The NFL draft is an exciting time for players who are set to enter the league, but it can be a scary time for fringe starters and roster players. The addition of new names means that old names will be replaced. For the Chicago Bears, the roster is up and coming, and it will make trimming the fat that much tougher. Who are some current players that will be impacted most by the 2024 NFL Draft?
3. Do the Chicago Bears trust Tyler Scott?
As we stand right now, Tyler Scott is the Chicago Bears' third receiver. With D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen ahead of him, he is not moving up, but with no real competition behind him, he is not moving down unless someone new is in the mix. There is a great chance that someone new will be in the mix, though.
The Bears should be looking to add a third receiver. Tyler Scott gets the benefit of being a rookie, but nothing he did during that season speaks to a player who is ready to be a real contributor. He could not beat out Equanimeous St. Brown for playing time, and even when St. Brown got hurt, the team had to bring in Velus Jones and Trent Taylor at times.
If one of the top receivers is there at pick nine, it is almost too good to be true for the Bears. Scott would go from being on the field for one of the most prevalent formations in football to sitting out most snaps and just being a fourth receiver who takes the occasional snap here and there.
If the Bears do not take a receiver at nine, they do not pick until the third round. That rookie could still beat out Scott, but his job got a lot safer, and his role became more defined. This is a big weekend for the second-year receiver.
2. Will the Chicago Bears look to replace Gervon Dexter?
When the Chicago Bears drafted Gervon Dexter, he was always expected to be a projectable player who would not hit the ground running. So, most indications are that the team expects him to take a leap next year and play much better. If that is the case, a defensive tackle is not needed much.
However, there have been some mock drafts that have the team going with Byron Murphy in the first round. If that is the case, we would see Dexter in the same role, if not less than the year prior. That would be a pretty shocking development.
Still, while Dexter flashed upside, he is not a sure thing, and the Bears have been known to stick to the best player available strategy. If that is the case, it is bad news for Dexter.
If Dexter goes into Friday without seeing someone drafted, he should be fine. Still, the team is likely to take a tackle either on day two or three. That may impact Zacch Pickens more than Dexter, but how high they take this player will tell us how much of a leap forward they are looking for out of Dexter. The entire weekend should be telling.
1. Could the Chicago Bears draft a replacement for Braxton Jones
By all accounts, the Chicago Bears found a gem in the fifth round with Braxton Jones. He started every game as a rookie and progressed after his injury in year two. For his draft cost, the team could not ask for more. However, there are still rumors that the team will be moving on if the draft breaks right.
That is because while Jones is a good starter, they may have the chance to bring in another top-ten pick at the position. They have the chance to have two elite starters at offensive tackle for years to come, and that is tough to pass up.
Unlike the other two, this is the first round or nothing. Nobody they take after that would be ready to unseat Jones next year, at least not without competition.
A third-round pick could still push Tyler Scott to the side and could reduce the role of either Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, or both. For the Bears, they either replace Jones with a top-ten pick or keep Jones for his third straight season. This will be interesting to watch on draft night.