The Tribune’s Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
Is using the No. 3 pick for a safety a reach? The defensive line and linebackers aren’t that bad. Since Mike Brown went down, so have the Bears. — @tomverv8
I don’t know if reach is the right word but we sure don’t see safeties go in the top five very often. However, you cannot evaluate the Bears without reaching the conclusion that they need a significant upgrade in the secondary at both the safety and cornerback positions. I think the Bears will put a greater premium on cornerback but will also take action at safety. It will be interesting to see what kind of safeties make it to free agency but if the Bears evaluate LSU’s Jamal Adams or Ohio State’s Malik Hooker as Pro Bowl-caliber talents, they will have to consider it in the event they decide to go with a position other than quarterback. It’s been a long time since Brown was patrolling the secondary for the Bears and let’s not forget they did reach the NFC Championship Game following the 2010 season so it hasn’t been all downhill. The Bears will have to love a safety to take him No. 3 though.
If there is no pre-draft quarterback deal, can the Bears wait to round 2 to draft one? With six-plus other teams looking for a QB, don’t the Bears risk losing their “guy”? — @ConradSomm
That’s a great question and something we are going to have to examine more closely as the draft approaches. It’s something to consider, whether or not Bears general manager Ryan Pace can wait until the second round and pick No. 36 to draft a quarterback if he goes in a different direction in Round 1. That’s because besides the teams at the top of the draft that are in need of a quarterback (see Browns, 49ers, Jets, possibly Bills), there are a handful of other teams that will potentially be on the lookout for one. Houston at No. 25 is one to keep an eye on. The Cardinals at No. 13 are another one and other teams could lurk. Then, consider the Browns and 49ers both pick ahead of the Bears again in Round 2. In other words, if the Bears want to draft a quarterback and don’t take one at No. 3, they are going to have to consider an aggressive trade-up scenario if they fear another team will be in position to get their guy first.
The deadline to declare for the draft has passed. The Senior Bowl is in the books. The NFL scouting combine is a scant three weeks away. Draft season is fully engaged and the many prospects are already well along the proverbial road to the podium.
Which players will get that invite to the 2017 NFL draft in Philadelphia? Plenty of those among my Top 50 will get that coveted invitation to Philadelphia, so let’s take a look at my Big Board heading into the combine at the end of the month.
— John Harris, Special To The Washington Post
Please tell me the Bears have no interest in Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer. Huge mistake. They have to go best player available, right? They need almost everything. — @AustinG183
Please tell me you think it’s a really good idea for the Bears to thoroughly turn over every stone at least once and some twice as they explore quarterback possibilities in the draft, free agency and via trade. I get the knocks on Kizer. He had some games this past season that were pretty ugly. Check out the performance against USC. But look at him physically and evaluate his ability to throw the football and some believe he has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft. The Bears have to go best player available but if it’s close, they have to go with a quarterback. They do have a lot of needs but I don’t think it’s nearly as widespread as things were at this time last year. They have shored up the interior of the offensive line, inside linebacker and added some power to the front seven.
Can the Bears get Jimmy Garoppolo without giving up the third pick? — @BradBaumgarten
I would expect there will be a handful of teams interested in Garoppolo and if that’s the case things will get interesting but at no point have I thought the price tag for him will reach the No. 3 pick in the draft. That doesn’t mean the Patriots will not be able to get a first-round pick for Garoppolo but they could certainly hold out for a pick later in the round (or a combination of picks with equivalent value).
Mike Glennon seems to be getting lost in the midst of all of the Garoppolo love. What are the odds the Bears go in his direction? — @bearingthenews
Glennon is going to be an unrestricted free agent and there will no doubt be some interest in him. Will the Bears go in his direction? I don’t know about that. But I do know the Bears cannot reach the opening of free agency without having thoroughly evaluated every single quarterback that could potentially be available. There seems to be more love for Glennon now than there ever was when he was starting for the Buccaneers. He last took a meaningful snap in the 2014 season before the Bucs acquired Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick. Glennon has started 18 games in his career so there is a lot more tape to evaluate than there is with Garoppolo. Glennon has completed 374 of 630 passes (59.4 percent) for 4,100 yards, 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The 27-year-old was has been sacked 56 times and at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, and he’s not particularly mobile. He’s going to have a chance to play for someone but most of the scouts I talk to are lukewarm on him. He’s a little robotic and I tend to believe the buzz surrounding Glennon is partially a result of skepticism people have for the crop of quarterbacks in this draft class. No one can say with certainty that there is a big-time franchise quarterback on the horizon.
Jimmy Garoppolo Steven Senne / AP
Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after a practice on Jan. 12, 2017.
Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after a practice on Jan. 12, 2017.
(Steven Senne / AP)
If Alshon Jeffrey asks to be the highest paid wide receiver in the league, would Ryan Pace be willing to give it to him? — @JS_92
How do you want to measure “highest paid?” Largest guarantee? Highest max value? Average annual salary? I’ll choose to use the latter and right now Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is at the top of the chart at $15 million. There’s a little gap before Julio Jones comes in next at $14,251,209. I don’t think even the most ardent Bears fans is going to successfully argue Jeffery is a better receiver than Green or Jones. But as an unrestricted free agent, Jeffery is going to be able to ask for whatever he wants. Will there be a team out there that meets his request? I don’t know about that. Jeffery can certainly drive a hard bargain with the Bears as they paid him the franchise tag figure of $14.599 million this past season and that number spikes to $17.5 million this coming season. Here’s what will set Jeffery apart from Green and Jones. Jeffery will be an unrestricted free agent next month. Green and Jones signed extensions with their respective clubs while they were under contract. Reaching the open market gives Jeffery considerable leverage even though he’s coming off of back-to-back disappointing seasons. I don’t know what kind of ceiling Pace and the Bears will put on Jeffery and I’d be mighty surprised if they were willing to pay him what Green and Jones are earning. But being unrestricted is going to set Jeffery apart and allow him to maximize his earning potential. That’s assuming the Bears don’t place the franchise tag on Jeffery, something that would be difficult for Pace to justify. Some scoff when I say that but that would mean paying Jeffery $32.12 million over two seasons. Just because you’re flush with salary cap space doesn’t make it OK to make decisions that are not sound.
What about trading Jeffrey straight up for Garoppolo (maybe add a fifth- or sixth-round draft choice if needed)? For the Bears there is no loss of draft choices in their obvious rebuild. They swap a player who does not want to be here for a player who is from Chicago. I would think Tom Brady, who will be around for a few more years, would love the change of pace of not throwing to a pint-sized receiver. Can you say end zone jump ball? Bill Belichick may take another Bear he can show how to properly use. I am afraid if they try to trade draft choices, the Bears will be taken for more than Garoppolo is worth. What do you think? — Mark S., Parts Unknown
For starters, the Bears cannot trade Jeffery unless they have him under contract. It sounds like you are proposing a tag-and-trade scenario here where the Bears would place the franchise tag at $17.5 million on Jeffery and then trade him to New England with the Patriots having worked out a long-term contract for Jeffery. Let me explain to you as simply as I can why there is no chance this will happen. If Jeffery is tagged, he’s not going to agree to a long-term deal that isn’t rich in total guarantee and average annual salary. Let’s just say he angles for $14 million per season and a guarantee of around $40 million. Do you see the Patriots handing out many contracts like that? No, you don’t. Brady seems to thrive throwing to what you describe as “pint-sized” receivers. And I’m guessing Brady has Rob Gronkowski to throw jump balls in the end zone to next season. The Bears aren’t going to tag and trade Jeffery for Garoppolo.
Photos of Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.
Austrian Bears fan planning on traveling to the U.S. this year for training camp … any hints for first-timers at ONU/Bourbonnais? — @23kew92n
I would imagine you need to book your travel plans before the team releases the training camp practice schedule. If possible, you surely want to be in Bourbonnais when the team practices on consecutive days. I would recommend waiting until the team puts full pads on too, so take a pass on the first two days of camp. If you arrive early, you can get a good seat in the bleachers. Bring plenty of sunscreen because there isn’t a lot in the way of shade. Brickstone Brewey has good beer and food and definitely check out Jimmy Jo’s for barbecue. Safe travels.
Any word on negotiations for Jeffery? — @derrick21h
I don’t think things will get rolling for Jeffery until the scouting combine kicks off at the end of the month. Jeffery’s agent Tory Dandy will be able to get a handle on what kind of pay range will be available from other teams. I doubt Jeffery signs a deal with the Bears before free agency opens because he’ll have ultimate leverage as a free agent. Why limit the number of bidders? Keep in mind, as always, it’s a business for the teams as well as the players.
So much was written about Garoppolo during the Super Bowl week, but how can anyone be sure he is a franchise-type quarterback? If he was, why would the Patriots deal him if they’re supposed to be so smart? — Alex L., New York
I don’t think anyone can know for sure if Garoppolo is a franchise-type quarterback and I include the Patriots. But New England will likely be motivated to trade Garoppolo because Brady figures to play for at least a couple more years. Garoppolo is entering the final year of his contract and the Patriots can surely generate a pretty good market and get draft picks that can be used to make an impact for their roster in the next couple years. Did Brady look like he was done in Super Bowl LI? When the Patriots drafted Garoppolo in 2014, they didn’t know how much longer Brady had. Turns out, he’s not done yet.
Photos from Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, at NRG Stadium in Houston.
What’s the deal with Justin Gilbert? Total bust or is this cornerback with size worth a flier? — @Scavolick
I’d lean toward bust at this point. Gilbert was drafted eighth overall in 2014, the only cornerback selected ahead of Kyle Fuller. The Browns dumped him before the start of this last season in a rare in-division trade with the Steelers. That tells you how much Cleveland thought of him. Now, the Steelers have cut bait with Gilbert. At this point he’s got size and name recognition and maybe not a lot more. He’ll likely get a chance somewhere but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
If it passes, what do you think the impact of SB-12 (The Illinois Senate bill that will limit Illinois athlete’s workers compensation to age 35) will have on Bears free agency? — City Dweller, Chicago
Little to none. The bill would not limit an athlete’s claims to workers compensation to age 35. What it would do would eliminate an athlete’s ability to claim for wage differential after age 35. TheNFLPA made a ruckus about this but reality is an individual state’s workers’ compensation laws are not going to factor in decisions for free agents. When it comes to things like state income tax, sure that is an issue. But there’s not much of a story here in my opinion. I wouldn’t worry about it. I’d be more concerned about the Bears being able to find fits in free agency, players that are going to be able to play up to the level of their contracts.
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