Every pick the Chicago Bears made in the 2024 draft generated a strong response from fans. They were elated by the arrivals of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the 1st round. They were shocked when punter Tory Taylor came in the 4th. The trade back into the 5th round for Austin Booker was met with relief. As for Kiran Amegadjie, it was mostly a mixture of intrigue and uncertainty. The Bears already seemed set at offensive tackle with Braxton Jones. That meant the 3rd rounder from Yale was competition for Larry Borom at the swing tackle spot, right?
GM Ryan Poles confirmed that was true, but he also made it clear Amegadjie has a green light to compete for both starting tackle spots. Chicago isn’t going to play favorites at such an important position. The best players will start. While the Bears don’t think the rookie will be ready to challenge for one this year, they think his upside is massive. By 2025, he will be a force in that offensive line room. There were multiple reasons the Bears were drawn to him, but Co-director of player personnel Trey Koziol pinpointed one strength that set Amegadjie apart from other prospects: his outstanding length and the willingness to use it.
Kiran Amegadjie is way more polished than he should be.
Ivy League players usually aren’t ready for the NFL due to the low level of competition they play against. It takes them a year or two before getting acclimated. From what Koziol said, the Bears’ 3rd round pick is already further along than most blockers his age. That speaks to his dedicated work ethic and standout intelligence. It shouldn’t be a surprise since he went to Yale. His problem is about getting healthy and learning how to handle NFL-caliber pass rushers. That is the hurdle he will have to clear.
Thankfully, he will have a great education right out of the gate. Montez Sweat is one of the best defensive ends in the league. Facing him in practice will help Kiran Amegadjie rapidly improve. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan is no stranger to developing young guys. Jake Matthews, Chris Lindstrom, and Kaleb McGary were some of his big success stories in Atlanta. Amegadjie is every bit as talented as they are. If he does as instructed, he can play tackle in the NFL.
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@TGena
Picking up information from multiple sources? Great! Don’t always agree with you (particularly with your “rookie GM”) but it is pithy, sarcastic criticism backed up with some thought.
I’ve watched people screw stuff up pretty bad, but come back and both get better and get good, so I’m always watching what is next, more than what is past.
He’s probably rare because he went to Yale too. Hopefully, that means he has a capacity to pick up concepts quickly and focus his energies.
Hey Erik —
Before you fit Kiran for a Hall of Fame gold jacket, why not review a recent report, which states:
“Amegadjie had surgery last October to repair a partially torn quad suffered during his 2023 season at Yale, and the Bears said he won’t be participating in offseason workouts. While Amegadjie said he feels good, there’s no definitive timetable for his return.” — Alyssa Barbieri, BearsWire (5/12/24)
You really don’t like football — do you?
Hey Toto —
“I’ve a feeling we’re not in New Haven anymore.”
Food for thought/discussion; Nate Davis fails to impress, D Wright moved to RG and K Amegadjie starts at RT. Also easy to see him beat out L Borom for that swing T position if he is as good as projected to be.