Reviewing the Chicago Bears' 7 Biggest Scouting Combine Takeaways

While the Bears scouts and front office have been tight-lipped about their plans moving forward, they had to be impressed by what they saw from the combine workouts. 

It's no secret that the Bears need an upgrade at the wide receiver position, and they must be pleased by what this deep, tall class of wideouts has shown thus far.  

However, there is one dark cloud in this otherwise silver lining.

As players like Notre Dame's Michael Floyd and South Carolina's Melvin Ingram continue to impress at the combine, they are less likely to be available when the Bears select at No. 19 in the first round.

One critical takeaway that the team hopes to accomplish at the combine is to talk to Floyd and some of the other, so-called "troubled" players that dot the draft landscape this year.

These are the players who, like Floyd, have had brushes with the law. They may be uber-talented on the field yet have serious question marks off it. If those questions cannot be addressed to the Bears satisfaction, they will need to decide what level of risk they are willing to assume in the draft.

But the combine is also a place where GMs talk shop with prospective free agents. The groundwork for future deals are laid here, and this is the first real opportunity new GM Phil Emery has to mingle with his colleagues, as well as agents for players he may have interest in.

Michael Floyd's Stock Is Rising

Notre Dame's Michael Floyd gets an entire slide devoted just to him since there are dozens of mock drafts and plenty of Bears fans calling for Floyd to be the Bears' first-round pick in the draft.

But after a better-than-expected 4.47 40-yard dash time at the combine, Floyd may be moving up in the draft to the point where he could be gone by the time Chicago picks at No. 19.

Pro Football Weekly ranks Floyd third among wideouts, and NFLDraftScout.com ranks Floyd second at his position in this draft class behind Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon.

We already knew that Floyd's combination of size and aggressiveness would make him a desirable first-round selection.

The main knock against Floyd up until now was that he lacks game-breaking speed as a deep threat, Well, so much for that one. While he may lack initial explosiveness, in the open field he can really motor.

The other issue is, of course, the three DUI arrests he has had. But Floyd said he is prepared to address those issues. His talent will make him a mid-first round pick, as long as teams don't think he has a third-round head on his shoulders.

He at least said all the right things.

"Just immaturity,'' Floyd said recently while addressing the media—and his past—at the ongoing combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. "You know, people all the time have mistakes like that. Unfortunately it happened to me on a big stage going across the nation.

"It's about moving forward. It's about making sure you don't make the same mistake again.''

Here's a report from NFLDraftScout.com at the combine:

"Whether it was drifting across the middle during the gauntlet drill, dropping his hips on quick comeback routes or showing the ability to track the ball over either shoulder deep, Floyd consistently plucked the ball out of air, quickly secured it and got upfield in one fluid motion."

That could spell trouble for the Bears hopes of landing Floyd with the 19th pick.  

Photo credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Deep Wide Receiver Pool: Who's Hot, Who's Not

Besides Floyd, other wide receivers made a good impression at the combine. This year's draft pool for WRs is deep, with a lot of taller wideouts that could catch the Bears' eye.

Even if they don't land Floyd in the first round, they could take any number of good receivers with size in the second or even the third round.

Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill looked really good and may have helped himself more than any other wideout at the combine. I saw him as a possible late-second, early-third round pick, but he seems to be a solid-second rounder now.

He ran an official 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, good for second among all wideouts. His broad jump led all wide receivers. This big, physical receiver even blocks well. A 6'4", 215-pounder, Hill has good size to go with his good speed.

But can he play in an NFL-style offense? While playing in a run-first option offense at Georgia Tech, he caught just 49 passes in his college career.

But another expected first-rounder, Kendall Wright, disappointed at the combine, running a surprisingly slow 4.61.

The others:

• Alshon Jeffery lost some weight and was positive news for him. But his decision not to run the 40 may have hurt his stock. He also turned some teams off in the interview sessions.  
• Mohamed Sanu ran a slow 40 but that was expected. Overall, he looked good though he dropped one over-the-shoulder pass.
• Marvin Jones came in just short of 6’2" and weighed in at 199. His game tape translated well at the combine. He ran a 4.46 40, and he had the second largest hands of any receiver in Indy, 10.25" 
• Juron Criner is a tough kid and he has the biggest hands of all of the wideouts in Indy. His 4.68 speed was slow, but he finds the separation. I like him in the second round.
• Rueben Randle showed second-round talent as well. His 4.55 is decent for a big guy.

The Defensive Linemen

Dontari Poe is listed as a DT but could play in a 4-3 after displaying freakish talent at the combine. Poe was the big winner during Monday's defensive linemen and linebacker workouts, and he's one of the top gainers in terms of draft stock from the combine.

Poe dominated the combine, running the 40 in a blazing (for a 346-pound guy) 4.98 seconds, benching 225 pounds 44 times and looking surprisingly athletic for a man of his size.

But the Bears are really looking for an end. Clemson DE Andre Branch displayed an impressive combination of size and explosion as an athlete.

Not only did the 6'4", 260-pound prospect run in the low 4.6 range, he proved he has the initial explosion to threaten the edge.

Marshall DE Vinny Curry didn’t show nearly the same type of initial explosion throughout his workout. He ran in the 4.9 range, didn’t look real impressive getting out of his stance.

Syracuse DE Chandler Jones couldn't keep his pad level down during his workout Monday. He’s a great looking athlete with nearly 36-inch arms but he ran in the mid 4.8 range and looks like a guy who could struggle rushing the passer at the next level.

OLB Bruce Irvin looked explosive off the snap, ran in the high 4.4/low 4.5 range and displayed the initial burst needed to consistently threaten the edge off the snap at the next level during positional drills. If his character checks out, he will likely go around the time the Bears pick at No. 50. 

And what about my guy, Melvin Ingram? Well, his 4.79 40 time and physical specifications met expectations, but where he really excelled was in on-field workouts. Some teams may question his ability to stop the run due to his size, but he showed an explosive burst.

Cutting No Corners

The Bears need to draft a cornerback, and fortunately for them, there are lots of good choices. But one way for them to possibly get a top talent is to take a risk.

Take Janoris Jenkins, for example. He is one of this year's top-rated cornerbacks. In fact, were it not for off-field indiscretions, he could be the third CB taken in the draft behind LSU's Morris Claiborne and Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick..

But he was forced to finish his college career at North Alabama after being dismissed by Florida in the 2010 offseason after he "failed one drug test . . . got arrested three times, one for a bar fight and two for possession of marijuana."

Also, at age 23, he has four children.

Like Michael Floyd, Jenkins said the right things at the combine.

"I was honest, straightforward, told 'em I did it,'' he said. "I admitted to everything. I take full responsibility and I learned from it. It made me a stronger person, taught me how to fight through reality, that I've got to separate myself from certain guys.

"To be successful at the next level, I can't do the things I used to do.''

Other corners at the combine:

• Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, 4.40

Gilmore was the most impressive prospect Tuesday when you consider his size, speed and athleticism. His game tape is middle-of-the-pack, but his physical specs at the combine may have him moving up.

• Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt, 4.57

Hayward showed good size, hips, feet and closing ability. His movement skills Tuesday, coupled with his outstanding playing career for the Commodores, place him high on draft boards and should lead to him being picked in the first three rounds.

• Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma, 4.53

With his performance in the athletic testing drills at the combine, he made a strong case as a top prospect at his position. He showed excellent foot quickness, fluid hips, great body control and very good closing ability, especially for a man with his thick build. He could well be drafted at the top of the second round after this impressive showing.

• Josh Robinson, Central Florida, 4.33

Not only did Robinson post the best 40-yard dash time, but he also blew up the vertical (38.5 inches) and the broad (11 feet, 1 inch) jumps. There can be no doubt about his athletic qualities after this performance. He has now launched himself into the discussion as a possible second-round pick.

Offensive Linemen

We all know the Bears could use help on the offensive line, but there probably won't be much in the way of starting left tackles to choose from. And that's the Bears biggest need.

Jonathan Martin may have declared himself the best tackle in the draft, but he didn't impress in his workouts. While Matt Kalil and Riley Reiff solidified their status as the two best linemen in the draft, Martin may have fallen beyond No. 3.

Mike Adams, along with Wisconsin C Peter Konz put up the most surprisingly disappointing bench press numbers of the day.

Meanwhile, Florida State's Zebrie Sanders looked good. His 40 was slow, but so what? His arm length, feet and athleticism were solid.

Stanford guard David DeCastro looks like a first-round pick as he absolutely killed it at the combine. Iowa guard Adam Gettis looked good and could be a value pick on day three.

Cordy Glenn of Georgia looked great and is versatile too. He can play guard or tackle. Glenn came in above the four-year average for offensive tackles in every measurable area so far.

My guy—Wisconsin's Kevin Zeitler—said at the podium that he has been working out as a center as well as his natural guard position. Right now, Zeitler is projected as a second- or third-round pick; he should solidify his second-round status pretty quickly.

Laying the Groundwork for Free Agency

One of the lesser known facts is that plenty of free agent conversations take place at the combine.

While numbers can't be exchanged, a lot of free agent deals are set up on a tee, which is why a team like the Bears could strike so quickly when Julius Peppers reached free agency two years ago.

As the Chicago Tribune's Brad Briggs writes, the combine is "a place where team officials and coaches mingle with agents and talk shop."

Among the wideouts in the free agency pool whom the Bears might want to check in on include Marques Colston, whom the Saints may not be able to afford. And he won't get the franchise tag.

Wes Welker is another interesting name. He’s reportedly seeking $14 to $15 million per year, more than the Pats are willing to pay and probably more than the Bears are too, in all probability. He will hold out if tagged.

Vincent Jackson could get tagged but since he was franchised in 2011, his franchise-tag salary for 2012 could be prohibitive for the Chargers.

The Chiefs Dwayne Bowe isn't going anywhere.

There are also cornerbacks and defensive ends that the Bears should be laying the groundwork for also. Cliff Avril, anyone?

Matt Forte Contract Discussions

New GM Phil Emery can make his mark by signing his star running back to a long-term contract extension, showing a roomful of players that he is serious about taking care of his own.

That sentiment aside, it's probably better business to just place the franchise tag on Forte. I say this because the risk of injury and declining performance is always greater in the NFL than other sports.

The Bears will talk to Matt Forte's agent and if a deal can't be struck, they will slap the franchise tag on him.

One thing is for certain: Forte will play for Chicago next season or he won't play at all. I don't see him holding out when a $7.7 million contract is dangling in front of him like a diamond carrot.