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The Chicago Bears have several positions of need heading into the NFL draft — from offensive tackle to cornerback to wide receiver to quarterback — which makes this draft that much more important for general manager Ryan Pace.
Chicago is armed with its first first-round pick in three years, which means Pace has a chance to address a position of need with a top talent. Whichever position that may be.
According to NFL.com, quarterback is the Bears’ biggest need in the draft. Not that it means that Chicago should, will or even can target a quarterback in the first round. But unlike Pace’s track record of one quarterback drafted in six years, you figure that has to change this year.
Even if Dalton exceeds the seemingly low expectations of Bears fans, he’s clearly a bridge to whomever Chicago mines as its next hopeful future franchise quarterback. With apologies to Jim McMahon and Jay Cutler, the team’s search for a bona fide franchise QB dates back more than 70 years, to the days of Hall of Famer Sid Luckman. Sitting at No. 20 overall, the Bears are set to draft in the first round for the first time since taking Roquan Smith in 2018. If they stay put, there’s a good chance the pickings will be slim as far as first-round QB talent is concerned. Maybe that’s a good thing, as the club’s last three first-round QB selections — Trubisky (taken second overall in 2017), Rex Grossman (No. 22 in 2003) and Cade McNown (No. 12 in 1999) — certainly didn’t pan out. Whether or not it happens on Day 1, though, it’s imperative Chicago brings new hope to the QB room.
Barring the Bears trading up to select one of the top-five remaining quarterback prospects — which you can never rule out with Pace — it’s likely Chicago drafts a quarterback on Day 2. Guys like Kellen Mond and Kyle Trask figure to be in the mix.
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