The Chicago Bears don’t hold any first or second-round draft picks, but could they find any diamonds in the rough in the third round?
If GM Ryan Pace has proven anything it’s that he’s a mastermind when it comes to drafting in the mid-to-late rounds. The Bears hold the 87th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. So what sort of player can we expect at that spot?
Let’s take a look at the last five players taken No. 87 overall in the NFL Draft.
2018: EDGE Arden Key, Oakland Raiders
As a rookie, Arden Key was forced to accelerate his growth after the trade of Khalil Mack and the release of Bruce Irvin. While Key’s stats weren’t anything to brag about — one sack and 11 hits on the quarterback in his 10 starts — he’s expected to make strides in his second season. Let’s face it, Oakland as a whole couldn’t find their way to the quarterback last season. But Key certainly has the skill set to make those strides that the Raiders will be expecting from their young pass rusher.
2017: QB Davis Webb, New York Giants
From one New York team to another, Davis Webb was believed to be Eli Manning’s eventual successor. Webb was released last season as the Giants elected to go with rookie Kyle Lauletta and veteran Alex Tanney as Manning’s backups, and Webb was later picked up by the Jets. In three preseason games with the Jets last season, Webb completed 28 of 53 passes (52.8 percent) for 283 yards and one touchdown. The Jets elected to tender Webb last month, which means that he’ll be fighting for the backup quarterback spot behind incumbent starter Sam Darnold.
2016: ILB Nick Vigil, Cincinnati Bengals
While Nick Vigil’s 2017 season was deemed a rough one, he got off to a solid start last season amidst the disappointment that was the Bengals’ 2018 season. Vigil recorded a team-high 55 tackles through the first five games of the season. But a knee injury sidelined Vigil for five games, and despite an impressive 12-tackle performance in the regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vigil wasn’t the same once he returned. The hope is that Vigil can return to form and inspire some confidence on the defensive side of the ball moving forward.
2015: WR Sammie Coates, Pittsburgh Steelers
For a franchise known for acquiring talented pass catchers, Sammie Coates was quite the disappointment. An explosive receiver at Auburn, injuries and poor catching ability have led to a lack of production for Coates in the NFL. During his two-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Coates caught just 22 passes. It seemed like he was primed for a breakout at the start of the 2016 season, where he led the NFL in yards per catch through the first games. But that’s when the injuries started and ultimately brought a premature end to his tenure in Pittsburgh. Since then, Coates was then dealt to the Cleveland Browns in 2017 and the Houston Texans in 2018, where he hasn’t had much luck either. Coates was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason.
2014: CB Phillip Gaines, Kansas City Chiefs
Cornerback Phillip Gaines might’ve been a rare miss for John Dorsey in Kansas City, but Dorsey is giving him another chance in Cleveland. In 52 career games, 22 starts, Gaines totaled 135 tackles, 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one interception. Drafted by the Chiefs, the team let Gaines walk after his rookie contract expired, and he was later signed by the Buffalo Bills, where he started six of seven games before the Browns claimed him off waivers from the Bills back on Nov. 7. In four games with the Browns, Gaines recorded just nine tackles. But Cleveland must have liked what they saw from him because they signed him to a one-year extension to get a better look.
