Offensive Line, Pass Rush Among Bears' Biggest Draft Needs
The Bears currently hold the eighth overall pick in this year's draft
By James Neveau ••
The Chicago Bears are heading into the NFL Draft with a laundry list of needs, and they’re hoping to make a big splash as they try to bolster the team that Matt Nagy and company will put on the field this season.
Currently the Bears own seven picks, including the eighth overall pick in the draft. They do not have a third round pick, but do have two picks in the fourth round of the selection process, which gets underway on Thursday evening.
As the Bears prepare to welcome new members to the team, a simple question is on the minds of many fans: what is the team’s biggest need?
Here are our top five needs for the Bears entering the draft:
Pass Rush
The Bears have addressed the pass rusher situation several times in recent drafts, but with Leonard Floyd suffering a series of injuries and Jonathan Bullard not panning out the way the team wanted him to, the Bears will certainly be looking to get an impact pass rusher at some point in the draft.
It’s unlikely that they’ll get a shot at drafting North Carolina State pass rusher Bradley Chubb, but if they trade down in the first round, then it would be possible for them to nab someone else, such as Marcus Davenport out of UT-San Antonio.
The Bears are seemingly well set at right guard with Kyle Long in the mix, but with his health a constant question mark, the team is likely going to look at addressing that position early in the draft this year.
The smart money throughout the process has been on the team taking Notre Dame lineman Quenton Nelson, who worked with offensive line coach Harry Hiestand in South Bend. There’s no guarantee that he will be there at the number eight spot, and it’s unclear if Ryan Pace would be willing to trade up for the third consecutive draft to make sure that he gets his guy.
Wide Receiver
The Bears have spent a lot of money on wide receivers this offseason, but they could certainly look to improve in that area again as the draft gets underway.
Big names like Calvin Ridley have been sliding down some draft boards, so it’s unlikely that the Bears would pick him if they stay in the eighth spot. Other options could be available to them in the second round, including Maryland wideout DJ Moore or Texas A&M pass catcher Christian Kirk.
Notre Dame’s Equanimeous St. Brown could also be a player to watch out for, but they would likely have to hope that he falls unless they can trade back up into the third round.
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NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 29: Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Chicago Bears passes the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the fourth quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 29, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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In three seasons with the Bears, Benson had 1593 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, and his career really hit its stride in Cincinnati, where he had three straight seasons of 1000 or more rushing yards.
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After trading down in the 2006 draft, the Bears scored a hit with Olsen in 2007. He had a strong career with the Bears, hauling in 194 receptions for 1981 yards and 20 touchdowns in just four seasons, but he found greater success after the Bears traded him to Carolina following the 2010 season.
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Williams had an injury plagued career with the Bears, appearing in 57 games over the course of six seasons. He made a brief return after his first stint, and appeared in seven games in the 2014 season.
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The Bears traded their first round picks in the 2009 and 2010 drafts to the Denver Broncos in the swap that brought Jay Cutler to Chicago.
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Carimi spent just two seasons in Chicago, appearing in 18 total games. He also made stops in Tampa Bay and Atlanta before leaving the football world after the 2014 season.
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McClellin bounced around the field in his time with the Bears, playing as a defensive end and then as a linebacker. He registered 98 career tackles and seven and a half sacks during four seasons with the Bears.
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Long made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three NFL seasons, but has seen injuries derail him in recent years, missing a total of 14 games over the past two seasons.
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After the Bears opted not to pick up his fifth-year option, Fuller earned himself a big payday with a stellar 2017 season, with two interceptions and 22 passes defended in 16 games.
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The oft-injured White missed the entire 2015 season, and has played just five NFL games, with 21 catches for 193 yards to his credit.
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Floyd’s 2017 season was cut short by injury, but he has made an impact when he’s been on the field for the Bears, with 11.5 sacks and 47 total tackles in 22 games.
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In his rookie season, Trubisky started 12 games for the Bears, completing 59.4 percent of his passes for 2193 yards and seven touchdowns.
Offensive Tackle
The Bears could conceivably use the number eight pick on Mike McGlinchey, but this need likely won’t be addressed until later in the draft if they choose to pass on the Fighting Irish product.
Players like Connor Williams out of Texas and Orlando Brown out of Oklahoma would certainly fit the bill later on in the selection process, as could Louisville tackle Geron Christian.
Inside Linebacker
The Bears will definitely be looking at outside linebacker help this season, but they could also look to the interior of their defense thanks to injury concerns with players like Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski.
Roquan Smith would be a no-brainer pick for the Bears if he’s available at pick number eight, or if they choose to go with an inside linebacker at another point in the draft, then players like Malik Jefferson and Tre’ Williams could intrigue Pace.
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The 2018 NFL Draft will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington starting with Thursday's first round.
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Some drafts have Chubb going as high as second, but with the unpredictable nature of this year’s draft, the talented defensive end, who had 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks this season, would be a great fit if the Bears can somehow snag him.
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Many draft boards have the Bears moving down and selecting the talented Davenport, who had eight and a half sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last season. He is an intriguing prospect at any point in the middle of the first round, but could Pace actually grab him at eight?
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With 108 tackles and five and a half sacks in his final season with the Hokies, Edmunds could be a great pick-up at number eight. His commanding presence all over the field would greatly help the Bears’ defense, and would improve their depth considerably.
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Fitzpatrick is all over the place in terms of draft boards and mock drafts, but his talent is undeniable, as he had eight tackles for loss and seven defended passes last season with the Crimson Tide.
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The Bears’ secondary could still use some help even after the selection of Eddie Jackson, and James has some great talent, with 84 total tackles and two interceptions last season.
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The Bears are looking for linemen to help protect Mitchell Trubisky, and the athletic McGlinchey, who stands a towering 6-foot-8 and weighs 315 pounds, could be an ideal pairing with new offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.
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One of the most highly-coveted guards in recent draft history, Nelson would be an ideal fit with former Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand taking over the same position with the Bears.
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Ridley has slid down draft boards recently, as his lack of size has caused teams to view him as more of a slot receiver than as a bonafide downfield threat. He had 63 catches for 967 yards in a run-first Alabama offense, so he’s still got some good numbers despite that limitation.
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Getting more playmakers for Vic Fangio will be key in this year’s draft, and Smith could be a great addition. He had 137 tackles last season and six and a half sacks for the Bulldogs.
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With Kyle Fuller back in the fold, Ward could be a good complement on the other side of the field. He had 15 defended passes and a pair of interceptions last season for the Buckeyes, and also had a career-high 37 tackles.
Safety
It seems unlikely that the Bears will even get a crack at a player like Derwin James, but odds are they are confident enough in Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson to avoid taking a safety super early in the draft.
Texas product DeShon Elliott could be an intriguing player to watch on Day 2 of the draft, and Jessie Bates out of Wake Forest could be good as well, with blazing speed. He would need to work on his strength, however.
