Apr 12, 2021
This reliance on collaboration with coach Matt Nagy by Bears general manager Ryan Pace could not take place during a better NFL Draft than this one.
When left to his own devices, Pace produced Mitchell Trubisky, Kevin White, Adam Shaheen, Jonathan Bullard and Hroniss Grasu in the draft s first two days.
He had a few successes during that same period, like Eddie Goldman and Cody Whitehair. By and large, wins came sporadically.
It s obvious in this draft the Bears need a cornerback, a wide receiver, at least one tackle and a long-term answer at quarterback.
Other minor needs can be filled later in the draft, but it s safe to say the four key need positions are not exactly in Pace s wheelhouse based on past drafts.
By: The Draft Network April 10th, 2021 2021-04-10T11:01:00.000Z The Draft Network
Photo: Brad McClenny-USA TODAY NETWORK
By Michael Fitzpatrick
The Chicago Bears had quite a few needs entering this offseason, and they’ve addressed some of them. They added a quarterback, even though it wasn’t the player the fan base wanted. They brought back Germain Ifedi and Alex Bars to boost depth on the offensive line, and Damien Williams was added to the backfield. Most importantly, Cairo Santos, Pat O’Donnell, and Patrick Scales were brought back to keep the Bears’ field goal unit intact the Bears need all the advantages they can get when it comes to the kicking game.
• I was under the assumption that Mooney was going to see an up-tick in looks this season anyway. But with Anthony Miller on the trade block and uncertainty elsewhere among pass-catchers, The Mooney Show is just getting started.
• Speaking of Miller, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon offers up some guesses about potential trade destinations for the 2018 second-round pick. The Ravens, Chargers, Lions, Seahawks, and Titans pop up as fits. Miller’s salary is less than $2 million for 2021, so that could make for a desirable flier for some team to take. I don’t see the Bears trading Miller within the division, but if they are hell-bent on making a deal, then I can’t rule out anyone.
Some carry a little more weight than others, though.
In his latest mock this week, ESPN draft guru Todd McShay has the Bears making a realistic draft move and taking wide receiver Kadarius Toney from Florida. Chicago is likely out of reach to trade up for a top-five QB, at least without completely leveraging the organization s future, McShay wrote, before describing the explosive Toney and adding .he isn t polished.
It s entirely possible the Bears will go for a slot receiver after the way they ve shopped around Anthony Miller. McShay s choice falls in lock step with this thinking.
With the way the Bears have been rushing around the country looking at slot receivers or visiting virtually with them, it seems unlikely they d get beyond Round 3 before they take a slot receiver as they look to bolster offensive speed.
Once in a while, a tweet stops me dead in my tracks and leaves me speechless.
This is one of those tweets:
According to @fboutsiders, #DaBears have the 2nd oldest roster in the NFL by Snap Weighted Age:
Roster: 27.1 yrs (2nd oldest)
Offense: 26.6 yrs (6th oldest)
Defense: 27.5 yrs (5th oldest)
ST: 27.2 yrs (3rd oldest)
In a vacuum, this tweet might not be all that jarring. But I can’t look at it through a vacuum.
I see the second-oldest roster led by the fifth-oldest defense and I get itchy. Chicago’s defense has been propping up the Matt Nagy era, posting top-10 numbers by Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric in each of the last three seasons. Without those efforts, the Bears don’t make the playoffs in 2018 or 2020. But nothing lasts forever. And, yes, that includes stellar defenses led by guys like Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith, Eddie Jackson, and others. In fact, they won’t even be able to do it together in 2021 because they’ve already cut two startingcorne