it out as well.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  85.  
  86. </content>
  87.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/26/24417474/chicago-bears-2025-undrafted-free-agent-news-and-rumor-tracker-udfa-nfl-draft"/>
  88.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/26/24417474/chicago-bears-2025-undrafted-free-agent-news-and-rumor-tracker-udfa-nfl-draft</id>
  89.    <author>
  90.      <name>Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.</name>
  91.    </author>
  92.  </entry>
  93.  <entry>
  94.    <published>2025-04-30T14:00:00-05:00</published>
  95.    <updated>2025-04-30T14:00:00-05:00</updated>
  96.    <title>Losers from the 2025 Chicago Bears NFL Draft</title>
  97.    <content type="html">  
  98.  
  99.    &lt;figure&gt;
  100.      &lt;img alt="New England Patriots v Chicago Bears" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3RprlWiawJ20p2fcExwyBh8EtZA=/0x0:5484x3656/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74058089/2185844877.0.jpg" /&gt;
  101.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Kara Durrette/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  102.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  103.  
  104.  &lt;p&gt;Which players have the most to lose following Ben Johnsons first draft as Head Coach of the Chicago Bears? Your Bears Over Beers crew shares their takes!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="5bXHh7"&gt;After the much-anticipated 2025 &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft"&gt;NFL Draft&lt;/a&gt;, rosters around the league are coming more into focus as we inch closer to training camp and the start of the season. &lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;p id="DJx66h"&gt;Both veteran and undrafted Free Agents will continue to be added, and things will continue to evolve, but here is a look at which &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt; players’ stock is on the decline after this incoming draft class was selected.&lt;/p&gt;
  106. &lt;p id="IfslT8"&gt;&lt;em&gt;We aren’t just being Negative Nancys by pointing out the “losers,” remember, we already shared our &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/28/24419394/winners-from-the-25-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-dandre-swift-caleb-williams-austin-booker-ben-johnson"&gt;&lt;em&gt;winners article here&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; earlier this week.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  107. &lt;h2 id="hUUePO"&gt;DJ Moore, WR&lt;/h2&gt;
  108. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  109.        &lt;img alt="Seattle Seahawks v Chicago Bears" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5FtlC-V8NC40-bTVRXoIVr4W8ZE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25976566/2191525552.jpg"&gt;
  110.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  111.      &lt;figcaption&gt;Could the Bears #1 WR be waiving goodbye to fans and fellow teammates before his contract is up? &lt;/figcaption&gt;
  112.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  113. &lt;p id="fWSQuM"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bryan Orenchuk: &lt;/em&gt;At 28 years old and in the prime of his career, DJ Moore’s inclusion on this list may turn some heads. When you consider his best games have come against Ben Johnson’s former team, the Lions, it makes you wonder just how much of a “loser” situation the former Maryland Terrapin could be. &lt;/p&gt;
  114. &lt;p id="1QWG7V"&gt;It all changed for me Friday night when the Bears selected WR Luther Burden III with the 39th overall pick in the NFL Draft. This was after selecting another offensive weapon at number 10 overall in Tight End Colston Loveland. One of Burden’s most common pro comps? DJ Moore. After Ben Johnson has preached all summer about the importance of blocking for all skill players (“no block, no rock”) and his comments post draft about putting some players on notice and increased competition. Consider DJ on a short leash. Personally, I think he will thrive in this atmosphere, but it’s never a good feeling when your potential replacement is drafted. &lt;/p&gt;
  115. &lt;p id="9NxmgU"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ryan Droste: &lt;/em&gt;I had much the same thought after Burden was drafted. His playing style and strengths are much more similar to Moore’s than they are to Odunze’s (hence why I felt Odunze was a winner in our &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/28/24419394/winners-from-the-25-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-dandre-swift-caleb-williams-austin-booker-ben-johnson"&gt;previous column&lt;/a&gt; on the draft). &lt;/p&gt;
  116. &lt;p id="NiOgat"&gt;There’s little question that Moore has been the Bears’ top wide receiver the last two years, but we saw some flashes last season that gave fans reason for concern (notably, a couple of well-publicized times when DJ gave up on plays). &lt;/p&gt;
  117. &lt;p id="N5xBRp"&gt;Moore has a lot of money headed his way in the next few seasons, and although the intention when he re-signed last season was for him to finish out his career with the Bears, I think that intention became much less reality after last week’s draft. If Burden can show he is capable of being a top threat, Moore will be off the team in the next few seasons to save on the cap when an ascending (we hope) Bears team is going to be looking to dedicate resources elsewhere on the roster. &lt;/p&gt;
  118. &lt;h2 id="PZ4804"&gt;Zacch Pickens, DT&lt;/h2&gt;
  119. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  120.        &lt;img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Chicago Bears" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2syE3WV8Yx5by20IyMJcVPC95e4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25976576/2167467675.jpg"&gt;
  121.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  122.      &lt;figcaption&gt;Will Pickens be left in the rain and out of a job this season? &lt;/figcaption&gt;
  123.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  124. &lt;p id="RTh6If"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bryan Orenchuk: &lt;/em&gt;One of Bears GM Ryan Poles’ two Defensive Tackles drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft (with the other being Gervon Dexter, Sr.), Zacch Pickens has not made nearly enough plays in his first two seasons. For a 2023 third round pick to have only accumulated 17 total solo tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4 QBH and 2 TFL, that is quickly approaching a “bust” label. Especially when considering the ample opportunities presented him last season once starter Andrew Billings went down to injury. &lt;/p&gt;
  125. &lt;p id="BZGtoT"&gt;Is Pickens out of position on the DL? Possibly, as some believe he is more of the 3T while he has been playing more 1T since becoming a Bear. Either way, it is not a good sign when the team signs a high priced free agent in Grady Jarrett and then drafts a second round DT in Shemar Turner. Ironically enough, one of the biggest issues I have with Pickens has been his lack of fire as an iDL, something that the rookie has in spades. If Pickens doesn’t light up training camp, I highly doubt he will make it to the season and wouldn’t be surprised if he’s released sooner than later.  &lt;/p&gt;
  126. &lt;h2 id="wIXRrv"&gt;Kiran Amegadjie, OT&lt;/h2&gt;
  127. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  128.        &lt;img alt="NFL: Chicago Bears-Rookie Minicamp" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0cytF_UKS6lD8p_Y5-NBO5UGu0o=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460736/usa_today_23237050.jpg"&gt;
  129.      &lt;cite&gt;David Banks-USA TODAY Sports&lt;/cite&gt;
  130.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  131. &lt;p id="WCQpmJ"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ryan Droste:&lt;/em&gt; After the selection of Ozzy Trapilo out of Boston College in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, I think Amegadjie finds himself clearly falling down the depth chart of Chicago’s offensive line.&lt;/p&gt;
  132. &lt;p id="TS3GIv"&gt;While neither Amegadjie or Trapilo figure to start right out of the gate in 2025 (barring injuries to the line), Trapilo comes into the league as a more pro-ready prospect than Amegadjie did one year ago. Bears fans saw Amegadjie get some playing time late last season due to the gang of injuries the Bears suffered up front, and he didn’t play particularly well in those games, but the truth was that he was never expected to. Amegadjie was always looked at as a project who would need time to develop into a successful pro. He has the talent and traits but will need time.&lt;/p&gt;
  133. &lt;p id="2HclEI"&gt;Considering Trapilo projected as a player who could compete for a starting tackle spot coming out of college, it’s hard to imagine the second rounder settling in behind Amegadjie on the depth chart. Trapilo should find himself as the Bears' primary swing tackle this season, and he could potentially even see time starting at LT if Braxton Jones is unable to stay healthy. There’s also a chance that Darnell Wright could be moved to the LT position long term and Trapilo could settle in at RT, where he primarily played at BC. Either way, Trapilo seems to have a great opportunity to be one of the Bears’ long term starters at tackle alongside Wright. &lt;/p&gt;
  134. &lt;h2 id="fxeRAJ"&gt;Cole Kmet, TE&lt;/h2&gt;
  135. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  136.        &lt;img alt="Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IjkLIH5j99IPeVNHC8wHBCyuqCA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25976610/2191221159.jpg"&gt;
  137.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  138.      &lt;figcaption&gt;How Kmet responds with the heat turned up will go along way towards his chances of retiring with his favorite childhood team.  &lt;/figcaption&gt;
  139.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  140. &lt;p id="OVcKgx"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bryan Orenchuk&lt;/em&gt;: Cole Kmet is the ultimate team player. Never once complaining about his usage, targets and statistics. Having survived Bill Lazor, Luke Getsy, Shane Waldron and Thomas Brown as his play callers in his first 5 seasons and STILL earning a raise/extension is quite the accomplishment. &lt;/p&gt;
  141. &lt;p id="1kYfHR"&gt;Remember, as a rookie he played alongside future Hall of Famer Jimmy Graham and ceded more snaps to the aging veteran, though he did surpass him in playing time the following season though he scored not a single TD despite being second on the team in targets (behind Darnell Mooney.) Either way, a new Head Coach and playcaller is in town with Ben Johnson and things could be coming to an end for Kmet in Chicago. &lt;/p&gt;
  142. &lt;p id="HWVxlp"&gt;Additionally, Ben Johnson’s first ever draft pick as Bears Head Coach was Tight End Colston Loveland out of Michigan. Loveland is just 21 while Kmet is 26. Two summers ago, Kmet signed a 4 year, $50 million contract extension through the 2027 season. However, there would only be a $3.2 million dead cap penalty if he is released following the 2025 season and that number goes down to $1.6 million after the 2026 season. &lt;/p&gt;
  143. &lt;p id="0St99G"&gt;Can Cole Kmet and first rounder Colston Loveland co-exist? Absolutely, especially with creative offensive mind Ben Johnson calling plays. I also think their skillsets compliment each other well as Kmet is the better inline blocker and big body while Loveland is incredible in space down the field, especially for a man his size (6’6”, 248.) I expect a reinvigorated Cole Kmet this season as he takes advantage of his new scheme and play caller, but it is hard to see how he will now finish his career as a Bear after the promising young TE was brought into the fold, hand-picked by the new Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. &lt;/p&gt;
  144. &lt;p id="v5QOpu"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ryan Droste:&lt;/em&gt; I’d agree with all of the reasons laid out above by Bryan. There’s no question that all eyes will be on Kmet this season after a disappointing 2024 campaign, and with the rookie in waiting, that will be even pressure for Kmet to deliver.&lt;/p&gt;
  145. &lt;p id="01EQCp"&gt;This team is now loaded with receiving weapons, and there are only so many passes to go around. I expect Ben Johnson to be incredibly creative with personnel and scheme, but the truth of the matter is the salary cap will become more of a concern for the team over the next few years, and it will be hard to justify paying two TEs top dollar (if Loveland delivers as expected). As Bryan pointed out, the dead cap penalty for cutting Kmet is not high. &lt;/p&gt;
  146. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="fvBhMl"&gt;
  147. &lt;p id="seLm6Y"&gt;&lt;em&gt;What about you? Any issues with the above names? Agree or disagree? Sound off below and tune in tonight as&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;Orenchuk and Droste will be talking about the Bears’ new draft picks on a new LIVE edition of Bears Over Beers over at our &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMXAZtZvYznksYB2z5cMDjA"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2nd City Gridiron YouTube Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;! The show will also be available on our &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://redcircle.com/shows/d98b053b-7f45-4014-9d73-588925d7807f"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and at &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2nd-city-gridiron/id1740183213"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Apple&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3AfUwxvqBNmGKEcalJmYJY"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spotify&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-2nd-city-gridiron-165564430/"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;iHeart&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.audacy.com/podcast/2nd-city-gridiron-4ac36"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Audacy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, and other popular podcast platforms, Make sure to grab your favorite beverage and join them! &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  148. &lt;div id="6GsnAV"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sw3n-YWsYWQ?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  149.  
  150. </content>
  151.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420934/losers-from-the-2025-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-dj-moore-cole-kmet-zacch-pickens"/>
  152.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420934/losers-from-the-2025-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-dj-moore-cole-kmet-zacch-pickens</id>
  153.    <author>
  154.      <name>Bryan Orenchuk</name>
  155.      <name>Ryan Droste</name>
  156.    </author>
  157.  </entry>
  158.  <entry>
  159.    <published>2025-04-30T12:30:00-05:00</published>
  160.    <updated>2025-04-30T12:30:00-05:00</updated>
  161.    <title>Bears’ Luther Burden III is a ‘dog’ just like the Lions’ Jameson Williams</title>
  162.    <content type="html">  
  163.  
  164.    &lt;figure&gt;
  165.      &lt;img alt="NCAA Football: Missouri at Texas A&amp;amp;amp;M" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UDHrRSXRdpbYWb8zmWWFF3lNIVk=/0x0:4260x2840/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74057901/usa_today_24411052.0.jpg" /&gt;
  166.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  167.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  168.  
  169.  &lt;p id="s8IOTe"&gt;On the surface, &lt;a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/"&gt;Detroit Lions&lt;/a&gt; ultra-speedster Jameson Williams and new &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt; draft pick Luther Burden III don’t have much in common aside from playing wide receiver.&lt;/p&gt;
  170. &lt;p id="6GHXnu"&gt;One is skinny and cartoonishly fast to the point where he makes other world-class speedsters look like they’re walking. The other is a long-striding but shifty bowling ball whose do-it-all play style reminds me of a less-chunky Deebo Samuel—and one of his current Bears teammates.&lt;/p&gt;
  171. &lt;p id="M2J0jL"&gt;But the electrifying Detroit playmaker apparently liked Chicago’s pick of the Missouri product so much he texted his now-former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson afterward to tell him what he was getting.&lt;/p&gt;
  172. &lt;p id="neB50i"&gt;“He said, ‘You got a dog just like me,’” &lt;a href="https://x.com/ChicagoBears/status/1916282017932841157"&gt;Johnson told reporters&lt;/a&gt; after he and Ryan Poles took Burden with the No. 39 overall pick in the 2025 draft. “Luther has that same confidence. He’s got that same swagger to him.”&lt;/p&gt;
  173. &lt;p id="NO1k3s"&gt;In the case of Williams and Burden, there’s more than scouting reports involved in that comparison. There’s brotherhood.&lt;/p&gt;
  174. &lt;p id="3ed6W0"&gt;Both ballers are St. Louis-bred and attended Cardinal Ritter College Prep in the city at the same time when Burden was a freshman and Williams was a senior. After Williams went to college at &lt;a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com"&gt;Ohio State&lt;/a&gt; and later Alabama, Burden starred at Cardinal Ritter for two more seasons before spending his final high school year at East St. Louis Senior in Illinois.&lt;/p&gt;
  175. &lt;p id="iiYzHE"&gt;Though no one would mistake Williams and his 4.2 speed for Burden, both Williams and Johnson know firsthand the dynamism the latter brings to the Bears.&lt;/p&gt;
  176. &lt;p id="eCX8Hk"&gt;“For 6-foot, 200-plus pounds, it’s rare to see somebody with his movement skills. He can stop on a dime and accelerate just like that. Give him a little bit of space, and he can make big things happen. A dangerous player, a weapon—call him what you want—but I see big things in his future,” Johnson said of Burden, whom he described simply as a “stud.”&lt;/p&gt;
  177. &lt;p id="VLmrbj"&gt;While the Bears didn’t technically need another receiver in this draft, Burden is more than that: he’s a pure playmaker you find ways to get the ball to, not unlike DJ Moore. Those are the types of players you take first and figure out how to use later—if you’re savvy enough.&lt;/p&gt;
  178. &lt;p id="fP4Qgb"&gt;For the first time in a while, the Bears have a coach in Johnson who might actually be capable of doing that.&lt;/p&gt;
  179. &lt;p id="Fq8Qky"&gt;Though Burden might need some seasoning as a route-runner and technician at the position, his levels of “that dawg in him” are already insanely high. Williams has a point: you can’t teach that.&lt;/p&gt;
  180.  
  181. </content>
  182.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420986/chicago-bears-luther-burden-iii-dog-just-like-detroit-lions-jameson-williams-nfl-draft-ben-johnson"/>
  183.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420986/chicago-bears-luther-burden-iii-dog-just-like-detroit-lions-jameson-williams-nfl-draft-ben-johnson</id>
  184.    <author>
  185.      <name>Khari Thompson</name>
  186.    </author>
  187.  </entry>
  188.  <entry>
  189.    <published>2025-04-30T11:00:00-05:00</published>
  190.    <updated>2025-04-30T11:00:00-05:00</updated>
  191.    <title>Is the 2022 Chicago Bears draft class on track?</title>
  192.    <content type="html">  
  193.  
  194.    &lt;figure&gt;
  195.      &lt;img alt="Carolina Panthers v Chicago Bears" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WvczBvIl1n8BL7LqpRSDHm9HYto=/0x0:4226x2817/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74057695/1786572121.0.jpg" /&gt;
  196.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  197.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  198.  
  199.  &lt;p&gt;My impression as a fan is that the first draft class of general manager Ryan Poles is mildly disappointing. How does this class compare to the historical performance markers available to us?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="aUmXAF"&gt;So, one of the side effects of having &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/22/24413720/the-nfl-draft-research-project-part-7-recap-replacement-day-three-trends-patterns-future-warnings"&gt;just completed&lt;/a&gt; a massive project looking at a decade of outcomes for players taken in the &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft"&gt;NFL draft&lt;/a&gt; is that those spreadsheets are still there when the project is published. For some of us, that means that it makes sense to &lt;em&gt;do &lt;/em&gt;something with that data. And it supposedly takes three years to evaluate a draft class. And it’s been three years since the 2022 NFL draft. &lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;p id="XTo5i9"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  201. &lt;h3 id="y5i2J3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Overview&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  202. &lt;p id="Pru8rB"&gt;By far the most straightforward way of approaching all of this is to get a “ballpark” guess on how well Ryan Poles did. Taking each of the drafted players taken at a given spot (for example, pick #71) across all 10 years under study and prorating the results to 60% to acknowledge that every player still has two remaining years of playing time should at least tell me &lt;em&gt;in general&lt;/em&gt; if Poles was a dramatic failure or success in some regard. To be honest, because he made three picks in Round 7 and some of those were at places where a player wasn’t always recorded in the Draft Research Project charts, I simply expected the same of all Round 7 players averaged at the three places he drafted.&lt;/p&gt;
  203. &lt;p id="MARtvH"&gt;This sort of airport napkin math tells me that Ryan Poles should have already managed to get 253 games and 131 starts out of the eleven players he selected in 2022. He did not. Instead, his players contributed 344 games and 143 starts. That means that he got &lt;em&gt;ahead&lt;/em&gt; by 91 games and 12 starts. It’s tempting to say that the disparity is because those players were drafted to a bad team with roster holes, but I am using the positional reference points of other players drafted to teams in roughly the 7th position in the draft.&lt;/p&gt;
  204. &lt;p id="ldUDcX"&gt;This is the sort of jarring result that made me want to add performance numbers to players whenever possible, so it seems important to break down the players one-by-one instead of looking at just time on the field. Along the way, I will offer the traditional “grades” for each player as informed by this data.&lt;/p&gt;
  205. &lt;p id="Birzm3"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  206. &lt;h3 id="8sL56v"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#39) Kyler Gordon&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  207. &lt;p id="vRhPYQ"&gt;Adjusted for being only three seasons into the first five years, if Kyler Gordon had been a first-round pick at cornerback, he should be on track for 34 games, 26 starts, and 27 DVDs at 60% value for his first five years. The median values (instead of mean values) would ask for 36 games, 27 starts, and 28 DVDs. Instead, Gordon has already played in 42 games and made 34 starts, and he has recorded 27.5 DVDs. Of particular note, if he were a median first-round corner by this point he should have 4 interceptions (or 3 if you prefer to compare him to the mean). He instead has 5.&lt;/p&gt;
  208. &lt;div class="c-float-right"&gt;&lt;div id="gJuOvr"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="aside:12609621"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  209. &lt;p id="QpJrvJ"&gt;By contrast, scaled for 60% playing opportunity to date, a cornerback taken in the first half of the second round (i.e. where Gordon was actually drafted) would on average 32 games, 22 starts, and 20 DVDs. In simple terms, Gordon is ahead of schedule and is outperforming precedent by a full round worth of value.&lt;/p&gt;
  210. &lt;p id="WZaEae"&gt;If we were assigning grades, this would have to be a full-credit A.&lt;/p&gt;
  211. &lt;p id="mNp48A"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  212. &lt;h3 id="6NvfJi"&gt;
  213. &lt;strong&gt;#48) Jaquan Brisker&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/h3&gt;
  214. &lt;p id="4B06vS"&gt;At the time of the draft, Brisker was considered a steal, and that has been proven correct during his first three years in the league. Second-round safeties average 60 games and 45 starts with only 32 DVDs. Since Brisker was taken in the exact middle of the second round, it seems fair to use the entire cohort for comparison. He should therefore have 36 games and 27 starts by now, with 19 DVDs. While he only has 35 games, he has made 35 starts (ahead of schedule for a first-rounder by 1 game), and he has turned in 30 DVDs. He needs a single DVD in each of the next two seasons to match the marks for safeties drafted in the second round, and he is already 4 ahead of schedule for a &lt;em&gt;first-round&lt;/em&gt; safety (basically in the form of his high number of sacks).&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;p id="Tilk7S"&gt;Brisker is a disruptive force when he’s on the field, and so far, he is on the field for roughly an average amount of the time for a second-round player. In all other ways, he is a slightly above-average first-round safety who was taken in the second round.&lt;/p&gt;
  216. &lt;p id="h46YST"&gt;This is another A.&lt;/p&gt;
  217. &lt;p id="BOGCU5"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  218. &lt;h3 id="ztYtGl"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#71) Velus Jones, jr.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  219. &lt;p id="OOJUC7"&gt;Both of the second-rounders are therefore outperforming any reasonable expectations for them to this point. With that spoonful of sugar out of the way, it’s time for a dose of rather bitter medicine. Velus Jones is as close as it is possible to get to being an “obvious bust” for a third-round player. A fully average third-round receiver should tally 48 games and 26 starts with just under 11 touchdowns and around 1800 yards from scrimmage, and a receiver drafted in the first half of the third round should have 3 extra starts, an additional touchdown, and another 100 yards from scrimmage. &lt;/p&gt;
  220. &lt;p id="k2TSlM"&gt;“VJJ” should be at 29 games and 16 starts with 7 touchdowns and 1140 yards. He is instead at 27 games, 2 starts, 2 touchdowns, and 300 yards from scrimmage. Of note, he is also no longer with Chicago. Had he been drafted during the time of the draft research project, he would have qualified for the “bottom third” of his cohort despite being drafted near the top of the third round. By most measures, he performed more closely to a 6th- or 7th-round pick.&lt;/p&gt;
  221. &lt;p id="Kp2FYq"&gt;This is an F, but it’s not a 0.&lt;/p&gt;
  222. &lt;p id="Yrv9kJ"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  223. &lt;h3 id="4glfsX"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#168) Braxton Jones&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="dIutcs"&gt;I have previously explained at length that despite my own ambivalence toward him, left tackle Braxton Jones, has played in every way like an average &lt;em&gt;first-round &lt;/em&gt;offensive tackle, and that includes exceeding the marks for games played and games started (he should be at 38 and 36 respectively, and he is instead at 40 in both categories).&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;aside id="9CvKca"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Braxton Jones is Underappreciated","url":"https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/3/16/24386205/chicago-bears-braxton-jones-is-underappreciated-ryan-poles-hidden-1st-round-pick-2025-nfl-draft"}]}'&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/aside&gt;&lt;p id="aHus27"&gt;This is another A, and a teacher who believed in extra credit at all might be tempted to offer some here.&lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p id="BgymE5"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;h3 id="bPycc2"&gt;
  228. &lt;strong&gt;#174) Dominique Robinson&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/h3&gt;
  229. &lt;p id="goXu7l"&gt;The 24 edge defenders taken in the fifth-round from 2011 to 2020 were arguably uninspiring unless they were named Matt Judon. There were clear success stories, but they were not the norm. Across their first five years, they average out to 37 games and 8 starts with 22 DVDs, but the median level of performance is actually 30 games, 3 starts, and 7 DVDs. &lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p id="HsNfkV"&gt;To date, Robinson has 30 games, 8 starts, and 8 DVDs. What that means is that if Robinson were to be cut this summer and never again play in the NFL, he would still be in the &lt;em&gt;top half&lt;/em&gt; of fifth-round edge rushers. He is on track for 50 games, 15 starts, and 13 DVDs. That places him more or less on track to be in the bottom third of &lt;em&gt;fourth-round &lt;/em&gt;edge rushers. In other words, he is actually slightly outperforming his draft status.&lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p id="3TqUtP"&gt;This is a C+, but the argument could be made for a B-.&lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="H455PP"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;h3 id="ddK3Pc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#186) Zachary Thomas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="1xpnhs"&gt;Thomas has played 17 games for 3 teams, none of them Chicago. His 339 snaps in other uniforms have been unremarkable. Being as generous as possible, he is on track to have the correct number of total games played for an offensive lineman drafted in his position, even if he is in the bottom third of all performers because of his lack of starts. And, of course, he is no longer with the team that drafted him or either of the two teams that signed him after that.&lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;p id="6PZ1A9"&gt;This is an F, and it’s actually a 0.&lt;/p&gt;
  236. &lt;p id="5PRU9R"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  237. &lt;h3 id="FKyJdr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#203) Trestan Ebner&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  238. &lt;p id="FTGbTL"&gt;Ebner played 17 games for Chicago and recorded 62 total yards from scrimmage. He had two more fumbles than touchdowns, which means he had two fumbles. That seems harsh, so let’s amend to say that he has as many first downs as fumbles. He is almost exactly on the line to be in the bottom third of all sixth-round running backs.&lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;p id="YceMZ4"&gt;This is a D. &lt;/p&gt;
  240. &lt;p id="pSZutx"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  241. &lt;h3 id="yoaFjs"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#207) Doug Kramer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  242. &lt;p id="T57bHp"&gt;If you are looking for what to expect from a &lt;em&gt;typical &lt;/em&gt;sixth-round offensive lineman, instead of one of the success stories, look to Doug Kramer. After five years, the median such player is at 22 games and 5 starts (with mean performance closer to 27 and 15), so Kramer being on track for 30 games and no starts places him above average as a role-player or a little disappointing as a starter. Still, about 40% of all offensive lineman drafted in the sixth round never have a start in their first five years, so Kramer is pretty typical for a 6th-rounder whose team has found ways to use him.&lt;/p&gt;
  243. &lt;p id="056jID"&gt;This is a C.&lt;/p&gt;
  244. &lt;p id="QhYgZy"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  245. &lt;h3 id="vlKTBp"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#226) Ja’Tyre Carter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  246. &lt;p id="Cm3q9J"&gt;The seventh round is weird for offensive linemen. An eighth of them go on to become regular &lt;em&gt;starters&lt;/em&gt;, and that seems like an unreasonable expectation. And it is. The median offensive line player taken in the 7th round will play in 15 games and start only 1; Ja’Tyre Carter played in 13 games for Chicago and started 2. If he sticks with the Panthers and works his way onto the field, he might be able to improve his personal results. For now, he is essentially a midlevel pick of his type for the GM who took him.&lt;/p&gt;
  247. &lt;p id="QBBlp2"&gt;This is another C.&lt;/p&gt;
  248. &lt;div class="c-float-right"&gt;&lt;div id="bSQVYX"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="aside:12609626"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  249. &lt;h3 id="sVwmLt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#254) Elijah Hicks&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  250. &lt;p id="aBnRB0"&gt;What do you expect out of a 7th-round safety? If you answered “not much”, you would be surprised. The average is actually 38 games and 13 starts with 10 DVDs (almost one per start). Mid-level performance would be 44 games, 6 starts, and 6 DVDs. &lt;/p&gt;
  251. &lt;p id="iWGJ4A"&gt;Hicks has a disappointing performance here. He has already hit 44 games and 15 starts, but he has only 3 DVDs (and they are all merely pass defenses without an interception, instead of the more impactful plays like interceptions or sacks). An “average” player of his draft status at 60% would have 1 interception and 2 combined sacks/tackles for a loss, and he has none of that. To be fair, defensive backs frequently “ramp up” as they continue playing, so those values could trend up. Still, Hicks has gotten above-average playing time with slightly below-average results.&lt;/p&gt;
  252. &lt;p id="Fqs2Yv"&gt;This is probably a C-.&lt;/p&gt;
  253. &lt;p id="gPbS72"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  254. &lt;h3 id="A9mszw"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;#255) Trenton Gill&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  255. &lt;p id="GViOb6"&gt;He’s the first of two punters that Ryan Poles drafted in his first three years as general manager. That seems sufficient summary at this point. I originally had this as an F, but being fair it’s a D because the Bears did get some very marginal utility out of Gill.  &lt;/p&gt;
  256. &lt;p id="d3G7zq"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  257. &lt;h3 id="hI7GHz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keeping Score&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  258. &lt;p id="JVGAmO"&gt;For those of you who just want everything in one place, this means that Poles had three dramatic successes, finding first-round equivalent players without a single first-round pick. He had three chalk picks who performed almost exactly according to expectations in the form of Dominique Robinson, Ja’Tyre Carter, and Doug Kramer. He then has Elijah Hicks, who has had above-average playing time with below-average impact. Finally, he has four misses later on–Velus Jones, Zachary Thomas, Trestan Ebner, and Trenton Gill. In any fair assessment, then, the 2022 draft class is a resounding success. Even in the last day of the draft, where fan wisdom has him failing to perform, half of his picks are above average or at least average, one is questionable, and only three are legitimately questionable. &lt;/p&gt;
  259. &lt;p id="qN7Xh4"&gt;Weighting all of the grades by the value of the draft picks used, but not giving any special bonus for finding three first-round–equivalent players without a first-round pick, Poles would get an 88% for his first draft. That’s a B+, which feels too low for a draft that found three players who are producing at a first-round level, but it also feels too high for my emotional impression of the class. That suggests that it might be correct after all?&lt;/p&gt;
  260. &lt;p id="bb8evX"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  261. &lt;h3 id="5kSfaq"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On Performance vs Perception&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  262. &lt;p id="UymB8b"&gt;So what gives? After this supposedly amazing draft class, the Bears proceeded to have the worst record in football and this class has yet to participate in a winning season. In general, when a football team’s talent does not seem to match its performance, there are two obvious places to look–the quarterback and the coach.&lt;/p&gt;
  263. &lt;p id="ujaBll"&gt;For the first two years these players were on the team, the two strongest limiting factors on Chicago’s performance were a quarterback who is now on his third team for his fifth year in the NFL and a head coach who became the first such man fired by Chicago midseason. That assumes, probably incorrectly, that there were no other flaws with the roster and they did not have typical rookie growing pains (and remember that those pains are baked into the averages used for this comparison).&lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p id="H3NgCb"&gt;As a thought exercise, imagine a football game in which the starting quarterback throws a Pick-6 and is subsequently pulled from the game. The backup comes in at halftime pulls an Orlovsky, stepping out of the endzone for a safety. The team is now down by at least 9 and the other side has the ball. Even if the backup then leads a successful drive, the team is still losing.&lt;/p&gt;
  265. &lt;p id="hA9lSi"&gt;The easiest explanation for why these results contradict my own expectations is that the trade for Fields undermined the Bears in the first place, and Poles then metaphorically stepped out of the back of the endzone when he hired Matt Eberflus as the coach. The 2022 class for the &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt; was drafted onto a team that was “behind”, and while they arguably helped to improve the team, their above-average contributions as individuals to overcome the collective disadvantages weighing on the team.&lt;/p&gt;
  266. &lt;p id="Q1CiO9"&gt;On some level, as well, there is a perception issue. To me, Dominique Robinson is a disappointment because I do not compare him to other fifth-round edges. I instead compare him to other fifth-round edges who have lasted long enough in the NFL to stand out and leave an impression on me. There is a very strong case of survivorship bias distorting my perceptions. However, Robinson is actually fine or a little better than fine.&lt;/p&gt;
  267. &lt;p id="UE4rwX"&gt;With the advantage of this context, I still do not know if I believe that the 2022 draft class deserves the B+ grade assigned above, because it is easy to focus on the mistakes while also criticizing the decisions of which positions were drafted. However, with strong evidence that the best trench players tend to go early and a lack of an early pick, this complaint boils down to wanting Poles to get similar above-average results only at more premium positions. I’m fairly sure that’s not how drafting works.&lt;/p&gt;
  268.  
  269. </content>
  270.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24419853/2022-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-class-on-track-braxton-jones-kyler-gordon-jaquan-brisker-grade-grading"/>
  271.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24419853/2022-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-class-on-track-braxton-jones-kyler-gordon-jaquan-brisker-grade-grading</id>
  272.    <author>
  273.      <name>Josh Sunderbruch</name>
  274.    </author>
  275.  </entry>
  276.  <entry>
  277.    <published>2025-04-30T09:00:00-05:00</published>
  278.    <updated>2025-04-30T09:00:00-05:00</updated>
  279.    <title>Post-draft power rankings: How do the Chicago Bears rank?</title>
  280.    <content type="html">  
  281.  
  282.    &lt;figure&gt;
  283.      &lt;img alt="2025 NFL Draft - Rounds 2 &amp;amp;amp; 3" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_BuQfoGVvXFGW7iU0fNadbaVjdQ=/0x0:5705x3803/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74057462/2212398061.0.jpg" /&gt;
  284.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  285.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  286.  
  287.  &lt;p&gt;Power rankings dropped following draft. Let’s see where the Bears are stacking up heading into minicamp.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="s2xqRn"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft"&gt;NFL Draft&lt;/a&gt; is now behind us. Only minicamps and OTAs stand between us and the real, true dead period of the NFL offseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  288. &lt;p id="2Vjdt0"&gt;That means it’s time to get out the power rankings again.&lt;/p&gt;
  289. &lt;p id="jyoLdS"&gt;Who doesn’t love some power rankings at the end of April?&lt;/p&gt;
  290. &lt;p id="snsYqo"&gt;We would be nothing without arbitrary rankings of NFL teams based on how the writer perceives their offseason moves, draft and last season’s performances.&lt;/p&gt;
  291. &lt;p id="59yAb4"&gt;OK, enough of the cynical ranting, let’s look at what some of these rankings say about our &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt; following the draft.&lt;/p&gt;
  292. &lt;p id="lVgBZR"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-post-2025-nfl-draft-who-s-up-down"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NFL.com&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt; - Eric Edholm&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  293. &lt;p id="mL5n9W"&gt;16) Chicago Bears (no change)&lt;/p&gt;
  294. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p id="imJOwm"&gt;Ben Johnson was welcomed warmly upon his arrival in Chicago, and then he was thrown another surprise party this past weekend. The first three selections of TE Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and Ozzy Trapilo had to make Johnson a happy man. I suspect the Bears had their eyes on taking a running back earlier than they ultimately did, late in Round 7 (Kyle Monangai); TreVeyon Henderson going off the board just prior to the Burden pick in Round 2 felt like a mini-heartbreak for Chicago, but Ryan Poles proceeded deftly. Loveland and Burden are exactly the kinds of weapons an imaginative coach wants to play around with. The defensive line also received some potentially nice help in Shemar Turner, even if there was disappointment in not getting another pass rusher. The overall haul this offseason looks very strong, and the Bears are running short on excuses not to contend this year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
  295. &lt;p id="0VGm2D"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6317651/2025/04/29/nfl-power-rankings-post-draft-rookies-eagles-chiefs-bills/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Athletic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;- Josh Kendall&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  296. &lt;blockquote&gt;
  297. &lt;p id="5qFLUA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;19. Chicago Bears &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  298. &lt;p id="6LPVXP"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First pick&lt;/strong&gt;: TE Colston Loveland&lt;/p&gt;
  299. &lt;p id="D4L9Rl"&gt;Chicago beefed up the offensive and defensive lines before the draft, so Ben Johnson got to go find some toys, starting with Loveland, who is going to catch a ton of passes, and then Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III with the 39th pick. Burden quietly is one of the biggest boom-or-bust picks in this draft. He had a disappointing final season but is an electric athlete.&lt;/p&gt;
  300. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  301. &lt;p id="fTKTeY"&gt;&lt;a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/04/28/nfl-power-rankings-after-draft-2025-eagles-bears-broncos/83298311007/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For the Win&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; - Robert Zeglinski, Cory Woodruff, Christian D’Andrea&lt;/p&gt;
  302. &lt;blockquote&gt;
  303. &lt;p id="1i0mPy"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;17. Chicago Bears&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  304. &lt;p id="F0S8iG"&gt;Has anyone had a better offseason than Caleb Williams? A hotshot coach. A completely revamped offensive line. A treasure trove of weapons all around. Bears fans, you’re not dreaming. It’s OK to get a &lt;em&gt;little&lt;/em&gt; excited.&lt;/p&gt;
  305. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  306. &lt;p id="6RxNau"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-power-rankings-2025-post-draft-edition/702128e663cd489f61d74245"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Sporting News&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt; -&lt;/strong&gt; Vinnie Iyer&lt;/p&gt;
  307. &lt;blockquote&gt;
  308. &lt;p id="L5gLkx"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;16. Chicago Bears (13)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  309. &lt;p id="IGkttv"&gt;The Bears took care of offensive line for Caleb Williams in free agency and now have given him two more key players in Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. But their needs for running back and edge rusher wasn’t met, causing them to slip.&lt;/p&gt;
  310. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  311. &lt;p id="Hgioz0"&gt;&lt;a href="https://fansided.com/nfl-power-rankings-after-2025-nfl-draft-everyone-chasing-eagles"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fansided&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; - Mike Phillips&lt;/p&gt;
  312. &lt;blockquote&gt;
  313. &lt;p id="KCbnac"&gt;19. Chicago Bears&lt;/p&gt;
  314. &lt;p id="tTRzVS"&gt;New head coach Ben Johnson has made it his mission to give Caleb Williams every chance to succeed, rebuilding the offensive line and using his first two draft picks on playmakers in tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III. The brutal NFC North may make it tough for Chicago to make the playoffs but they have enough talent to surprise if Johnson is as good of a coach as everyone thinks he will be.&lt;/p&gt;
  315. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  316. &lt;p id="FbTNbz"&gt;What do you think about these rankings? Are they about right for a team coming off a five-win season with an exciting new coach and rising quarterback?&lt;/p&gt;
  317. &lt;p id="rcLdO9"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  318.  
  319. </content>
  320.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420684/nfl-2025-post-draft-power-rankings-how-do-the-chicago-bears-rank-ben-johnson-caleb-williams"/>
  321.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420684/nfl-2025-post-draft-power-rankings-how-do-the-chicago-bears-rank-ben-johnson-caleb-williams</id>
  322.    <author>
  323.      <name>Sam Householder</name>
  324.    </author>
  325.  </entry>
  326.  <entry>
  327.    <published>2025-04-30T05:00:00-05:00</published>
  328.    <updated>2025-04-30T05:00:00-05:00</updated>
  329.    <title>The Bear’s Den, April 30, 2025</title>
  330.    <content type="html">  
  331.  
  332.    &lt;figure&gt;
  333.      &lt;img alt="2025 NFL Draft - Round 1" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YbdOINizizjrxB72C_FV0gMI6Mo=/0x0:5485x3657/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74057066/2211977172.0.jpg" /&gt;
  334.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  335.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  336.  
  337.  &lt;p&gt;We wrap up April with a blustery day across the midwest. Remember to duck if a twister comes your way.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="io3URh"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WE WANT YOU!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  338. &lt;p id="vm2nRR"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Would you like to show your &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; spirit to the world? I’m starting a feature where Windy City Gridiron readers can share pictures of themselves and their families and friends in Bears attire. Simply email a picture to me at the following address: denmasterken at aol dot com. The pictures need to be clear, and full resolution (i.e. full size from your phone if that’s how you take them). Include any description information you like along with the photo!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  339. &lt;p id="9gdmw7"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  340. &lt;div id="99a6Dp"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vO8NEsx9m58?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  341. &lt;p id="UziF7i"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;DENMASTER KEN’S VIDEO GRAB BAG&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  342. &lt;div id="WTntC4"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2RSlF-vKb5c?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  343. &lt;h4 id="CKwyb4"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BEARRRSSSS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  344. &lt;p id="xdFlHM"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6317651/2025/04/29/nfl-power-rankings-post-draft-rookies-eagles-chiefs-bills/"&gt;Post-NFL Draft Power Rankings: How much do the rookie additions shake things up? - The Athletic&lt;/a&gt; - With the NFL Draft complete, it’s time for the Power Rankings to check back in and see where everyone stacks up.&lt;/p&gt;
  345. &lt;p id="12XRKP"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/potential-bears-backfield-target-slapped-with-rare-free-agency-tag"&gt;Potential Bears backfield target slapped with rare free agency tag - SI&lt;/a&gt; - The Chargers were one of two teams to use a rare unrestricted free agency tag as they sought to retain some control over running back J.K. Dobbins in the marketplace.&lt;/p&gt;
  346. &lt;p id="O9cBU6"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/chicago-bears-wr-luther-burden-dubbed-one-of-2025-nfl-draft-biggest-day-2-steals"&gt;Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden dubbed one of 2025 NFL Draft’s biggest Day 2 steals - SI&lt;/a&gt; - The Chicago Bears’ 2025 NFL draft haul continues to get rave reviews, including their second-round selection of WR Luther Burden.&lt;/p&gt;
  347. &lt;p id="xvPrlx"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/how-nick-chubb-rumors-make-sense-chicago-bears"&gt;How Nick Chubb rumors do and don’t make sense for Chicago Bears - SI&lt;/a&gt; - Analysis: An NFC North team is supposedly closing in on signing the former Browns running back, and it’s a logical situation but only if they explored other available free agents.&lt;/p&gt;
  348. &lt;p id="Zn4A3f"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2025/04/29/bears-offensive-line-0429/"&gt;How and Why the Bears Finally Began Investing in Offensive Line Help in 2025 - BN&lt;/a&gt; - Finally, the Chicago Bears have made some significant changes to their offensive line.&lt;/p&gt;
  349. &lt;p id="2o5Kcm"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-bears/rahimi-harris-should-bears-sign-nick-chubb"&gt;Rahimi &amp;amp; Harris: Should the Bears sign Nick Chubb? - 670&lt;/a&gt; - Longtime Browns running back Nick Chubb remains a free agent, and he’s now rumored to be close to signing with an NFC North team, according to 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland.&lt;/p&gt;
  350. &lt;p id="e9vve0"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-bears/bears-set-to-re-evaluate-left-tackle-position-this-offseason"&gt;Bears set to re-evaluate left tackle position this offseason - 670&lt;/a&gt; - The Bears revamped their offense this offseason with the hiring of head coach Ben Johnson and the acquisition of five players who will have starting or key roles, but they still have a question mark at left tackle.&lt;/p&gt;
  351. &lt;p id="jyDFP4"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/29/chicago-bears-nfl-draft-running-backs/"&gt;NFL draft: Why Chicago Bears didn’t capitalize on deep RB class - Chicago Tribune&lt;/a&gt; - The Chicago Bears’ hopes of making a major upgrade to their backfield fizzled during the NFL draft. What happened? And what’s next?&lt;/p&gt;
  352. &lt;p id="oTWFox"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/29/chicago-bears-nfc-north-nfl-draft/"&gt;NFL draft: How Chicago Bears’ NFC North rivals fared - Chicago Tribune&lt;/a&gt; - Every NFC North team, including the Chicago Bears, drafted a projected starting offensive lineman. Here’s what else stood out in the division.&lt;/p&gt;
  353. &lt;p id="fIEdOS"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6318544/2025/04/29/bears-depth-chart-post-nfl-draft/"&gt;Bears post-NFL Draft depth chart: Where do the rookies fit on the roster? - The Athletic&lt;/a&gt; - The Bears’ roster is better, deeper and faster after their offseason additions. We break it down position by position.&lt;/p&gt;
  354. &lt;p id="Txilrn"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;KNOW THINE ENEMY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  355. &lt;p id="bamt2I"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/lions-waive-wr-antoine-green"&gt;Lions waive WR Antoine Green - NBC Sports&lt;/a&gt; - The Lions dropped a wide receiver from their 90-man roster on Tuesday.&lt;/p&gt;
  356. &lt;p id="gzMjT9"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;POLISH SAUSAGE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  357. &lt;p id="ZlE7B1"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/toronto-argonauts-get-first-right-to-negotiate-a-cfl-contract-with-shedeur-sanders"&gt;Toronto Argonauts get first right to negotiate a CFL contract with Shedeur Sanders - NBC Sports&lt;/a&gt; - If Shedeur Sanders ever decides to play in the Canadian Football League, the Toronto Argonauts have the first rights to negotiate a contract with him.&lt;/p&gt;
  358. &lt;p id="w9LZrR"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/titans-waive-t-isaiah-prince-g-arlington-hambright"&gt;Titans waive T Isaiah Prince, G Arlington Hambright - NBC Sports&lt;/a&gt; - The Titans cleared some space on their 90-man roster for incoming rookies.&lt;/p&gt;
  359. &lt;p id="SeBHkE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  360. &lt;p id="evqWnw"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/29/24420378/which-chicago-bears-rookie-receiving-yards-colston-loveland-luther-burden-iii-ben-johnson-caleb"&gt;Which Chicago Bears rookie will have more receiving yards? - Windy City Gridiron&lt;/a&gt; - Vote in this week’s Reacts survey!&lt;/p&gt;
  361. &lt;p id="yfZ0Jx"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/29/24420134/six-players-ben-johnson-turned-the-notch-up-on-after-the-nfl-draft-chicago-bears-dj-moore-cole-kmet"&gt;Six Players Ben Johnson ‘Turned up the Notch on’ after the NFL Draft - Windy City Gridiron&lt;/a&gt; - Which players was Ben Johnson referring to?&lt;/p&gt;
  362. &lt;p id="dydB3n"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/29/24419392/chicago-bears-open-thread-question-day-maximize-their-offensive-talent-ben-johnson-caleb-williams"&gt;Bears Topic of the Day: Can they maximize their offensive talent? - Windy City Gridiron&lt;/a&gt; - A problem foreign to Bears fans emerged in the aftermath of the 2025 Draft - do the Bears have too much offensive talent?&lt;/p&gt;
  363. &lt;p id="CY77z0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE PAGE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  364. &lt;p id="vlv6MQ"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMXAZtZvYznksYB2z5cMDjA"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2nd City Gridiron&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; is our video home! So hit the link and help us grow that brand!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  365. &lt;p id="P5lJhd"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THE RULES&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  366. &lt;p id="mmwfDg"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.sbnation.com/community-guidelines"&gt;Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com&lt;/a&gt; - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following are not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender-based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc. &lt;/p&gt;
  367. &lt;p id="m_-7009616555818998602gmail-DZTCtd"&gt;&lt;a href="https://redcircle.com/shows/d98b053b-7f45-4014-9d73-588925d7807f"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; which includes &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bears Banter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; hosted by Bill Zimmerman, &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bear &amp;amp; Balanced&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; from Jeff Berckes and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bears Over Beers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; featuring a rotating host line-up of Ryan Droste, Khari Thompson, Jacob Infante, and Bryan Orenchuk, &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Making Monsters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; with Taylor Doll,&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Bear Bones&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; from Dr. Mason West, and an occasional &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;T Formation Conversation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; from Lester; &lt;a href="https://www.twitch.tv/sjs_illini"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; from Steven Schweickert is another fun one.&lt;/p&gt;
  368. &lt;div id="ZmFaEO"&gt;
  369. &lt;script async="" defer onload="redcircleShowIframe();" src="https://api.podcache.net/embedded-show-player/sh/d98b053b-7f45-4014-9d73-588925d7807f?theme=light"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
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  386.  &lt;p style="margin-top:3px;margin-left:11px;font-family: sans-serif;font-size: 10px; color: gray;"&gt;Powered by &lt;a class="redcircle-link" href="https://redcircle.com?utm_source=rc_embedded_player&amp;amp;utm_medium=web&amp;amp;utm_campaign=embedded_v1"&gt;RedCircle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  387. &lt;/div&gt;
  388. &lt;p id="HEMNoz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Click on our names to follow us on Twitter:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Gridironborn"&gt;Jeff Berckes&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/OpinionBear"&gt;Dr. Patti Curl&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://x.com/ryandroste"&gt;Ryan Droste&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Eduerrwaechter"&gt;Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://x.com/djdurkin"&gt;Dan Durkin&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/TayDoll1010xl"&gt;Taylor Doll&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Kev_WCG"&gt;Kev H&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/SamHouseholder"&gt;Sam Householder&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/jacobinfante24"&gt;Jacob Infante&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/AaronLemingNFL"&gt;Aaron Lemming&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/WCGBearsDenDude"&gt;Dr. Ken Mitchell&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/DanMeehan90"&gt;Danny Meehan&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://x.com/djdurkin"&gt;Bryan Orenchuk&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/JackRSalo"&gt;Jack R Salo&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/kdthompson5"&gt;Khari Thompson&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/SJS_illini"&gt;Steven Schweickert&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/readjack"&gt;Jack Silverstein&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/wiltfongjr"&gt;Lester Wiltfong, Jr.&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/TJStarman"&gt;T.J. Starman&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://x.com/kdthompson5"&gt;Khari Thompson&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/WestSportsPT"&gt;Dr. Mason West&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ZimmermanSXM"&gt;Bill Zimmerman&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/2ndCityGridiron"&gt;2nd City Gridiron&lt;/a&gt;; Like WCG on &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/WindyCityGridiron/?fref=ts"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;; Like 2nd City Gridiron on &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/2ndCityGridiron"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  389. &lt;h3 id="hsWdWp"&gt;A few of us are also over at Bluesky.&lt;/h3&gt;
  390. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  391.        &lt;img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1I2_tIuoCsSm2JNpVlEXUJfUxCo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25750851/2nd_City_Gridiron_Windy_City_Gridiron_Share_Card.png"&gt;
  392.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  393.  
  394.  
  395. </content>
  396.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420613/chicago-bears-den-caleb-williams-ryan-poles-offseason-draft-ben-johnson-rome-odunze-dj-moore-swift"/>
  397.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420613/chicago-bears-den-caleb-williams-ryan-poles-offseason-draft-ben-johnson-rome-odunze-dj-moore-swift</id>
  398.    <author>
  399.      <name>Ken Mitchell</name>
  400.    </author>
  401.  </entry>
  402.  <entry>
  403.    <published>2025-04-30T00:14:16-05:00</published>
  404.    <updated>2025-04-30T00:14:16-05:00</updated>
  405.    <title>The Mac &amp; Read Show: Chicago Bears Draft Recap</title>
  406.    <content type="html">  
  407.  
  408.    &lt;figure&gt;
  409.      &lt;img alt="2025 NFL Draft - Rounds 2 &amp;amp;amp; 3" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bnIXn-EOb1wbMLibB69BaSa2tSA=/0x0:5365x3577/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74056956/2212397143.0.jpg" /&gt;
  410.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  411.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  412.  
  413.  &lt;p&gt;Give our latest show a watch or a listen now!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="IabJ5q"&gt;Now that we’ve all had a couple of days to reflect on the &lt;a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/"&gt;Chicago Bears&lt;/a&gt;' 2025 &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft"&gt;NFL Draft&lt;/a&gt; and take a look at some of the grades floating around, how are you feeling about their eight-man draft class? &lt;/p&gt;
  414. &lt;p id="OgVDDv"&gt;On Tuesday, the newest show on our 2nd City Gridiron channel, &lt;em&gt;The Mac &amp;amp; Read Show&lt;/em&gt;, featuring Evan McLean and Ross Read, dove into the class, where they should fit on the current roster, and how the team should shape up this season.&lt;/p&gt;
  415. &lt;p id="VYmZvH"&gt;The video version of their show can be viewed in the embed below or on our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube page, where you can subscribe to stay up-to-date on all our content.&lt;/p&gt;
  416. &lt;div id="5vBbi1"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jfb6cg5raFE?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  417. &lt;p id="hxpUzy"&gt;You can check out the audio version of their show in the embed below or anywhere you get your podcasts, including &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2nd-city-gridiron/id1740183213"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Apple&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3AfUwxvqBNmGKEcalJmYJY"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spotify&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-2nd-city-gridiron-165564430/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;iHeart&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.audacy.com/podcast/2nd-city-gridiron-4ac36"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Audacy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, and more. So be sure to hit subscribe so you never miss a thing.&lt;/p&gt;
  418. &lt;div id="DoDkVI"&gt;
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  436. &lt;p style="margin-top:3px;margin-left:11px;font-family: sans-serif;font-size: 10px; color: gray;"&gt;Powered by &lt;a class="redcircle-link" href="https://redcircle.com?utm_source=rc_embedded_player&amp;amp;utm_medium=web&amp;amp;utm_campaign=embedded_v1"&gt;RedCircle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  437. &lt;/div&gt;
  438.  
  439. </content>
  440.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420751/the-mac-read-show-chicago-bears-draft-recap-luther-burden-colston-loveland-ben-johnson-ryan-poles"/>
  441.    <id>https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/30/24420751/the-mac-read-show-chicago-bears-draft-recap-luther-burden-colston-loveland-ben-johnson-ryan-poles</id>
  442.    <author>
  443.      <name>Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.</name>
  444.    </author>
  445.  </entry>
  446. </feed>
  447.  

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