The NFL draft is a yearly opportunity for teams to choose the future of their roster. Some teams, like the Chiefs, benefit greatly from the draft year in and year out. For others, like our beloved Chicago Bears, it tends to result in a massive letdown.

The most obvious example, one that all of us Bears fans know too well, is the drafting of Mitch Trubisky at number two in the 2017 draft after trading up to get him.

Four years later, we are back in the same spot. We need a QB, but this time, we don’t have a top ten pick, no QB worth taking will fall to us at 20, and we signed veteran QB Andy Dalton to a one year deal.

When considering this draft, there are two things to look at for the Bears. The first, should they/will they trade up for a QB? The second, if they don’t trade up for a QB and none of the top five QB’s fall to twenty (they won’t), what should the Bears do. Let’s take a look at both
options.

Option 1: Trade Up for a Quarterback

This class is loaded, all of the top five quarterbacks are guaranteed by many to go in the top ten. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Zach Wilson of BYU seem to be locked in as the 1 and 2 picks this draft, and rumors that the 49ers are locked in on Alabama QB Mac Jones are running rampant.

Assuming that Mac Jones does not get taken at three, that leaves Jones, Ohio State QB Justin Fields, and Trey Lance, out of North Dakota State. Jones is a pocket passer, he throws an elite deep ball, and he was the best QB under pressure last season at Alabama while playing staunch competition and still putting up video game numbers. He’s not overly mobile, but he has experience and he has a relatively high
floor, although his ceiling isn’t nearly as high as that of Lance or Fields.

Fields on the other hand has all the talent in the world. He’s quick, mobile in the pocket, and is a threat in the run game. However, he struggles getting past his first read and has a tendency to lock in on one receiver pre snap.

Lance is a bit of a question mark. He’s a physical freak with great speed and a great  arm, but he comes out of the FCS, so he hasn’t played great competition and didn’t have a season this year.

If any of these three falls to the ten spot, Ryan Pace would be a fool not to trade up and take a swing. Ideally, I’d like Trey Lance to be that guy. Dalton is a veteran, he’s been around the league, he’s put together good seasons, and he’s a solid decision maker who can help Lance develop and realize the absolutely massive potential he has.

Option 2: Don’t Draft a QB

This option is the less fun but more likely option, and it’s the one I personally prefer. This franchise’s history when it comes to drafting QB’s is abysmal at best, so to trade up for whoever is left at ten would be a bad move in my book.

At twenty, I expect the Bears to handle their need of either a CB to pair with last year’s star rookie Jaylon Johnson, or a left tackle to protect Dalton and whoever comes next in the upcoming years.

If we take a CB, I would absolutely love to see Northwestern CB Greg Newsome end up in Chicago. Newsome boasts elite speed and fantastic athleticism and would pair extremely well with Johnson as an outside corner.

If we choose to go the route of a lineman, Teven Jenkins should still be on the board, and is exactly what we need in a tackle. He is unbelievably physical, he has solid speed for his size, he’s good in pass and run protections, and if the draft goes as I expect, he will be the best tackle left on the board.

If something unexpected happens and Christian Darrisaw or Alijah Vera Tucker (USC guard) are available, I would be more than happy with the Bears landing either.

Thursday’s draft has the potential to address a massive need for the Bears at corner, OL, or somehow, possibly, MAYBE quarterback. Unfortunately, it is in the hands of GM Ryan Pace to make the right decision.