The Chicago Bears face one of the most important offseasons in recent memory. GM Ryan Pace, while not entirely on purpose, has put the team in a difficult spot. His trade for Khalil Mack has robbed them of a 1st round pick in 2020 along with much wiggle room in terms of salary cap as well. This is not to say the team is in a terrible spot. They still have a strong core of talent in place. If they can make a few key moves and catch a break or two, they’ll be right back in the mix come next year.
The big challenge will be how they manage their resources. Where must they prioritize? For NFL draft insider Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, there isn’t much worth discussing. The Bears had the third-worst offense in the NFL in 2019. They couldn’t run the ball and their passing game was remarkably inconsistent. He believes they would be wise to devote every nickel and dime they can find to fixing that problem, even at the cost of letting the defense slip a hair.
To that end, he reflected this approach in his latest mock draft. Chicago holds the 43rd and 50th picks in the 2nd round. Miller saw both being used on the offensive side of the ball, fortifying the two worst areas in one fell swoop.
“43. Bears (from Raiders): Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue
44. Colts: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
45. Buccaneers: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
46. Broncos: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
47. Falcons: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
48. Jets: Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF
49. Steelers: Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington
50. Bears: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville“
Chicago Bears would be in good shape if this happened
It’s no secret the Bears badly need help at tight end. Nobody on the roster finished with 100 yards or more. A damning stat line if ever there was one. So adding a tall and athletic playmaker like Hopkins makes perfect sense. He was a constant weapon for Purdue in 2019, posting 830 yards and seven touchdowns. His blocking isn’t the best but that’s not what he is needed for. He is a threat over the middle. Someone linebackers and safeties would struggle to match up with.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
As for Becton? The buzz on him out of Louisville has really picked up. He’s a big, long left tackle with nimble feet and a brawling mentality in the run game. All things the Bears didn’t get enough of from Charles Leno this year. The primary concern with Becton was weight issues. He was too heavy for much of his college career and didn’t get it fixed until this past season. So it’s unknown if that will be a constant battle for any team that drafts him.
One thing is for sure. When he’s in shape, he has the talent to match up against anybody. He’d make for great competition at either tackle spot.
