The Chicago Bears will never betray what their 2020 draft plans are. GM Ryan Pace will forever say he looks for the best player on the board. In truth he looks for the best player who fits a key team need. That was the case with Leonard Floyd. It was the case with Mitch Trubisky and again with David Montgomery this year. Don’t expect that to be any different next year. In fact, the team is already tipping their hand as to what they may be looking for.
Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports revealed on Saturday that scouts from the Bears had been spotted at the Purdue vs. Vanderbilt matchup. This might not seem all that noteworthy save for one interesting fact. That game would be a clash of two of the more high profile tight ends in the draft next year. Jared Pinkney of Vanderbilt and Brycen Hopkens of Purdue. Both are big kids with athleticism and hands for catching passes.
Something the Bears haven’t gotten nearly enough of from their current tandem of Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen. Burton continues to deal with nagging injuries. Shaheen is health but hasn’t made much of an impact. Given how important tight end is in Matt Nagy’s offense, it stands to reason they may try going after help next year. They have two 2nd round picks at their disposal. Perhaps one of them could end up being used on one of these two.
Chicago Bears, as usual, have eyes for talent
It seems Pace may have learned a lesson with Shaheen. Seek out players who are more experienced and more proven against top competition. Pinkney especially can lay claim to that, having battled against SEC defenses throughout his time with the Commodores. Last season he had 774 yards and seven touchdowns. The Bears watched have a decent game too, making three catches for 61 yards. However, it was Hopkins who ultimately won the head-to-head matchup.
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Though the Purdue standout only had 41 yards on the day, two of his three catches went for touchdowns. He already has more touchdowns this year (3) than he did in all of 2018 (2). That is a sign that he is continuing to progress. He’s also highly experienced, having played since his freshman year in 2016. Both of these young men look like promising talents who can fit what the Bears like to do at that position. Odds are at least one of them will be available when the team picks for the first time next April.
