NEWSLETTER
Life doesn’t always provide second chances, but a 5-1 start appears to have afforded Bears GM Ryan Pace another opportunity to find a potential franchise quarterback.
And unless something unexpected happens between now and next spring, Chicago will have a first-round pick that could be used to draft that player. As expected, the Bears won’t be in a position to select Clemson stud Trevor Lawrence. But the way things are looking, the options behind Lawrence are quite intriguing:
If you want to know what a perfect pass looks like, just let Justin Fields show you. pic.twitter.com/Zim4ql9ePv
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1320063566431555588
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1320215035650691074?s=20
Very Patrick Mahomes of you, Zach Wilson 👀 pic.twitter.com/Gq6AZeYpJ7
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 17, 2020
The Mac Jones deep ball has become one of the best plays in college football this year. pic.twitter.com/XYj6OkucLc
— SEConCBS (@SEConCBS) October 24, 2020
Mac Jones ➡️ Jaylen Waddle for a 90-yard TD 😤
The Crimson Tide are back on top 27-24
(via @CBSSports)pic.twitter.com/tXTEsLYwHi
— SI College Football (@si_ncaafb) October 18, 2020
Justin Fields (Ohio State), Zach Wilson (BYU), and Mac Jones (Alabama) starred on Saturday. If each continues to put up one highlight throw after another for the rest of the season, it will be easy to dream on them doing so on Sundays. And from a Bears perspective, this is a wonderful development.
Lawrence and Fields have long been considered locks at the top of the draft. Trey Lance (North Dakota State) sits on the tier below the top two guys. But the most important thing to come from the early going of this college football season is the emergence of the others. Players like Wilson, Jones, and Florida’s Kyle Trask showing flashes is good. The more first round caliber quarterback talent that shows itself between now and the end of the season, the better Chicago’s chances to land such a prospect. And, sure, it might take the Bears trading up to land their dream draft pick. But look no further than what the Chiefs and Texans did in the 2017 NFL Draft to secure Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. But I’ll warn you no too look at any other trades in that draft to take quarterbacks. Consider that last sentence fair warning.
There’s a non-zero chance the Bears find quarterback help through a trade or free agency. Should that happen, it would push non-QB talent down the board. That wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen. Because while quarterback is a priority, I could argue the Bears need offensive tackle and wide receiver help as much as they need a boost at quarterback.
I wasn’t sure we’d get a college football season this summer. But now that it’s under way – with more games coming – the Bears should be thankful. Help in the future is off on the horizon.
