Our No. 3 Most Important Bear of 2023 is Braxton Jones, who surprised everyone as a rookie but now needs to show he’s a franchise tackle.
The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
At No. 3 is offensive tackle Braxton Jones, a pleasant surprise from 2022 who has big expectations going into this season.
Malik Willis was competing with Sam Howell and Kenny Pickett as the top quarterbacks in a weak 2022 NFL draft class for the position. Pickett ended up as the only first-rounder of the group, while Willis, along with Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral, landed in the third round, with Bailey Zappe going in round four.
Somehow, Howell slid to the Washington Commanders with the first pick of the fifth round. The San Francisco 49ers drafted Brock Purdy with the last pick of the draft, and he shined in eight starts before injuring his elbow in the NFC championship game.
One year later, teams are set to report to training camp, and four of the above quarterbacks will either start for their team or compete to start. Pickett, Howell, Ridder and Purdy are all expected to start in 2023. Purdy is recovering from the elbow injury, but the 49ers hope he’ll be ready for Week 1.
Surprisingly, Willis is not competing to be the Titans’ starting quarterback in 2023. In eight appearances, with three starts, Willis completed just under 51% of his passing attempts with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Titans spent a second-round pick on Will Levis in April’s NFL draft. Is it possible that Tennessee could cut Willis this summer?
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports speculated about five potential landing spots for Willis if the Titans move on from him. The Washington Commanders were one of those teams.
While he rose to prominence during the Patrick Mahomes era, Washington’s new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was integral in Alex Smith’s resurgence before Mahomes took over in Kansas City, and those Chiefs offenses astutely tapped into Smith’s athleticism as a runner and scrambler.
And with Mahomes, particularly in 2022, Bieniemy demonstrated keen scheming skills, as even without Tyreek Hill, Kansas City’s offense hummed as efficiently as always. Without anyone locked into a long-term starting role at quarterback, I’d love to see Bieniemy work with a passer as naturally gifted as Willis. The veteran coordinator could easily deploy RPOs and an assortment of easy, one-read looks for Willis as the former Liberty passer develops as a professional.
I just don’t see this one. Willis struggled badly as a passer in 2022. That doesn’t mean he can’t make it as an NFL quarterback, but his best bet is landing with a team that has an established starter, so there is no pressure to play immediately. That’s not Washington.
The Commanders believe in Howell. It’s doubtful they add someone from his class who also has yet to prove himself as an NFL player. The Giants, Lions, Cardinals and Seahawks were all mentioned as possibilities for Willis if he’s cut. Any of those four teams would make more sense than Washington. He would be the backup in all four places, and that’s what he needs if things do not work out with Tennessee.
On ESPN, Jeremy Fowler has been putting together lists of the top-10 players at each position in the NFL. This list is based off NFL executives, coaches and scouts.
Listed as an honorable mention for the edge rushers, here’s what was said about Hutchinson:
“Hutchinson led all rookies with 9.5 sacks and had three interceptions and 52 tackles.” One NFC executive had this to say about Hutchinson, “he’s more than a try-hard guy. He made plays where he’s baiting the quarterback into an interception by the sideline. He’s an athlete.”
Personally, I'd be letting Aidan Hutchinson "pin his ears back" and get after the QB as much as possible. That said, it's fun watching him drop into a seam-hook and pick one off. pic.twitter.com/1RT5cAqPAx
Also listed as an honorable mention was Trey Hendrickson, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan and Jaelan Phillips. The top-10 from the article can be found here.
As for Hutchinson, we all expected him to have a strong rookie season. I think it’s safe to say that he outperformed the expectations as a rookie. With praise happening from around the league, the expectations for Hutchinson will get higher. I think he’ll meet or surpass them this season and for much of his career in Detroit.
Chris Paul is entering his second NFL season in 2023. A seventh-round pick from Tulsa in the 2022 NFL draft, Paul is competing with Saahdiq Charles to start at left guard for the Washington Commanders this upcoming season.
Paul’s younger brother, Patrick, is part of a loaded offensive tackle class in the 2024 NFL draft. Patrick Paul is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound prospect for the Houston Cougars who could be a first-round prospect in 2024.
Jim Nagy is the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and a former 18-year NFL scout. On Twitter Wednesday, Nagy gave everyone the lowdown on the younger Paul.
Two years ago, when current Washington Commanders’ OL Chris Paul participated in @seniorbowl, he gave us early heads-up on his talented younger brother Patrick.
Paul’s size is one thing, but his arm length [36 3/8″] and wingspan [85 1/2″] already has him on the radar of NFL teams. The Commanders need a left tackle. How interesting would it be if Chris Paul was Washington’s left guard and it selected Patrick Paul to be the left tackle of the future in 2024?
Olu Fashanu [Penn State] and Joe Alt [Notre Dame] are projected top-10 picks in 2024. Don’t be surprised to see Paul rise up the rankings with another strong season in 2023.
I was watching two NFL Football analysts a couple of days ago discuss Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell.
Early on, one of the analysts declared, “If Jordan Love is going to be the breakout player for the Green Bay Packers then Sam Howell has to be for the Washington Commanders.”
Easy comparison, right?
I couldn’t help but wonder how many viewers simply nodded their heads and accepted the logic of the analyst making the comparison of Love and Howell being so closely analogous.
I looked at the television and instantly replied something like, “Oh, come on. You guys are that simplistic?”
Love is entering his third NFL season, and Howell his second.
“But both Love and Howell have only started one NFL game. They have that in common.”
Yes, I agree. And I also realize Love is entering his third NFL season in the same offense and with the same head coach. He also had future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the QB room his first two seasons.
Yes, Sam Howell played well in his only start in the 2022 season finale. However, Howell was having to use this offseason to learn a new offense with new terminology and vocabulary. Howell has a new offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy, replacing Scott Turner. Whatever system he learned during his rookie season has been discarded, as he is learning an entirely new offense now.
Whatever the Green Bay scouts and coaches saw, they chose to draft Love with the 26th overall selection in 2020.
Howell? Well, though he was the previously year thought to be a first-round selection when the 2022 draft occurred, Sam Howell mysteriously fell not half a round, not even only two rounds. There is a reason (or perhaps two reasons) why Howell fell all the way to the top pick in the 5th round.
If Ron Rivera actually felt as good about Howell as he has several times stated, then why did the Commanders in round three (98 overall) not select Howell? He was such a steal at 98 and 113, respectively, that they selected Brian Robinson, Jr and Percy Butler, not Sam Howell.
Of course, Commanders Wire is hoping for a great season from Sam Howell. No, we are not being pessimistic at all regarding Howell. But neither are we being naively optimistic.
Seeking to be realistic, we know that there is a narrative out there that resulted in Howell falling all the way to the fifth round.
Realism also reminds us a very select few third-day draft picks have had successful NFL careers as a starting quarterback.
So, give the young man a shot. Be realistic. Don’t simplistically and naively agree with the “expert” analysts who may not have actually looked into the Commanders as they lead you to believe.
Pointing to Howell’s competitiveness and arm strength, McCloughan thought Howell could be the first quarterback drafted following the 2020 season.
However, the 2021 season for Howell did not go as well, as he lost some NFL-level teammates at North Carolina. McCloughan pointed to how Howell so many times took to running because his offensive line was not as strong. But he liked Howell’s athletic ability and made the comparison of Baker Mayfield as well.
“He has talent, and I think he showed it against the Cowboys late in the season last year. He showed up, and that is pressure, even if it is not a playoff game. For him to step in and do what he did, shows some moxie. I think that was a good starting point.”
The 2022 draft was not a strong one for quarterbacks, as only Kenny Pickett went in the first round (20th overall). Desmond Ridder (74th), Malik Willis (86th), Matt Corral (94th), Bailey Zappe (137th) followed before Howell’s name was selected at 144th, the first selection of the fifth round.
So why did Howell drop three or four rounds in the draft in the next year? “Something has to come out through the process that is negative about him,” insisted McCloughan. “Something had to have happened after the season ended through the combine, through the Pro Days, through the visits, something happened that was knocking him down.”
“But the kids need to understand; it is not so much where you are drafted. It’s what you do once you get there.”
Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke likes what he’s seen this offseason out of Travon Walker and the other 2022 draftees.
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t make a ton of moves in the 2022 offseason to address their No. 24 ranked defense. Improvements on that side of the ball will largely rest on the development of the team’s early draft picks from last year: Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, and Chad Muma.
Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, finished his rookie year with 3.5 sacks. Lloyd and Muma split time in the starting lineup at the inside linebacker and received paltry 48.3 and 54.9 grades from Pro Football Focus, respectively.
That leaves a lot of room for growth and Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke is encouraged by the signs he’s seen during the team’s offseason program.
“Really like where those guys are headed,” Baalke said in a podcast with John Oehser of Jaguars.com. “Now it’s early, we’ve only been out on the grass for a few practices this year, but I really like the maturity that they seem to be carrying themselves with.
“They’ve been through it now for a year. They know how to pace themselves, and that’s always a good thing. They know what to expect. There’s less anxiety. They’re freer to learn.
Baalke later said the combination of anxiety that comes with trying to earn a spot, the new environment around them, and the step up in play, makes the jump from college to the NFL difficult for every rookie. After navigating those challenges in 2022, the Jaguars executive thinks Walker, Lloyd, and Muma are primed for bigger things ahead.
Jacksonville finished the 2022 season 26th in the NFL in sacks last season and did little to add pass rushing threats to improve in that category. The Jaguars lost Arden Key in free agency and haven’t yet brokered a deal to bring back Dawuane Smoot.
While the team added Yasir Abdullah in the 2023 NFL draft, expecting a fifth-round rookie to contribute much to the sack total is awfully optimistic.
The Jaguars still have time to add a veteran to bolster the defense before the 2023 season, but the development of Walker, Lloyd, and Muma is paramount for the team’s future.
Slade Bolden signs with the Atlanta Falcons after weekend workouts with the franchise.
Former Alabama wide receiver, Slade Bolden, is set to get another shot at the NFL. This time, with the Atlanta Falcons.
Bolden spent four years in Tuscaloosa totaling 68 catches for 712 yards and four touchdowns in 30 career games. After the 2021 season, Bolden had one more remaining year of eligibility due to a redshirt, but chose to forego it and enter the 2022 NFL draft where he went undrafted, but was later signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent.
His decision to give up a year of eligibility came as a surprise to many as he would have been a leading receiver on the 2022 Alabama team and didn’t have a ton of college film for NFL teams.
During training camp, Bolden suffered an injury and was placed on the injured reserved and was set to miss the majority of his rookie season. Unfortunately, the Ravens ultimately decided to release him two months later in October. He just turned 24 at the beginning of this year and will get another chance at making it in the league.
Atlanta is in the midst of a rebuild, which leaves a door cracked for Bolden to make the 53-man roster.
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McCoy has been a good pro, but there is a significant difference in comparing the two, meaning the comp just isn’t accurate.
Everyone these days loves comparisons. Whether it’s the NFL, NBA, or MLB, fans want to project what young players could be at the professional level, and a big part of that projection is comparing them to a current pro.
Draft analysts are often known for comparing college players to a professional, specifically in the NFL. While some comparisons make sense, others not so much. For instance, some players are compared to an NFL player because of their size or what they “look like.” Some of those comparisons come off as a bit lazy.
That leads us to Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell.
Matt Miller is a draft analyst for ESPN. Coming out of North Carolina in the 2021 NFL draft, Miller compared Howell to a quarterback Washington fans know well: Colt McCoy.
At first glance, it’s not a bad comparison. McCoy, a former third-round pick, will enter his 13th NFL season in 2023. And there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight for the 36-year-old McCoy.
In a recent appearance on 106.7 The Fan with Lynnell Willingham, Miller discussed the Commanders and Howell and said he doesn’t view Howell as a “playoff-caliber quarterback.”
“I do not see him as a playoff-caliber quarterback, I’m sorry,” Miller told Willingham via Ben Krimmel of Audacy. “I know people wanna believe; I just don’t. Coming out of college there was definitely talk in the lead-up to the season that he could be a QB1. It was him, and Spencer Rattler were the toast of the town, and it didn’t work out for either guy.”
OK, fair enough. There’s nothing wrong with Miller believing that. After all, Howell did last until the fifth round, whether you believe he should’ve gone higher or not.
Here’s where things get a bit interesting.
“I had Sam rated as my No. 74 overall player, and I compared him to Colt McCoy,” Miller continued. “Undersized, shorter guy, a little bit thicker body, not great arm strength. I know a lot of people said, ‘He’s Baker Mayfield.’ I never thought he had as much twitch as a runner as Baker had, especially, at Oklahoma, but some of that ability to play on the move, to kinda be like more of a gamer in some ways, let’s find a window, let’s make the throw. I think we saw him pick some of that up toward the end of the year.”
There was one small part of Miller’s quote that just completely made his comparison irrelevant: “Not great arm strength.”
Miller had good points about some of the other things, similar builds, shorter compared to the top QBs, etc. However, his comment about arm strength tells me he didn’t watch a lot of Howell at UNC.
Let’s go back to McCoy for a second. McCoy was a college legend at Texas. It was his lack of NFL physical measurables, arm strength being chief among them, that dropped him to the third round. Comparing anyone to him is not a knock on McCoy. Howell has proven nothing at the NFL level, and if he has a 13-year career [and counting], then he’ll be fortunate.
But just because they were similarly sized coming out of college [McCoy, 6-foot-1, 216 & Howell, 6-foot-1, 218] doesn’t make them an accurate comparison. Both are gamers, and both can make plays off schedule, but even similarly sized, the two are built a bit differently.
But, again, let’s go back to the arm strength comparison.
Judge for yourself.
Those are some throws from his time in Chapel Hill.
Here is a more recent throw that had everyone buzzing.
Again, this isn’t a McCoy-bashing session. But if saying both lack arm strength is one of your comparisons, well, you are dead wrong. One of the knocks on Howell coming out of North Carolina was his footwork and mechanics. McCoy didn’t have those issues. There was also the type of offense Howell ran with the Tar Heels.
Defending Howell’s arm strength also isn’t saying he is going to be a top NFL quarterback. He’s started one game. He remains a project, a talented project, but a project nonetheless. No one, including the Commanders, know if Howell will be a franchise quarterback. And if things don’t work out as the starter, he has a bright future in the NFL, even if his ceiling is a long-term backup.
I’ve heard a lot about this debate over the last 24 hours. Several people made good points. But the one point I can’t defend and nullifies Miller’s comparison is the arm strength comment. He lost me there. And before some on social media bash every Washington fan who doesn’t agree with the comparison, understand that no one is trashing one or other for disagreeing with Miller. It’s just simply not accurate.
Some will argue that “it’s not a bad comparison” being compared to McCoy. True, it isn’t, but the point remains, it’s still not accurate. Some will say, “Outside of arm strength it is a good comparison.” Well, considering Miller used that as one of the ways to compare the two, it is not a fair comparison.
This isn’t the space to bring up Miller’s other misses. After all, everyone has missed on NFL prospects. I have. You have. Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Kiper, Ozzie Newsome, Ron Wolf, Bill Belichick, Joe Gibbs, etc., have all missed on prospects. Had Miller simply not mentioned McCoy and Howell having “not great arm strength,” this isn’t even a debate.
As for Howell, you can count Jeremiah and former NFL quarterback — and current ESPN analyst — Dan Orlovsky among those who believe in his ability. As we — and many others — have stated, it’s all up to Howell to prove he belongs as an NFL starting quarterback.
The latest accolades for Seattle’s work in the draft come from Nate Davis at USA TODAY.
The Seattle Seahawks absolutely crushed the 2022 NFL draft, putting together the strongest class last year by far and arguably the best in a decade for the entire league. While it’s still way too early to judge how the 2023 class is going to do at this level, the early reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
The latest accolades for Seattle’s work in the draft come from Nate Davis at USA TODAY, who gave the Seahawks an A grade for their 2023 draft picks and ranked them second-best overall behind the Philadelphia Eagles. Here’s what David had to say about Seattle’s new crop of rookies.
“Seemed they continued to make the most of what increasingly looks like a lopsided trade of former QB Russell Wilson to Denver last year. First-round CB Devon Witherspoon and second-round pass rusher Derick Hall are direct byproducts of the megadeal and should fortify a 26th-ranked defense. Offensively, Seattle obtained Round 1 WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Round 2 RB Zach Charbonnet with its own capital. And even if those two seem a bit redundant for a team that already had plenty of firepower, you can’t argue with the quality – a team that appears it might be one of the top four in the NFC now scarily deep. On the value side, keep tabs on fifth-round DE Mike Morris.”
At the bottom of the pile the team with the lowest grade from Davis was the Denver Broncos, who got a D- for their haul – in no small part thanks to the Russell Wilson deal.
