Chicago Bears NFL Draft Outlook If Chris Ballard Is Next GM
By Erik Lambert
The GM search is not over yet for the Chicago Bears. So really anything can happen within the next two to three days. Minds change quickly in pro football. All it takes is somebody to say the exact right or wrong thing for it to happen. Still, it’s hard for anybody to envision that Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard doesn’t claim the position by the weekend.
He’s highly recommended.
He’s in demand.
He’s young and he spent 12 seasons in Chicago as a scout.
Thus what if all the predictions prove right? What if Ballard becomes the next GM of the Bears? For one thing their NFL draft priorities will likely shift considerably from what they were under Phil Emery. The question is in which direction are they likely to go? Based on team needs and Ballard’s background, here is the top 5 positions they could hit early.
#1 – Defensive Back
Those close to Ballard swear by his prowess for identifying quality defensive players, and no position has proven his bread and butter more than defensive back. During his stint with the Bears between 2001 and 2012, he helped the team bring in three Pro Bowlers for their secondary including corners Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher and safety Chris Harris.
Given the weaknesses clearly present in the Bears secondary, it’s only logical that Ballard would stay close to his wheel house on his first ever pick. Look for safety Landon Collins to be a serious target with the 7th pick overall.
#2 – Defensive Line
In keeping with that defensive theme, Ballard also had some big hits on the defensive line as a scout for the Bears. Pro Bowl defensive tackles Tommie Harris and Henry Melton both came through his area in the southwest region. Given the age and lack of depth concerns around that group, don’t be surprised if Ballard goes that way, especially on the edge.
Shane Ray out of Missouri, Alvin Dupree of Kentucky and Randy Gregory from Nebraska are all viable 1st round targets once the Bears go on the clock.
#3 – Speedy Receiver
Another unheralded pick that Ballard had a hand in was a little known 5th round pick in 2009 named Johnny Knox. Part of the blockbuster trade for Jay Cutler, he was known for his burner speed which became evident real fast. Knox wasn’t a star but he forced defenses to respect his threat, which the Bears used to their advantage often. Ask any fan and they would say they really miss him.
As it stands the current Bears are overloaded on size with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery but lack an ability to take the top off defenses. Ballard will want to address it at some point, most likely in the third or fourth round. That would put sleepers like Tyler Lockett of Kansas State, Dres Anderson from Utah and Phillip Dorsett from Miami.
#4 – Linebacker
Perhaps a new coordinator will make more sense of the current murky situation at linebacker for the Chicago Bears defense. It seems like they are in transition and have a couple of interesting pieces but no stars. Christian Jones has potential while Jon Bostic and Shea McClellin flash but lack consistency. A better defensive coordinator might elevate their play but it’s more than likely they need to address this area.
The problem is there is absolutely no history to draw on regarding Ballard and linebackers. In his 12 seasons as a scout the Bears never selected a linebacker from his region of influence. Part of that was due to the presence of Brian Urlacher and then Lance Briggs but even then most of the names that came through were all from northern or eastern colleges. So it’s unclear whether Ballard can identify quality linebackers.
#5 – Offensive Line
One area that Ballard can’t afford to make the same mistakes as his predecessor Jerry Angelo is not paying constant attention to the offensive line. Jay Cutler is a quarterback that holds the ball and does his best work with a consistent ground game. To that end Ballard must make sure to infuse that front with fresh bodies regularly. Adding another from the 2015 draft is a start.
The area that needs the most attention is tackle. Given the defensive needs though it will likely be a 3rd round or later action. Tyrus Thompson and Daryl Williams of Oklahoma and Jake Fisher of Oregon bear watching.