The first week of free agency is out of the way, and the Chicago Bears look like a much different team, especially in the trenches. With three veteran interior offensive linemen added and a pair of defensive linemen, the draft has opened up considerably for general manager Ryan Poles and his front office. Although some of the moves the Bears have made over the past 10 days won’t be with a long-term outlook in mind, they can now draft and develop talent instead of counting on them to be immediate contributors.
Fans can expect the team to keep making moves leading up to the draft, but with the bulk of their spending out of the way, this is an ideal time for a mock draft 2.0 to see what Chicago could be looking at when fast-forwarding ahead to late April’s draft.
1st (#18) OT Josh Simmons
Chicago Bears send #10 toSeattle Seahawks for #18 and #52
If the Bears can help it, I doubt they’ll want to make their selection at 10. The key will be finding a trade partner, but considering that most draft analysts believe the talent at No. 10 and No. 25 are similar, maybe a team like Seattle will value someone they need to come up with and get.
I can’t help but shake the feeling that the Bears will look to upgrade from Braxton Jones in the draft. I’m not exactly sure where I stand on that, but given how many big-time contracts we’ve seen given to lesser free agent tackles, Chicago might want to avoid giving Jones upwards of $20 million per year to be an average left tackle. At the combine, Simmons claimed he would be cleared for an April Pro Day, which would help his stock immensely. A healthy Simmons is probably this class’s best pure left tackle, especially given the concerns about Will Campbell’s length. Although, I do wonder if Kelvin Banks Jr. would fit the size threshold better than Simmons. At worst, he’d compete with Jones for the Week 1 starting left tackle, and with Kiran Amegadjie on the depth chart, they’d be in good shape when it comes to backup tackle depth. This is more of a long-term play that could end up with short-term gains in the process.
2nd (#39) DE Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss)
Despite signing Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million deal on the opening day of free agency, pass rushers are still a need on the Bears’ defensive front. There’s a chance that someone like Landon Jackson could be a better fit for Dennis Allen’s unit, but I’d like to see Chicago add a more twitched-up speed rusher. Umanmielen fits the physical mold, even if he’s on the lighter side coming out of Ole Miss. This unit needs some versatility and variance to it, especially with Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat being cut from the same mold. This would allow for the rookie to get situational snaps and build a “pass rush in waves” type of scenario for the Bears.
2nd (#48) DT Alfred Collins (Texas)
Chicago Bears send #41 toMiami Dolphins for #48 and #115
The Day 1 acquisition of former Atlanta Falcon Grady Jarrett might have been the surprise of free agency for the Bears thus far. Although Jarrett still has some gas left in the tank, his best role will likely be more of a rotational piece that can get after the quarterback. The soon-to-be 32-year-old signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with two years guaranteed. In an ideal world, Chicago will have a deep four-man rotation with a young nose tackle and some pass-rushing upside. That’s where Collins comes into the picture. Although he did not test as well as some were hoping for, he’s a tall, long, athletic player with the profile to become a top-notch defensive tackle. Like the team’s previous pick, this would allow a rookie to sit behind some veterans and develop at his own pace. This would be the deepest the Bears have been on the defensive line since the Vic Fangio era.
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2nd (#52) RB Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)
Running back should be a priority for the Bears going into the draft. Adding a 1a (or 1b) in free agency never made much sense, but drafting from the deepest running back class in years does. Like in most years, preference and overall fit will be important when projecting how this group will come off the board in late April. There’s been multiple reports tying Judkins to the Bears. Although that doesn’t always mean a lot once the draft unfolds, it’s noteworthy for now. Judkins fits the David Montgomery-like role of head coach Ben Johnson in Detroit. He’s a physical back who can make tacklers miss while catching the ball out of the backfield. With D’Andre Swift still in the mix, getting a power back with some ability to see the ball out of the backfield might be a higher priority than someone like his former Ohio State teammate TreVeyon Henderson, who has more burst but isn’t as good with getting dirty.
3rd (#72) IOL Wyatt Milum (West Virginia)
Hats off to general manager Ryan Poles for going out and completely reshaping the interior offensive line with veterans. Joe Thuney was the cream of the crop, but he’ll be 33 before Week 1. Even with a short extension, there’s an argument to be made that neither he nor Jackson are long-term solutions. It should be worth noting that Jackson recently signed a one-year extension, all but guaranteeing that he’ll be in Chicago through 2026. Luckily for the Bears, they can pluck developmental interior linemen outside the first two rounds and still feel good about the potential development. Milum was a college tackle who was forced to move inside due to a lack of length and overall power. He can play any of the three interior spots, but my guess is that they’d want him at guard. This gives Milum at least a year to develop behind veteran leadership like Thuney. Don’t forget that offensive line coach Dan Roushar is one of the best in the business and well-known for developing young players into Pro Bowl-level talents.
4th (#115) TE Gunnar Helm (Texas)
I will squarely put this pick on Pro Football Focus’s mock draft simulator. I’m not sold a talent like Helm, who will be there in the fourth round, but after a rough scouting combined performance, there will be a lot of pressure on him going into his Pro Day. We’ll see how much that sprained ankle limited him. I will keep the projection here for now because I believe Johnson will seek a young tight end with some upside. With Cole Kmet and Durham Smythe on the roster, there’s no immediate need for a rookie to come in and contribute, but there should be some opportunities for a tight end rookie to see the field and make some plays. Helm is a much better player than his testing showed.
5th (#149) WR Pat Bryant Jr. (Illinois)
With the addition of Olamide Zaccheaus, receiving depth becomes less of an immediate need. Even so, adding cheap depth would be smart. Bryant Jr. is a possession receiver who should be valued for his blocking. That’s exactly the type of pass catcher Johnson valued during his time in Detroit, especially when getting further down the depth chart. Assuming they sign another speedy veteran, Bryant can be brought along slowly but get some chances to show what he’s got in Year 1. Like many of these picks, there won’t be a lot of pressure on him going into Week 1 of his rookie season. That’s how good teams operate.
7th (#236) LB Jalin Walker (Indiana)
With Jack Sanborn leaving to reunite with Matt Eberflus in Dallas, linebacker becomes a sneaky need. Walker is someone who played really well in college, even if he’s limited athletically. Right now, the Bears just need some upside in the position, someone who can develop and contribute to special teams. Hitting on seventh-round picks is no easy task, but these types of upside gambles are worth it.
7th (#243) S Jordan Hancock (Ohio State)
Safety is another spot that I could see addressed in the coming days. Kevin Byard is well over the age of 30, and Jaquan Brisker’s concussion history is a sizable concern. I’m not sure that a seventh-round safety will move the needle much, but it’s worth a gamble this late in the draft. In the worst case, he’s someone that the Bears can carry on the practice squad for a year or two. With a more positive outlook, he could push one of the veteran depth pieces out the door before Week 1. I promise I’m not an Ohio State fan, even if I mocked them three players this time around.