Which Chicago Bears were affected the most by the 2020 NFL draft?
The 2020 NFL draft impacts much more than just the players who they drafted. These players are stepping into jobs that were already had by somebody in the hopes of an upgrade. So, with each pick, comes a potential starting job or roster spot battle. Which players on the Chicago Bears did not see their job challenged?
The Chicago Bears were not able to hit every need, and it lowered the stress levels on these players.
5. Ryan Nall and Abdullah Anderson
Not many know much of these names, and they can be lumped together as an honorable mention of sorts. Still, if the Chicago Bears had to cut their roster to 53-men right now, these two would have to be on the roster.
When looking at the Chicago Bears depth chart at running back, there is David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, and nobody but Ryan Nall to fill out the rest. The Bears added two UDFAs, but both would have a hard time beating out Nall at this point.
He beat out Taquan Mizzell; he outlasted Kerrith Whyte. Now, in year three, there is almost no competition for him.
Anderson is in a good spot as well. The Bears have depth on the defensive line, and Anderson will not play much. However, he is the backup nose tackle. When looking at the roster, there is not a true depth nose tackle behind Eddie Goldman, aside from Anderson. There Bears added two UDFA defensive lineman, but both are more 5-tech ends and practice squad stashes at that. Anderson was a UDFA in 2018 with Nall, and now both have a chance to enter the summer in a great spot to make the 53-man roster.
4. Charles Leno and Bobby Massie
The Chicago Bears had a chance to take a depth tackle of the future in Josh Jones and Ezra Cleveland in round two. They passed on both of them. Fans can complain about Leno and Massie and want them replaced, but the reality is that both are in the short and long terms as of now.
The Bears drafted two offensive linemen, but both are set to be guards next year. Germain Ifedi was signed, but he will be competing for guard snaps as well. Jason Spriggs provides depth but got let go from Green Bay for a reason.
Leno and Massie are both signed through the next two seasons. Leno is better some than think, but not an elite starter, so he does criticism. Massie saw some injuries last year and is now 30 years old.
The Bears seem to be all-in, investing in veterans such as Nick Foles, Jimmy Graham, and Robert Quinn. They are betting on those next two seasons, and they are betting on those two being their tackles. You may not like it, but that is the plan, and this weekend solidified that they do not have long term tackle replacements in their minds at all.
3. Joel Iyiebuniwe
On its face, losing Nick Kwiatkoski and Kevin Pierre-Louis is not devastating. Especially in the case of Nick K, you are talking about a player getting a salary above his pay grade. KPL may have seen a better chance for the field in Washington.
Nonetheless, with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan, losing these two does not devastate things. It does take massive hits to the depth of the roster.
The Bears had plenty of chances to add depth linebackers late in the draft and never pulled the trigger. They added some help as UDFAs, but overall, they are looking at Josh Woods and Joel Iyiebuniwe as their best depth options on the roster.
Like Nall and Anderson, Joel Iyiebuniwe is seeing the Bears show faith in a step forward in year three. He has stuck around, played well on special teams, and now the Bears are hoping that he can be the solid third linebacker they drafted him to be.
Danny Trevathan has been healthy for a full season just once since he signed in Chicago and has pulled that off just three times in eight years. The odds say that Joel Iyiebuniwe is going to start at least one game this season. That is a huge step from what he has been for the Bears.
2. Germain Ifedi
The Bears added guard depth; there is no doubt about it. Both seventh-round picks project as guards at the next level. The Bears are going to throw a lot of names at the position.
Rashard Coward, Alex Bars, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, even Corey Levin, and Jason Spriggs may be options. Still, of all those names, Ifedi is going to be the leader in the clubhouse to start at right guard.
To start, he has a first-round pedigree. He has not lived up to it, but he has more upside than most of these. He is 25 years old and has started for four NFL seasons.
Coward stepped in for Kyle Long last season, but his tape was worse than what Ifedi did at right guard as a rookie. Ifedi is a better option. Bars may get a chance, but the Bears lack of addition in a tackle may be a win for him. He is potentially the third tackle on the roster this year and maybe a long term Bobby Massie replacement since none were drafted this weekend. Considering Massie’s recent injuries and age, Bars may be a small draft weekend winner to be in that role as well.
Hambright and Simmons would be a tip of the cap to Juan Castillo if they found their way into the starting lineup in 2020. Overall, this points to Germain Ifedi starting for the Chicago Bears in week one.
1. Deon Bush
There was a debate as to whether or not the Chicago Bears needed a starting strong safety, or if they could trust Deon Bush as a box option next to Eddie Jackson. Due to the big investment in Jackson, the idea should be that any average starter can excel next to him. That will be tested with Deon Bush as he appears to be the clear starter. The Bears had many chances to address the safety position and did not.
They took Cole Kmet ahead of Grant Delpit and Antoine Winfield Jr., who went the very next picks. Still, Jeremy Chinn, who was more of a box safety, went pick 64. He was there at pick 50, and Ryan Pace went cornerback Jaylon Johnson instead. Does this speak of their interest in Johnson over Chinn, or trust in Bush over Kevin Toliver and Artie Burns?
Daniel Thomas from Auburn went right after Trevis Gipson, Alohi Gillman, and Antoine Brooks went right after Darnell Mooney. If they wanted to add their box safety, they had a shot at every pick through the draft.
Whether this speaks to how their board broke or how much they trust in Deon Bush, it is hard to think that they are adding a safety who is going to push Bush for starting snaps. He is the biggest winner of the weekend with a chance to prove himself.