The Chicago Bears aren’t going to tell anybody their intentions ahead of the NFL draft. Only GM Ryan Pace knows what he plans to do. All people can do is speculate and try to read the tea leaves. That being said, there are plenty of warning signs. In just the past week, news from various sources have indicated or hinted at one reality. The Bears are on the hunt for help at the cornerback position.
Just in the past 24 hours, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported somebody high in the front office is in love with Trevon Diggs of Alabama. Then Justin Melo of The Draft Network revealed the team had a recent FaceTime meeting with Tulsa corner Reggie Robinson. That makes nine confirmed names in this draft they’ve spoken to in some form or fashion. Odds are the number is even higher than that.
Then there was this telling quote from Pace during his recent video press conference.
“We’re excited about (Kevin) Toliver. We added Artie Burns. We have some young guys we’re excited about developing. When I look at corner, for me, it’s really no different than pass rusher. You cannot have enough of those guys. So I think it’s something we’re always looking at improving.”
Chicago Bears have stayed aggressive at corner for years
This is true. Pace’s track record tells the story. He’s been active at cornerback almost every year. Since 2016, he’s taken three guys in the draft. Then there were the additions of Prince Amukamara and Buster Skrine in free agency. Not to mention his strong pursuits of top names like Janoris Jenkins, A.J. Bouye, and Stephon Gilmore. Clearly the Bears GM places a high value on that position. Not a shock given the quality receivers in this division.
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Couple all this with the fact they upgraded their pass rush with Robert Quinn and it makes even more sense. They don’t want that to go to waste because the secondary can’t cover well enough. Finding the best possible corner in the 2nd round could alleviate those concerns. If nothing else, it appears Pace believes the crop of options might be strong this year. Not a shock given most expect a huge rush on offense in the 1st round with offensive tackle and wide receiver getting lots of attention.
