The Chicago Bears enter by far the most crucial off-season in maybe a decade or more. GM Ryan Poles started the process of a rebuild when he gutted the roster last year. Every expensive contract that wasn’t nailed down got shipped out via trade or release. Older players were out. Younger players were in. Poles declared he intended to build this team from the ground up, with the draft as his primary focus. Now he has the #1 overall pick in April and eight picks overall. It is a premium opportunity to improve this roster.
They already appear off and running in their process. Word has begun filtering out that the Bears have met with multiple players following the 2022 Hula Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network reported that Middle Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ferguson and Montana cornerback Justin Ford were two names that caught their attention. Ferguson had 17 sacks and 33.5 tackles for a loss over his final two years. Most may remember his dominant performance against Liberty and Malik Willis in 2021.
Ford is a big 6’2 cornerback with standout ball skills. He has 11 interceptions over his last two years of college. That fits the profile of what the Bears seek at the position.
Here are other names connected to the Chicago Bears.
Christopher Brooks (RB, BYU)
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His college career was never anything special, but he was a solid runner during his time at Cal and BYU. He used the Hula Bowl to full advantage, rushing for 84 yards on 13 carries. He has good size at 6’0, 232 lbs, and can be a threat in the passing game. He’s been training with the same person who worked with Jamaal Williams.
Jaleel McLaughlin (RB, Youngstown State)
He is a highly-productive player with almost 3,200 yards of offense in his final two years, including 27 touchdowns. He has plenty of speed and good vision, able to find holes and accelerate through them. There are concerns about him being undersized, which will limit his potential. He has the look of a definite 3rd down and punt return threat.
Brock Martin (EDGE, Oklahoma State)
He isn’t the traditional defensive end size at 6’3, 250 lbs, but the guy is much stronger than he appears. He puts that strength and a relentless motor to good use, racking up 12.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss between 2021 and 2022. Watch his Fiesta Bowl performance against Notre Dame for an idea of how big of a pest he can be.
Tanner McCalister (S, Ohio State)
He spent four years at Oklahoma State without getting much attention. So he transferred to Ohio State in 2022, started on defense, and snagged three interceptions while helping the Buckeyes reach the CFB playoffs. His greatest strength is a physical, aggressive mentality and good tackling. He must work to play with more discipline.
If the Bears are smart, they will trade down for extra picks. They have lots of holes to fill on both sides of the ball.
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