The Chicago Bears draft plans for 2020 don't exactly look encouraging. Due to the Khalil Mack trade last season, they will be without a 1st round pick. Worse still, given the way their year has gone it probably would've been a top 15 pick at least. So yeah. People don't exactly have the highest of expectations that the team can somehow deliver a needed hit next April in order to help smooth over some of the cracks starting to show in the roster.
The fact that the 2019 draft class, which also had no 1st rounder isn't doing much to help the team either? That only increases the pessimism. Hence why there are so many calls for the Bears to consider trading Khalil Mack while his value is still high. It's virtually guaranteed a team with significant cap space would be willing to give up a 1st round pick and some change for one of the best pass rushers in the league. A guy who is still just 28-years old.
That would be admitting this team is no longer capable of competing, and while the season hasn't gone as hoped this simply isn't true. Changes are needed, yes. It's not like they need to be sweeping though. Gaps need to be plugged and it's possible for the Bears to do that even without the benefit of a 1st round pick.
Chicago Bears draft can still score big in 2020
Look. Is it hard to score a hit in the draft without the benefit of a 1st rounder? Naturally. There are only so many good players in a class and not being able to select earlier decreases the odds of finding one. That said, it's not like the league has consistently shown a team absolutely needs one to be productive. There have been a number of examples just since 2015 of teams scoring some big hits in their drafts despite no 1st rounder.
Seattle Seahawks (2015)
- Frank Clark
- Tyler Lockett
- Terry Poole
- Mark Glowinski
- Tye Smith
- Obum Gwacham
- Kristjan Sokoli
- Ryan Murphy
Kansas City Chiefs (2016)
- Chris Jones
- KeiVarae Russell
- Parker Ehinger
- Eric Murray
- Demarcus Robinson
- Kevin Hogan
- Tyreek Hill
- D.J. White
- Dadi Nicolas
Minnesota Vikings (2017)
- Dalvin Cook
- Pat Elflein
- Jaleel Johnson
- Ben Gedeon
- Rodney Adams
- Danny Isidora
- Bucky Hodges
- Stacy Coley
- Ifeadi Odenigbo
- Elijah Lee
- Jack Tocho
Los Angeles Rams (2017)
- Gerald Everett
- Cooper Kupp
- John Johnson
- Josh Reynolds
- Samson Ebukam
- Tanzel Smart
- Sam Rogers
- Ejuan Price
Just look at some of the names on that list. Frank Clark? Chris Jones? Dalvin Cook? All legitimate stars. Tyler Lockett and Cooper Kupp have also proven to be really good players too. It's all about doing the necessary scouting, trusting the board and not overthinking the picks. Pace has proven he can do this in years past with the likes of Eddie Goldman, Cody Whitehair, Jordan Howard, Eddie Jackson, and Tarik Cohen. Given how much pressure he'll be under in 2020, smart money says he'll make sure not to get cute with anything.
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