After likely sitting out the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears will finally get their first chance at a pick when the third round gets underway on Friday night.
The Bears, who traded their first two draft picks in the swap that landed Khalil Mack in the Windy City, own the 87th overall pick in the selection show. The team is one of the few in the NFL that doesn’t have a glaring weakness on its roster, but there are still areas that they can shore up as they look to solidify their position as a Super Bowl contender.
With that in mind, here are five positions that the team will likely look to address in the coming days at the NFL Draft in Nashville.
Running Back
This is the spot that everyone is talking about after the trade of Jordan Howard earlier this offseason. The Bears will likely be looking for a back that can provide a change of pace from what Mike Davis and Tarik Cohen offer, and a third-round pick at the position would likely provide an instant upgrade to an offense that Matt Nagy is still working to re-shape in his second season with the organization.
Safety
The Bears already have an All-Pro at safety in the form of Eddie Jackson, but after the departure of Adrian Amos and the signing of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the Bears could potentially look to bolster their depth at the position. Players like Mike Bell out of Fresno State or Nasir Adderley out of Delaware could be available if the Bears try to strike early in the draft, or they could go with more developmental pieces such as Chase Hansen out of Utah or Khari Willis out of Michigan State instead.
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2019 Chicago Bears Transaction Tracker
Cornerback
The Bears have a lot of money tied up at their cornerback position with Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara, and Buster Skrine, so they could certainly look to get a cheaper option in the draft. Joejuan Williams out of Vanderbilt has gotten some serious buzz because of his size and ability to defend big receivers, and Northwestern product Montre Hartage could also potentially be on the radar for the Bears.
Edge Rusher
The Bears have plenty of talented pass rushers, but it wouldn’t hurt to continue bolstering their depth, especially considering that Leonard Floyd is heading into a contract year with the team. Players like Tim Ward out of Old Dominion and Anree Saint-Amour out of Georgia Tech could be good options late in the draft.
Guard
The Bears have some solid options on their offensive line, but they could go for some additional depth up the middle in this year’s draft. Ross Pierschbacher out of Alabama is a player that comes to mind, and Malcolm Pridgeon out of Ohio State has popped up on some draft boards as well with the Bears owning a pair of seventh round picks.
