Fans have their own ideas about what the Chicago Bears should and will do in the upcoming NFL draft. The team has three picks between the 2nd and 3rd rounds. That gives them a reasonable opportunity to land three potential starters. While the list of needs for this roster isn’t hard to identify, GM Ryan Poles knows one fundamental rule about drafting. The smart thing to do is stick close to the class’s strengths.
Reaching at a position of need when the talent isn’t there is a recipe for failure. He isn’t going to do that. Not when this first draft is so crucial to his plans. Poles spoke with the media during his pre-draft press conference. He reiterated his belief that getting more picks will be a priority if the right situation arises. At the same time, it is more evident than ever he is laser-focused on rebuilding the Bears up front. In fact, he listed four key positions that he deems the deepest in this class. Ones that have the best chance to yield good players between the 2nd and 5th rounds where they have most of their picks.
One much-discussed position was noticeably absent.
#Bears GM Ryan Poles says OL, DL, DB & RB look like positions that will have depth in Day 2 & Day 3 of the draft. Says running back is particularly deep even if it's not a top heavy position.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) April 26, 2022
#Bears GM Ryan Poles: "You could say [Justin Fields] needs receivers, receivers, receivers, but he needs blocking too and he also needs balance in terms of running the ball efficiently."
— Sean Hammond (@sean_hammond) April 26, 2022
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There is no getting around that. Poles acknowledged that wide receivers are important for Justin Fields’ development, but he feels the blocking takes precedent. Not surprising since he’s a former offensive lineman. Adding to this mentality is that he doesn’t seem overly enamored with the wide receiver class in general. The potential options on his board for the 2nd or 3rd rounds don’t seem appetizing. Not compared to the lines, secondary, and running backs.
It is hard to fault him for this thinking. Fields was sacked 36 times last season. Way too many in 12 games. The defense struggled to stop the run all season, and their secondary was probably their biggest weakness. Poor coverage and not enough takeaways. It is also important to remember Ryan Poles didn’t list receivers among the most important positions in football. Those were quarterback, left tackle, edge rusher, cornerback, and free safety.
Don’t be shocked if the Bears put a receiver on the back burner until later in the draft.
