Bears had legitimate interest in Patrick Mahomes during 2017 draft
Leigh Steinberg, the agent of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, said this week from Miami that the Bears were thorough in their evaluation of the game's best young passer and expressed legitimate interest in him during the 2017 NFL Draft process. Unfortunately, GM Ryan Pace ended that process with a higher grade on Mitch Trubisky, and the rest is history.
"They were interested and they scouted him very thoroughly," Steinberg told WGN's Adam Hoge. "But individual teams fall in love with individual players and that's what it takes to get drafted high. And I think you have to give Trubisky a much longer period because what happens is, the more times a quarterback sees the field, the better he gets."
It was nice of Steinberg to soften the blow by suggesting Trubisky could still emerge as a legitimate starting quarterback, but regardless of where his career ends up at this point, it's clear he'll fall way short of anything Mahomes will accomplish. We're already seeing that play out this weekend; Trubisky is trying to learn coverages while Mahomes is preparing for the Super Bowl.
Steinberg did admit that it would've been fun if Mahomes ended up in Chicago.
"The only thing that hurt me is that it's so much fun having a player in Chicago because if you can just win — well, '85. I went back for a roast of Richard Dent and they still love that '85 team," said Steinberg.
Mahomes would've owned Chicago had Pace drafted him. Imagine him doing for the Bears what he's doing in Kansas City?
Instead, he's going to own Bears fans' nightmares for the next decade-plus as they're left asking what could've been.
Former Bears guard Kyle Long announced his retirement from the NFL this offseason and has been using his time in Miami during Super Bowl week to make a strong case for a gig as a football analyst. He's already offering his opinion on what Chicago should do in this April's 2020 NFL Draft, and it's hard to argue with his assessment.
"I think if you draft early and invest in early picks on the offensive and defensive line, you'll never go wrong," Long told WGN's Adam Hoge. "Everybody else does well when the offensive line does well. And you look around the playoffs and you look at Super Bowl Sunday and what do these two groups have in common? Great o-lines."
The offensive line will be an early draft target for GM Ryan Pace and there's a good chance he'll use the team's first pick (No. 43 overall) on an interior lineman to replace Long in the starting lineup. In fact, the Bears could double-up on offensive linemen by selecting an interior player and an offensive tackle with each of their two second-rounders.
Chicago's draft plan will crystallize once free agency concludes. It's highly unlikely Pace will use his early draft assets on a position group he also spends big money on in the open market.
A few offensive linemen likely to be on the board when the Bears pick in the second round include Matt Hennessy (iOL, Temple), Lloyd Cushenberry III (iOL, LSU), Cesar Ruiz (iOL, Michigan), Austin Jackson (OT, USC) and Prince Tega-Wanogho (OT, Auburn).
On the final day of Super Bowl week from Radio Row in Miami, Laurence Holmes is joined by a guy who plagued the Bears and Bear fans for years: former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson.
The two discuss what it's like living on a farm, what is Bears-Packers week like for the Packers and his favorite game he ever played. (Caution to Bears fans, you may be triggered.)
(1:40) - Growing up on a farm
(3:10) - What it was like playing the Bears
(5:40) - 2010 NFC Championship game (trigger warning)
(7:20) - The Peanut Punch
(9:00) - What makes Aaron Rodgers so great
(11:00) - Advice he would give young receivers
Listen here or in the embedded player below.
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