4TH PACE IS A BIG WINNER
Our experts say Bears’ general manager had solid draft in fourth year at helm
Bears general manager Ryan Pace was “fired up” about his first- round draft pick — he used his favorite phrase four times Thursday alone. But how should the Bears feel about the entire draft? The Sun- Times’ Bears experts— Adam L. Jahns, Patrick Finley and Mark Potash— break down their selections:
Roquan Smith will ...
Jahns: Have his struggles and make his mistakes, but by the end of the season, he’ll be in the conversation for defensive rookie of the year. Those aren’t lofty expectations, either. Vic Fangio’s defense flows through the inside linebackers. He’s not only an upgrade in talent, but in intangibles, too. Expectations for Smith start with him developing into the second coming of former 49ers All- Pro linebacker Patrick Willis.
Finley: Be the Bears’ thirdbest defensive player by midseason, behind only Akiem Hicks and Leonard Floyd. If his instincts and leadership traits translate to the NFL, he’ll be the leader of the defense by 2019. Potash: Win a tougher thanexpected battle with Nick Kwiatkoski at inside linebacker in the preseason and eventually be as good as advertised. In general, the nuances of Fangio’s defense are not mastered quickly, but with 10 returning starters around him, Smith’s adjustment period will be short and his impact almost immediate.
Be excited about ...
Jahns: The Bears’ win- now mindset. Pace’s rebuilding plan is on to Phase 2 after drafting quarterback Mitch Trubisky last year.
He then followed up a successful run in free agency this offseason by selecting guard/ center James Daniels and receiver Anthony Miller in the second round. Drafting Smith also improves the Bears’ top- 10 defense from last season.
Finley: Another weapon for Trubisky. At 5- 11, 209 pounds, Miller was a route- running tactician for pass- happy Memphis. He finished second in the nation with 1,407 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns last season and totaled more receiving yards in his last two years than Alabama’s Calvin Ridley did in his last three. In the second round last year, the Bears drafted tight end Adam Shaheen based on his size and athleticism. It’s refreshing to see Pace use his second- round picks based on huge college production.
Potash: The potential for the Bears’ offense to take a quantum leap from 30th in yards and 32nd in passing yards in Matt Nagy’s first season. The growth of Trubisky with Nagy- specific skillposition additions Allen Robinson, Trey Burton, Taylor Gabriel and Miller could accelerate the introductory phase of the process.
Be concerned about ...
Jahns: Being overly optimistic. The Bears are better. They will be more competitive because of their personnel changes, but also because of Nagy’s modern offense. But the NFC North still is one of the NFL’s best divisions. Playing in mediocre divisions aided the rise of the Rams and Eagles last season. The 2019 season truly will be defining for Pace, Nagy and Trubisky.
Finley: The pass rush. The Bears never fixed their receiver position last offseason and, after a rash of injuries, watched it become the worst in the league. Could the same thing happen at outside linebacker? The Bears dipped their toe into a shallow free- agent pool, pulling out the inconsistent Aaron Lynch, but then didn’t draft an edge rusher until the sixth round. Floyd ensures that at least half of the edge- rushing group is dynamic, but Sam Acho, Lynch, Isaiah Irving and draftee Kylie Fitts aren’t established pass rushers. Floyd has missed, on average, five games each season. If that happens again, the Bears are in trouble. Potash: Injuries shortcircuiting the Nagy Effect. The Bears made strength- and-conditioning changes in the offseason that are likely to pay benefits. But they still enter 2018 with several key players coming off injuries— Robinson, Kyle Long, Floyd— plus Kevin White. Daniels, Miller and Fitts had injury red- flags in the pre- draft process.
My favorite pick
Jahns: Miller. Just watch the film. He plays as if he has something to prove on every snap. His knack for making acrobatic catches certainly will help Trubisky, who will experience his
own ups and downs in his second season.
Finley: The Bears’ youngest player, Daniels won’t be able to legally buy a drink until a few days after the season opener. If you’re going to bet on someone that young, pedigree helps, and Iowa has had three offensive linemen drafted in the first round since 2010. Riley Reiff and Bryan Bulaga have started 165 of 177 games in which they were active, and Brandon Scherff is one of the NFL’s best guards.
Potash: Miller has the potential to make Bears fans forget about Cam Meredith. His ability to beat press coverage, stick the top of the route and get yards after the catch gives Nagy and Trubisky a versatile, multifaceted threat who should be an immediate hit.
Did Pace play the draft board well?
Jahns: Yes, and forget about the Bears’ decision to trade up and draft Miller. That’s just another example of Pace acting upon his convictions. The draft was particularly strong for interior offensive linemen. The Bears might have liked guard Quenton Nelson, but it was absurd to consider trading up for him. At No. 8, the Bears had outstanding defensive players to consider. When Day 2 of the draft opened, Daniels, Austin Corbett, Will Hernandez and Connor Williams were among the high- end interior offensive linemen available.
Finley: Yes, but Pace’s creditcard bill comes due next year, when he won’t have a secondround pick because of the Miller trade. Their draft might have looked better had the Lions not moved one spot in front of them and selected Alabama defensive end Da’Shawn Hand in Round 4.
Potash: Trading back into the second round to get Miller could turn out to be a master stroke that allowed the Bears to get a plug and-play playmaker and address two key needs— interior line and wide receiver— in the first two rounds.
Did the Bears improve?
Jahns: Yes, because the Bears’ significantly upgraded their talent around Trubisky through free agency and the draft. Trubisky is the centerpiece, and now he’s protected by Daniels, Cody Whitehair and Long and surrounded by receivers Robinson, Gabriel and Miller, tight ends Burton and Shaheen and running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen.
Finley: Every team improved. The question becomes: Can Smith cover up for their lack of a pass rush? Potash: Coming off seasons of six, three and five victories, the Bears have almost nowhere to go but up, so there’s little question they are better. They were going to be better even if they didn’t fire John Fox. But with Nagy and Trubisky in place and with Fangio rehired with a top- 10 defense, any additions have a much better chance to succeed than in recent years.