Chicago Bears: Updated NFL Draft Needs Post-Free Agency
By Erik Lambert
The Chicago Bears were active in a big way during the 2018 free agency period, adding considerable talent to their roster. Now the draft looms.
It’s typically around this time of year that people get a good sense of what the needs of a team will be going into a draft. There is no question the Bears drastically shifted their list of priorities after what they did on the open market. It’s a matter of figuring out which positions are now their primary focus and which likely won’t get much action at all.
One position this almost certainly applies to is wide receiver. After adding Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel while tendering Cameron Meredith, it appears the Bears are largely set in terms of new weaponry for Mitch Trubisky. This is great news considering the 2018 draft class isn’t exactly strong in that area. So with that in mind here are the top five needs Chicago will focus on after their spending spree.
#1: Edge Rusher
Even after signing Aaron Lynch a week ago, it changes nothing for the Bears. Their edge rusher situation is still exceedingly dangerous. Lynch has never delivered in a starting role and Leonard Floyd is coming off a knee injury. This is not something the team can rely on to carry them through 2018. They have to attack the position early in the draft and may actually have to hit it more than once given how barren the free agent market is at present.
#2: Offensive Line
The loss of Josh Sitton hurts. There’s no way around that reality. Thankfully the Bears secured the services of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, one of the absolute best in the business. He should be able to elevate who the Bears have on their roster, but there is still a couple talent question marks at guard and tackle. Bobby Massie isn’t terrible but he’s not good either. Sitton is gone and Kyle Long is coming off three surgeries this off-season. They need fresh blood.
#3: Inside Linebacker
The loss of Christian Jones to Detroit isn’t devastating but it does hurt. The Bears had some good depth at inside linebacker and Jones looked ready to become a full-time starter. Now with him gone and Jerrell Freeman cut, the position is less secure than it was last season. It looks like Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski will be the projected starters in 2018, but this coming draft has some intriguing talents, particularly in the 1st round who could change those plans.
#4: Defensive End
One of the most underrated players the Bears added over the past three seasons was veteran defensive end Mitch Unrein. He was never a star but he was dependable against the run and provided the occasional juice in the pass rush. His exit has left the position to the relatively untested Jonathan Bullard and Roy Robertson-Harris. Both have lots of potential but have only flashed it to this point. They might want to add more competition.
Next: Chicago Bears 2018 Mock Draft: Post-Free Agency Edition
#5: Cornerback
Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are back on long-term deals. So the boundary corner positions are locked up for the next couple years. It’s the depth of the position that remains an issue. Bryce Callahan is only on his tender one-year deal, Sherrick McManis is a free agent and Marcus Cooper was cut. It’s a relatively top-heavy unit in real danger of becoming a weakness if any of their top three guys get injured, something that haunts each of their pasts.