Anybody who has followed the Chicago Bears since 2015 understands this regime pretty well by now. GM Ryan Pace is not a man who believes in sitting on his hands. If he sees a player that he wants on the board, he isn’t afraid to go get them. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the 1st round. Of the four times he has held a pick that high in the draft, he traded up twice. First for Leonard Floyd in 2016 and again for Mitch Trubisky the next year.
This combined with the big leap for Anthony Miller in 2018 and the blockbuster trade for Khalil Mack? It’s little wonder people are convinced the Bears are fully prepared to get aggressive in their pursuit of a new quarterback in this upcoming draft. That means moving up from their 20th pick to somewhere in the top 10. The range most experts believe the top five quarterbacks will go.
One person who isn’t doing anything to calm these rumors?
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. He has stated for weeks now that there is a firm belief Andy Dalton was never the endgame for the Bears when they signed him. They had plans to address the position in the draft and do so early. During his latest video podcast session with colleague Dan Wiederer, he made it clear that everything points to Pace trying to move up if the right situation presents itself. Especially after the Denver Broncos just traded for Teddy Bridgewater.
“Certainly it’s created a little bit of a buzz around the league but prior to this everything I’ve heard is the Bears are exploring possibilities to trade up in round one. I’ve heard that since the Bridgewater trade was done this afternoon from another club. We’re going to find out real soon but it certainly appears something the Bears are deeply exploring. There’s a whole lot of smoke and we’ll find out soon whether or not there’s fire.”
Biggs was on top of almost every major Bears move this offseason. Often the first to reveal the information. The Dalton signing and release of Kyle Fuller being two prominent examples. So when he says the team is seriously exploring their options up the board, there isn’t much to argue about. It comes down to the most important question. Who are they angling to get and can they get high enough?
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Chicago Bears remain cryptic on their intentions
Pace appeared before the media on Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, he offered no straight answers on what the plans are. He merely stated that the Bears are prepared for anything. Whether it’s to move up, stay put, or move down. Much of how this goes depends on what happens in the top five. San Francisco is down to two quarterbacks at #3 overall. Mac Jones or Trey Lance. Their decision could have a profound effect on how the rest of the board falls.
Looking at how things stack up? There are seven teams in front of Chicago who are at least minor threats to take a quarterback. They include Detroit (#7), Carolina (#8), Denver (#9), Philadelphia (#12), New England (#15), Las Vegas (#17), and Washington (#19). Of that group, one can safely say the Broncos, Patriots, and Football Team are the biggest wild cards. Could Denver pull a surprise and take one even after trading for Teddy Bridgewater? Would New England or Washington move up?
It’s these uncertainties that might compel Pace to action.
The Chicago Bears know it will cost a lot to get high enough for somebody they want. However, they also know winning in the NFL is almost impossible without a quarterback. Mitch Trubisky was a failure. This is undeniable. That doesn’t mean they can afford to stop swinging. Pace and Nagy don’t have forever. They need to get that position fixed now or risk losing their jobs.
