The Chicago Bears have never had the No. 1 overall pick, and that could be seen as a good or bad thing depending on your point of view.
Not being bad enough to net the first overall pick is a testament to not completely bottoming out. On the other hand, not picking first prevents your team from netting the draft’s “best” player, and thus could keep the team from drafting a generational talent.
Ideally, the Bears picking third in a few weeks is the last time they pick in the top five for a long time, because, in that ideal world, all of the best case scenarios play out with their free agents and draft picks.
And if they don’t, perhaps they will have a shot at finally drafting first — in 2018.
One year after solidifying the linebacker corps with the signings of free agents Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, the Bears are pinning their hopes on that duo staying healthy in 2017. Bob LeGere of the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald writes the duo needs to be on the field for the Bears to take another step forward in 2017. Freeman missed four games due to a PED suspension, but Trevathan’s knee injury cost him five games and his status for the early part of the season is far from certain. The Bears aren’t likely to draft a linebacker early in the draft, but the team might be wise to protect themselves by adding a depth piece later.
The primary concern with regard to the Bears’ future still remains at quarterback, and that is despite signing Mike Glennon to a deal that could be worth up to $45 million over three years. Those concerns will grow the closer we get to the draft. With that in mind, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times asks when is the right time for the Bears to draft a quarterback? It’s a fair question, especially when taking into consideration that general manager Ryan Pace once quipped he wanted to draft a quarterback every year, but hasn’t drafted one since coming to Chicago. The Bears are in an interesting position in not needing a quarterback to start right away with Glennon on board. And while the team might like to draft a quarterback at some point, the best prospects could be off the board by the time they are ready to pick one. If this draft had a consensus top quarterback, the Bears would be more likely to pick him with the third overall pick. But that player isn’t available in this draft.
Jimmy Garoppolo trade rumors were all the rage earlier in the offseason, but talks have silenced recently. So much so, it’s worth wondering whether or not potential suitors have given up on acquiring Tom Brady’s backup. Ian Rapoport hears that the New England Patriots simply don’t want to trade Garoppolo for a pick at this time. The Houston Texans could be interested and would provide a potentially smooth transition with former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as their head coach. But the team most likely to make a deal work would be the Cleveland Browns, a team with eight picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts.
The Bears are one of six teams that need to ace the test that is the 2017 NFL Draft. Even though each of the last two drafts have graded out well, a third consecutive losing year would be difficult for the Bears’ fans and hierarchy to swallow. After whiffing in free agency, the draft is the last avenue in which the Bears can add top-level young talent and must take advantage of it. And no one needs to get their hands on impact talent more than head coach John Fox, who has suffered the first back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in his NFL head coaching career.
The NFL’s most recent revision to the Collective Bargaining Agreement has simplified the process of signing draft picks, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes the Bears still know there could be some haggling on the horizon. Look no further than 2016, when it took the Chargers and Joey Bosa missed all of training camp and three of the team’s four preseason games before signing the deal and putting his rookie season in motion. It was worth the wait for Bosa, though, who recorded 10.5 sacks and graded out to be Pro Football Focus’ fifth best edge defender with an 89.7 grade.
Gil Brandt’s 10 best second-round picks have combined for 14 Pro Bowl appearances and five All-Pro nominations — and that’s just since 2012. You can check out the list here and see where players like Le’Veon Bell and Derek Carr rank. While there is so much attention paid to the first-round pick (and rightfully so) history shows the Bears are in a good position to make a difference maker with their second-round pick, too. Further, you should take note where Alshon Jeffery ranks in the top-10. Jeffery was one of the few Phil Emery draft picks to pan out. It’s not as if Jeffery was a lock to be a Pro Bowl receiver, but he evolved, improved his route running, and continued to make plays on the ball in the air. However, Jeffery left the Bears for a one-year prove-it deal with the Philadelphia Eagles after two sub-par seasons under head coach John Fox.
This would certainly throw the draft for a loop:
But Myles Garrett has made it clear that he would “punish” the Browns if they passed on him with the first overall pick. And, of course, even if the Browns somehow took Adams, it’s not likely the 49ers would pass on Garrett at number two.
A headline problem you won’t see the Bears dealing with for a little while:
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