Full Chicago Bears Primer for 2017 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears enter the week of the 2017 NFL draft as the most interesting franchise in the proceedings.
Few teams walk a tightrope like the Bears do—general manager Ryan Pace has them on the cusp of leaving an extensive rebuilding phase after an injury-riddled season produced a top-three pick in the wake of an active trip to free agency.
And Pace could go countless ways with the third pick in the draft, producing a profound ripple effect on the rest of the NFL in the process. He could target a potential franchise quarterback, land another weapon for a quarterback or upgrade a defense already boasting a talented front seven, health provided.
With every need on the table despite free agency and trades perhaps part of the equation, the Bears are one of the toughest puzzles to solve this week.
Let's cut out the legwork by diving into a draft primer focused on the Bears, from needs to possible targets and beyond.
Picks and Trends
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Before diving into the who, where and why in the hypothetical nature of draft prep, let's take a look at Chicago's current standing in the order.
They are:
- Round 1 (3)
- Round 2 (36)
- Round 3 (67)
- Round 4 (111)
- Round 4 (117)
- Round 5 (147)
- Round 7 (221)
With that out of the way, now would be the time to normally look at the drafting trends surrounding the Bears as of late.
It's an inexact science with these Bears for a few reasons. For one, Pace has only been around a few years. Over that time, he's been tasked with commanding one of the league's most significant rebuilds.
That isn't to say he hasn't had something of a budding trend emerge—Pace likes his best-player-available approach without worrying too much about need.
In his first draft in 2015, Pace took the draft's top weapon, Kevin White. He followed with what could be considered the best player available in the following rounds (Eddie Goldman, Hroniss Grasu, Jeremy Langford and Adrian Amos).
Last year was more of the same. He tackled another premier position with a freak athlete and arguably the best prospect available with Leonard Floyd. The ensuing picks through Round 5 (Cody Whitehair, Jonathan Bullard, Nick Kwiatkoski, Deon Bush, Deiondre' Hall, Jordan Howard) all had similar classifications.
Given the extent of the rebuild, some of these guys acting as starters right away doesn't mean much. But breakout players such as Floyd, and especially Howard and Whitehair, speak to the success of Pace's approach.
This year, fans can expect Pace to once again target value and athleticism at every slot. Sounds generic, but it's working so far.
Biggest Needs
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It sounds like a major negative to say the needs in Chicago haven't changed despite the Bears spending so much cash in free agency.
It's actually the opposite.
Chicago smartly hit on needs, but it did so on deals with little in the way of guaranteed cash after 2017. Mike Glennon is the perfect example—he'll have one year to prove himself. If he does, great. If not, he's a placeholder for a rookie.
With such a theme in mind, these spots remain the Bears' biggest needs:
Quarterback: Shocker, right? Glennon gets his first fair shake at a starting gig in Chicago, but the Bears must be ready to hand it to a rookie as soon as next year. Pace loved Marcus Mariota, so he's in quite an interesting draft class if he wants to pursue someone similar.
Safety: Quintin Demps was one of the more underrated additions of free agency as a whole. He's 31, yet he didn't play significant snaps over the first four years of his career. He's a turnover machine and veteran leader, but the team still needs a rangy guy next to him. This is a great class for the Bears to take a shot on arguably the toughest position to fill in today's NFL.
Cornerback: Pace took his shot in free agency with Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara as boundary starters; it might just work under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Don't forget about guys like Kyle Fuller. But there's no such thing as too many quality defensive backs on a roster and nobody in Chicago is guaranteed to pan out.
Linebacker: Like defensive backs, there's no such thing as too many quality pass-rushers on a roster. Floyd and Pernell McPhee make for a dynamic duo, and Willie Young is a quality complement. But another athletic edge would provide a boost. Adding an interior guy wouldn't hurt either with veterans Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan having problems staying on the field.
Defensive End: Fangio just helped produce the best year of Akiem Hicks' career, but the staff seemed hesitant to give Bullard a real shot. Maybe that will change in 2017, but the Bears need to push stopgaps like Mitch Unrein off the roster and boost the viability of the hybrid front.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: This isn't a case of one or the other, but it's easier to group the two together. Simply put, the Bears need more weapons. White hasn't panned out yet, Cameron Meredith might and Zach Miller at tight end can't stay healthy. The Bears made adds in free agency to both spots, but like corner, none are surefire successes. Explosive rookies growing alongside a potential rookie quarterback is how teams dig themselves out of deep rebuilds.
Offensive Tackle: It'd be credibility-hurting to not mention the Bears need upgrades at both tackle spots. It's simply not happening this year in such a miserable class, though.
Potential Targets
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Everything is on the table for the Bears.
This is meant in a literal sense except at No. 3, provided the Bears stay there. Pace won't grab a running back, offensive lineman or special-teams player there for obvious reasons. But based on the trends and needs detailed so far, he'll go anywhere else if the value is right.
Here are some names to know at No. 3, in no particular order:
Myles Garrett, DL, Texas A&M: A pipe dream, but if the teams in front of the Bears are foolish enough to let him fall, Fangio gets a better prospect than Jadeveon Clowney to mold.
Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford: A versatile pass-rushing monster Fangio could unleash on every down and keep opposing lines guessing.
Jamal Adams, S, LSU: The safest prospect in the class blends quality run coverage with good pass-defense range.
Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State: Shaky injury history, but Ed Reed comparisons are there for a reason.
Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State: Corner isn't entirely off the table for the Bears in large part because of talents like this.
Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State: See above, plus impressive man-to-man skills.
O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama: Tight ends don't usually go so high, but few have been as pro ready, blending an ability to block well and be an instant threat in the passing game.
Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson: This is the guy for Pace if he wants a proven winner who elevated his program and can play similar ball to Mariota.
Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: While not as proven as Watson, Mitch Trubisky flaunts alluring upside in all areas except composure under pressure, which he could learn to deal with while Glennon starts.
DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame: No matter what the draft hype machine says, DeShone Kizer boasts some of the most tantalizing upside of any quarterback in years. He can bully defenders as a runner if he's not using a strong arm to push the ball down the field.
Patrick Mahomes II: Inflated college stats aside, Patrick Mahomes is similar to Kizer in his ability to run, though he takes chances in a way that will remind some of Jay Cutler.
It's important to note that some of these guys—especially one or two of the signal-callers—could fall to the early second round. Also, it's worth keeping in mind that the Bears could always trade back up into the first round for a second guy on this list who is in the middle of a fall.
Of course, the Bears have plenty of mid-round targets likely on their mind as well. Utah's Marcus Williams could be the answer at safety. Adoree' Jackson could come in at corner and double as a returner. Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram could be the hybrid wideout/tight end the offense wants. Even a quarterback like Nathan Peterman could be the guy the Bears want to develop behind Glennon.
Readers get the idea based on trends and needs. For a better look at potential mid-round targets, take a peep our Top 100 big board.
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What About a Trade?
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Trade is a big topic around the Bears right now.
It makes sense. With a class this deep, the Bears might as well acquire more assets in a move down and add as much talent as possible to an extensive rebuild.
The problem is finding a deal.
Big trades that let a team like the Bears move down don't just materialize and happen. The lack of hype surrounding this year's quarterback class and the wealth of depth at premier slots like defensive back and pass-rushers mean teams will be more content waiting and grabbing what falls to them.
A trade down is ideal for the Bears. More realistic, though, is the front office moving back into the first round. The price won't be overly enormous and it could allow Pace to get his best player available—whether it's Garrett, Thomas or somebody else—then turn around and still get his quarterback of choice late in the first round.
Like everything about this draft for the Bears, options abound and everything is on the table. A trade down while acquiring more picks in a loaded class works. Moving up and sacrificing assets to make sure Pace gets the guy he thinks is key to his rebuilding plan is equally as important.
Resource Hub
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A primer wouldn't be complete without the extensive legwork that went into the smooth sailing down the stretch.
Here's a look at a few resources created along the way to help arrive at this point:
The Bears aren't a hard team to figure out this year. Pace has the team building smartly through the draft while cushioning the developing roster with veterans on cost-effective deals.
One year ago, Floyd's selection created some ire. Now? He's coming off a monster rookie campaign alongside Howard, second only to Ezekiel Elliott in terms of rookie rushing effectiveness, and Whitehair, who moved into the center spot at the last second and played like one of the best in the league.
No matter what happens this week, rest assured it all slots into Pace's current plan.
All contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise specified. Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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