Bears' 2009 NFL Draft: What Jerry Angelo Could Do Following the Jay Cutler Trade

(Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images)

Jay Cutler is bringing his 4,000-yard, Pro Bowl-caliber arm to Chicago and suddenly the Bears are being touted as a Super Bowl contender in the NFC.

Cutler came at a high price, though, with the Bears sending three draft picks and quarterback Kyle Orton to Denver in return.

The first questions to come pouring in from Chicago fans after the elation wore off a bit had to do with two main topics: who Cutler will throw to and what does the trade mean for the Bears' 2009 draft prospects?

Most analysts are trying to address both questions with the same answer, thinking that the team will use its second-round pick on a wideout for No. 6 to pass to next season.

With the team's offensive line looking much better after the signing of Orlando Pace, I'm starting to think that way, too.  

Now, the first thing you have to understand is that the Bears are not a team that is accustomed to taking risks.

General manager Jerry Angelo has only traded up once before in the draft—to take receiver Justin Gage in the fifth round in 2003—and before the Cutler trade, many in Chicago would have never thought him capable of making such a big move.

With that said, all bets are now off.

It wouldn't surprise me if Angelo traded up in the second round or if he went out and signed a veteran receiver like Plaxico Burress or Torry Holt.

The most likely scenario, however, is that Chicago stands pat and uses the 17th pick in the second round on a wideout.  

Last year, wide receiver was the most widely selected position in the draft, with 35 selected overall, but there were none taken in the first round.

There is zero chance that the Bears will get lucky and have the top receivers in this year's draft fall into the second round, so they'll have some decisions to make.  

First, let's look at the top receivers available and who will still be around when Chicago is on the clock at No. 49 overall. Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), Jeremy Maclin (Missouri), and Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland) are the top three wideouts on most draft boards, but all three will likely be selected before the end of the first round. 

Kenny Britt (Rutgers), Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina), and Percy Harvin (Florida) are the next three and it's possible that one of them could fall to the Bears at No. 49.

Right now, ESPN's Mel Kiper has the Bears selecting Mohamed Massaquoi from Georgia. 

Massaquoi, in my opinion, would be a better selection than Harvin or Nicks because of all the things he represents in one package.  Massaquoi is a decent sized receiver at 6'1", 210 pounds, with great toughness and tremendous character who produced in the toughest conference in college football.  He can win a jump-ball situation in the end zone and runs above-average routes, but his straight-line speed is only adequate.

Bottom Line

So, with all this said, what are the best and worst-case scenarios for Chicago on draft day? 

I think the best-case scenario for the Bears would see them taking Massaquoi with their pick in the second round and then selecting the best players available with their picks later on in the draft.  

Chicago has had a lot of success outside the first round with guys like Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, and Matt Forte, among many others.

The worst-case scenario for the Bears would be if there are, for some reason, seven or eight receivers taken before their selection at No. 49 and Angelo feels forced to spend his best draft pick on a lesser receiver just because he wants to fill the position.

Angelo needs to be flexible if the wide receivers he targets are off the board, re-evaluate the guys left, and select the best available player. 

If you like my stuff and would like to see any of my previous work, you can check out my résumé and full portfolio at www.DaveFultz.com.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?