NEWSLETTER
We’re approaching the one-year anniversary of the Khalil Mack trade, which has already gone down as a deal that has changed the trajectory of the Bears’ franchise, not to mention shifted the mindset of a fan-base that was starved for a big splash move that brought in real star power.
And to think, the gift that keeps on giving could bring more treats as soon as next year.
Remember, the Bears get the Raiders’ second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. And while it is far too early to pin down where that selection will be, ESPN’s insiders suggest it is going to be in a good place for Chicago’s football team to make something of it.
ESPN projects the Raiders to finish with a 6-10 record and land the fifth overall pick in the draft, which means the second-round pick could land somewhere in the range between No. 35 and 40 overall. While that would be neat, it could be better.
The site’s projections point to Oakland having a 37.2 percent chance at earning a pick within the top-5, as well as a 7.9 percent shot at landing the top overall pick. That means the Bears could pick as high as 33rd overall. In the end, the Raiders’ average draft position projects to be well within the top-10 once you factor in all the simulations that helped ESPN get to this result.
It doesn’t take a football genius to see the value in landing one of the first 10 picks in the second round of next year’s draft, so I’ll spare you that rundown. But knowing how the Bears have hit with the likes of Eddie Goldman, Cody Whitehair, and James Daniels early in the second round, it would be a nice bonus to get another high second-rounder to add to the mix.
The Mack deal already netted the Bears a 12-win season, NFC North title, and gobs upon gobs of hope that the Bears can win a Super Bowl in the window cajoled open by his presence. But the trade that was executed around this time last year still has more to give.
