The 2021 NFL Draft is now less than a week away, with the Chicago Bears’ plan for the 20th overall selection taking shape. The team’s goal is to trade up in the first round to take one of the five remainder quarterback prospects expected to go early in the draft. The team always has been rumored to be coveting a wide receiver in either the first or second round. Given the way the offseason has gone, along with the team’s needs over the past few years, the Bears should use back-to-back selections early on a quarterback and wide receiver.
The Entire Offseason Has Been Dedicated To The Quarterback and Receiver Position
Since the start of the offseason following the Bears’ 21-9 playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints, general manager Ryan Pace has aggressively tried to improve Chicago’s offense. Both Pace and head coach Matt Nagy have identified the quarterback and wide receiver position two most important positions on offense for the team. The Bears have been linked to any potential trade rumor for an available veteran quarterback, including Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, and Sam Darnold. Pace and Nagy want to win by solving the one position that has handicapped the Bears’ franchise for decades.
The Chicago Bears never made an offer to the Philadelphia Eagles for Carson Wentz, per @JayGlazer.
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) February 18, 2021
Chicago’s front office is also focusing on improving the wide receiver position as the position is in a state of flux. The Bears nearly lost Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson to free agency before signing his franchise tag. Pace is still likely to part ways with receivers Anthony Miller and Javon Wims due to maturity issues. With Cordarrelle Patterson now a member of the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears lack depth behind Robinson, Darnell Mooney, and newly-signed Marquise Goodwin.
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It is because of the lack of depth at the receiver position that Pace made an aggressive push in free agency to sign Pro Bowl receiver Kenny Golladay. Golladay, paired with Robinson and Mooney, would have given the Bears one of the best wide receiver trios in the NFL. The other position for Pace’s focus to improve the receiver position was to provide new Bears’ quarterback Andy Dalton with as many passing weapons as possible. Dalton is the team’s short-term solution at the quarterback position, with Chicago looking towards the draft to provide a long-term solution.
The #Bears have been making an aggressive pitch to sign Kenny Golladay, and the belief is they have offered 1-year deal in the $11M-$12M range, per @BradBiggs. The plan would be to pair Golladay with Allen Robinson and give Chicago one of the best receiver duos in the NFL.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 19, 2021
This year’s NFL Draft is deep with talent at both the quarterback and wide receiver position. With three quarterbacks expected to be selected with the first three picks, the Bears will try to trade up to select one of the remaining two quarterbacks available. The quarterbacks that could be available include Justin Fields, Mac Jones, and Trey Lance. If the Bears can’t trade up to a higher selection, they can still draft a quarterback in the second round or third round with Kyle Trask, Kellen Mond, and Davis Mills potential available.
To me it's going to be one of three names:
Justin Fields, Davis Mills, or Kyle Trask.#Bears https://t.co/fANc6plHCH
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) April 21, 2021
If the Bears can’t trade up and select one of the top five quarterbacks, they could choose to go wide receiver in the first round due to the massive depth at the position. Five to six wide receivers could be selected in the first round, with the Bears potentially having a chance to draft either Rashod Batemon, Devonta Smith, or Elijah Moore with the 20th selection. Any of those receivers paired with Robinson and Mooney would give the Bears passing game a significant boost.
Draft prospect Rashod Bateman is really like that 💪 @R_bateman2
(via @BigTenNetwork)pic.twitter.com/WJb1zOb1gw
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) April 24, 2021
Pace Should Learn From His Previous Mistake Of Not Pairing a Quarterback and Receiver In The Draft
The most significant draft selection of Pace’s career will be selecting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He selected Trubisky with both quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes available. One thing that made the selection of the quarterback worse was that Pace did not draft a receiver that year to pair with his rookie quarterback. Chicago’s general manager did draft tight end Adam Shaheen and running back Tarik Cohen in the 2017 Draft, but not drafting a receiver proved to be a big mistake.
Unless #Bears trade back in, their 2017 draft is complete:
Mitch Trubisky
Adam Shaheen
Eddie Jackson
Tarik Cohen
Jordan Morgan— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) April 29, 2017
The reason why not drafting a receiver proved to be costly was because Trubisky’s rookie season was limited due to a poor receiver group. When the rookie quarterback became the Bears’ starter in week five is receiving group consisted of Kendall Wright, Tre McBride, Tanner Gentry, Markus Wheaton, and Josh Bellamy. Pace would later trade for Dontrelle Inman, but none of the receivers would help to improve Trubisky’s play. During the rookie quarterback’s 12 starts in 2017, he only threw two touchdowns to receivers while only Wright produced one 100-yard receiving game.
Two years ago the #Bears opened the season with these six wide receivers; Kevin White, Kendall Wright, Markus Wheaton, Deonte Thompson, Josh Bellamy, and Tre McBride.
— Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (@wiltfongjr) July 25, 2019
Had Pace drafted a receiver to pair with Trubisky, the quarterback’s rookie season could have been more successful. Furthermore, it would have given the quarterback someone to build chemistry and familiarity with going forward. When the team parted ways with head coach John Fox and hired Nagy in 2018, Trubisky and a potential receiver could have talked to the new head coach and provided plays that worked well for them. Unfortunately, only two receivers from 2017 were held over into 2018 in Bellamy and Kevin White, both of whom received little playing time.
The Bears will have a chance to improve their offense at both the quarterback and receiver position with the draft next weekend, but they have to make sure they get it right. With this year’s draft having immense talent at both offensive positions, it would be foolish for Chicago not to try and used their first and second-round selections on either two positions. Having a rookie quarterback paired with a rookie receiver makes it easier for the paring to grow with success usually following.
