It’s been over a week since the Bears wrapped up their draft, but since then, Ryan Pace has added 22 undrafted free agents and many more have been invited to the rookie minicamp, totaling 78 players in all. With all of those moves over the last week, which current Bears are in better or worse situations now than they were prior to the draft?
Winner: Mitchell Trubisky/Matt Nagy
These two go hand-in-hand. Pace added RBs David Montgomery and Kerrith Whyte to kickstart a rushing attack that, without Trubisky’s 421 rushing yards, would have ranked 29th in the league, per ESPN. Couple that with the additions of WRs Riley Ridley and Emanuel Hall and the Bears offense should be firing on all cylinders come September. Trubisky has all of the weapons needed to take the next step in his career and Nagy should be salivating at the possibilities this offense offers. Chances are we’ll see all four running backs (Montgomery, Whyte, Mike Davis, and Tarik Cohen) on the field at once.
Loser: Mike Davis
While it was almost a certainty the Bears would draft a running back with one of their first picks, the selections of Montgomery and, to a lesser extent Whyte, will have negative effects on Davis’ carries. Montgomery was drafted to be the featured back while Cohen will continue to be utilized in many different facets throughout the game. Davis, who signed a two-year, $6 million deal this offseason, will get his touches, but he would have had many more opportunities if Montgomery wasn’t drafted. Time will tell on how Davis will fit into Nagy’s offense though.
Winner: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
When Clinton-Dix signed with the Bears in March on a one-year prove-it deal, there was some speculation as to whether the Bears would bring in more competition to push him for the starting spot opposite Eddie Jackson. Clinton-Dix is coming off a down year that saw him traded from the Packers to the Redskins mid-season for a fourth-round pick and Washington didn’t attempt to re-sign him. Plus Clinton-Dix plays more free than strong safety like Jackson. Still, the Bears did not draft a safety in any round and while a few players signed as UDFAs, none of them are a threat to Clinton-Dix. They feel confident going into the season with the former Packer. But can he return to his pro-bowl level?
Loser: Every kicker on the Bears roster
It’s getting the point where the Bears should seriously consider contacting Chris Harrison to host a new reality show on the kicking situation. The Bears brought in eight(!) kickers as either free agents or invites to their rookie minicamp. That isn’t even counting the other half dozen players they worked out earlier this year. And with news coming of 75% failing the “Cody Parkey test”, the kicking drama continues to be a storyline. Conceivably, all but one kicker will be let go and the one who makes it will have all of Chicago breathing down their neck every time they line up to attempt a field goal.
Winner: Adam Shaheen
Since he was selected no. 45 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Shaheen has not lived up to expectations. Shaheen wasn’t healthy all last season, only appearing in three games. He has 17 catches for 175 yards and 4 touchdowns in 19 career games. And with tight end considered a need going into the draft, Shaheen’s spot may have been in danger. But the draft passed with no tight ends coming to Chicago, and even with the signing of highly-touted TE Dax Raymond out of Utah State, Shaheen should enter the season as the backup to Trey Burton, with many opportunities to make an impact on the field. Nagy loves to use tight ends, here’s hoping Shaheen will breakout in 2019 and add yet another wrinkle to this improved offensive unit.
Loser: Javon Wims
The Bears made a somewhat surprising move when they drafted Wims’ former teammate WR Riley Ridley in the fourth round of the draft. Ridley essentially fell to the Bears and Pace admitted the choice was a “no-brainer”. After the draft, one of the first UDFA signings was Mizzou standout WR Emanuel Hall. Hall, another player who fell down the board, was considered a late second-round pick at one point. The Bears now have nine wide receivers on the roster; Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Taylor Gabriel, Cordarrelle Patterson, Marvin Hall, Emanuel Sanders, Javon Wims, and Thomas Ives. While Ives and Marvin Hall are early candidates for training camp cuts, the Bears would still have seven wide receivers and given the draft capital spent on Ridley, and Emanuel Hall’s speed specialty, Wims is likely the odd man out in the rotation. His impressive 2018 preseason seems just like yesterday, and he’ll need an even better performance this season to stick around.
