With the Chicago Bears sitting at 3-7, their prospects of making the playoffs are close to death. Their schedule ahead looks daunting as well. It’s a safe assumption they won’t make any miracle runs. That is why many have already turned their attention to a highly-anticipated 2023 off-season. GM Ryan Poles has set things up well. Thanks to his gutting of the roster, he’s accumulated over $100 million in salary cap space while securing eight picks in the NFL draft. That should include a top 10 selection presuming the Bears finish on their current trajectory.
The big question from there becomes what position they may target. It won’t be a quarterback. That much is apparent from the recent ascent of Justin Fields. GM Ryan Poles will be able to focus on other areas. As always, it depends on where they pick and who will be available. Right now, the Bears are projected to select 6th overall next April. Draft experts have weighed in on the likely outcomes. It was interesting to see which direction they think Chicago is going. There is a current favorite based on five mock drafts from prominent analysts.
- Pro Football Network – Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
- CBS Sports – Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
- Yahoo Sports – Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
- Draft Network – Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
- The Athletic – Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
The Chicago Bears targeting OT makes perfect sense.
Protecting Fields is an obvious priority for this regime if they want to build a consistent winner. This 2023 draft class appears stacked with three serious prospects at the position. Peter Skoronski of Northwestern, Johnson of Ohio State, and Fashanu of Penn State. Ironically all come from the same conference. Fields was teammates with Johnson in college, so it’s easy to imagine reuniting the two in Chicago. Fashanu has the highest ceiling of the three. He’s a ridiculous athlete for his massive size but he is only 20 years old. Skoronski might not have the same ceiling as the other two but looks like the safest option.
Nobody would bat an eye if the Chicago Bears drafted any of them. Everybody is in favor of giving Fields more help. The tackle position isn’t exactly a strength for them anyway. Rookie Braxton Jones shows potential but needs polishing. Larry Borom is still too inconsistent, and Riley Reiff is 34 years old. Adding a 1st round pick to that offensive line would be a much-needed injection of talent. It comes down to whether Poles and Eberflus feel pass rusher or defensive tackle is the bigger need. Free agency may tell that story.
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