Chicago Bears 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Considering trade options

The Chicago Bears first go on the clock in this 2020 NFL mock draft at number 43 overall. I did look at some trade down options at this pick, but could not find anything that made sense. Instead, the Bears stand pat and take Purdue tight end Brycen Hopkins.

With Trey Burton missing a bulk of the year with injuries, the Bears struggled to find a consistent option at the tight end position in 2019. The Bears offense was much more productive in 2018 when Burton was healthy and making plays in the middle of the field. He is a talented player who can be a downfield playmaker, but he also has a ton of value in this offense as a security blanket for Mitchell Trubisky. Losing Burton undoubtedly hurt Trubisky and the Bears’ offense last season.

Having Burton healthy would obviously help this offense going forward, but the Bears simply cannot go into the 2020 season without a solid backup plan in place at the position. This is where Hopkins come into play.

Hopkins is a smooth and athletic tight end prospect who always seems to create space in the middle of the field. He is a gifted route runner who can separate against man coverage and has a knack for finding space against zone. Hopkins is also a strong run after catch receiver who shows an impressive combination of short-area quickness and finishing power.

While Hopkins is not much of a blocker at this point in his career, he does show plenty of upside as a mismatch “move” tight end at the next level. Hopkins would provide fantastic security against another Burton injury in his rookie season. At the same time, the Chicago Bears could groom him to take over the full-time job in Year 2, where his long-term ceiling is high.