The Chicago Bears are merely playing out the string at this point. They’re 3-9 with five games to play. Their defense is now the worst in the NFL, and their roster is getting decimated by injuries. It is beyond obvious how much help they need going into 2023. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus must take advantage of every opportunity they’re given to improve this team. They’ll have more salary cap space than anybody in the league and a probable top five draft selection.
That might not be all, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Thanks to a change in procedure, there is a strong possibility the Bears coaching staff could be chosen to coach at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl. For those who don’t know, it is one of the most important gatherings of prospects during the pre-draft process. Only the Senior Bowl and scouting combine have higher concentrations of potential talent. Getting to coach such an event would give Poles and Eberflus a golden opportunity to interact with players they may wish to select in April.
“Full NFL coaching staffs will coach in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2 in Las Vegas. The game is being held at Allegiant Stadium the same week as the Pro Bowl Games, the newly imagined series of competitions the league created to replace an actual Pro Bowl game…
…Now the league will alternate years it has full coaching staffs work the East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl….
…If the Shrine Bowl operates in similar fashion to the Senior Bowl in selecting coaching staffs, the Bears figure to be a real possibility. Generally the two staffs represent the teams with the highest draft position that are not undergoing a coaching change.”
If you need an idea of what the game has produced, here are some notable names to play in it.
- Josh Norman
- Akiem Hicks
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Justin Simmons
- De’Vondre Campbell
- Alex Highsmith
- Earl Watford
The Chicago Bears can use this to enhance their late draft.
The East-West Shrine Game has typically proven valuable for teams hoping to find hidden gems. Most of the names mentioned above were taken in the 3rd round or later. Several eventual starters were undrafted free agents. That is what coaching this game can do for the Bears. It will give them a good idea of what players they can get later in the draft or undrafted free agency that have a reasonable chance of becoming starters in the NFL. Chicago will have six picks between the 3rd and 7th rounds. It won’t be surprising if they end up with more.
So yeah, this is an opportunity they should pounce on if offered. Poles wants to build through the draft. This is how it’s done. Through relentless evaluation. Any chance you can get to see these kids play and practice up close, you take it. The event takes place on February 2nd of next year at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Chicago Bears coaches would spend the week leading up to it conducting practices. No doubt the coverage would greatly intrigue fans more than usual.
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