RUMOR: Most Likely Chicago Bears 1st Round Target If Not QB

Having gotten lost in the constant speculation about which quarterback the Chicago Bears could end up with in the 1st round of the draft, people haven't really wanted to consider the alternative. That the team gets stuck without one. Like it or not, this is a possibility. Sitting at #20 overall makes getting one of the top five QBs difficult. Could they trade up? Certainly. That isn't as easy as it sounds though. Other teams may have designs on moving up for a QB too. It is possible the teams in the top 10 aren't willing to drop that far down. There are a number of obstacles. GM Ryan Pace said his team is prepared for any eventuality. That includes staying at #20 or even moving down. So that begs the question. If the QB hopes don't materialize in the 1st round, where will the Bears focus?

Expect it to stay on the offensive side.

A source informed SM that barring a quarterback, expectations are the team will take a wide receiver. This wouldn't be a huge shock. The Bears have to do what they can to maximize Andy Dalton. Giving him another weapon makes sense. There is also the uncertain stability of the position to consider. Allen Robinson is working on a one-year deal. Anthony Miller is on the trade block. If they aren't careful Darnell Mooney could be the only notable receiver left on the roster by next offseason. As to who that player could end up being? Draft experts have pinpointed a couple of names. The most popular is Kadarius Toney out of Florida while Elijah Moore of Ole Miss is another who fits their profile. One name mentioned to me to watch for is Rashod Bateman of Minnesota. He is somebody Pace is supposedly high on and has been for some time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TujOaK7zK8k&t=1s&ab_channel=SportsProductions

Chicago Bears are probably wise to take this course

While a wide receiver may not be what fans were hoping for, it does make sense. That area of the 1st round has been relatively good at producing capable receivers in recent years. Since 2010, here are some names that went somewhere the 15th and 25th picks.

• Dez Bryant
• Demaryius Thomas
• Brandin Cooks
• Will Fuller
• D.J. Moore
• CeeDee Lamb
• Justin Jefferson

That is out of 16 receivers total taken. Not a bad hit rate at all. Granted, the Chicago Bears have a somewhat troubling history with 1st round wide receivers. Kevin White and David Terrell being the two most recent examples. The idea itself is sound but they still have to pick the right player. Is Bateman that guy? He has the talent but so did White. So did Anthony Miller. Bad luck just seems to follow this team at that position.

Hopefully they catch a break this time around if that happens.

Smart money is they will stay focused on quarterbacks until they're absolutely certain it isn't going to happen. The fun likely begins around the time Detroit goes on the clock at #7. That is the area where experts believe QB-needy teams might look to move up. Chicago is one of them. It will be interesting to see if they find the deal they're looking for.