Mel Kiper has done the NFL draft thing for over 30 years now. The guy is an institution. He’s also pretty good at his job. Especially when it comes to gauging what teams are going to do with their earlier picks. While not a pure insider, he also has connections in the industry. So getting a solid idea of what teams are thinking is something he can do. So what does he envision for the Chicago Bears in his latest mock draft?
Plenty of people believe GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are angling for a quarterback. It seems so logical. The Mitch Trubisky era is over. Andy Dalton signed in free agency but only to a one-year deal. They have no long-term option on the roster. It only makes sense they’d aim to change that. Could they trade up in the 1st round to get one of the top five? Or maybe they’ll wait until the 2nd round to grab somebody in the next tier.
What does Kiper think happens?
Based on his latest mock draft, don’t expect them to do any of those things. In his estimation, the Bears aren’t really in a good spot to grab a quarterback. Both because they’re far down the board in both the 1st and 2nd rounds but also they have to win now. Based on his approach, the idea is obvious. Build up the offense as strong as possible around Dalton. He starts by taking Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins at #20.
“Jenkins is the last of four offensive tackles on whom I have first-round grades. A three-year starter at right tackle for Oklahoma State, he’s outstanding in the run game. He’d fill the spot created by the release of Bobbie Massie.”
The Bears did sign Germaine Ifedi to a one-year deal with the likelihood he’s the starter. However, both he and Charles Leno could be gone next year. So stashing a talent like Jenkins makes a ton of sense even if he might not help right away. The immediate help comes in the 2nd round where Kiper has them grabbing another big-time speed threat at wide receiver in Anthony Schwartz.
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“With Anthony Miller’s future up in the air — he could be traded — Schwartz is a wideout who could take the top off the secondary and free up Allen Robinson in the red zone. Schwartz averaged just 11.8 yards per catch last season, but that was because of the way he was used; he has elite speed.”
Mel Kiper doesn’t have a terrible plan for the Bears
Would it be great if they could finally land their franchise quarterback? Of course. The Bears have been trying to do it for decades. Yet sometimes the smart thing to do is not force the issue. Moving up for what could be the fourth or fifth quarterback taken would be a considerable risk. It is better to instead “set the table” for the next guy by fortifying the offense with more talent.
It’s along the lines of what Kansas City did prior to taking Patrick Mahomes. They spent a number of seasons with Alex Smith at quarterback and used that time to secure several major pieces for their offense like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Then when the opportunity was there, they pounced for Mahomes. Now he’s an annual MVP favorite, putting up historic numbers, and competing for championships. Mel Kiper offered a similar blueprint.
His two picks could be what they’re looking for.
Jenkins is that big, strong, and nasty blocker the Bears have missed since Kyle Long retired. Pairing Schwartz with Darnell Mooney would give this offense arguably the most explosive receiving tandem in the NFL. Nobody is saying it’s ideal. Still, there are worse plans this team could come up with. It would at least give Dalton a fighting chance to do what he was brought to Chicago for.