As it becomes clearer than ever the Chicago Bears aren’t going anywhere in 2020, the focus inevitably shifts to 2021. Top of the to-do list? That is up for debate but nobody will deny it starts with the quarterback. Mitch Trubisky is a free agent. Nick Foles is injured again and has played poorly since becoming the starter. Once again the franchise has to try fixing the position. A lot of people have looked ahead to the upcoming class with one name drawing tons of attention. That being Zach Wilson of BYU.
A bit of an unknown before this year, the 21-year old has exploded for 2,512 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just two interceptions in eight games. He’s playing some really impressive football. The arm strength and accuracy are there. His release is probably the quickest in the class and he’s also a capable runner. On top of that, he seems to carry himself with plenty of self-confidence and swagger.
This is why many fear he’s going beyond the Bears’ reach.
Some even believe he’ll end up cracking the top 10. Quarterbacks always go high in the draft. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Justin Fields of Ohio State are expected to go #1 and #2 respectively. That means the Bears, who currently hold the 16th pick, would have to hope the next 13 teams to select after those spots won’t grab Wilson. That seems like a highly unlikely scenario.
Or is it? One thing to remember is the perception of fans and media can often be different from NFL teams. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler spoke to people around the league about the class. While the buzz on Lawrence and Fields is real, it’s not quite the same with Wilson. His success is impressive, but it seems there are some reservations.
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But not everyone is buying the top-10 hype. Another NFC exec said Wilson’s slender build (he is listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds) will be worrisome for some teams, though he is stronger this year after playing through a shoulder injury in 2019. McShay and Kiper have him ranked as the No. 4 quarterback.
“For active runners like him, the smaller guy worries you — you can say the same thing about Kyler [Murray], but he never gets touched,” the exec said.
Zach Wilson could be a serious conversation soon enough
Obviously, it only takes one team to ruin the plan, but this statement serves as a reminder the draft is unpredictable. If Aaron Rodgers can fall all the way to #24 or even Patrick Mahomes to #10? Then Wilson falling to the mid-teens could hardly be called a shock. This is great news for the Bears if they are indeed interested. Recent indications suggest they’re at least keeping an eye on him. They had scouts at the BYU-Boise State game. Wilson shined.
The big question for the Bears is two-fold. How high will they end up picking and will GM Ryan Pace be the one making that pick? Answers to both remain in flux. Chicago is in the midst of a four-game losing streak. One that shows no signs of ending. If that trend continues, they figure to start climbing the draft board and closer to the top 10. That will improve their odds of landing Wilson if that is indeed a goal.
As for Pace?
This is a simple issue. Do the Bears want to give him another crack at QB given his track record? Mike Glennon? Mitch Trubisky? Nick Foles? He’s taken three noteworthy cracks at the position and all turned into disasters. At some point, the best course of action is to give somebody else a shot.