Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Hey BGO readers, Uman here with my final mock draft before Thursday night’s 2013 NFL Draft. Thanks for checking it out and feel free to leave comments.  Bear Down!

1. Kansas City Chiefs –

Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M – Joeckel is the best player available in this draft and fills a hole on Kansas City’s line. He has good size and will make an immediate impact in pass-blocking for the Chiefs.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars —

Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon – Jacksonville’s defense took a huge step back in 2012 after a promising season the year prior. The Jaguars lack a solid pass rusher. Lucky for them, Jordan is the total package in that category. He’s got great size, length and is agile enough to be a force for many years to come on Jacksonville’s defensive front.

3. Oakland Raiders —

Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida – The Raiders’ roster is similar to swiss cheese. They’ve got holes everywhere and need help at nearly every position. The best bet for them is Floyd, who will anchor their D-Line for the foreseeable future.

4. Philadelphia Eagles —

Lane Jones, OT, Oklahoma – There remains plenty of uncertainty on the offensive line for the Eagles. With Jason Peters coming off an Achilles injury, drafting a young offensive lineman will give the Eagles some options going forward on their offensive front.

5. Detroit Lions —

Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan – After losing Jeff Backus to retirement, Gosder Cherilus to the Colts and Stephen Peterman to free agency, the Lions need to fill a void on the offensive line. The Central Michigan product is a great fit for the Motor City.

6. Cleveland Browns —

Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama – In the pass-heavy NFL, cornerbacks are a premium and with the Browns’ lack of depth at the position, drafting Milliner here is a must.

7. Arizona Cardinals —

Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama – The Cardinals’ offensive line was porous in 2012. Help is sorely needed in Arizona and Chance Warmack is on the way to patch up the offensive front in the desert.

8. Buffalo Bills

Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia – It’s no secret that the Bills desperately need a QB. This draft class isn’t necessarily ripe with talent at the position, but Smith is their best bet at finding a capable signal-caller in 2013.

9. New York Jets

Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU – Much like the Raiders, the Jets’ roster is a mess. With needs at most positions they could go a number of different ways in the draft. Starting with Mingo on the defensive side of the ball is a good start.

10. Tennessee Titans

Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah – The Titans’ pass rush could use a young gun to anchor the attack. Lotulelei is more than capable of soldifying the defensive unit.

11. San Diego Chargers

Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina – Philip Rivers needs protection in the pocket to have success as he’s not known for his mobility. A guy like Cooper will help ease the pressure Rivers has dealt with the past two seasons in southern California.

12. Miami Dolphins

Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State – Trading Vontae Davis leaves a void in the secondary for Miami. Rhodes is a great option to fill that hole and will provide stable cover on defense.

13. New York Jets (from Bucs)

Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri – The Jets could opt for some help on the offensive line with this pick, but without a solid option under center, the safer option is to go with a defensive anchor like Richardson.

14. Carolina Panthers

D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama – Cam Newton is as mobile as they come, but that didn’t stop him from taking some pretty big hits last season. Signing a big man like Fluker should help to ease the impact Newton could face in the pocket.

15. New Orleans Saints

Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – With Jonathan Vilma nearing the end of his contract and his on-field production slowing down, the Saints should start to look for a replacement in the middle. Jones could be that guy.

16. St. Louis Rams

Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia – With the loss of Danny Amendola, the Rams could use a playmaker at wide out. Austin fits the bill and could be of immediate help if he clicks with Sam Bradford coming out of camp.

Dec. 30, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) walks off the field after defeating the Detroit Lions 26-24 at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Editor’s Note: Originally posted on March 1, 2013

We’re coming up on the fourth anniversary of the trade between the Bears and Denver Broncos to acquire Jay Cutler. Many fans and executives around the league felt Chicago had finally found the missing puzzle piece, a franchise QB. With that subject in mind, let’s take a look back to that transaction and see how the Bears have fared since then.

On April 2, 2009, Jay Cutler was officially traded to the Chicago Bears after requesting a trade from the Denver Broncos. In the deal, Chicago received Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft in exchange for quarterback Kyle Orton, first-round picks in the 2009 and 2010 drafts and the Bears’ third-round pick in 2009 as well. Both Cutler and Orton had worn out their welcome in Denver and Chicago and were in need of a change of scenery, or fan bases, if you will. The move was well-received in both cities and brought a fresh slate to each team’s offensive identity.

With the recently acquired first-round draft pick from Chicago, the Broncos selected DE Robert Ayers from Tennessee with the 18th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Denver traded their third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted WR Mike Wallace from Ole Miss with the 84th overall selection in the draft. The first-round pick in the 2010 draft that Denver had received from Chicago was traded to San Francisco, who drafted OT Anthony Davis from Rutgers with the 11th overall pick in the draft. The Bears used Denver’s fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft on Johnny Knox from Abilene Christian University. He was the 140th overall pick in that year’s draft.  (more…)

This signing gives the Bears an enormous upgrade at the tight end position. After Olsen was traded to Carolina in 2011, the Bears were left with Kellen Davis as the starter. He was largely inexperienced, but was said to have potential to be a formidable receiving threat. That potential was never showcased as Davis has been a huge disappointment in the Windy City. The other TE that was used the past two years was Matt Spaeth, but his primary use was as a blocker in Lovie Smith’s offense.

This signing clearly shows that a new era of Bears football is upon us, at least on the offensive side of the ball. In today’s NFL, an air attack is key to prolonged success throughout the season. This is a great first step for this new coaching staff. Now the emphasis should shift to the offensive line as they look to give Cutler the protection needed to lead the offensive attack efficiently.

Stay tuned to BearGogglesOn for all the latest free agency news about your Chicago Bears! Bear Down!

Sep 1, 2011; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills guard Andy Levitre (67) in the game against the Detroit Lions at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears have added another offensive lineman to their list of free agent candidates this morning. According to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears are keeping their eye on Andy Levitre, who is thought to be one of the best guard available via free agency this off-season:

According to PFF, Levitre rated as the ninth best guard in 2012. He was rated behind Jets guard Brandon Moore, who also is a free agent. But Moore is six years older than Levitre, 26.

The Bears also are expected to become more pass-oriented under new coach Marc Trestman. Levitre was the best pass-blocking guard in 2012 in PFF’s ratings.

(more…)

Want to know some facts about me? I swear they’re worth reading. I’m originally from Chicago, but my family relocated to Lexington, Kentucky shortly after I was born. Baseball was my first love and it was a dream of mine to play professionally, but injuries ended my career in high school. Sports are a huge part of my life and my new goal is to enjoy a career in the sports media world. I hope you guys enjoy my first step on this journey.

My favorite Bears memory has to be the 2006 NFC Championship Game against the Saints. I remember all the talk of “destiny” and “fate” for that Saints team. The Bears were being overlooked and disrespected because New Orleans was the feel-good story after the disaster that Hurricane Katrina was. The defensive performance led by Urlacher was outstanding and hearing the fans at Soldier Field singing “Bear Down, Chicago Bears” in the snow still gives me chills to this day. Seeing Urlacher hold the George Halas Trophy high to rounds of cheers was the icing on the cake.

There have been so many legends to wear the orange and blue, so it is quite difficult to pick out a favorite player, but I don’t think anyone has captured the essence of “Bear football” more than Walter Payton. I never got to see him play live, but just by watching the highlights and old film you can see the passion he played with and the emotion he brought out in the fans. He was a gridiron legend and a man that will forever be engraved in the history of the Monsters of the Midway and their fans.

The first Chicago Bears jersey that I ever received was Rashaan Salaam’s # 31. You can laugh, but I couldn’t have been prouder to wear the # 31 jersey all around Lexington as a seven-year old. Little did I know at the time how much of a disappointment his time would be in the Windy City.

Many fans are huge collectors of Chicago Bears memorabilia. I don’t claim to have a large collection, but I have a few favorites that I will always cherish. First is a mini Chicago Bears helmet given to me by my uncle the first time I visited Chicago as a child. He introduced me to football and is the reason behind my love for this team. Second is a Walter Payton bobblehead that was a limited edition product. Every time I see these two collectibles, I’m reminded of how deeply ingrained my love is for the Bears in my heart.

That’s a wrap for my introduction. Hopefully I didn’t bore you too much. If you’re still reading this, thanks for your time. If you fell asleep, you’re welcome for the nap! I look forward to sharing my thoughts and opinions with all you fellow Bears diehards out there. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail any time, theuman85@gmail.com or follow me on twitter @Uman85.

Bear Down!