The Jordan Howard trade to the Philadelphia Eagles has fans divided on whether or not the move makes sense for the Chicago Bears going into the 2019 NFL draft. But one thing all fans can agree on is that Howard was the steal of the 2016 draft for the Bears and provided a spark to a team that desperately needed offensive playmakers.
But what about the rest of the draft? While some analysts choose to grade draft picks only a year out, many experts follow the 3-year grading period, letting players develop before assigning a grade. And with just under a month to go before the 2019 draft and the departure of Howard, it’s a perfect time to grade the 2016 Chicago Bears draft.
Round 1, Pick 9
Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
Grade: B
The Bears traded up from the 11th spot to snag Leonard Floyd with their first pick in the draft. Floyd’s biggest knock coming into the draft was his size; he was fairly small for what the NFL demanded. His career started off well, finishing with seven sacks, including a strip sack of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay that led to Floyd’s first touchdown. Unfortunately, injuries limited him and while his run defense improved, Floyd never became the true edge rusher the Bears were searching for. His play improved in 2018 when the Bears traded for Khalil Mack and his best game may have been the playoff game against Philadelphia when he was the only Bear to sack Nick Foles. The Bears confirmed they will pick up his fifth-year option, bringing his salary between $12-14 million. The Bears did alright picking Floyd. He’s a solid player but chances are he won’t be the transcendent pass rusher the Bears hoped for.
Round 2, Pick 56
Cody Whitehair, G/C, Kansas State
Grade: A
It may not be the sexiest pick of the draft, but it’s definitely the best. Cody Whitehair came in from Kansas State and instantly became an offensive stalwart. He was drafted to be the Bears left guard but an injury to Hroniss Grasu forced the team to move him to center. Whitehair solidified an interior line that was hammered by inconsistent play and injuries. While his blocking was superb, Whitehair’s only problem seemed to be snapping. But in 2018, this issue seemed to be put to bed and Whitehair was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Still, many around the league (and even inside the locker room) believe Whitehair would be best suited moving back to guard and having second-year player James Daniels switch to center. Wherever he plays, Whitehair has excelled on the Bears and is in line for a major extension in the next year.
Round 3, Pick 72
Jonathan Bullard, DL, Florida
Grade: C-
Many experts saw Jonathan Bullard as a steal for the Bears in the third round. Having first- and second-round potential, Bullard fell to the Bears and was expected to win a starting defensive end spot on the defense. While Bullard has played in all but two games in three years, he hasn’t made much of his opportunity. Only two sacks and one forced fumble leave a lot to be desired and 2018 was his worst year yet. He seems to always be overmatched, which may be due to the 3-4 defense the Bears run. Depending on the upcoming draft, Bullard very well could be fighting for a roster spot come August.
Round 4, Pick 113
Nick Kwiatkoski, LB, West Virginia
Grade: C
Nick Kwiatkoski. Linebacker, Chicago Bears. That alone is the most Chicago name and position and it’s a shame he’s not one of the greats. Kwiatkoski is a nice player who does a lot of things well on the field. He provides great depth and is a key contributor on special teams. But he simply lacks the skills to be an NFL starter. During week one this past year against Green Bay, Kwiatkoski got the nod over Roquan Smith and that experiment ended the next week. He doesn’t have the speed nor the skills to be a great player. For all intents and purposes, he’s an average NFL player. That’s not a bad thing and he has earned a spot on this team, but that’s the best it will get for him.
Round 4, Pick 124
Deon Bush, S, Miami
Grade: C-
Deon Bush, similarly to Kwiatkoski who went a few picks prior, is just a guy. He’s a decent player who can make a spot start if needed but he isn’t spectacular on the field. Safety was never a strong point for the Bears so it says something that he couldn’t beat out Harold Jones-Quartey, Quintin Demps, or a then-ineffective Adrian Amos during his first couple of seasons. In fact, the first memory of when I think of Deon Bush is the Motown tribute from the Bears-Lions game in 2018.
While Bush filled in adequately for Eddie Jackson in the Bears-Eagles playoff game, he isn’t a starter on this team. That was apparent when the Bears elected to sign Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to start opposite Jackson when Amos left in free agency.
Round 4, Pick 127
Deiondre’ Hall, DB, Northern Iowa
Grade: D-
The Bears quickly took another defensive back after Bush and Deiondre Hall quickly put himself on the map with a strong preseason performance during his rookie season. He only played in eight games in 2016 but the arrow seemed to be pointing up. However, that arrow immediately fell down into the ground. Hall was tasered and arrested in early 2017 for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and interference. Hall went on injured reserve for a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason and only played in two games. After he was suspended for the season opener in 2018, Hall was then traded to the Eagles for a seventh-round pick and threw the Bears locker room under the bus on his way out. Hall was a non-factor for the Bears and the only reason his grade isn’t an F is because the team was at least able to get something for him.
Round 5, Pick 150
Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana
Grade: B+
The man every Bears fan is talking about right now, Jordan Howard burst onto the scene in 2016, taking over the starting running back position from Jeremy Langford and rushing for a Bears rookie record of 1,313 yards, which included seven games of 100 yards or more on the ground, another rookie record. Howard was poised to become the next great Bears running back. His numbers dipped in 2017 and while he was an excellent between-the-tackles type of back, he wasn’t shifty enough and was a liability in pass-catching situations. The arrival of Matt Nagy saw his numbers decline even more in 2018, finishing with only 935 rushing yards on 250 attempts. After months of uncertainty, the Bears traded Howard to the Eagles for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2020 that could turn into a fifth. Howard was the spark on an offense that had no playmakers and even when the entire defense knew he was getting the ball, he would make something out of nothing. He was a steal for the Bears in the fifth round but ultimately didn’t fit the system Nagy wanted to run.
Round 6, Pick 185
Deandre Houston-Carson, S, William & Mary
Grade: C-
The other Deandre that was drafted on day three, Houston-Carson provided special teams depth when he was on the active roster, as he split time on the practice squad. While he wasn’t much of a contributor on defense, he can continue to develop into a key special teams player, which is why the Bears re-signed him to a one year deal a few days ago.
Round 7, Pick 230
Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan
Grade: D
Remember Daniel Braverman? Like many small and quick wide receivers before him, Braverman was a training camp favorite who seemed destined to carve out a spot with the team going into his rookie season. That didn’t come to fruition, however, as he only played in three games in 2016, not receiving a single target in the passing game. He didn’t make it to the 2017 roster, which is surprising considering the wide receiver options the team had back then and bounced around to Kansas City and Arizona. While it’s difficult for many seventh-round picks to make an impact, it was somewhat surprising to see the Bears give up on Braverman so quickly.
Notable Undrafted Free Agents
Ben Braunecker, TE, Harvard
For his first two seasons, Braunecker spent time between the practice squad and the active roster. A lengthy tight end who can stretch the field, he received more playing time in 2018 and earned a two-year contract extension this offseason. Braunecker will most likely enter the season as the No. 3 tight end, but don’t be shocked to see him push Adam Shaheen for playing time.
Roy Robertson-Harris, DE, UTEP
After missing his rookie year, Roy Robertson-Harris (RRH) made a name for himself in the 2017 preseason where he wreaked havoc on quarterbacks and seemed to be involved in every play. That preseason earned him a spot on the team and he responded by recording two sacks and 13 tackles in 2017. He followed that up with another solid season in 2018, recording three sacks and 20 tackles. The Bears tendered him a contract, ensuring he will be back to provide more quality depth to a scary front seven.
Overall Draft Grade: C
While Whitehair and Howard became pro bowl players and Floyd has slowly ascended, the middle of this draft class is littered with slightly below average players. For all the praise Ryan Pace receives about finding gems in the 4-6 rounds, he didn’t necessarily succeed in this draft, even with the Howard pick. He particularity fell short in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Still, the Bears found some building blocks from this class and should have about half of the picks on the roster come September.
