The NFL owners meetings might be my favorite tentpole even of the offseason. Better than the Super Bowl, better than the combine.

We get three days of excellent access to NFL power brokers in a relaxed environment, where you can get to know them as people. That always helps set the foundation for a better working relationship.

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We spoke with head coach Ben Johnson, general manager Ryan Poles, president Kevin Warren and chairman George McCaskey over prolonged periods. And I came home from Palm Beach, Fla., feeling I understand this team, it’s objectives and its motives a little bit better.

Hopefully that makes Marquee Sports Network’s Bears coverage more comprehensive as we progress towards the draft. It also opened up the range of topics well beyond player acquisition, so we’ll touch on a number of things in this Thursday Bair Mail, coming a day later than normal due to the owners meetings schedule.

Let’s get to your questions:

James Jordan from Chicago

I’ve watch Cole Kmet, I love him as a pass catcher. But I have also seen him not block as well in high light films. I’m hoping he works on his blocking skills which I think would help him be able to be more involved in the offense.

Bair: That was an interesting nugget from the NFC coaches breakfast, with Ben Johnson saying he spoke to Kmet about improving his run blocking. That would keep him on the field more, to your point, and make him a more versatile player.

Johnson also talked about moving Kmet across the formation, from in-line to out wide, to get him involved and find mismatches. The veteran tight end had a relative down year in 2024, as the Bears struggled to use him effectively. He can be a weapon working under Johnson, even if the Bears take a tight end high in the NFL draft.

Tim Rebelsky from Clinton, Iowa

Couldn’t we trade up to make sure we get Ashton Jeanty?

Bair: In a one word answer, yes. Will the Bears do that? I highly doubt it. They’re in the business of stockpiling early-round picks, not paring their stash down. Those selections at Nos. 39 and 41 are valuable in a draft like this, where starting-caliber players can be found deeper into the draft. Poles estimated that quality might be found as deep as the 50s.

You want more shots at players like that. And moving into the top 5 is cost prohibitive. You’d probably have to get in front of the Raiders at No. 6 to confidently think Jeanty will be available, considering Pete Carroll’s presence and the state of the Las Vegas backfield.

That would be an expensive move, a price too high in an extremely deep draft class of running backs.

Derrick Scott from Chicago

When is Arlington Heights going to show photos of the new dome stadium?

Bair: Kevin Warren addressed this indirectly on Wednesday, when asked about stadium design. While it will have to be tailored somewhat to the site, most of the aesthetics and architectural concepts can remain similar to what the Bears released last year.

“In designing the stadium working with David Manica, we did it in a manner that it was able to move in any different location,” Warren said. “Now, constantly, we’re on it. It’s just like anything else; you’re tweaking it and making it even better. But it’s in a position, we’re at schematic design, where we are, we’re 50% done, so we’ve made really good process and progress. It’s beautiful and the good thing about it, it fits in any location that we’ll be in.”

Mike Levin from Danville, Ill.

Why is arm length of tackles so important?

Bair: Arm length, in short, allows offensive tackles to better control pass rushers, widen the edge and creates some margin for error should they be close to getting beat or have made a technical mistake. You don’t see many tackles with less that 33-inch arms, or even 34, which seems to be an NFL preference on the outside. Tackles with shorter arms can be successful, but their footwork, quickness and other techniques must be sound.

There’s tons of talk about this with Will Campbell’s relatively short arm length and if that will drop him down draft boards or force him inside at the NFL level despite producing consistently excellent college tape. Some other top prospects have similar measurement issues. Or a perception of the league being down on them could all be a smokescreen, and they end up getting taken high on draft night.

Thanks as always for joining the conversation and participating in this week’s mailbag. Get involved next week by submitting your questions/comments using the form below 👇