The Chicago Bears have four months to figure out what they're going to do in the upcoming 2017 NFL draft. No doubt it's going to be the most momentous one in years for this franchise and its fans. It comes on the tail end of a putrid 3-13 finish in 2016 season, resulting in the highest draft slot the team has held (#3) since way back in 1972.
What people want to know is just what GM Ryan Pace plans to do with it. Will he try to add more juice to an already young and talented defense? He'll have loads of options from pass rushers like Jonathan Allen and Derek Barnett to playmaking safeties like Malik Hooker and Jamal Adams. It would be hard to get angry about that.
Still, one problem remains. What do they do about the quarterback position? Pace himself said it was the single most important issue he has to address this off-season. Chicago may be founded on a legacy of defense, but they haven't won a championship in over 30 years, and the QB position is the biggest reason why. It's may be time to stop putting it off, and here's why that's the case. (continue to next page from top)
The Bears have the advantage of position in regards to their draft slot at #3. However, they sit in what one might call a "heavy buyer" market this year. In other words there could be a lot of other teams trying to vie for the top quarterbacks in this class. The competition is pretty fierce just in the top 10, but it goes even beyond that.
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 11: at Soldier Field on August 11, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. The Broncos defeated the Bears 22-0. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)[/caption]
Competition
The Bears have the advantage of position in regards to their draft slot at #3. However, they sit in what one might call a "heavy buyer" market this year. In other words there could be a lot of other teams trying to vie for the top quarterbacks in this class. The competition is pretty fierce just in the top 10, but it goes even beyond that.
Big need teams
- Cleveland (#1 and #12)
- San Francisco (#2)
- New York Jets (#6)
- Arizona Cardinals (#13)
- Houston Texans (#25-32)
Fringe need teams
- San Diego Chargers (#7)
- Buffalo Bills (#10)
- Kansas City Chiefs (#25-32)
Best Chance To Get A Hit
Every year a team comes across a quarterback in the class that they few as "unpassable." In other words this player is at such a level, talent-wise that they can't justify passing on them when on the clock. Pace showed his hand in this regard with his heavy interest in Marcus Mariota in 2015 and Carson Wentz last year. Both of those players proved too far out of reach for Chicago to have a shot at them. This time around the Bears are high enough. Would they really pass on this opportunity to get the guy of their choice in favor of another position? It's fair to point out the last time they did that, Aaron Rodgers ended up in Green Bay. Now they haven't beaten the Packers at Soldier Field in six years. Top five quarterbacks make up the majority of successful signal callers in the NFL, a lesson this team still hasn't learned. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/33-Sid-Luckman-The-Top-100-NFL’s-Greatest-Players-2010-NFL-Films.mp4"][/video]History
Here's as straightforward a statistic as any fan will need if they want to understand this franchise and its quarterback woes. Since the NFL draft came into existence in 1936, the Bears have selected a total of 59 quarterbacks. Of those 12 made it to at least one Pro Bowl in their career. Keep in mind those from the earlier days of the 1930s through the 1950s often played both offense and defense. So in reality of those 12 players, just four of them actually made the Pro Bowl primarily as a quarterback in Chicago. Here's the kicker. Of those lonely foursome, three of them were selected in the top five picks of the draft.- Sid Luckman (#2 overall, 1939)
- Johnny Lujack (#4 overall, 1946)
- Ed Brown (#68 overall, 1952)
- Jim McMahon (#5 overall, 1982)
Depth At Other Need Positions
Then there is the matter of other team needs. For once it actually appears like the draft is setting itself up perfectly for the Bears to do this. Going into 2017 the list of needs for the Bears roster is pretty clear: quarterback, safety, cornerback, tight end. Those are the top four and it's really not even close. With this being the case, it is great news for the Bears. The upcoming draft class appears to have its core strengths at each of those three positions that aren't QB. Here is a breakdown prospects according to CBS Sports and how many of each position currently rank in the top 50.Safety
- #3 - Malik Hooker
- #6 - Jamal Adams
- #48 - Budda Baker
- #50 - Marcus Williams
Cornerback
- #7 - Marlon Humphrey
- #8 - Teez Tabor
- #20 - Sidney Jones
- #22 - Marshon Lattimore
- #27 - Cordrea Tankersley
- #36 - Gareon Conley
- #41 - Tre'Davious White
- #47 - Cameron Sutton
- #49 - Quincy Wilson
Tight end
- #33 - O.J. Howard
- #37 - David Njoku
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 11: at Soldier Field on August 11, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. The Broncos defeated the Bears 22-0. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)[/caption]
