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2020 Chicago Bears NFL Draft Recap
The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone, the most viewed televised draft in history. 55 million over the three days. I think it’s safe to attribute that to the nation’s quarantine policies and draft being completely virtual. Though it was an interesting outcome seeing commissioner Roger Goodell call out draft picks in his man cave from in front of his big-screen to his lounging chair by the third round. Another fun aspect was seeing the draftees and their families’ reactions when their names were called of new members of club NFL.
We even had comic relief, some of the best moments was seeing 17th pick wide receiver CeeDee Lamb showing off his hand-eye coordination by snatching his cellphone back from his girlfriend. How about defensive tackle, and 14th pick, Javon Kinlaw‘s father falling off the couch when his son was selected.
Lastly, and maybe the best one, was the 29th selection, offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson‘s mom yanking his girlfriend out the camera shot, (after she appeared to resist the first request). This was one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, teams could find solid value through all seven rounds. Only time will tell, let us not forget 20 years ago one of the greatest players in NFL history was found in the sixth round, Tom Brady.
2020 Bears Draft Recap
Mixed Emotions on Chicago Picks
Chicago’s draft was met with an array of feelings as the team decided for their first pick to opt for drafting the best of the worst, as far as depth, in this year’s crop. That was at the tight end position, the 43rd-overall pick Cole Kmet from Notre Dame, the 6’5″ 250-pounder is expected to come in and contribute immediately. Kmet did have an impressive junior year campaign amassing over 500 yards receiving and six touchdowns helping Notre Dame to an 11-2 record. Fun fact: those six touchdowns were all he had for his college career.
The team’s second selection, 50th overall, was more of a relief, picking Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, another junior who finished with 7 career interceptions. The one big question surrounding Johnson is not his play but his health, he played the entire season with a torn labrum. Chicago then maneuvered to move up to the third round to grab EDGE Trevis Gipson out of Tulsa. A solid addition to provide more edge rush depth. Here are the rest of the new Chicago Bears as follows:
- CB Kindle Vildor from Georgia Southern (4th rd)
- WR Darnell Mooney from Tulane (5th rd)
- OT Arlington Hambright from Colorado (6th rd)
- OT Lachavious Simmons from Tennessee State (7th rd)
The Bears also signed undrafted free agent Ledarius Mack, younger brother of star Khalil Mack.
What to Grade Chicago’s Draft: C+
Grading the Bears 2020 draft can be debated but that’s my mark on it. Hey at least it’s a passing grade even though it started out shaky, they brought it up though. The immediate response was, “What are you doing??” Needs for the team are offensive line, wide receiver, and secondary; specifically safety. The team circumvented what direction they should’ve gone (see my previous article) but recovered some. As you’ll see, predictions were dead on as two of them went 44th & 46th.
Initially, it started out as a D, drafting a tight end to an already overcrowded position which brought the number to 10 (since down to nine) on the roster. Not to mention signing free agents Demetrius Harris and Jimmy Graham. With Kmet added unless the plan is to convert some of the many tight ends to offensive linemen, maybe Adam Shaheen, expect to see no more than four on the roster.
Speaking of offensive line it appears the staff is content with the unit as is and the free agents from the clearance rack they invested in. Seeing that the offensive line wasn’t addressed until the end of the draft. Possibly the addition of the new offensive line coach, 24-year vet Juan Castillo, will add improvement.
General manager Ryan Pace made strong moves thereafter adding substantial depth on the defensive side of the ball snatching up corner Jaylon Johnson and moving into the third round to bolster pass rush getting Trevis Gipson. He was even able to get considerable value in the fifth at wide receiver with Darnell Mooney, fast, he will need time to develop though.
What to Expect in 2020
With the current state of the sports world, it’s hard to gauge what to expect. Any team-related activities are virtual, there’s no timetable of when facilities will be open for players and coaches to meet. It’s an unprecedented time in the league right now, so we all have to play it by ear. At least the other teams in the division drafts were lackluster except for the Minnesota Vikings.
If there is a silver lining it’s the signing of Ledarius Mack, we can have the “Mack Attack” here on the defense. This could end up being Pace’s best move of this draft. Mack’s journey to the NFL can be compared to Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle, who was drafted 30 years ago. Talk about history repeating itself, Randle also had an older brother in the NFL, Ervin Randle.
It doesn’t stop there, the similarities of both Mack and Randle are uncanny! Both were considered undersized at their positions at 6’1, Mack weighing 240 lbs and Randle 244 lbs. Think of the possibilities of playing with and learning from your brother who’s a defensive player of the year and considered one of the best if not the best at his position. We could soon be witnessing history here in the Windy City but time will tell.
The Chicago Bears and Draft Day
We’re only a few hours away from the 2020 NFL Draft which was supposed to take place in Las Vegas but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented change had to be made. The NFL will have it’s first virtual draft from the home of Commissioner Roger Goodell. It’s like the ultimate “real life” fantasy draft, just think about it. Don’t worry about it, us fantasy players get it! The evening’s historic festivities begin with the Cincinnati Bengals picking first.
The first four selections seem to be locked according to several mock drafts starting with Heisman winning QB Joe Burrow of LSU. Two through four have EDGE Chase Young, cornerback Jeff Okudah (both from Ohio State), and Isaiah Simmons, a linebacker from Clemson going to the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and New York Giants respectively. Simmons may slip from that fourth slot but the rest of the first round is murky and up in the air. With teams bound to make trades, wheeling and dealing, we’ll just have to see where the chips fall.
Bears and Draft Day
What will Chicago Do
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace have an extra day to prepare as they have no first day selections. Remember the Khalil Mack trade in 2018 with the Oakland Raiders, (now Las Vegas)? If not, a quick refresher: Chicago’s first-round pick this year (19) was part of the deal; which was well worth Mack. Bears have seven picks in total this year with the first coming in the second round at 43rd and then 50th, they don’t pick again until the fifth round. So with that said Pace and the organization really need to make those first two picks difference makers.
What direction will the Bears decide to go? What direction should they go? The answer should be simple. Offensive line first, secondly wide receiver and a distant last, safety. Good thing the draft will be loaded at the most needed positions. Looking at the offensive line in 2019, besides quarterback, was the most inconsistent part of an offensive unit that failed to score a touchdown in the first half in 11 of 16 games. Chicago ranked in the bottom half of the league in all major offensive categories. 27th in rushing, 25th in passing, 29th in both total yards and scoring, 31st in yards per play and 32nd in yards per pass attempt.
Chicago’s line struggles can be attributed to injuries, pro bowl guard Kyle Long was lost to a hip injury after just 4 games, who has also since retired. Long was then replaced by Rashaad Coward who was a converted defensive lineman. Right tackle Bobby Massie suffered an ankle injury that put him on the shelf for the last five games of the season. Need we say anything more, to compete offensively in the NFL your foundation starts up front.
In regards to wide receiver, it appears that Taylor Gabriel didn’t quite fit the role the team was expecting him to. As evidenced by Pace releasing the six-year veteran. In two seasons in Chicago Gabriel had 96 receptions, 1041 yards, and six touchdowns. The Bears now need to add a speedy downfield threat to fill in that slot position. That would be a welcomed addition for Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson, who led the team with a career-best 98 receptions, 1147 yards, and seven touchdowns.
What Prospects Will the Bears Select?
At this point, it would be easy to say the best offensive lineman available but with the teams first pick not coming until Friday at selection 43, get the best value at positions in need. Unless there’s a player they’ve targeted that they believe will be there later, then they can work out a trade to move down and possibly get another pick, say, in the 3rd round. With that being said here are some players the Bears should have an eye on:
- Justin Jefferson WR LSU – Great hands, physical receiver, 4.4 speed
- Grant Delpit S LSU – Second-ranked safety prospect, value pick, good size, and coverage skills
- Cesar Ruiz OL Michigan – True Center would allow Cody Whitehair to move back to his natural guard position
- KJ Hamler WR Penn State – Second-fastest WR in the draft, strong for his size, 5’9 176lbs, downfield threat
Now time to see if any of these players will be the next Chicago Bear.
Free Agency Best and Worst: NFC North
Free agency opened in the NFL with the legal tampering period and the deals came in furiously. Most teams had a pretty clear idea of who they wanted and at what price. Of course, not all activity is created equal. Some of the teams did very well on paper. Others, however, were not so fortunate.
So who’s who? Well, that is the fun part. Adding talent isn’t a shoo-in way to a passing mark. Some teams would have been better off embracing the chance to rebuild and others passed on the chance at that one difference-maker. Others still seemed to be operating in a different world.
Last time, we went over the AFC North. This time we shift our focus to their NFC counterpart…
Best and Worst From the NFC North Free Agency
Chicago Bears
Best Move: Finding Another Pass Rusher
After quarterback, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has had one other glaring weakness in putting together this roster. That is finding a proper compliment to stud pass-rusher Khalil Mack. Enter Robert Quinn; owner of the highest Pass Rush Win Rate over the past two years. After recording 11.5 sacks opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, he could have a big year in Chicago.
Quinn’s predecessor in Chicago, Leonard Floyd, never developed as a pass rusher and often found himself unable to finish. That isn’t an issue with Quinn, though his deficiencies defending the run could be. Perhaps with Akiem Hicks back healthy next to Eddie Goldman, opposing offenses will be forced to run sideline-to-sideline for the Bears speedy linebackers to clean up.
Worst Move: Bidding Against Themselves
A theme of Pace’s tenure has been the Bears seemingly overpaying for players, be it in free agency or the draft. Trading up for Mitchell Trubisky is the most notable move and he may have just repeated himself trading for Nick Foles. The journeyman cost a (valuable) mid-round pick and $15 million. Pace could have waited for Foles to be released like Cam Newton was.
A logical argument can be made for overpaying for a quarterback, but what about an aging tight end? That’s the scenario with Jimmy Graham who the Bears signed to a two-year, $16 million deal with $9 million in guarantees. Graham hasn’t been useful between the 20s for several years, but he even saw a dip in his red-zone usage last season with the Green Bay Packers.
Next Move: Unearth More Gems
This is, of course, pending any trade that moves Mitchell Trubisky. If that happens, their next move should be to try finding their quarterback of the future. That’ll be tough with no pick until the second round without a passer falling. Outside of that, they’ll need to do what Pace and company have been best know for, discovering talent in the later rounds.
Free agency isn’t over, but the Bears are pretty cash strapped. That means holes at right guard and strong safety need to be addressed via the draft. Alex Bars will have his shot on the line, but Chicago needs offensive line depth across the board. And what about Deon Bush at safety? They at least have thrown bodies at their second cornerback spot.
Detroit Lions
Best Move: Moving On
When the Detroit Lions signed Desmond Trufant, it helped pave the way for their moving on from Rashaan Melvin. The late-bloomer went undrafted in 2013 and didn’t start until his second season and even then still only had two starts before 2016. He turned a couple of good years with the Indianapolis Colts into a pair of one-year pacts with the Oakland Raiders and the Lions.
Trufant arrives in Detroit on a two-year deal. Melvin’s play tailed off last season as he allowed 63 percent completion and a 104.1 passer rating; up from 54.8 percent and a 96.2 rating in 2018. Trufant spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He missed much of 2019, but in 2018 he allowed 59.2 percent completion and an 87.6 passer rating.
Worst Move: Moving On
A little double talk here as the Lions basically stayed in place. They upgraded from Melvin, but they also traded Darius Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles. Slay has been Detroit’s best corner since his arrival in 2013. His play dipped compared to 2018, but he still only allowed 55.9 percent completion and 81.6 passer rating. In a down year!
The fact of the matter is, Trufant was really brought in to replace Slay. But the only reason a replacement is needed is because of friction between Slay and Lions head coach, Matt Patricia. Per Slay, Patricia made offensive remarks in regards to a picture of an opposing wide receiver Slay posted on social media. If true, the Lions are in more trouble than needing a cornerback.
Next Move: Win or Go Home
Patricia has done his best to recreate what he experienced with the New England Patriots. He’s even gone so far as to try and take on the persona of his mentor, Bill Belichick, with the media. He’s even chastised press members for being late; an infraction he himself is guilty of. Unfortunately, for Patricia, he isn’t Belichick so his antics aren’t being overlooked.
What’s more, if he is indeed bumping heads with players over such things his tenure in Detroit might not last the entire 2020 season. This isn’t to say an organization is always wrong for choosing the coach over a player (though they usually are). But it is suggesting that Patricia hasn’t done enough (nor does he have a leash long enough) to be running off players.
Green Bay Packers
Best Move: Free Agency Restraint
2019 saw a very different gameplan from the Packers in the offseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst used his second go to further distance his image from that of predecessor Ted Thompson. Green Bay addressed its leaky defense both in free agency and the draft, signing Adrian Amos and pass rushers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith and drafting Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage.
2020 has been a return to normalcy. Green Bay has added inside linebacker Christian Kirksey, offensive tackle Ricky Wagner, and wide receiver Devin Funchess from the outside. And those deals all pale in comparison to what was spent last year. Fans might have been disappointed by the overall lack of aggressiveness. But they needed much less this time around.
Worst Move: Questions at WR2
Davante Adams has worked his way into becoming Aaron Rodgers’ favorite weapon. He entered last season fresh off of his first 1000-yard season in 2018 but injuries limited him to 12 games. He still managed to accumulate 997 yards, tying his second-highest single-season mark, and grab five touchdowns. Adams’ 83 grabs by far led the team.
The second-leading receiver was Allen Lazard with his 35/477/3 stat line. He was bested by running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams as well as tight end Jimmy Graham. The only addition so far, Funchess, missed all but one game last year. With so much youth at the position already, another rookie doesn’t make sense so it’s a bit surprising they didn’t do more.
Next Move: Draft Rodgers Heir Apparent
Green Bay only has one pick this season and it’s not exactly a premium one. They’re currently slated to pick 30th in the first round of the April 23rd NFL Draft. That spot can be used for a myriad of things from simply taking the best player available to trading down to gain more draft capital to fill more holes.
While the Packers could certainly use the pick on a receiver (see above) but a savvier move might be to select a quarterback should one slide. No, they don’t have an immediate need for one, but that shouldn’t stop them from taking one should the opportunity arise. After all, Brett Favre was 36 when the Packers took Rodgers (also 36) in 2005.
Minnesota Vikings
Best Move: Blowing Up the Secondary
This is a bit of an exaggeration. What the Minnesota Vikings actually did was start over at cornerback. Xavier Rhodes (Colts), Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander (both Cincinnati Bengals) will all suit up elsewhere as the Vikings revamp their 15th-ranked pass defense.
Rhodes’ release is the biggest reason this is a good move. His completion percentage allowed ballooned from a mediocre 61.3 percent last season to a whopping 81.5 percent. He had to go. It remains to be seen if Minnesota rolls with Kris Boyd and Mike Hughes plus a rookie. But they will need to draft at least one corner. How early and often are the only real questions.
Worst Move: Losing Diggs and Griffen
Hey, a twofer! Both Stefon Diggs and Everson Griffen will find themselves in different uniforms in 2020 for very different reasons. Diggs’ frustration has often been visible on the sidelines and social media; though he has often denied the latter were ever anything serious. Minnesota traded him for a draft haul to the Buffalo Bills. Adam Thielen could struggle without Diggs taking the top off.
Griffen’s departure is a little more sentimental, and not just because he was longer tenured. Griffen went through some mental health issues that cost him five games in 2018. The Vikings stood by him through that and he came back in 2019 with eight sacks opposite Danielle Hunter. They’ll need Ifeadi Odenigbo to take a major leap.
Next Move: Win or Go Home
Vikings brass finds themselves in a similar situation to the Lions. They have put together a team they’ve felt were contenders for the past couple of years only to fall short. Their saving grace has been making the playoffs three of the last six seasons. But how long can just getting there be enough? Especially when the peak was reaching the NFC Championship game back in 2017.
This shows worst on two individuals in the Vikings organization. Head coach Mike Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Zimmer is in his sixth season and obviously owns the successes and failures of this group. Cousins has failed to elevate them above the heights they reached with Case Keenum, but he just got an extension. It looks like the powers that be in Minnesota have picked a side.