Roquan Smith was the guy. The Chicago Bears brass, led by GM Ryan Pace, insisted that they were somewhat shocked that the Georgia inside linebacker was still on the board when their turn came to pick at #8 overall. Indeed the buzz had picked out prior to the draft that he was coveted by Colts GM Chris Ballard. However, that idea went out the window when guard Quenton Nelson fell to them at #6.
Even then some still wonder if the Bears ever got any action on the trade front. Everyone knew they didn’t have a third round pick. Moving back even a few spots to recoup it made sense, even though it’s something Pace had never done before. In the end, nothing happened. Chicago went on the clock, made their pick and moved on.
It was rather boring. As it turns out though, it doesn’t mean they weren’t on the precipice of something big. Pace has always said he’s open to offers at any time. Based on buzz coming out of the draft, he passed on not one but two separate opportunities to move back if he’d wished it.
Chicago Bears brass declined advances by Bills and Raiders
The team everybody knew wanted to move up that day was the Buffalo Bills. They were in desperate need of a quarterback and were prepared to pay the price required. Initially they explored possibilities at #2, #4 and #5 but each fell through. At that point, their GM Brandon Beane began speaking with other teams. One of them being the Bears. The reception he got? Frosty.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
“I had already been told by Indianapolis that they’re not moving. Tampa had said they really liked a guy, and they didn’t think they were going to move. Chicago had told us they’re probably not moving. Now we’re down to San Francisco, then Oakland.”
It didn’t matter in the end. Buffalo ended up jumping ahead of the Bears at #7 with Tampa Bay. However, it turns out they weren’t the only team that sniffed around that #8 spot. Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders coveted it for a different reason according to Albert Breer of the MMQB.
“There were rumblings on the afternoon of the draft that the Raiders were looking to trade up for Notre Dame OT Mike McGlinchey, and the teams I spoke with didn’t know who they were trying to leap-frog to get him. Evidently, they figured out that the team across the bay had eyes for him, even though he hadn’t been linked to the 49ers much during the process. And sure enough, San Francisco was the team that Oakland wound up losing him to, with McGlinchey going ninth overall.”
The 49ers were entrenched at #9, right behind the Bears at #8.
This meant they were the ideal trade partner for the Oakland at #10. It represented the cheapest possible route to getting their guy. The fact it never happened means Pace gave them the same answer he gave Buffalo as well. In a way, it’s easy to understand why.
Not only is Smith a great player, but there’s a genuine fear that San Francisco would’ve taken him on the next pick. Remember there is a growing legal situation with Reuben Foster. The 49ers could’ve easily seen Smith as the perfect solution to the problem. Pace wasn’t going to take any risks. He wanted his guy and he got him.
