There’s just one game left for the Bears in what’s been a disappointing 2019 season, which means an early start to an offseason that will be pivotal for Chicago’s success in 2020.
General manager Ryan Pace has a lot of work to do, particularly on the offensive side of the football, and he’ll need to lean heavily on his six draft selections to find some future stars at a cheap price. Two of those picks come in the second round, where Pace needs to make them worth his while.
The Bears currently hold the 49th and 50th picks in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, as they got Oakland’s second-round pick (No. 50) in the Khalil Mack trade.
In Draft Wire’s latest mock draft, they have the Bears addressing two needs on offense and defense: Offensive line and cornerback.
With the 49th overall selection, they have the Bears targeting USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson. Jackson has started the past two seasons at left tackle for the Trojans. There are some mock drafts that have Jackson going in the first round, and his quickness and agility at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds is impressive.
Then with the 50th pick, they have Chicago addressing the secondary with Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Johnson has been praised for his physicality and athletic build that allows him to stack up against bigger, physical receivers. He’s developed into a shutdown cornerback in his junior season with the Utes.
The Bears will once again be thin with draft selections this year, as they currently have just six following trades for Khalil Mack and David Montgomery in the past couple of seasons. Chicago has two picks in the second round, one in the fifth round, two in the sixth round and one in the seventh round.
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