What Chicago Bears Draft Choice Tells Us About Idea of 2018
With the #8 Overall Pick, the Chicago Bears select…
Chicago Bears
A Wide Receiver
Possible Players: Calvin Ridley or Courtland Sutton
Likely Status in 2018: Starting WR
What does it say about the Bears:
By taking a receiver here, the Bears are acknowledging what has been obvious for a while, their receiver Corps is full of either mildly talented or pre-injured players. This also indicates that they are not 100% convinced that the player(s) who they signed in Free Agency is/are going to be able to lift the corps by themself(ves). It also says that the Bears are looking to fix their offense in order to properly complement their defense. It shows a desire for the team to reach the next level much sooner and is a much larger boom or bust strategy.
The Good:
If they Bears are convinced that both the offensive line and starting defense are in place for 2018, grabbing a receiver here could be the piece that catapults them into competition next season. It means more space and less stacked boxes for Howard, more space underneath for Kendall Wright (or perhaps Wilson from KC) to operate and create yardage, and it means that Trubisky will have at least one target who will reliably catch the ball when he puts it on target. Something that he did not have in 2017.
The Bad:
Is the defense really shored up? Taking a receiver here means passing on a number of defenders who could step in immediately and create an impact for the team. Fitzpatrick will likely be gone, but Ward or Jackson could come in and start alongside Fuller, and there is very little that impacts the Win/Loss record more than generating turnovers. A pass rusher such as Key, Chubb (if available), or Davenport could make life very uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks in a division full of good ones (Rogers, Stafford, and possibly Cousins). These are the type of impact players that you’re passing on if you take a receiver here. You’d better be sure that the one you’re getting is truly going to make an impact.