Facts are facts. The Chicago Bears currently have just one wide receiver under contract that can be considered a long-term piece. That is Darnell Mooney. Allen Robinson is a free agent. Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd aren’t viable options. Dazz Newsome has potential but little else to go on at this point. It is a foregone conclusion that GM Ryan Poles will be adding multiple new bodies to that position, with at least one coming in the draft.
The good news is this 2022 class appears deep—plenty of intriguing talents to choose from. Fans seem to have their favorites. What isn’t certain is who Poles and the organization may prefer when they eventually go on the clock next month. One draft expert has a pretty good idea of who that will be. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report revealed his belief that Cincinnati standout Alec Pierce will be the guy Chicago ends up coveting.
“Chicago traded its first-round pick to the New York Giants in the Fields deal, but it has the No. 39 overall pick. Cincinnati wideout Alec Pierce could be a welcome addition near the start of Day 2.
Pierce is a 6’2¾”, 208-pound outside target with the ability to stretch the field, but that’s only part of what should intrigue teams. He was a four-sport standout in high school. The Bearcats tried him at linebacker for a short stint. And Pierce got his degree in mechanical engineering in only 3.5 years.
In other words, Pierce is a capable target, athletic, tough and smart. He figures to win over multiple teams during the combine process, and the Bears should be chief among them.”
A lot of those positives line up with what Poles prefers in receivers.
He’s said multiple times that he wants more speed on offense. Pierce ran a strong 4.41 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. Is he a true burner? That is up for debate. Still, the toughness and intelligence might be the more critical part of the sales pitch. Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have said they want intelligent players. Such types are easy to coach and almost always get better once they reach the NFL.
Some teams will take issue with Pierce, though. His actual production at Cincinnati was modest for all his athletic gifts. He finished with just 1,851 yards and 13 touchdowns in two-and-a-half seasons. All while having a legitimate top quarterback prospect in Desmond Ridder throwing him the football. Some wonder if he underachieved or if he just wasn’t used properly by the coaching staff.
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Alec Pierce was FLYING with a 4.33 40 yard dash at NFL Combine pic.twitter.com/1Mgewuxm7O
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) March 4, 2022
Alec Pierce is five inches taller and 28 pounds heavier but he ran a faster 40-yard dash than T.Y. Hilton.
A big burner opposite MPJ? #Colts pic.twitter.com/luQfN2zqxA
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) March 4, 2022
More on Alec Pierce…
Red zone production. Boundary matchups with scoring upside.
Can play the ball on the back-shoulder. Adjust & locate. Or climb the ladder to finish. #Cincinnati @NFLMatchup pic.twitter.com/UC0MglviK9
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) February 27, 2022
Chicago Bears liking of Pierce depends on where they’d take him
That doesn’t seem likely if Sobleski is implying the Bears should take him in the 2nd round. Poles and Eberflus are big sticklers for tape. While Pierce shows many good things, there are enough concerns to raise hesitation about taking him that high. Specifically, how he can’t separate from tight coverage despite his supposed speed. It raises questions about his actual explosiveness. That said, it doesn’t make him undraftable.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Pierce to Donovan Peoples-Jones, the former Michigan receiver who had a solid second season in Cleveland with 597 yards and three touchdowns. He was selected in the 6th round. If the Chicago Bears could get Pierce somewhere in that Day 3 range, then it would be far better value and far less risk.
Whether he reaches that point depends on how the board falls.
Taking a wide receiver in the 2nd round is definitely on the table. That said, it still feels like Poles intends to fix the offensive line first. It is difficult to find capable blockers the later it goes in a draft. Such is not the case with wide receivers. See Mooney. This regime likely feels they can find skilled targets Fields can use. Especially if he’s better protected. Maybe Pierce is one of them.
