Do the Betting Odds Give Us Any Insight into the Bears Plans for the No. 1 Pick?
If you’re the type who likes to use your obsessive Chicago Bears fandom to make a responsible wager or two throughout the year, then this is the post for you. The folks at FanDuel Sportsbook put out odds for the “position of a given team’s first draft-pick.” And when it comes to the Bears, that question is obviously intriguing. I was curious to see what the betting public had in mind for the Bears, and if we could glean any insight out of a little bit of crowdsourcing.
But before we dive down that rabbit hole, here are the odds as laid out by FanDuel.
(Yes, you can sign up for FanDuel, support Bleacher Nation, and get up to $1000 back in bonus bets and make this bet by clicking right here!)
Oh, there are some spicy meatballs in there!
If you are of the mindset that the Bears are going to draft for need, then offensive linemen (-105) is the safest bet on the board. And considering how they had eyes on Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. during his pro day in Columbus, it’s as if there is a reason that is the early favorite. But there are some other positions of need that have more favorable odds in terms of return on investment. And we shouldn’t ignore those alternative options.
For instance, we know how valuable the 3-technique defensive tackle is to Matt Eberflus’ defense. And we are familiar with Chicago’s lacking of star power at the defensive end position. So there is some value in defensive lineman (+210) being your pick. After all, their meetings with Will Anderson Jr., Jalen Carter, and Tyree Wilson should be taken into consideration before making a wager. Those aren’t inconsequential meet-ups.
Elsewhere on defense, cornerback (+400) has the potential to cash out. It isn’t hard imagining the Bears taking Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., or Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez. Although, I can’t imagine the team drafting a safety (+2600). Not with Jaquan Brisker and Eddie Jackson holding it down on the back end. And after free agent investments at linebacker (+600) and tight end (+5000), it is tough to see either position being the first Bears pick.
I feel as if I can say the same for a quarterback (+11000) being the pick. Trading for D.J. Moore is essentially the front office’s affirmation of Justin Fields being their guy.
Two positions that stand out as potential values are wide receiver (+800) and running back (+1900). You don’t have to squint to see a scenario in which wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the best player available at No. 9. As for running back, I recall Bears GM Ryan Poles was with the Chiefs when K.C. used a first-round pick on LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. So part of me wonders if there would be interest in Texas running back Bijan Robinson. That +1900 number might be worth throwing a buck on for funsies. And it would add another layer of explosiveness to Chicago’s offense.
In the end, it is a pretty wide-open race when it comes to pegging a future Bears draft pick. But it is one where we can find a winner. Especially if we continue monitoring the rumor mill over the next five weeks.
