April 14--Jameis Winston is on his way to Chicago, headed for Halas Hall.
We'll pause now for the requisite mid-April hysteria to occur.
And now after a deep exhale, we'll reiterate that the chances of Winston wearing a Bears uniform in 2015 remain ultra-slim.
A source confirmed that the Florida State quarterback and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner will make his way into town Wednesday. ESPN's Adam Schefter originally reported Winston's scheduled visit with the Bears.
But here comes the tricky part of the pre-draft pandemonium -- translating what exactly it all means.
Yes, the Bears are interested in learning much more about the talented young quarterback. But that interest shouldn't be misconstrued as the team's desire to make him their top priority in the draft.
The Bears own the No. 7 pick in the draft. And it long has been assumed that if Winston isn't selected by Lovie Smith and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the top overall pick, he wouldn't slide down the draft board very far.
The Tennessee Titans own the No. 2 pick and have quarterback needs of their own. So too do the Washington Redskins and New York Jets, who own the picks immediately in front of the Bears.
And it would almost certainly cost the Bears a king's ransom to trade up into a draft slot that would give them a legitimate crack at Winston.
None of that has changed.
So why would the Bears bring Winston in for a visit if they have little chance of drafting him? It's part of the homework, the intelligence-gathering process that all teams do as the draft nears.
New general manager Ryan Pace has made it clear that he plans to do his due diligence scouring the quarterback class in this year's draft. And Winston is the crown jewel of that crop, a player worth talking to for a number of reasons.
Don't forget, the Bears play the Bucs in 2015. So taking advantage of a chance to better understand the quarterback's strengths and weaknesses is a smart move. And, as with all players, personnel departments are not only gathering as much information and research as they can for their use in this year's draft, they're adding to the in-depth files on hundreds of players, who someday may become free agents.
(In Winston's case, that would likely happen in 2019 or 2020.)
Pace said on the record at last month's owners meetings that he wouldn't mind adding a quarterback to his roster every year, a philosophy he believes helps a team have increased odds at finding the right long-term answer at the position. The Bears are preparing to enter the 2015 regular season with Jay Cutler as their starting quarterback. But they also aren't opposed to using this year's draft to add depth and competition at the position. And in that vein, they'll explore every option that's out there for them.
Still, as it pertains to the Winston visit, it's dangerous to jump to any dramatic conclusions on just what the Bears' m.o. will be in the weeks ahead. With 16 days until the draft's first round begins, the hype and speculation and noise will continue to amplify.
But Winston's arrival in Chicago does not mean that Pace and his staff are preparing to mortgage their entire draft with a push to chase after the quarterback at any cost. The Bears also have dug in deeper in their research on the draft's other top-tier quarterback, Oregon's Marcus Mariota.
Enjoy the Winston buzz while it's humming. And remember, three weeks from now the pre-draft chatter and speculation will crystallize into actual realities -- -- drafted players joining actual teams.
