Brad Biggs: Chicago Bears need a cornerback in 2020 NFL draft - Chicago Tribune

© Joe Robbins/Getty Images North America/TNS Defensive back Kristian Fulton of LSU runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 29, 2020.

CHICAGO — In discussing the draft in the most general terms possible Tuesday, Ryan Pace said he views cornerbacks in a similar light to pass rushers: It's impossible to have too many.

The Bears have spent big for pass rushers, acquiring Khalil Mack in a trade-and-extend deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player in September 2018. Then, the team splurged for Robert Quinn in free agency, signing him to a five-year, $70 million contract with the key figure being $30 million guaranteed.

Pace has paid for cornerbacks too, matching the offer sheet Kyle Fuller signed with the Packers, a four-year contract worth $56 million that he is halfway through. On the other side of Fuller, the Bears spent $25 million on Prince Amukamara over the last three seasons, an investment they got a reasonable return on.

But sort through options on the roster to replace Amukamara and it's difficult to identify a front-runner. Artie Burns is a former Steelers first-round draft pick and was signed to a one-year contract for the league minimum. Burns fell out of favor in Pittsburgh so long ago, he has started only two games since Oct. 14, 2018. The Bears were happy to add Kevin Toliver as an undrafted free agent in 2018, believing he had a solid mid-round grade had it not been for other circumstances. He has played 310 defensive snaps in two seasons. Duke Shelley was a sixth-round pick a year ago and is undersized. Tre Roberson was an All-Star in the CFL, but it's a leap to the NFL.

That brings us to Friday night's opportunity for Pace to add to a position that has little depth behind Fuller and nickel cornerback Buster Skrine. Whether the Bears find a cornerback they deem a good fit at No. 43 remains to be seen, but those clamoring for an offensive lineman, receiver, tight end, safety or any other position can't make a case for a greater need.

The Bears have invested very little draft capital in the position over the last two decades, spanning from Pace's regime all the way back to the end of Mark Hatley's control of personnel. In the last 20 years, the Bears have used first- or second-round picks on only three cornerbacks: Fuller (Round 1, 2014), Devin Hester (Round 2, 2006) and Charles Tillman (Round 2, 2003). Hester spent about as much time on defense as it took him to run back a kickoff for a touchdown.

In that long span there is only one third-round pick at cornerback, a name that could win a bar bet among the majority of fans. Roosevelt Williams came out of Tuskegee in Round 3 in 2002 and wasn't around long. Two years later, the team picked Nathan Vasher in Round 4, while Trumaine McBride, Corey Graham and Zack Bowman all turned into nice Day 3 finds. Tim Jennings was a budget free-agent buy that flourished.

"We did some things in the offseason to help that," Pace said Tuesday. "We're excited about Toliver. We added Artie Burns. We have some young guys we're excited about developing. When I look at corner, for me it's really no different than pass rusher: You cannot have enough of those guys. So it's something we're always looking at improving."

Fortunately there is a good class of cornerbacks in this draft. Ohio State's Jeff Okudah and Florida's CJ Henderson will be drafted early, perhaps in the top 10. After that, the question is when a run on the position will begin. If it's in the middle of Round 1, that could thin out options for the Bears at No. 43. If it's later in the round, more prospects could be available. There could be a difference in selecting the fifth cornerback of the draft or getting, say, the seventh or eighth. Including the Bears, Lions and Vikings, a case can be made that 10 teams have the position as a primary draft need. Another 10 can safely call it a secondary need.

With two picks in Round 2, Pace has some flexibility and is considering potential opportunities to trade down. The Bears should have a good idea which cornerbacks could be in the mix for them. In the last 10 drafts, an average of five cornerbacks are drafted by the 43rd pick and six are selected by the 50th pick. The number could be a tick higher this year.

"We're always mindful of how many players are going off at certain positions to predict who could be there when we get to our picks," Pace said. "We have some of those analytics in place to predict things. That's one thing you're watching is, 'OK, this position is going off the board a little more heavily than maybe we expected' or whatnot. That's all part of it. And just what trends are taking place in the draft. That's the main thing."

One general manager predicted the Bears could be making a choice between LSU's Kristian Fulton or Auburn's Noah Igbinoghene as the best options likely available at No. 43. A college scouting director for another team figures Fulton will be drafted earlier and believes six cornerbacks will come off the board in the top 42 picks. The short list he projected for the Bears included Igbinoghene, TCU's Jeff Gladney and Ohio State's Damon Arnette.

It all depends how the Bears view the small cloud of players available at No. 43 and how they project another cloud, with some overlap in players, a little later in the round. If the Bears can replicate the success they had with the few high picks they've made at the position, they can wait a couple of years before they address it again.

But it's surprising they've been as consistently good on defense for so long when Fuller is the only cornerback drafted before Round 4 in the last 13 years. Pace must know it's time for a cornerback, because while he says you can't have too many, you can have too few. And right now, that's the situation the Bears are in.

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