While the Chicago Bears just added Georgia Linebacker Roquan Smith which fills a huge need, the Bears roster still has some holes to fill. Currently, the Bears possess the thirty-ninth overall pick for day two of the NFL Draft.
The first-round on Thursday night was full of many surprises. Needless to say, the Chicago Bears received help from many teams such as the Detriot Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings.
However, the three major needs the Bears still have to fill are defensive end, wide receiver, and guard to fill.
While there were reports that the Bears were trying to trade back into the end of the first-round, Ryan Pace was unable to strike a deal leaving fans to think what would happen on day two of the draft.
As the first round comes to close, a few teams are discussing coming back into the first round — The #Bears and the #Raiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2018
Considering the Bears tried to trade back into the first-round, it’s likely that Ryan Pace explores trade options in the second-round to try and gain a third-round pick.
Now, with Day two set to begin, there are a few names that would make sense for the Bears considering how the first round played out.
1) Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Landry was projected by many to be a first-round pick, however, due to injuries, he’ll have to wait until day two to hear his name called. He produced 16.5 sacks in 2016 and although he had somewhat of down year in 2017 due to an ankle injury, keep in mind that Landry was tied for the second-best edge rusher in this draft class.
If he’s available at number thirty-nine, he’s a strong candidate to be picked as the Bears missed out on Bradley Chubb and still need to find a long-term solution at defensive end.
2) Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP
Another player that could have arguably gone in the first round, Will Hernandez would fill a need for the Bears. Thursday night, there were various reports that the Bears first choice was in fact Notre Dame Guard Quenton Nelson, but since Nelson was selected sixth overall by the Indianapolis Colts, the Bears instead took Roquan Smith.
The chances of Hernandez being available at thirty-nine are going to be high. In fact, he could even be available if the Bears decide to trade farther back into the second round. Adding a player like Hernandez who has an aggressive mentality to a team that is clearly hungry for wins is what this team needs.
The Bears still have a hole at guard to fill and Hernandez might just be the best guard left in this draft.
3) Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
There are two words to describe the Iowa product: Turnover Machine. Although it was just one season, Jackson had eight interceptions in his final year at Iowa.
The biggest issue with Jackson is that he could be snagged by teams such as the New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All three teams pick ahead of the Bears and all three have needs at the cornerback position.
4) Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado
The University of Colorado is quietly producing some of the best defensive backs in the country. Last year, three defensive backs (Chidobe Awuzie, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Tedric Thompson) were selected. This year, Oliver will be the fourth defensive back to be drafted from the group.
Related Story: Isaiah Oliver draft profile
Another player that was also projected to be a late first-round pick, Oliver makes sense for a team that is looking for a cornerback. One cannot ignore his long arms, which are a necessity when playing in Vic Fangio’s schemes.
Unlike Josh Jackson, there’s a strong chance that he’s available at number thirty-nine and he could even be available in the later parts of the second-round.
Bottomline regarding Oliver is this; he’s an underrated player who’s got tons of potential and would be a nice fit in the Bears scheme. He could even end up being the steal of the second round if he falls enough.
5) Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
With just two wide receivers having been selected in the first-round on Thursday night, there’ll be plenty more that end up flying off the board on day two.
Kirk is a prototypical slot receiver and due to his versatile skillset, he could be drafted higher than most expect. As of right now, there are three teams that come to mind that can snag Kirk from right under the Bears noses.
The Browns, Giants, and Colts could all look to add weapons and view him as potential fits. If he’s available at number thirty-nine, the Bears have to make a decision. Does Ryan Pace want to trade down or select the versatile wide receiver knowing the team needs another wide receiver considering they let Cam Meredith go to the New Orleans Saints?
Conclusion
Any of these five players and even more could be available for the Bears at number eight and all of them would be good fits on this Bears roster. It’s all a matter of what Ryan Pace wants to do. Does he decide to beef up the pass rush with a player like Harold Landry or trade down and figure out a way to get a third-round pick back? We’ll find out tomorrow evening when the Bears are on the clock.