(Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)
In 2008, the Chicago Bears were only one game away from the playoffs.
Scratch that—the Bears were one bad coaching decision away from the playoffs.
While playing against the Atlanta Falcons, Kyle Orton led a late fourth-quarter comeback.
However on the ensuing kickoff, Lovie Smith decided to squib kick. This gave the Falcons good field position, and the rest was history.
The Falcons game was not the only game in which the Bears lost a late lead. It happened three times, all against NFC South teams. These leads were lost by defensive lapses—not something us Bears fans are use to seeing.
Now it’s 2009, and the Bears have just acquired Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler will play along side one of the best young running backs in the NFL, Matt Forte.
The Bears head into the draft with no first-round pick, but a lot of holes to fill. Let’s take a look at the Bears' draft needs.
Quarterback
This question was answered by acquiring Jay Cutler. We have no backup, however. Rex Grossman is gone and so is Kyle Orton.
They need to fill this void. Chicago should either sign a veteran quarterback, or draft an experienced college quarterback. A rookie backup, for the most part, is not a good idea. A possible option is for them to acquire a veteran through trades on draft day.
Running Back
While drafting a running back is not the Bears' primary need, it is important to draft someone to compliment Matt Forte. We have seen it throughout history: You need two running backs to succeed.
The Bears did it in the 2006-07 season, their Super Bowl year, and they should be trying to go back to that.
No one can fill that void on the current roster. Adrian Peterson is aging and he is better catching the ball then running it. Our other backup Garret Wolfe is too small and Kevin Jones has not played well since his rookie season.
The Bears should go for a guy like P.J. Hill from Wisconsin. He is 220 pounds and will be a bruiser to compliment Matt Forte's finesse running style.
Wide Receiver
The wide receiver position could possibly be the final piece needed in our offensive attack. Currently the receiver core includes Devin Hester, Earl Bennet, and Rashid Davis.
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