Every team is allotted 30 private visits with any prospects of their choosing or are willing to take them. This enables GMs to cast a wide net for a variety of reasons. They can focus on players they may have a chance at in the early rounds. They could use this as an opportunity to recruit potential undrafted free agents. It could be a mix of both. One thing it often does is tell people where the primary focus of an organization is going into the draft. The Chicago Bears are no different. As of now, reports have confirmed 25 names that have visited with the team less than a week before the draft.
I decided to separate the names by position to see if they painted a picture. Fans won’t be shocked by the results.
- QB – 0
- RB – 1
- WR – 4
- OL – 7
- DL – 8
- LB – 1
- CB – 3
- S – 1
Of the 25 names mentioned, no fewer than 15 played in the trenches on the offensive and defensive lines. That is hardly a surprise. Both areas were massive weaknesses for the Bears in 2022. Upgrading them is paramount to making this team more competitive next season. Equally interesting was involved they were at wide receiver and cornerback, suggesting GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus aren’t satisfied with the depth at either of those positions.
The Chicago Bears seem to have their priorities set.
Don’t be surprised if the draft’s first two rounds are focused strictly on linemen. Nobody would blink at that possibility. The Bears need a right tackle, a center, a defensive tackle, and arguably two edge rushers. Poles likely can’t plug all of those in one go, but it shouldn’t stop him from trying. Having young, athletic talent up front is never a bad thing. Wide receiver and cornerback will likely come into play around the start of the 3rd round. The Bears have five picks between the 3rd and 5th. That has often been fertile territory for both positions.
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As for running back and safety, those might wait until the later rounds since both are more about depth than starters. This is a reminder of how Poles views things. Focus on the premium positions and work from there. Linemen, corners, and wide receivers. Those are the premium positions outside of quarterback. The only question left is which one they attack first. Most assume it’ll be an offensive tackle, but a possibility remains it could be a defensive tackle. Answers are almost at hand.
