The Chicago Bears aren't going to be the team that makes any sort of big splash in the 2019 NFL draft. It's bumming a lot of fans out. Draft season is one of the most enjoyable things about football. So having to watch other fans enjoy the thrill and pageantry won't be much fun. The Bears not only have just five picks total but no 1st or 2nd rounders as well.
GM Ryan Pace won't be under nearly as much pressure as he was a year ago. Still, this might end up being his biggest challenge. Finding good players late in a draft is never easy. Finding them with so few picks makes it even tougher. Yet there's a reason to think that this entire setup was part of Pace's plan all along.
To understand why it requires an in-depth look at the makeup of the incoming college draft class.
Chicago Bears 2018 offseason was executed with a clear vision of 2019 in mind
Part of being a good GM does not just understand what's directly in front of you. It's understanding what is coming one, two, or even three years down the road. Good teams make moves in anticipation of a drought period at certain positions and have roster spots open for where the positions are strong. Lance Zierlein helped offer a perfect example. He ranked every position group of the 2019 draft class from best to worst. Looking it over, it becomes clear just how expertly Pace prepared his team for this offseason based on his moves a year ago. What better place to start than where it's weakest.6) Wide receiver: There aren't any "can't-miss" prospects in this group, but there is an interesting mixture of "solid" and "speculative" once you get into Rounds 2-4.[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Trubisky-Drops-Multiple-Dimes-Finds-Robinson-on-Huge-TD-Drive-1.mp4"][/video] Just look at what the Bears did. Obviously they had a major need at the position, but nobody could've expected how large their overhaul would be. They signed Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in free agency. Then they traded their 2020 second round pick to get Anthony Miller before finally grabbing Javon Wims in the 7th. Then for good measure, they signed Cordarrelle Patterson to round out the back end of their depth chart.
10) Cornerback: Your team picked a bad year to need a cornerback -- well, at least a CB1.Pace didn't even think about looking towards 2019 here. He spent big money on new contracts to retain both Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara for multiple years. Then he signed Buster Skrine on a cheap deal in free agency, making it further unlikely that they will spend any sort of significant pick at the position.
11) Linebacker: I wouldn't call this a "bad linebacker draft," but it definitely thins out earlier than many teams would probably like.What else needs to be said? The Bears made Roquan Smith the #8 overall pick in the draft last year. If that weren't enough, they then spent a 4th round pick on Joel Iyiegbuniwe. A move that was curious at the time but upon reading this? It makes far more sense. The defense has both their starting slot secured with good depth behind them. Thus linebacker isn't even close to high on their priority list.
It wasn't just about the bad sections of the draft though
One could flip the script and gaze over the sections that are deemed strong. Before long the pattern will emerge once again.2) Edge: While Josh Allen carries my highest grade as an edge talent, he's way behind Bradley Chubb from last year's class. That said, this year's group is much deeper overall.https://twitter.com/BenFennell_NFL/status/1022602609771917313 All one has to do is look at the Bears' current edge situation to understand. Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd are fixed as the starters. However, there is nothing behind them. Sam Acho was cut. Aaron Lynch is a free agent. All they have at the moment are Isaiah Irving and Kylie Fitts as depth options and they have one combined sack in their careers to this point. Knowing this is a deep class for edge rushers means they'll be able to fix this problem.
3) Interior offensive line: There is enough guard depth to project a decent number of early starters and future starters headed all the way into the late-fourth and early-fifth round.Guard is the only position with some stability questions for this team. They lost both Bryan Witzmann and Eric Kush to free agency. Then there's the uncertain future regarding veteran Kyle Long. His contract is becoming an issue along with his well-documented health problems. They did sign veteran Ted Larsen but only on a one-year deal. They need more long-term help. Adding a rookie with starter potential in the 4th or 5th round sounds perfect.
5) Tight end: If your team needs a tight end, then you are in luck, relative to most drafts...Regardless, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant and Irv Smith Jr. are a talented top three, with upstarts like Kahale Warring, Dawson Knox, Jace Sternberger and Josh Oliver adding "future starter" value and solid depth available in Rounds 4-6.Is anybody convinced at this point that Adam Shaheen or Trey Burton are long-term solutions at tight end? Neither has shown as much. Burton was a nice receiving option at times but has health concerns, physically and mentally. Shaheen hasn't made it through a season without injury yet. The Bears also cut Dion Sims and lost Daniel Brown to free agency. So there's room for a move to make there.
