Here’s How The Bears Can Use Their Two Projected Top-50 Picks in the 2020 NFL Draft

Positive vibes have been tougher to come by this year than any of us expected, but I think I’ve found a silver lining on the final Friday of the year.

The Chicago Bears are in position to have two picks among the first 50 in the 2020 NFL Draft. While that doesn’t seem like a big deal, it is actually quite important to have (at least) this sort of positioning when your team doesn’t otherwise have a first-round pick. Yes, we’re here because of a disappointing 2019 season – and that stinks – but at least there’s a worthy consolation prize (two of the first 17 picks in the second round).

Of course, this could change depending on what happens in Sunday’s action. But while we have a moment, I thought it would be a good time discuss how the Bears could use their second-round draft capital.

For example, WalterFootball.com has Chicago using its picks to bolster some skill positions of need.

With its first pick in the second round, the team is pegged to select LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Even with Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller cemented in starting positions for 2020, the Bears could still use some help at out wide and Jefferson could be that guy.

As a junior, he led the SEC with 88 catches, racked up 1,207 yards, and hauled in 12 touchdown passes from Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. At 6-3, Jefferson’s size and catch radius could provide a nice target for Mitch Trubisky (or whoever is quarterbacking the Bears in 2020 … and beyond).

The other pick is projected to be used on Alabama edge defender Terrell Lewis.

For as much as the Bears could use an offensive playmaker on the other side of Allen Robinson, they could use some defensive help opposite Khalil Mack. Leonard Floyd has not developed into the pass-rusher anyone thought he could be, and he certainly did not take advantage of Mack receiving a ton of extra attention on the other side of the ball. Perhaps Lewis, then, could be the help the Bears are seeking.

Injuries have slowed down Lewis at the collegiate level, the most notable being a knee injury that caused him to miss the entire 2018 season. But when healthy, Lewis wrecked backfields to the tune of six sacks and 11.5 tackles-for-loss.

I can see the risks in taking Lewis, but things worked out the last time the Bears drafted a play-making Alabama defender with a questionable injury history.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic rolled out his first mock draft, but highlighted just the first round and the first picks of teams who do not have first-round selections.

For the Bears, that pick would be Florida edge defender Jonathan Greenard.

Brugler acknowledges Floyd hasn’t given the Bears the type of production needed opposite of Mack, and that Greenard is a fit because of how he sets the edge and shows off a quick first step to beat blockers. Drafting Greenard would be the best of both worlds scenario for a Bears defense that could use some new blood in the form of a player on a rookie deal, seeing that the team is pressed against the cap at the moment.

Luke Easeterling of Draft Wire also has the Bears selecting players at positions of need that aren’t quarterback in his most recently updated mock draft. And with six quarterbacks going off the board pithing the first 39 picks, it would make sense if the Bears shifted their attention elsewhere.

For starters, Easterling has the Bears choosing USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson with the 49th pick.

Jackson had an outstanding prospect pedigree coming out of high school, has played well in college, and is one of the best offensive line prospects in this draft class.

Take a moment to watch him shred defenders en route to winning the Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week award in early September:

So … where can the Bears sign up for all of that smash mouth football we see above?

The other Bears second-round choice projects to be Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, whom Easterling had going to Chicago in a mock draft he shared earlier in December.

This is what we had to say about Johnson when he first jumped on our radar:

Johnson is a top cornerback for one of college football’s best defenses. In 2018, Johnson was an All-Pac-12 corner and was talked about as a possible All-American candidate if things went well this season. I don’t have an All-American vote, but Johnson had a standout season in the Utes’ secondary, starting all 12 games as he finished among the top of the Pac-12 leaders in pass breakups (10) and passes defended (12). Those numbers will catch the eyes of talent evaluators throughout the league, especially those who need secondary help.

Drafting a cornerback in April could be a priority if the Bears part ways with Prince Amukamara. Chicago cutting ties with the starting cornerback who has dealt with hamstring injuries late in the season could create $9 million in cap space. And I suppose getting younger at the position wouldn’t hurt matters. Let’s keep an eye on Johnson’s stock as draft-related talk develops moving forward.

In the meantime, let’s keep in mind that mock drafts appear to have spotlighted offensive line, cornerback, and edge rusher as positions of need beyond quarterback. That goes to show how much work Bears GM Ryan Pace has to do in order to fix some issues he created with this team.