People always love to discuss what-if scenarios in sports. Especially when it comes to drafts. The Chicago Bears are certainly no different. The 2010s decade might be the richest in terms of could-have-beens. Obviously most people look at 2017 with Mitch Trubisky as the landmark moment. Yet there are plenty of others. One that still makes fans cringe to this day is 2011.
It marked the first time since 2008 the team had a 1st round pick due to the Jay Cutler trade. GM Jerry Angelo was in his 10th season running the team. He had a chance to infuse a veteran roster with some much-needed young talent. In the end, he went with Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi. Experts liked the guy. He was lauded for his mixture of size and power along with a mean streak that fit the Bears perfectly.
Then two games into his rookie year he suffered a devastating knee injury and was never the same. So what would they have done if given another chance? Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report did a complete re-drafting of the first round in 2011. The Bears still found a way to mess it up by taking defensive Jabaal Sheard.
"Carimi started just 16 games as a member of the Chicago Bears, who could have used support for Julius Peppers up front and could find that in this spot. With that in mind, we debated between Jabaal Sheard and Marcell Dareus. The former remains a strong player, while the latter peaked higher but has missed 21 games the last four years and appears to be fading quickly (he remains a free agent right now).
Considering the Bears already had Henry Melton inside in those early years and now have Akiem Hicks, we'll give them a quality complementary pass-rusher with longevity and roll with Sheard."
Chicago Bears passed on better players yet again
Now no disrespect to Sheard. He's been a steady, dependable football player for a long time. He had some good years in Cleveland and New England where he got eight sacks. Yet his career is defined by being a five-sacks-per-year guy. That is not worth a 1st round pick. Not when names like Dareus, Jimmy Smith, and Kyle Rudolph were still available.
Dareus was dominant in his first four years in the league. Who knows how different his career might've been under Lovie Smith. Rudolph is a two-time Pro Bowl tight end who could've survived one season blocking for Mike Martz before being unleashed as a receiving threat in subsequent seasons. A consolation prize for the disastrous decision to trade Greg Olsen. As for Smith? He's never been a great cornerback but he's been good for a long time.
Even a guy who wasn't re-drafted might've been a better choice. The Bears needed tackle help bad. Marcus Cannon was still available. He became the dependable right tackle for the New England Patriots in the 2010s, starting on their 2016 and 2018 championship teams. He was also a second-team All-Pro in '16. A rock solid football player.
If nothing else though, Sheard would've had one benefit. He would've helped the Bears avoid drafting Shea McClellin the next year.
