Bears Draft Scenarios — Part One —Keep Justin Fields
After that gruesome win, the Bears now have a 4-8 record on the season. This puts their original pick at number four overall. At this point, the Bears are behind the New England Patriots (2-9), Arizona Cardinals (2-10), and the Carolina Panthers (1-10) whose pick we own.
This is a two, possibly three part series of articles I will be making for possible ideal draft night scenarios for the Bears. In this one, if Fields improves and we gets some more wins while the Panthers lose, these are some players we should consider choosing with our two picks in the first round.
First Overall Pick
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Depending on who has the number two overall pick in the draft, there are a few ideal trade scenarios that could occur. But one goal is in mind for this scenario, draft Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
If general manager Ryan Poles wants to trade back, he needs to do it with the New England Patriots or the New York Giants. There’s a big need for a new signal caller in Foxborough. However, we don’t know if head coach/GM Bill Belichick would want Harrison Jr as well to improve the Patriots offense.
Meanwhile the Giants could desperately need a replacement for quarterback Daniel Jones or a WR. Depends on what a team offers. If the offers aren’t good, then take Harrison Jr with the first overall pick.
Second Pick (Currently Fourth)
There are many options and needs the Bears could go with. The team has needs at the free safety position, defensive tackle, defensive end, center, and WR. We can cross the C off the board since the first player of that position slated to be picked is Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran, who is predicted to go in the second round.
LSU WR Malik Nabers
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Nabers is the second best receiver of this class. His stats are actually somewhat better than Harrison Jr’s as of now. Harrison Jr has 67 catches for 1211 yards and 14 touchdowns. Meanwhile Nabers has 86 catches for 1546 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The tape for Bears WR Tyler Scott is limited. He has shown promise, but if Poles feels that QB Justin Fields needs more weapons, then a draft where he takes both Harrison Jr and Nabers would be a boon for the offense. However, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy may hold the team back unless he is fired.
Nabers is currently predicted to be drafted sixth overall by the New York Giants and he would be a boon for a struggling offense under head coach Brian Daboll.
UCLA EDGE RUSHER Laitau Latu
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It is unclear if DE Yannick Ngakoue will return or even is a good player to bring back after this season. Currently Ngakoue only has three sacks on the season. He has been very inconsistent for the defense. UCLA DE Laitau Latu is ranked as the best EDGE rusher of the 2024 class. Latu currently has 13 sacks on the season and has a career 24 sacks in his three year college career after a previous 10 sack season. He also has two interceptions on the year, showcasing great potential in pass coverage.
Latu would be a boon for a struggling defensive line and would be able to get pressures thanks to DE Montez Sweat’s sheer presence in the pass rush. Latu is predicted to be drafted 10th overall by the Tennessee Titans.
Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton
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You can never have too many stars in a defensive front seven and the Bears need some help at the DT position. Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton is the highest ranked DT of the 2024 class. He currently has 7.5 sacks on the season and 18 sacks in his four year collegiate career. He also is dangerous in the run game, racking up 27.5 tackles for loss (TFL) in four years. Last year he had 14 TFL alone. He, like Latu, would be a boon for the Bears defensive line and the team in general. Newton is predicted to be drafted 13th overall by the Green Bay Packers, not sure if I would be comfortable with the Packers drafting Newton.
Miami S Kamren Kinchens
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FS Eddie Jackson hasn’t had the best career since his last pro bowl season in 2019. Ever since then, Jackson has had only four interceptions in 2022 before going down with an injury. Ever since then, he hasn’t gotten a single interception and has been exposed in zone coverage and the run game several times.
Miami Hurricane S Kamren Kinchens is the highest ranked S of the 2024 class. He currently has five pass deflections and five interceptions on the season. He has 11 total interceptions and 15 deflections in his three year collegiate career. He would be a boon for the secondary and improve a struggling Bears pass defense.
There are other players that I haven’t mentioned because then the article would go on for too long. Next time, there will be an article for a different scenario, that being if we trade Fields and decide to draft a new QB.
