The Chicago Bears know the importance of this 2021 offseason. They don’t need reminding. A lot of jobs are on the line. Every single decision will matter. While most of the attention for the next two months will be on free agency and the trade market, the team’s scouting department is preparing furiously for the upcoming NFL draft. The first in which they’ll have a 1st round pick since 2018.
What people want to know is where their focus will be. Obviously, it all starts with the quarterback. Mitch Trubisky is a free agent. Nick Foles isn’t an option. They have to get that position figure out. Right behind it though? That would probably be the offensive line. Despite their solid finish to the regular season, this is still a group with flaws. Particularly at the tackle spots. Charles Leno is still average and Bobby Massie missed half the season with an injury.
They’re long overdue for an infusion of youth there.
Based on recent updates, they may agree. The first big event of the offseason is the Senior Bowl this February. Prospects are already preparing for it down in Mobile, Alabama. Its organizer, Jim Nagy, took a photograph of one of its attendees in Northern Iowa tackle Spencer Brown. Taking the measurement? None other than a Bears representative.
Don’t need a tape measure to know 6’8” Northern Iowa OT Spencer Brown is a large man. #TheDraftStartsInMobile #giant pic.twitter.com/qOzHbATMjp
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 24, 2021
The coincidence is hard to ignore. It isn’t a secret the Bears are likely in the market for tackle help. They love to comb the smaller schools looking for potential hidden gems. Is Brown one of them? Draft experts seem to like the guy. Drae Harris of The Draft Network had high praise for him, believing the guy has a future as a starting right tackle in the NFL.
“He presents as a leggy, somewhat high-cut player with rare length for the position. He plays with a nasty disposition and plays hard from snap to whistle. He’s a good athlete with regard to balance and body control. He is smooth and fluid in his pass set and plays with the football IQ to use his length to his advantage on the edge.”
Chicago Bears seem to know what they’re lack, which is good
One of the problems that seemed to persist for the Bears offensive line was how often they got pushed around in the trenches. They didn’t seem to have that nasty edge needed to battle with the better defensive fronts. Somebody with size, power, and a mean streak would be a breath of fresh air for this group. It would appear Brown fits that profile. While not a premier athlete, he’s a giant and has good technique.
The big question with him is how he can match up with higher competition. Something he never did much in the FCS. This is where attending the Senior Bowl is so great for him. That game tends to feature a lot of great talent that will make noise in the NFL. If he can make a strong impression in those practices, the Chicago Bears will get a lot of answers about whether he can play for them.
Brown is currently projected to be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick.
It’ll be fascinating to see which other potential prospects the Bears end up being connected to. One can make the safe bet the majority of them will be on the offensive side of the ball. This team has to realize by now they aren’t going anywhere unless they figure out how to score points. That is the nature of the modern NFL. Find a quarterback and dominate the trenches = winning.