Drafting a TE to be our primary receiver...

[gallagher]

Simply put, there is a lot of receiving talent in this draft's TE group. So much so that I think that we can get an outstanding receiving threat through the third round, and good options might last into the fourth. A TE can beat double teams due to generally being more athletic than the LBs, and taller and stronger than the safeties who generally are asked to cover them. Because of that, a TE that can be a reliable target and is a great option for any QB on any given play. Hell, I actually like the talent in this draft at TE more than I like the WRs. With our lack of a "primary receiving threat," now seems like a great time to draft a TE that can fill that role and keep safeties away from our young receiver group.

Given that our only threatening receiver at the TE position is constantly injured, now is a great time for our team to invest in a rookie. But the difficult part of that is that we have so many other needs to address on this team, that we might have to put TE off in favor of other positions in need of young talent. So my questions for you are this:

1) Do you think that there are TEs available in this draft that can be a primary receiving target? If so, who?

2) What is the earliest you would want the Bears to draft a TE, and is that conditioned upon drafting someone else earlier? (For example, drafting a TE in the second only if we take a DB in the first).

3) Is there any specific prospect that you want the Bears to target, or that you would be willing to trade up to draft?

4) Do you see any "diamond in the rough" type prospects in this draft, and how late do you think they can be drafted?

5) Are there any prospects that you think are over-hyped, or should be avoided?

 

[dabears70]

1) absolutely OJ Howard or D.Njoku can be primary receivers for us but as of now they're the only two i see as that but there's 3/4 more that i would love to have.

2) The draft is wide open for me so i wouldn't mind either one of Howard or Njoku in the 1st but at #3?? I'd take Howard at #3 but rather have a QB that Pace believes in or M.Hooker.

3) I'm not trading up in the 1st round for anyone but there's no way to say who will be sitting there in any other round to say if i'd trade up for them. I'm more of a trade down for this draft and collecting picks and players. There's many players i'd love to get in the mid to late 1st if we trade down. (C.McCaffrey)

4) A.Shaheen (TE Ashland) could be a diamond in the rough. Too many others to name.

5) I'm not into internet scouting enough to say who's over-hyped.

 

[WindyCity]

Howard, Njoku, Engram are studs.

They could easily be the venter piece of a passing attack.

 

[modo]

Bears still believe in White, but they need another weapon on offense even if White comes back healthy and productive.

Howard I think is the best in this group and will do damage in the middle of the field.

 

[WindyCity]

Engram intrigues the hell out of me 4.42 (40) and actually gives you an effort as a blocker.

@_NickWhalen 2016 -- Plays of 35+ Yards

Evan Engram -- 7
David Njoku -- 4
O.J. Howard -- 2
Mike Williams -- 2

 

[Aesopian]

Adam Shaheen is a Jimmy Graham clone, I'd like that pick a lot since we got a blocking TE in Dion Sims.

 

[gallagher]

Bears still believe in White, but they need another weapon on offense even if White comes back healthy and productive.

Howard I think is the best in this group and will do damage in the middle of the field.

If White can stay healthy, even if he doesnt have that combine speed anymore, he has the catch radius to be a threat all over the field similar to Jeffery. I dont want to plan on him being our #1 target, but if we plan on him just being a contributor and he outperforms expectations, then we will be in pretty good shape.

 

[gallagher]

Engram intrigues the hell out of me 4.42 (40) and actually gives you an effort as a blocker.

@_NickWhalen 2016 -- Plays of 35+ Yards

Evan Engram -- 7
David Njoku -- 4
O.J. Howard -- 2
Mike Williams -- 2

Engram is an exciting prospect, but I think we'd have to take him at 36 or trade back into the second to get him. He is actually among my favorite prospects at 36 (I think Njoku will be taken at the end of the first).

 

[dabears70]

If White can stay healthy, even if he doesnt have that combine speed anymore, he has the catch radius to be a threat all over the field similar to Jeffery. I dont want to plan on him being our #1 target, but if we plan on him just being a contributor and he outperforms expectations, then we will be in pretty good shape.

Let the haters give up on K.White before he gets a chance to show what he can do when healthy but i'm behind him as long as he's a Bear. The talent is there and the type of injuries aren't career threatening and won't hurt the type of WR he can be so i'm excited to see what the kid can do and as long as he can stay healthy i think he's gonna be just fine. Will he be a #1 WR next year if he stays healthy? Doubtful, but as long as he shows progress to getting close to that every game he plays then i'll be happy.

 

[Rise]

Let the haters give up on K.White before he gets a chance to show what he can do when healthy but i'm behind him as long as he's a Bear. The talent is there and the type of injuries aren't career threatening and won't hurt the type of WR he can be so i'm excited to see what the kid can do and as long as he can stay healthy i think he's gonna be just fine. Will he be a #1 WR next year if he stays healthy? Doubtful, but as long as he shows progress to getting close to that every game he plays then i'll be happy.

I'm with you, as long as he is here why wouldn't we hope for the best? All I am looking for out of him is to play all season long. If he does that and has a few breakout moments then we might have something. That said they can't count on it, he needs to be a luxury that if he pains out makes us stronger than expected.

 

[TexasBearfan]

bring back Dez White he's still fast

 

[rawdawg]

I believe I may have posted on here (but maybe not) that if the Bears were to lose Jeffery, I'd definitely look to go for more of a TE heavy, slot WR focused offense. You aren't going to replace Jeffery with a similar type of player unless you reach for Mike Williams, which is a bad idea, so my thought was to completely revamp the offense and become like a poor man's Patriots offense.

My "plan" was to sign a guy like Jack Doyle to go with Miller and run 2 TE sets all game. Then also spend a high draft pick (at one time I wanted Jake Butt when he was healthy) on the position to have a guy ready for when Miller inevitably goes down with an injury and to be the #1 guy in 2018 (with Doyle still as the #2). Obviously, that didn't work out that way. And I don't really like Sims all that much. But I think obviously OJ Howard would be an ideal #1 TE. I think he has enough size/speed to not even necessarily be a matchup guy. I think he's good enough to beat #1 CBs if teams decide to put their best guy on him. Njoku is more of a matchup guy that kills LBs and smaller safeties. He's also more of an open field guy who you get the ball to in space and let him run with it. Engram is also a matchup guy, but he's a pretty dynamic receiver. He's a guy that can be in-line, an H-back, or a big slot. Maybe the most versatile guy in this class.

If the Bears traded down outside of the top 10, I'd be comfortable taking Howard. I don't think Njoku is a realistic option because the Bears would either have to reach for him, trade down too far to be in the range to pick him, or trade back into the 1st to get him (I don't think he lasts til 36). Engram I'd take a 36, but it would be interesting to see how the Bears fill their other needs if they take a TE early w/ no trade downs to get extra picks.

 

[CHICAGOMIDWAYMONSTERS]

I want OJ Howard or Evan Engram

 

[greg23]

This team needs speed, leaders and non-injured football players who are productive.

Jamal Adams r1
Evan Engram r2
Peterman/Kayaa r3
R4 corner (draft is deep here)
Olb

Id love a trade down in r1 but really don't see anyone wanting to move up.

Said it a million times....just the bears shit ass dumb luck to finally have a top 3 pick and the prospects at traditional elite positions of qb/de/lt suck in this draft.

 

[Adipost]

Well, Evan Engram is pretty much a big wide receiver anyway.

 

[CHICAGOMIDWAYMONSTERS]

3- Watson
2nd Round- Evan Engram
3rd Round- JuJu Smith-Schuster
4th Round- DB, OT, DEnd

 

[Mdbearz]

I feel that Sims is going to break out this year and have 6 or more TDs. So I have a feeling that unless one of the top two slide to 36, we just might end up with no TE unless they are UDFA.

 

[Adipost]

Four tight end set...

1. Howard
2. Njoku
3. Engram
4. Butt

 

[gallagher]

3- Watson
2nd Round- Evan Engram
3rd Round- JuJu Smith-Schuster
4th Round- DB, OT, DEnd

Not to stray off the topic but to leave this draft without taking a DB in one of the first three rounds would be the stuff of tragedy.

This is a great draft to take a DB, there is a lot of talent for outside CBs and both S positions. If Engram is the TE pick, I say we need to take a hard look at the defensive backs available at either #3 or in the third round.

 

[gallagher]

Four tight end set...

1. Howard
2. Njoku
3. Engram
4. Butt

To take that on face value... Imagine being able to have a dominant air attack in a set that would imply a dominant running game. I cannot imagine a defensive package that would be able to counter 4 receiving TEs on the field. PA would shred it too