Draft Insider Suggests Chicago Bears Might Be Planning A Shocker

The Chicago Bears have made it through the biggest wave of free agency. By all accounts, they did some great work. Experts love the additions to the offensive line with Drew Dalman, Joe Thuney, and Jonah Jackson. Together with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo on the defensive line, the Bears seem much stronger in the trenches. GM Ryan Poles admitted that these moves have busted the door open to do almost anything with the 10th overall pick in the 1st round of the draft next month.

Many fans hope they stay focused on the trenches and perhaps add another pass rusher or even a potential left tackle of the future. However, experts seem convinced their focus will shift to adding an offensive playmaker. Running back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State and tight end Tyler Warren of Penn State are the two most discussed names. However, Matt Miller of ESPN suggested the Bears might opt to do something most haven't even considered.

Miller: Chicago Bears. After shoring up the interior of the offensive line and adding two trench players on defense in edge Dayo Odeyingbo and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, the Bears have checked off their major roster needs. At pick No. 10, Chicago could go after Jeanty if he's on the board or might consider a receiver to replace free agent Keenan Allen.

The Chicago Bears would join a rare company if they did that.

Drafting wide receivers in the 1st round in back-to-back years is exceedingly rare in the NFL. It has only happened twice since 2000. The Detroit Lions went three straight years with Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, and Mike Williams from 2003 to 2005. Then, the Philadephia Eagles did it with Jaelen Reagor and DeVonta Smith in 2020 and 2021. It just doesn't happen, and the only reason it would is because the first receiver picked made a rough first impression and clearly wasn't what the organization hoped for. Rogers and Reagor proved as much.

There was nothing last season to suggest the Chicago Bears were displeased with 9th overall pick Rome Odunze. He finished third on the team with 734 yards, just 10 behind Keenan Allen despite ten fewer targets. He looked every bit like the passing game fixture the Bears were hoping for. So why would they take a wide receiver?

The simplest answer could be that all of them could still be on the board when they go on the clock. Luther Burden, Tetairoa McMillan, and Matthew Golden are top prospects. There is a reasonable chance they're all available at #10. If Jeanty and Warren are off the board, the temptation to double down at wide receiver may be too great. In truth, that doesn't feel like a probable outcome, particularly after the Bears signed veteran Olamide Zaccheaus to shore up the receiver room.