The Chicago Bears have done all the work they can do. There is only one thing left. They must wait for the NFL draft to arrive. Two days remain before GM Ryan Poles begins the process of rebuilding his roster. He’s left them in a good spot. They already have D.J. Moore in place following the #1 pick trade. Now they have ten picks to sort through, including 9th overall. Fans remain uncertain about what the Bears will do. Rumors are flying in all directions. Some are believable. Some aren’t. Much of it doesn’t matter until the first eight picks of the 1st round unfold. One person that offered some clarity on what to expect is Assistant GM Ian Cunningham.
He spoke with the media on Tuesday to discuss the status of the Bears’ plans. While he didn’t pinpoint any specific names, he did state how many players they’d feel comfortable taking at #9.
That sounds about right. Most experts believe there are maybe 14-15 true 1st round talents in this class. Even fewer are worth 9th overall. Based on my best guess, these are likely the names involved.
- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
- Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
- Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
- Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Ian Cunningham knows the Bears have multiple plans in motion.
They likely have a shorter list of players they’d prefer at that spot. Rumors also persist about Poles wanting to move down. The good news is it’s a virtual guarantee at least three of those eight names listed above will be available at #9. Two quarterbacks are a lock to go in the top five. Maybe three if somebody trades up. That would help the Bears’ cause significantly. Don’t expect Poles to get rattled by the noise. Once the Bears go on the clock, he will know what he wants to do.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
Don’t forget he already had his eyes on Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker before the Bears were ready to go last year. That was in the 2nd round. It is a safe assumption Poles knows who he wants. That is presuming his goal isn’t to trade down. Ian Cunningham gave no indications on that front. Not surprising. He won’t give any details away. Not when things are this close. What we can safely say for certain is the Bears know who will likely be available and who they’ll prefer. Everybody will find out 48 hours from now.
