Chicago Bears NFL Draft Outlook Under John Fox
By Erik Lambert
April 26 2013; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos first round draft pick Sylvester Williams poses for a photo with head coach John Fox (left) and John Elway (right) at Broncos headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
GM Ryan Pace will have the final say over the roster for the Chicago Bears moving forward, but it’s clear he’s going to accept significant input from the head coach in order to build a strong relationship. Provided John Fox is the man for the job, and all indications have pointed that direction, what sort of draft approach can fans expect moving forward.
Heavy emphasis on the trenches
In 12 years as a head coach, a look back at the history of his teams in Carolina and Denver has revealed Fox is a man who is dead set at controlling the line of scrimmage. Of the 13 drafts he’s been a part of, his teams have selected an offensive or defensive lineman five times in the first round. There is a logic behind this approach. It’s much easier according to draft history to hit on top linemen than it is skill position players. Also, teams that control the line of scrimmage tend to have an easier time winning games.
People saw how well the Dallas Cowboys did when they invested heavily up front.
Strong leanings towards the offensive backfield
Fox is an old school coach. Like so many defensive-minded leaders before him, he puts a strong emphasis on running the football in order to control the clock and with it, the game. Perhaps that is why his teams have selected 10 running backs in the NFL draft over the course of his career. That includes six in the first three rounds. Suffice to say Matt Forte and Ka’Deem Carey can expect some company in the backfield moving forward.
No quarterbacks or wide receivers on Day 1
Could this be the reason why John Fox has never won a championship? Impossible to say but it’s worth an argument. History has shown that coaches and GMs who are afraid to invest high draft choices in quarterbacks or wide receivers tend to see their offenses struggle. Lovie Smith, the Chicago Bears former coach was a perfect example. His teams never once selected a player from either position in the first round. The closest Fox ever came was 2010 when his Panthers took Jimmy Clausen early in the second round. It was a disaster and he was fired after a 2-14 season
Can Ryan Pace convince the old coach that high investments in both areas is how teams win championships in the modern NFL?