Chicago Bears: 3 late-round gems Ryan Pace must target in 2020 NFL Draft
By Ryan Sikes
All eyes will be on the second round, but can the Chicago Bears strike gold in the final two rounds where they hold four picks?
Undoubtedly, the Chicago Bears will need to make their two second-round pick in this month’s draft count. After an all too occurring theme throughout the 2010s, struggles along the offensive line have reared their ugly head once more as the Bears struggled to protect for both phases on the offense.
Injuries played a role in their downfall, but the offensive line saw considerable regression from the once-steady, Charles Leno Jr. As noted, Kyle Long missed another significant portion of a season, which led to Rashaad Coward seeing a lot of playing time. I would expect the Bears to use one of their two second-round picks on a highly-touted offensive line that can immediately be plugged in.
However, the other pick is a wild card at the moment as General Manager Ryan Pace can go several ways with it. While not as critical, the Bears’ other needs consist of a wide receiver to replace Taylor Gabriel, running back, cornerback, safety, and tight end. Once the Bears make their second-round selections, they’ll have to wait until the fifth round before making their next pick.
It seems to make a lot of sense to trade down from one of their second-round selections to acquire more draft capital and increase their chances of hitting the jackpot on a player. That said, the Bears do hold four picks within the final four rounds, and while the odds are not favorable for these players to be significant contributors, Pace has found a few gems via this route.
Let’s look at a few possibilities that could be available when the Chicago Bears are on the clock in the final two rounds.