As bad as the blowout in Green Bay and the collapse against the Lions were? There’s always a silver lining to everything. With their fall to 5-7, the Chicago Bears 2021 draft plans can start to get really serious. At least when it comes to potentially landing a true difference-maker for their offense. Especially at the quarterback position.
According to Tankathon, the loss to Detroit dropped the Bears down to the 13th pick next April. While not quite in the premier range to grab a QB, it at least puts them in the ballpark to consider the idea of moving up for one. It’s no secret Mitch Trubisky will be gone next year. Nick Foles won’t be viewed as a long-term option or even a starter despite his hefty price tag.
This team desperately needs a QB they can build around.
Barring that? Such a high pick puts them in a position to possibly land sorely-needed offensive line help. Since 2010, three offensive linemen have been taken with the 13th pick. They were Andrus Peat, Laremy Tunsil, and Tristan Wirfs. That’s a Pro Bowl guard, a Pro Bowl left tackle, and what looks to be a future Pro Bowl right tackle. Any one of those things would instantly make this Bears offense so much better.
A lot of what happens over the next few months will depend on what the Bears do with their power structure. Belief is GM Ryan Pace will be out at some point, either this week or the end of the season. The same with head coach Matt Nagy. So it will be their replacements who chart the course moving forward.
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Chicago Bears 2021 draft must focus on the offense
The reality is the days of leaning on this defense are over. Age is catching up to a lot of the core players. Akiem Hicks will be 32 next year. Danny Trevathan with be 31. Robert Quinn will be 31. Khalil Mack will be 30. Kyle Fuller will be 29. The past two weeks have shown the window of this group being truly dominant has closed. They still have a chance to be good for another year, but beyond that is expecting too much.
It’s time for the Bears to truly focus their primary resources on the offensive side. Find a quarterback, build the offensive line, and locate more weapons at wide receiver. They do have one or two key pieces in place like Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, and James Daniels. Beyond that, it’s nothing but questions. Allen Robinson is probably gone. Anthony Miller remains an enigma. Charles Leno and Bobby Massie could be cut.
Tons of issues to sort through.
If they have to devote the entire Chicago Bears 2021 draft to this? So be it. What makes it even more painful to admit is that Pace actually did this to an extent. Since taking over in 2015, the GM spent a total of 14 picks in the first three rounds. Nine of them went to the offensive side of the ball. That isn’t counting the three others he gave up in trades for Trubisky and Miller. By rights, this should be a really good group. Yet here they are, sitting at the bottom of the NFL.
Considering this is an offensively-driven league, the Bears won’t go anywhere until they catch up.
