With the offseason in full swing, this is the time of year where the mock draft is king. Prominent experts everywhere get heavily into their draft evaluations and try to piece together how the 1st round of the action in April will go. For the first time since 2018, the Chicago Bears will be involved in said action. Seeing as how they’ll have the 20th overall pick, that is usually an area where just about anything can happen.
There is no predicting a specific player becoming a favorite because it’s uncertain where the Bears will focus and also uncertain how the 19 picks ahead of them will shake out. Or at least that’s how it usually is. It seems something weird is happening in the mock draft community because some of the top experts have all had Chicago picking the same exact player at the same exact position.
That being Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN)
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Charley Casserly (former GM)
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com)
It’s clear everybody isn’t enamored with the Bears receiving corps. Especially if they somehow let Allen Robinson go either via free agency or a tag-and-trade. Toney is the type of talent that always has teams salivating. Fast, explosive, agile, and a serious danger with the ball in his hands. Either at receiver or in the return game, he’ll find a way to make something happen.
Logically, the idea has some merit to it. Chicago was painfully lacking in explosive plays last year, which made it that much harder to score points. Until they figure that part out, they aren’t getting any further than the first round of the playoffs.
Toney won’t solve bigger issues the Chicago Bears have
Namely the fact they still don’t have a quarterback and their offensive line also needs work. Both have to be considered priorities over a wide receiver who while electric does have some deficiencies. A big one being his body. Current listings have him at 5’11 and 189 lbs. So while not small, he isn’t imposing either. It isn’t accurate to call him a complete receiver since he tends to struggle in contested catch situations.
The best way to look at him is not as a potential Robinson replacement. He’s much more fitting as an Anthony Miller replacement. A dynamic slot receiver who can create a number of matchups being moved around. That isn’t a bad thing. Miller has been a source of major frustration for the Chicago Bears coaching staff over the past year. He continues to underachieve. Toney would make a strong replacement.
Would that impact the team more than a QB or standout tackle?
Unlikely. Still, it’s early in the offseason. There is no telling what the Bears will do in free agency or on the trade market. There is a strong possibility they could go all-out for a top veteran quarterback if given the window. That would make drafting Toney in the 1st round irrelevant. Here’s hoping he isn’t just used as an excuse to get running it back with Nick Foles over as a solution for this team.