5 positions of need for the Chicago Bears in the NFL draft
The Bears enter the NFL draft with several roster holes to fill with their seven picks.
Here's a look at their biggest needs and which players might be available for their second-round selections at Nos. 43 and 50.
1. Offensive line
Bears starters: C Cody Whitehair, LG James Daniels, RG Rashaad Coward OR Germain Ifedi, LT Charles Leno, RT Bobby Massie.
Others: Alex Bars, Jason Spriggs, Dino Boyd, Corey Levin, Sam Mustipher.
Why there's a need: At the end of the 2019 season, Pace stressed the need to upgrade the line after the Bears ranked 27th in the running game at 91.1 yards per game. So far, he has added Ifedi, who is likely to compete for the right guard spot with Coward. Ifedi, 25, is a 2016 first-round draft pick and brings 60 games of experience over four seasons with the Seahawks. His one-year deal could be a motivator for a big season. But the Bears need depth beyond him. They lost swing tackle Cornelius Lucas to the Redskins in free agency and need a replacement, though they did sign former Packers second-round pick Jason Spriggs to a one-year deal. Ifedi also can play tackle, so there's some flexibility should the Bears be eyeing an interior line prospect in the draft.
Top prospects: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa, and Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama.
Second-round possibilities: Austin Jackson, OT, USC; Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State; Josh Jones, OT, Houston; Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia; Cesar Ruiz, C/G, Michigan; Lloyd Cushenberry III, C, LSU; Robert Hunt, G, Louisiana-Lafayette.
Of note: There's a possibility the four tackles above will be off the board by the time the Bears pick at No. 43, but various mock drafts have one or two slipping. Ruiz, a two-time All-Big Ten selection, could be intriguing if he gets to 43, and the Tribune's Brad Biggs liked him for the Bears in his second mock draft. Ruiz started five games at right guard as a Michigan freshman and 26 games over the next two seasons at center. Pro Football Focus named him the best pass-blocking center in the country in 2019, with eight pressures allowed in 447 snaps in pass protection.
2. Cornerback
Bears starters: Kyle Fuller, Buster Skrine.
Others: Kevin Toliver, Tre Roberson, Artie Burns, Duke Shelley, Stephen Denmark, Michael Joseph, Xavier Crawford.
Why there's a need: The Bears cut veteran Prince Amukamara after three seasons in Chicago and need his replacement to play opposite Fuller and slot cornerback Skrine. They have several options, but none is a surefire starter. Toliver started two games in his first two seasons and has four passes defended. Roberson joins the Bears on a two-year contract after spending two seasons with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders. Burns was a Steelers 2016 first-round pick and started 25 games over his first two seasons in the league. But he started just seven over the last two years, injured a knee in the middle of the 2019 season and was a healthy scratch over the last month of his career in Pittsburgh.
Top prospect: Jeff Okudah, Ohio State.
Second-round possibilities: Jeff Gladney, TCU; Trevon Diggs, Alabama; A.J. Terrell, Clemson; Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn; Kristian Fulton, LSU; Jaylon Johnson, Utah; Damon Arnette, Ohio State.
Of note: NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Gladney ranked as his 46th overall player and sixth cornerback, calling him quick, feisty and fluid. Gladney had five career interceptions and 43 passes defended as a four-year starter at TCU, and Biggs thinks he could be an option at No. 50 for the Bears. But Gladney is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 191 pounds and is coming off March meniscus surgery.
3. Wide receiver
Bears starters: Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller.
Others: Cordarrelle Patterson, Javon Wims, Riley Ridley, Thomas Ives, Reggie Davis, Alex Wesley.
Why there's a need: The Bears need a speedy replacement for Taylor Gabriel, whom they cut after he missed seven games in 2019 with a pair of concussions. Beyond Robinson, who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, there are a lot of questions with the receiving corps. Miller is recovering from his second left shoulder surgery in as many years. The Bears targeted Patterson only 17 times in 2019. Wims had 18 catches on 39 targets for 186 yards in his second season, and Ridley, a 2019 fourth-round pick, had only six catches on seven targets for 69 yards. If the Bears are going to make strides on offense, they need more production behind Robinson.
Top prospects: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama, and CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma.
Second-round possibilities: Denzel Mims, Baylor; Jalen Reagor, TCU; Michael Pittman Jr., USC; K.J. Hamler, Penn State; Chase Claypool, Notre Dame.
Of note: ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. predicted in his most recent mock draft the Bears would use their No. 50 pick on Hamler, who hails from Robinson's high school (Orchard Lake St. Mary's in Michigan) and college. Hamler tweaked his hamstring before the combine and had his pro day canceled, so he couldn't show teams what he can do in person. His explosive speed is well known, but there are concerns he dropped too many passes in 2019.
4. Safety
Bears starters: Eddie Jackson.
Others: Deon Bush, Sherrick McManis, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Jordan Lucas, Kentrell Brice.
Why there's a need: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix moved on to the Cowboys after his one season in Chicago, and the Bears need a starter to play alongside Jackson. Bush is an option after re-signing on a one-year, $1.4 million deal. The 2016 fourth-round pick started six games in his rookie year, but he played behind Adrian Amos and Clinton-Dix the next three seasons. Bush started only three games in the last three years, including a playoff appearance in place of an injured Jackson. Bush had two passes defended in 2019. Last month, the Bears signed Lucas, who played two of his four seasons with the Chiefs. But he has started just four career games and has more experience as a special teamer. Pace had great success drafting Jackson, Amos and Bush in the middle rounds, so it would make sense for him to take another shot on a safety.
Top prospect: Xavier McKinney, Alabama.
Second-round possibilities: Grant Delpit, LSU; Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota; Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois; Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne; Ashtyn Davis, California.
Of note: Chinn was an FCS All-American in his senior season and had four interceptions. Chinn, of Fishers, Ind., had 243 tackles, 13 interceptions, 31 passes defended and six forced fumbles in his four-year SIU career. The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Chinn ranked as the second-best safety because of the range, size and speed that give him versatility, while ESPN analyst Todd McShay has him ranked fourth.
5. Tight end
Bears starters: Jimmy Graham.
Others: Demetrius Harris, Adam Shaheen, Ben Braunecker, J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted, Eric Saubert, Dax Raymond, Darion Clark.
Why there's a need: It might seem silly that tight end is a position of need when the Bears have nine on their roster. But look at that list again and pick out the established playmakers. That's difficult to do. The Bears paid big money for Graham this offseason. He's 33 and his production dipped in 2019, but he's at least likely to be a bigger factor than most of the Bears tight ends last year. Trey Burton's injury-plagued 2019 season was a factor in the Bears releasing him Friday. Shaheen has been a non-factor over three seasons. The Bears added Harris in the offseason to fill their need for a Y tight end. Braunecker, Holtz and Horsted contributed in 2019, but a promising rookie could make the Bears feel a lot better about this group. Edge rusher is also a Bears need because they have little depth there. But at least the front end is stacked with Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn.
Top prospect: Cole Kmet, Notre Dame.
Second-round possibilities: Kmet; Adam Trautman, Dayton; Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic.
Of note: Kmet was a two-sport standout at St. Viator, leading the 2017 baseball team to the 3A state championship as a lefty pitcher and center fielder. He also played baseball at Notre Dame. The 6-foot-6, 262-pound Kmet had 43 catches for 515 yards and six touchdowns in his junior season for the Irish. Analysts note his need to improve his blocking and route running, but his size and pass-catching ability make him the top prospect in a thin class. Many predict he will be available for the Bears when they make their first pick.
2020 NFL draft
Thursday-Saturday, ABC-7, ESPN, NFL Network
Round 1: 7 p.m. Thursday
Rounds 2-3: 6 p.m. Friday
Rounds 4-7: 11 a.m. Saturday
BEARS PICKS
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