The Chicago Bears aren’t thinking about their 2021 draft plans just yet. At 5-3 they’re still working towards their second playoff run in three years. Something that is rare for this franchise in the past three decades. So nobody can blame them for waiting on figuring out their draft plans. Still, this hasn’t stopped others from looking ahead. Matt Miller is one of them.
The draft insider for Bleacher Report has kept up with the Bears since the season began. So when he released his first official mock draft at the halfway point of the year? It was basically a mirror of what everybody else has watched. Namely, the team must do anything and everything possible to fix the offense.
It’s just a matter of how.
As of this moment, the Bears would hold the #18 pick in the draft. The general argument among fans is that it will likely come down to one of two spots. Either the offensive line or a quarterback. The Bears offensive line is in shambles, racked by injuries and now a COVID-19 outbreak. It wasn’t playing that great even before these things happened. They sorely need some fresh blood.
Miller though thinks they can’t afford to wait another moment. They have to find their guy at quarterback. His belief is they’ll end up with Mac Jones of Alabama.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
“The Chicago Bears must give head coach Matt Nagy a chance to draft his own quarterback after the team swung big and missed big in the 2017 NFL draft and again in the offseason. Unfortunately, the Bears are expected to win too many games to be a player for the elite quarterback prospects but could still land one of college football’s best breakout players in Mac Jones.
After replacing an injured Tua Tagovailoa last year, Jones showed remarkable improvement over the course of the season and has picked up where he left off this year with awesome downfield throwing, pocket awareness and the ability to process what the defense is doing.”
Matt Miller doesn’t exactly have the best eye for QBs
How do we know this? Well, just go back to 2017. On April 3rd with the draft drawing near, he released his quarterback rankings for that class. Care to know who his #1 option was? That would be Mitch Trubisky. Even better? He compared Patrick Mahomes to Blake Bortles. So yeah maybe it’s not the best idea to trust what this guy sees at the quarterback position.
When it comes to Jones, there is no question he’s played well this season. Over 78% of his passes have been completed for 2,196 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Really good stuff. At the same time, it’s fair to wonder how much of that is him and how much is the system. Alabama is one of the biggest football factories in the country. Four players on that offense alone are projected to go in the 1st round next April.
Jones is surrounded by a litany of talent.
If anybody watches him long enough, the guy isn’t all that physically impressive. He’s between 6’1 or 6’2 and isn’t the most mobile QB in the world. His arm strength could also best be called average. He is accurate and shows poise, sure. Those are good traits. Yet it takes more than that to thrive in the NFL. He will be drafted, but the 1st round? That feels like a reach.
Draft Network has him as their #168 prospect. Pro Football Focus doesn’t even have him in the top 100. The general feeling is he’s a smart guy who throws an accurate ball that is benefitting from a great situation around him. Taking him with the 18th pick would be nothing short of irresponsible by the Bears. It is a virtual guarantee better prospects will be available on the offensive line or even wide receiver.
Matt Miller means well, but he needs to chill.