Bears
Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous executive who thinks the Bears added a “really good player” in first-round TE Colston Loveland and feels second-round OT Ozzy Trapilo is the “sleeper in the bunch.”
“I like what they have done, and I’ve been skeptical of the Bears in the past,” the executive said. “The tight end (Colston Loveland) is a really good player. The sleeper in the bunch is that (Ozzy) Trapilo kid in the second round. Eventually, I think he will be their right tackle. I have to hand it to (GM Ryan) Poles. They have upgraded in a lot of ways this offseason.”
Another executive called their pick of Loveland “coach-driven” and feels it’s a testament to how Chicago plans on playing.
“Your first pick is in some way a statement about what this team needs and how they are going to play and how they are going to win,” the executive said. “(Loveland) is an interesting choice, and I think you can tell it was coach-driven.”
One more executive thinks second-round WR Luther Burden III will line up in the slot, and they’ll be able to run Loveland alongside TE Cole Kmet in 12-personnel packages.
“Loveland is going to catch a million balls,” the executive said. “He will be better than (Sam) LaPorta. He is such a good receiver, and he’s bigger — two inches taller and another 10 pounds. They will have an 11-personnel package with Burden in the slot and the 12 package when Burden is off the field with Loveland and Kmet on the field. They are set up pretty well.”
Lions
- Regarding the Lions trading up to take Arkansas WR Isaac TeSlaa despite having just 28 receptions last season, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN writes Detroit believed his poor production had more to do with “lack of communication and inexperience at quarterback.”
Vikings
Minnesota added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to their defensive line early in free agency. While that was obviously done with the intent of giving those two plenty of snaps, HC Kevin O’Connell thinks the veteran presence of Allen and Hargrave will allow them to evaluate younger players like Levi Drake Rodriguez, Jalen Redmond and Taki Taimani.
“I also think what these moves allow us to do is really see guys like Levi and Jalen Redmond and Taki,” O’Connell said via Rob Kleifield of the team’s site. “These guys are going to be in real positions to make our team, but be in impactful depth positions that can get some high-quality snaps for you throughout the game, throughout, you know, different sequences of the season that allow you to keep those other guys fresh.”
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