Now that NFL free agency has largely settled down, teams have shifted their attention to preparing for the NFL Draft.
As the annual hoopla surrounding this wonderfully crazy event ups its gear into ridiculousness, the
Chicago Bears are among a select few teams furiously figuring out what the hell to do with the draft position that they are in.
The Bears have the third overall pick. They need to find their quarterback of the future, and they need to continue to find their future stars at other positions as they build their team’s core foundation. Yes, the draft is 100% a mega-crapshoot and there’s no way to really judge a draft until a couple years in. But still, this is one of the deepest drafts in terms of positional talent the league has seen in many years – but the fanfare surrounding the quarterback position is suboptimal.
So, because of this, there is no real consensus on what Chicago will do with their pick. Will they select a QB? Will they go best available player, which would more than likely be on the defensive side of the ball? Will they trade the pick? Nobody knows.
But while there is no consensus, patterns have emerged as to whom experts think the Bears might select. A large majority think they’ll go with defense if they keep the pick, whereas the rest think they’ll bite the bullet and take their QB, because there’s no guarantee that anyone they like would be available in the second round – mediocre QB class or not.
So, who are the players that the Bears might be interested in and what should we know about them? Let’s take a look.
Note: In this edition, we’ll ignore the quarterback position. And no, Myles Garrett isn’t falling to the Bears, so we won’t discuss him either.
Jonathan Allen
Jonathan Allen is a very good football player; there’s no doubt about it.
He’s a good pass rusher who can play inside and outside on the defensive line. He was actually an outside linebacker when he came in to college, so he always had athletic ability. He’s strong, he’s fast, and he plays the run well too. But I don’t think he does any of these things better than Solomon Thomas does (we’ll get to him later).
What’s more is that word came out of the NFL Combine that Allen is battling arthritis in both of his shoulders. Both shoulders! That’s scary. Arthritis isn’t something that can be cured and it never gets better – it only gets worse.
While they’re saying the arthritis won’t really affect him in his first few years, is that a chance the Bears really want to take with the third overall pick? If I’m Ryan Pace, I’m not using such a high pick on someone whose career could be cut short due to a pre-existing condition. Sure, there’s a chance he could be an All-Pro. But is it worth the risk?
Marshon Lattimore
Marshon Lattimore is a possible game-changer for Chicago’s secondary. The best cornerback in this draft, Lattimore is a ridiculous athlete, has great speed, can challenge receivers well, and has good ball skills. Basically, he has all the tools that the Bears would want in a cornerback. He doesn’t have “ideal” size for Vic Fangio’s scheme, but it’s plenty good enough, and his skillset quickly makes up for everything else.
He’s battled some hamstring issues though, and they crept up again at the Combine when he came up limping after running his 40-yard dash. If his medicals check out and teams are comfortable that they won’t be a major issue going forward, then he’s a great target at the top of the draft.
Jamal Adams
Jamal Adams seems to be most popular choice amongst analysts, and for good reason. A safety from LSU, Adams is a natural leader who can hit with the best of them. And I mean hit. He doles out punishment to runners like a tank, can sniff out screens extremely well, and overall would be an instant tone-setter for the defense. He can cover tight ends too, which would be awesome for this secondary. I’m sure most Bears fans are scarred from the performances that Rob Gronkowski, Jordan Reed and other tight ends have routinely put up against Chicago in the past.
Sometimes he can be a little over-aggressive which makes him susceptible to play-action, and he doesn’t have a lot of elite athletic qualities which may cause concern for some scouts near the top of the draft. But he’s one hell of a football player. The Bears defense, already expected to be somewhat of a handful for opposing offenses next year with the expected development of their existing youngsters, would have a game changer in the secondary for the first time since the days of Mike Brown if they went with Adams. It’s fun to think about.
Solomon Thomas
Whereas Adams was the most popular choice amongst analysts, Thomas seems to be the most popular choice amongst fans. A Chicago native, Thomas is an absolute monster on the defensive line. He’s well-built, he is fast, and most importantly, he plays with a hunger and pursuit that’s unmatched. His stock has exploded since his performance against North Carolina and his feasting on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, and for good reason. His athleticism and motor are off the charts, and his pass rush moves complement his desire to get to the quarterback very well.
Some scouts consider him to be a “tweener” – they’re concerned that he doesn’t have the bulk to play on the interior and that his length may not be ideal to play as a five-technique. But they had concerns about Aaron Donald’s size, or “lack” of it, too. And he’s an All-Pro.
My take is that if defensive coaches and coordinators can’t figure out how and where to use him, then they don’t deserve the luxury of having him on their team. Thomas has All-Pro written all over him – no matter where he plays. Quite frankly, I think he may end up being the best player in this draft when all is said and done.
But all that matters is what Pace & Co. think.
