The 2015 NFL Draft is fast approaching and the Last Word On Sports NFL department is bringing you each team’s top priorities in our top three needs series. Next up is the Chicago Bears, a team that finished at the bottom of the tough NFC North last season. The Bears saw changes at both general manager and head coach during the offseason and a slew of new faces were added to the roster.
It was announced that the team will be switching from their previous 4-3 defensive scheme under former coordinator Mel Tucker to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who ran a 3-4 during his time in San Francisco. This may lead to several players playing out of position during the transitional phase and needs across the defensive side of the ball. With the draft taking place in Chicago, the local fan base will be as vocal as ever come draft night following a disappointing season which saw both the offense and defense slip to 21st and 30th in the league respectively.
The Bears occupy the 7th overall selection come draft night and they have six selections in total. This follows the trade that sent Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets and a 7th round pick in exchange for a pick in the 5th round (142nd).
Chicago Bears 2015 NFL Draft: Top 3 Needs
Wide Receiver
Trading Brandon Marshall to the Jets created a need at receiver, as the Bears are lacking a playmaker on the outside. Yes they have Alshon Jeffery and have signed Eddie Royal from the Chargers, but at 5’10” it is unlikely Royal will be seen as a deep threat like Marshall was and he has yet to have more than 800 receiving yards in a season. The team had one of the more formidable one-two punches in Jeffery and Marshall, allowing them to spread the field and challenge even the tallest cornerbacks. Without Marshall, the team could become one-dimensional, so replacing him with a tall, fast receiver will be a high priority.
Safety
The Bears gave up the 2nd most touchdowns in the league last year and finished 30th in passing yards allowed per game. It was obvious that players were going to be let go when Fangio took over defensive coordinating duties. Nowhere was it more apparent than at safety, as Chris Conte was not re-signed. Ryan Mundy will likely see out the last year of his current deal.
The Bears added veteran Antrel Rolle with a three-year contract but at 32 he can been seen as a short-term answer while the defensive rebuild happens. Interestingly enough, Chicago only has three safeties on their roster at present, making it obvious to most that the draft will be used to add depth to the position. While safety is a real need, there is a concerning lack of talent at the position in this year’s draft class.
Pass Rusher
As stated above, the Bears are overhauling their defense, switching to a 3-4 scheme. They have added several players to fill roles along the defensive front, such as linebackers Pernell McPhee and Sam Acho. General Manager Ryan Pace has been quoted as saying that the team “can never have too many pass rushers” and with the increased protection receivers are getting, stopping the quarterback from throwing the ball is at a premium.
A look at Chicago’s roster highlights this philosophy: there is an abundance of defensive ends and linebackers, as both positions account for 18 roster spots in total at present. Fangio will wish to have the ability to rotate players heavily along the defensive line, allowing them to stay fresh and keep pressure on opposing team’s quarterbacks. Questions linger about Jared Allen’s ability to transition from a traditional defensive end to operating in space at the linebacker position.
New GM, New Head Coach, New QB?
If the rumor mills are to be believed, Jay Cutler is all but done in Chicago. After a lackluster performance last season which saw the offense fall to 23rd in points per game and saw Cutler benched towards the end of the season, the writing may be on the wall for this signal caller.
Head coach John Fox has said that Cutler is the starter going forward but is he masking a strategy to trade the enigmatic quarterback? The issue that has stood in the way of a trade before the draft is Cutler’s outlandish contract that contains a cap hit of $16.5 million this season. This has somewhat tied Chicago to him, but given the right deal, a team could be tempted to take a chance on the 31-year-old. Expect rumors of Chicago using Cutler as trade bait to move up in the draft order to persist right up until the Roger Goodell starts the clock on April 30th.
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