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Chicago Bears News & Rumors

Bears Draft Caleb Williams First Overall

April 25th, 2024 at 7:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Bears have kicked off the 2024 draft by adding their quarterback of the present and future. Chicago has selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.

The 2022 Heisman winner entered the past campaign in pole position to be the first player off the board. His highly productive campaign that year – upon following Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC – led to massive expectations and many evaluators deeming him a generational prospect. While the Trojans did not have a stellar showing in 2023 and Williams’ statistical output (both in the air and on the ground) regressed slightly, he has long remained the favorite for the No. 1 slot.

The Bears acquired Carolina’s first-round pick as part of last year’s blockbuster deal which delivered Bryce Young to the Panthers. Now, Chicago general manager Ryan Poles has taken advantage of the 2024 draft’s top choice to add a replacement for Justin Fields. The latter spent the past three years at the helm of Chicago’s offense, and he entered 2023 as a critical evaluation period. With the Bears still struggling to move the ball through the air and Fields failing to show tangible signs of improvement, Poles and Co. elected to start over at the QB spot.

Following through on the stated goal of “doing right by” Fields, Chicago dealt the 2021 first-rounder to the Steelers in March. That swap yielded less compensation than what other teams are believed to have been willing to offer, but it allowed Fields to go to his preferred destination. It also, of course, cleared the way for Poles to draft his own franchise QB in his third season in charge.

Williams’ pre-draft process was not seen as the greatest amongst 2024 quarterbacks, and some teams reportedly have Jayden Daniels ranked as the class’ top signal-caller. Chicago only hosted one QB prospect this spring, though, and Williams in turn only met in-person with one potential employer. Team and player can now officially move forward with a relationship which has long been foreshadowed.

The Bears’ offense has seen a number of changes this offseason, including the hiring of new OC Shane Waldron. Chicago has also signed running back D’Andre Swift and traded for wideout Keenan Allen, adding those players to a skill-position corps already featuring D.J Moore and Cole Kmet. That unit may see another notable move made at a pass-catching position or along the offensive line with the No. 9 pick.

Williams will thus enter a situation where he will not need to be as much of a catalyst as he was with the Trojans. If things go according to plan, though, he will provide Chicago with a long-term solution under center and thus fill a massive organizational need.

Bears Prepared To Trade No. 9 Pick?

April 25th, 2024 at 5:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears will begin tonight’s draft by making the first selection, but the team also owns pick No. 9 for the time being. A large gap exists between that point and Chicago’s next choice, though, and a move aimed at closing it could be in play.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports the Bears are “very open for business” with respect to the ninth overall pick. Chicago is set to select Caleb Williams at No. 1, but staying in place at the other top-10 spot would leave the team off the clock until the midpoint of the third round (No. 75). For that reason, many have pointed the Bears as a trade-down candidate.

Earlier this month, however, general manager Ryan Poles indicated he did not anticipate a move down the board in the first round. Trading away the ninth pick could leave Chicago out of range for a top receiving option (likely Rome Odunze) or the team’s preference in terms of offensive linemen (a list which could include Williams’ top choice, Olu Fashanu). The Bears have also done work on edge prospects, and departing the top 10 would likely take at least one prospect – Dallas Turner – out of consideration.

Still, even a small move down the board could yield considerable draft capital on Day 2 of this weekend’s draft and/or picks in 2025. For a Bears team still looking to add young talent on both sides of the ball, closing the gap between 9 and 75 would be reasonable. Of course, Poles’ decision will come down to the strength of offers made by teams looking to move up.

Several potential suitors have emerged in the hours leading up to the draft, with teams like the Colts, Rams, 49ers and Jaguars reported as being interested in an aggressive deal. Poles will likely not want to venture too far down the order, but as Russini notes suitors have been informed the No. 9 selection could change hands “for the right price.”

Draft Rumors: Williams, Bears, Fashanu, Latham, Bolts, Bowers, Seahawks, Murphy

April 25th, 2024 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pass rusher and wide receiver have been mentioned most often as the Bears‘ targets at No. 9 overall. Though, the player who will almost definitely be chosen at No. 1 (Caleb Williams) in a few hours seems to have Chicago’s D-line ranked outside the top two among his positional priorities here.

“I’d probably go Olu Fashanu because I know he’d put his life on the line for me, protecting me,” Williams said, via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith. “Then I’d go one of the top three wide receivers.”

A Penn State-developed tackle, Fashanu played high school football (at Gonzaga College HS in Washington D.C.) with Williams. That makes it unsurprising the 2022 Heisman winner would stump for his old teammate. The Bears are believed to have a tackle addition on their radar for No. 9, with GM Ryan Poles splitting his staff into pods debating the merits of taking a tackle, edge rusher or wide receiver with that pick. Chicago looks to have done more work on wideouts and pass rushers, being linked to adding a weapon — potentially Rome Odunze or tight end Brock Bowers — for Williams. The team has Braxton Jones and 2023 No. 10 overall pick Darnell Wright at tackle. Fashanu grades 15th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Hours away from Williams starting this draft, here is the latest:

Bears Extend Assistant GM Ian Cunningham

April 24th, 2024 at 8:14am CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more popular general manager interview candidates in recent years, Ian Cunningham is in his third offseason as the Bears’ assistant GM. The team will reward its top front office lieutenant.

Cunningham has an extension in place, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The team hired Cunningham to work as Ryan Poles‘ second-in-command in 2022, and despite the Bears not booking a playoff spot in that span, widespread interest has come in the form of GM interviews. While more should be on tap, the Bears are pleased with Cunningham’s work thus far.

This move comes as Poles remains on the contract he signed back in 2022. Contracts for assistant GMs and assistant coaches generally do not match the length of those awarded to top decision-makers, but Cunningham has some security — in the form of guaranteed money — moving forward. The Bears hired Cunningham from the Eagles in 2022; he was one of four Philly execs — along with Brandon Brown (Giants), Catherine Raiche (Browns) and Andy Weidl (Steelers) — to land an assistant GM job elsewhere that year.

Four teams have reached out to Cunningham about interviews over the past two years. Both clubs who were searching for GMs in 2023 — the Cardinals and Titans — met with him about jobs. This year, the Chargers and Commanders did so. It is believed Cunningham was offered the Cardinals’ GM job last year, but he turned down the position — one that ended up going to Monti Ossenfort. This year, Washington’s job came down to Cunningham and 49ers exec Adam Peters. The latter ended up with the position.

Peters came from a 49ers team that has ventured to four NFC championship games and two Super Bowls over the past five years, while the Bears — amid a rebuild — have gone 10-24 in that span. Cunningham receiving the level of attention he has despite the Bears’ on-field performance in this span reflects a high opinion around the league. Chicago’s Poles-led front office has made interesting moves during this rebuild, most notably the 2023 trade that sent the Panthers Bryce Young and ended up giving the Bears this year’s No. 1 overall pick. That selection is all but certain to turn into Caleb Williams on Thursday night.

The Bears now have an interesting opportunity to reset their quarterback contract clock around Williams, providing Poles and Cunningham more roster flexibility. While Chicago was expected to land more in a Justin Fields trade — one that ended up sending the team only a conditional sixth-round 2025 draft choice (from Pittsburgh) — the NFC North team is now off that rookie contract. Williams will not be extension-eligible until 2027. If the USC product shows promise early, Cunningham should not be expected to be around for much of the QB’s Windy City tenure. Until Cunningham lands/accepts a GM role, he will be in place as Poles’ right-hand man.

NFC Draft Rumors: Nabers, Giants, Falcons, Bears, Cowboys, Barton, Murphy, Seahawks

April 23rd, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Giants continue to be tied to a potential trade into the top four for a quarterback, they have the likely option of staying at No. 6 and filling a years-long wide receiver need in their back pocket. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze visited the team in March. Of this trio, Nabers may the likeliest to end up a Giant. They are interested in the LSU speedster, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes, adding many in the league expect this match to come to fruition at No. 6. A wideout in Round 1 would stand to give Daniel Jones new life, whereas his Giants tenure would be on borrowed time if a QB trade-up happens.

The Giants are also high on Harrison, as should be expected, and SI.com’s Albert Breer views 6 as the floor for the two-year Ohio State standout. Breer also offers Odunze as being a cleaner prospect, character-wise, compared to Nabers, who has developed a bit of a reputation as being tougher to coach. Some teams have the Washington prospect higher on their boards. If the Giants stand down at QB, they are virtually guaranteed one of these three WRs. That presents a big opportunity to fortify a position that has not employed an impact player since Odell Beckham Jr.

Here is the latest from the draft scene:

  • Breer also ties the Falcons to Nabers, noting some teams have this match on their radar. Atlanta, which holds No. 8 overall, has a greater need on defense; the team has been linked to pass rushers throughout the pre-draft process. Nabers would stand to represent value, and the Falcons could plug him in alongside Drake London and Darnell Mooney at receiver. Though, Atlanta having gone TE-WR-RB in the top 10 over the past three years would invite a Matt Millen-era Lions vibe if this happens again. It would be interesting to see if GM Terry Fontenot would truly use a fourth straight top-10 pick on a skill-position player. The Falcons have also been connected to trading down, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs.
  • How the Falcons proceed will be of interest to the Bears, who have also been tied to pass-catching aid with their No. 9 choice. Chicago is poised to go either pass catcher or pass rusher at 9, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes, with Breer adding wideout may be the more likely play — if one of the top three remains available. Both Jones and Biggs mock Odunze to Chicago at 9. The Bears hosted the Washington standout on a “30” visit; Keenan Allen‘s contract expires after the 2024 season. Brock Bowers is not expected to make it out of the top 10, and the Bears also hosted the Georgia tight end recently. Holding only four picks, the Bears could also opt to trade down.
  • The Cowboys are believed to be interested in Duke’s Graham Barton, per Breer, who notes the O-lineman has been the player most closely connected to the team during the pre-draft process. While Barton started the past three seasons at left tackle, he is viewed as a better fit inside in the NFL. The Cowboys hosted Barton, among a number of other O-linemen, on a “30” visit recently. Dallas lost Tyler Biadasz and also must replace Tyron Smith. Tyler Smith‘s success at left tackle and left guard give Dallas options. While the team adding one of this draft’s many tackle prospects would stand to keep Tyler Smith inside, Barton would allow him to move back to LT.
  • The Seahawks passed on Jalen Carter last year, but they may be readier to pull the trigger on a D-tackle this week. The prospect of Seattle snagging Texas DT Byron Murphy at 16 has come up, with Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline noting the former Big 12 standout — who logged a Hawks “30” visit — also has an outside chance of moving into the top 10. The Falcons, who have been tied to edge rushers, are high on Murphy as well. Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson confirms some interest inside the top 10 indeed exists here. This year’s crop is light on DTs, potentially driving Murphy up the board.

Bears OL Larry Borom A Trade Candidate?

April 21st, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Rory Parks

Offensive lineman Larry Borom, a fifth-round choice of the Bears in 2021, has appeared in 39 games for Chicago over his first three seasons in the league, starting 23 of them. It is fair to wonder, however, whether he will remain in the Windy City for his platform campaign in 2024.

As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes, the playing time that Borom accrued allowed him to hit the escalator in his rookie contract that boosted his 2024 salary to $3.12MM. Biggs suggests that payout may be too rich for the Bears’ blood, and that the team could look to trade the 25-year-old blocker. If GM Ryan Poles adds an O-lineman or two in the upcoming draft, that could further squeeze Borom out of the picture.

Borom has taken most of his NFL snaps at the tackle positions, and as such, he is in line to compete with new acquisitions Jake Curhan and Matt Pryor for the swing tackle role behind starters Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. However, Borom has never played especially well at the professional level, and the 2023 season may have been the worst of his young career.

Last season, the Missouri product played 408 snaps on the blindside, 225 of which were pass-blocking opportunities. He conceded 25 total pressures and allowed six hits, including three sacks. He was also charged with five penalties, and in all, Pro Football Focus assigned him an abysmal grade of 48.0. That made Borom the eighth-worst OT out of 81 qualifed players.

Nonetheless, he does have the versatility to line up at guard as well as tackle, and if he performs well in training camp this summer, his salary is not so high that the Bears could not keep him around as experienced depth at multiple positions. That is especially true since Jones, the starting LT, landed on injured reserve last season, and since starting LG Teven Jenkins has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

Borom was selected by the Bears’ prior regime, while Curhan has ties to current OC Shane Waldron and Pryor was with the Colts when head coach Matt Eberflus was serving as Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator. Given that, and given Borom’s generally lackluster play, a trade is not out of the question.

Biggs suggests a late-round pick or a pick swap would be the most likely return if Chicago looks to move Borom.

Latest On Teams Targeting WRs In First Round

April 20th, 2024 at 4:08pm CST by Ely Allen

We know that the Steelers have been identified as a team that could be likely to trade for a veteran wide receiver this offseason, but what about teams looking for wide receivers in the first round? A lot of focus has been placed on teams looking to draft quarterbacks, per usual, but Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post provided us with the names of a few teams targeting pass-catchers on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. La Canfora identifies the Cardinals, Bears, Colts, Bills, 49ers, and Chiefs as the likely suspects.

Some of these, we’ve heard plenty about already. At No. 4 overall, the Cardinals sit in the line of picks that are all expected to be quarterbacks, according to most mock drafts, meaning they are expected to trade down from the position. Many see them trading back to No. 6, allowing the Giants to select Daniel Jones‘ potential replacement. This would leave them in line to draft the class’s top receiver prospect, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. This could provide Arizona with a new top receiver after the departure of Marquise Brown to Kansas City.

This would require the Chargers to pass on wide receiver, a huge position of need after watching both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams depart this offseason. While it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Los Angeles select Harrison, new general manager Joe Hortiz (from Baltimore) has shown an affinity for Notre Dame prospects like Ronnie Stanley and Kyle Hamilton. Combine that with the addition of new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, and connections to Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt make all the sense in the world. Roman’s run-heavy offensive mentality makes tackle a bigger priority than receiver in the first round.

Wide receiver has been seen as less of a priority for the Bears after they acquired Allen in a trade from the Chargers. Still, drafting a top receiver prospect like LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze could give projected new quarterback Caleb Williams a strong trio of targets with Allen and D.J. Moore. Chicago could pair the draft’s QB1 with a potential WR1 as ESPN’s Matt Miller tells us that there are some teams in the NFL who see Nabers and Odunze as better prospects than Harrison. The three receivers are closer than people may think on most draft boards and their order of preference could come down to scheme and fit.

In Indianapolis, the Colts would love to bring in a first-round receiver for second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Josh Downs and Alec Pierce were decent options behind Michael Pittman Jr., but having a true weapon across the field could really help both Richardson and Pittman. If Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze find their way off the board by the time the Colts select at No. 15, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. could fall into their lap, though Odunze could still be available if nobody takes a flyer on him as the best player available regardless of position.

At the back end of the first round, wide receiver has become a big need for the Bills after they watched Gabriel Davis depart in free agency and traded away Stefon Diggs to the Texans. Khalil Shakir now leads the position room, and though the top four receivers aren’t expected to be available by the 28th pick, pairing Shakir with Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, FSU’s Keon Coleman, or Florida’s Ricky Pearsall could be productive.

As for the 49ers and Chiefs in the last two picks of the draft, San Francisco is a bit of surprise inclusion after recently paying Deebo Samuel and still currently denying that Brandon Aiyuk is available via trade. Still, if Aiyuk is potentially on the way out, taking flyer on Mitchell, Coleman, or Pearsall could work out.

As for Kansas City, they’ve tried their fair share of veteran free agent additions for Patrick Mahomes, and will do so again with the addition of Brown this offseason, as well as some draft picks in the second round or later. We’ve seen the Chiefs have success with smaller wide receivers with speed, so bringing in Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, Michigan’s Roman Wilson, or Texas’ Xavier Worthy could make a lot of sense.

Whoever doesn’t hear their name called on the first night of the draft shouldn’t have to wait too long. Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s latest mock draft showed the Panthers selecting McConkey with their first pick of the draft, which will be the first pick of the second round. If McConkey is already off the board, Wilson and Worthy offer similar skill sets.

It’s a deep class for wide receivers this year. Top prospects like Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, and Thomas are considered no-brainers as first-round picks. An early run on those four could see many of the pass-catchers behind them find their way into the first round, as well. Even so, there are nearly 20 wideouts with a projected third-round grade or better. Not only is this a wide receiver class with lots of talent up top, but talent throughout will benefit teams who need receivers but will have to target other positions of need first.

Brock Bowers Books Bears, Chargers Visits; TE Not Expected To Fall Out Of Top 10?

April 19th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: During a Friday press conference, Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke highly of Bowers and added he views the “right” tight end prospect of being worth a Day 1 selection (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). If New York’s final draft board reflects that sentiment, the team could very well represent Bowers’ floor come draft night.

APRIL 17: Brock Bowers hovers as this draft’s clear-cut top tight end, as a gulf exists between the Georgia-developed prospect and the field this year. Although this draft has a few wide receivers that could go in front of Bowers, he might not last too much longer.

The teams interested in Bowers point to him not being available beyond No. 10, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. After the Jets hosted the standout pass catcher, Pauline adds he scheduled visits with the Bears and Chargers. Prospects have until today to go through official “30” visits with teams; Bowers met with the Bears on Tuesday and is Los Angeles-bound today.

The Bolts (No. 5) and Bears (No. 9) join the Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) as teams to have shown interest in Bowers during the pre-draft process. The Jets sent their tight ends coach (Ron Middleton) to Bowers’ delayed pro day last week. Bowers underwent surgery to address a high ankle sprain. He would deliver an instant upgrade to the Jets, who have certainly pushed their chips in for the 2024 season. With Gang Green signing Mike Williams, a tight end upgrade would complement the Williams-Garrett Wilson tandem. Of course, the team could also be interested in one of this class’ top three wideouts — should one be available at 10.

A Bears decision could determine the Jets’ move. They have met with Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. An Odunze-or-Bowers call could be on the table for Chicago at 9, Pauline adds. The Bears added ex-Shane Waldron pupil Gerald Everett to go with Cole Kmet this offseason. A Bowers pickup would crowd this depth chart, profiling as a best-player-available-type move for a team widely expected to draft Caleb Williams first overall. A WR move would stand to make more sense for Chicago, which lost Darnell Mooney and has trade pickup Keenan Allen going into his age-32 season. Allen is not signed beyond 2024.

The Titans also spent heavily to give their QB (Will Levis) a higher-end target, authorizing a monster guarantee to win the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes. Tennessee has not made a move at tight end this offseason. Chig Okonkwo totaled 528 receiving yards last year, though his per-catch average dropped from 14.1 as a rookie to 9.8. The Titans, however, have been closely linked to using their No. 7 slot to upgrade at left tackle — a dire need for the team.

Though the suddenly run-focused Chargers have also been tied to a tackle move, they can render this moot by choosing Bowers at 5. Los Angeles used Everett as its TE1 over the past two seasons, and the team added two free agents (Hayden Hurst, Will Dissly) this offseason. Bowers obviously brings a much higher pass-catching ceiling, racking up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-3 target played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors.

Georgia’s top aerial weapon throughout his college career, Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner. He profiles as an immediate upgrade at a position that is harder to find compared to wide receiver, and it will be interesting to see which team signs off on this investment.

Latest On Bears’ Interest In Caleb Williams

April 18th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Ben Levine

While recent reports indicated that Caleb Williams isn’t the unanimous QB1 prospect across the NFL, the Bears are leaving no doubt about their trust in the projected top-overall pick. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes, the Bears believe there is a “pretty wide gap” between the USC product and the rest of the quarterback class.

The 2022 Heisman winner has long been regarded as the top passer in the 2024 class. After the Bears secured the first-overall selection, the team quickly ripped off the band-aid and avoided a QB controversy by dealing Justin Fields. That trade all but confirmed that the organization was going to select a rookie QB.

However, the team has yet to reveal which QB they’ll select. There’s little incentive to reveal their choice early, but as Biggs notes, that’s led to some speculation that the team could pursue a move down the draft board.

Before the Bears settled their QB depth chart, the Commanders looked like they could be a landing spot for Williams. That move would have sent Williams back to the area in which he went to high school at Gonzaga College HS, and it would have reunited him with college coach Kliff Kingsbury.

If the Bears wanted to pick up even more assets and still snag a top quarterback prospect, a trade with the Commanders could have made sense. However, if the Bears believe there’s a significant drop in talent at the position after Williams, there isn’t any amount of trade assets that would make up that gap.

There seemed to be some cracks in Williams’ consensus number-one ranking earlier this week. There were some rumblings that teams have graded LSU’s Jayden Daniels over the USC QB, with some organizations believing the prospect had an underwhelming pre-draft process. While most teams seemed to understand that this was a “byproduct of being a player who knows he’s going No. 1,” Williams didn’t look as invincible atop the draft board as he once did.

Draft Rumors: 49ers, Corley, Commanders, Bears, Alt, Giants, Eagles, Seahawks, Steelers, Vikings, Lions

April 18th, 2024 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

No Brandon Aiyuk trade request has emerged yet, separating this situation from the Deebo Samuel saga from 2022. Samuel receiving an extension later that year complicates matters for Aiyuk, who has needed to wait longer to enter extension territory due to being a former first-round pick. As this remains a storyline to monitor ahead of the draft, the 49ers scheduled a notable visit. Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley stopped through team headquarters, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, just before the deadline for “30” visits this week.

Playing a role in the Hilltoppers’ Bailey Zappe-led aerial fireworks in 2021, Corley enjoyed a more prominent position in the mid-major team’s passing attack over the past two years — each 11-touchdown campaigns. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein threw out Samuel as a comp for Corley, who is projected to be a second-round pick. Though, he will be unlikely to be available by the time San Francisco’s No. 63 slot arrives. With big-ticket expenses at three other skill-position spots (and Brock Purdy eligible for a re-up in 2025), the 49ers have a major decision to make with Aiyuk soon.

Here is the latest from the draft ranks:

  • The Giants‘ quarterback-or-wide receiver decision at No. 6 figures to be one of this draft’s most important, but the team did bring in some first-round prospects who do not play those positions. Tackle Joe Alt and edge rusher Dallas Turner visited the team recently, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. Highly unlikely to draft Turner due to the Brian Burns trade and Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s status, the Giants could conceivably consider Alt. The All-American Notre Dame left tackle would need to be moved to the right side, however, and Schwartz reaffirms a recent report that indicates the team has not given up on keeping 2022 No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal at tackle.
  • Now that Cooper DeJean went through a workout following a broken fibula suffered in November, a few teams brought him in for visits. The Iowa cornerback met with the Bills previously, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Seahawks, Steelers and Eagles hosted the talented cover man on “30” visits before Wednesday’s deadline. Our Ely Allen recently examined the first-round-caliber CB’s prospect stock.
  • Staying at corner, both the Vikings and Lions brought in the well-traveled Terrion Arnold for pre-draft visits, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Alabama corner, who slots as the top player at the position (No. 9 overall) on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, also met with the Cardinals, Titans, Falcons and Jaguars during the draft run-up. The Lions, whose CB situation changed after the Cameron Sutton arrest/release, also brought in Arnold teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry recently.
  • Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson, he of a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, made two more visits before visit season ended. The Bears and Commanders brought in the intriguing DE prospect, Rapoport adds. In need of D-end help after trading Montez Sweat to the Bears, the Commanders hold the No. 40 pick as a result of that trade. Washington carries Nos. 36 and 40, while Chicago does not have a second-round pick this year. Linked to a potential WR-or-Brock Bowers call at No. 9, the Bears may not be in the value range for Robinson, whom Jeremiah slots as this draft’s No. 21 overall talent.
  • The Seahawks met with Bo Nix and have a clear connection to Michael Penix Jr., with new OC Ryan Grubb having coached the latter at Washington. With Geno Smith on a flexible contract that runs through 2025, Seattle brought in South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler for a pre-deadline visit, per Schultz. Slotted as the No. 7 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board, Rattler met with the Giants this week as well. The former Oklahoma recruit earned Senior Bowl MVP honors in January.
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