The Chicago Bears added two first-round talents in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft with tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. But general manager Ryan Pace’s work is far from done.
There were no shortage of roster needs heading into this draft — and the Bears had just two picks in the first four rounds. So Pace and his team are going to need to work some magic in these later rounds.
For what it’s worth, Pace has managed to find some late-round gems in the NFL Draft, which is what fans will be looking for him to achieve on Day 3, given the Bears have five selections between rounds 5-7.
Let’s take a look at five positions that the Bears should consider addressing on Day 3 of the draft:
1. Safety
The Bears are in search of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix’s replacement to line up opposite Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson, who is moving back to free safety in 2020. The Bears opted to forgo a safety in the second — with some of the top prospects still on the board — which suggests that they’re confident in what they’ve got in Deon Bush and Jordan Lucas, who will battle for the starting strong safety spot opposite Jackson.
But they should definitely make an effort to bring in a young player to compete for that strong safety job. Some prospects still on the board for the Bears heading into Day 3 include Iowa’s Geno Stone, Maryland’s Antoine Brooks Jr., Alabama’s Shyheim Carter and Michigan’s Josh Metellus.
2. Offensive line
One of the biggest issues with the Bears’ abysmal offense a season ago was the offensive line, who returned five starters off a solid 2018 season. While most of the offensive line will remain intact in 2020 — with left tackle Charles Leno Jr., left guard James Daniels, center Cody Whitehair and right tackle Bobby Massie — the Bears have a starting right guard spot up for grabs following Kyle Long’s retirement.
Heading into Day 3, there are some solid guard prospects still on the board for the Bears, including St. John’s Ben Bartch, Kentucky’s Logan Stenberg, Fresno State’s Netane Muti and Clemson’s John Simpson. At tackle,
3. Running back
While the Bears have their starting running back in David Montgomery, they should be in the market for his backup heading into the final day of the NFL Draft. While Tarik Cohen will be listed as the No. 2, he’s a gadget player, not a three-down back. If Montgomery were to go down with an injury, the Bears need to have someone they feel comfortable with coming in and filling in for Montgomery. Depending on what they do in the final rounds, maybe they feel comfortable enough that the guy is Ryan Nall, but they don’t really know if they can trust him to be that guy.
Pace should look at bringing in a running back with one of his Day 3 picks, someone that could serve as a true backup for Montgomery. Some prospects still on the board heading into the fourth round include Florida’s La’Mical Perine, UCLA’s Joshua Kelley and Miami’s DeeJay Dallas.
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4. Wide receiver
Wide receiver is far from the biggest concern on Chicago’s offense, but it’s still a need. Following the release of Taylor Gabriel earlier this offseason, the Bears are looking for a speedy receiver to complement No. 1 wide-out Allen Robinson. While the Bears passed on some top receiving talent in the second round, they could snag a developmental prospect with one of their Day 3 picks.
The Bears should use one of their late-round picks to snag an intriguing receiving prospect. Some receivers that are still on the board include Liberty’s Antonio Gandy-Golden, Texas A&M’s Quartney Davis, Ohio State’s KJ Hill and Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones.
5. Quarterback
If there was ever a time for Ryan Pace to make good on his promise to draft a quarterback every year, this is the time. He’s finally owned up to his mistake in drafting Mitchell Trubisky No. 2 overall, by bringing in competition in the form of Nick Foles. But there’s a good chance that both of those guys won’t be on the roster in 2021, so Pace needs to make sure he’s got someone waiting in the wings. Someone that can develop behind the likes of Trubisky and Foles.
While names like Georgia’s Jake Fromm and Washington’s Jacob Eason figure to be off the board by time the fifth round rolls by, there are some other developmental prospects that should be available by the time Chicago’s final five picks roll around, including Florida International’s James Morgan, Washington State’s Anthony Gordon and Hawaii’s Cole McDonald.
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