Life was so much simpler when kicker was seemingly the Chicago Bears’ only need last offseason.
But following a disappointing 2019 season, where the Bears failed to finish above .500, there are several roster concerns — surprisingly not kicker — that general manager Ryan Pace needs to address if the Bears hope to get back on track.
While the Bears have been active in free agency — including bringing in tight end Jimmy Graham, pass rusher Robert Quinn and quarterback Nick Foles — their roster still has holes heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
The downfall of this team last season was the offense, which boasts several areas of concern, including quarterback, tight end and offensive line. Most of this offseason has been focused on fixing Chicago’s abysmal offense, which ranked near the bottom of the league last season.
Matt Nagy started with bringing in some new offensive minds — new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barrone. It’s not coincidental that those additions signal the team’s biggest concerns this offseason.
The Bears have a vacant right guard position left by the retired Kyle Long to fill. Pace brought in former first-rounder Germain Ifedi, but he’s not necessarily the guaranteed answer at guard. But right guard is far from the offensive line’s only concern. Following a collective disappointing outing by the offensive line last season, the Bears need to consider building for the future, especially at the tackle position.
Chicago certainly upgraded the tight end position with the addition of Graham, but that says more about the Bears than anything. Considering the importance of the tight end position in Nagy’s offense, the collective disappointing outing from tight ends was frustrating and unacceptable. Pace isn’t necessarily done either at the tight end position, even with the offseason additions of Graham and Demetrius Harris.
There’s not much that hasn’t been said about the Bears’ current quarterback predicament. Mitchell Trubisky’s starting job is no guarantee with the addition of Foles, who boasts a Super Bowl Championship and MVP to his resume. The Bears certainly didn’t envision a quarterback competition between their former No. 2 overall pick and an expensive veteran at this point in Trubisky’s career, but here we are. And Pace shouldn’t be done at the quarterback position either.
While there aren’t many concerns about the Bears’ vaunted defense, there are still roster holes that need to be filled. Chicago have starting safety and cornerback spots available, following the departures of safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and cornerback Prince Amukamara. While the Bears have some potential replacements currently on the roster, Pace would do well to bring in some young players that can challenge for those starting jobs.
What do you think, Bears fans? What’s the Bears’ biggest need heading into the NFL Draft?
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