Major Needs
Secondary: You know you need help when the best player in you secondary is 33-year old Charles Tillman. The Bears not only need help around him, at the opposite cornerback position, and safety, but they also need the eventual replacement for Tillman who was riddled with injuries all throughout last year.
Linebacker: The Bears are finding out the hard way, that its tough to fill the shoes of an eight time pro bowler who played 13 years. Of course I’m referring to Brian Urlacher, who was the heart and soul of the Bears defense and has still been sorely missed. While the Bears attempt to fill his void, Lance Briggs sails the ship for this unit, who still has plenty of wind in his sail. However, the Bears are quite aware that just like Urlacher, Briggs won’t be around forever. That’s why they spent two early round picks on linebackers Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene. Both show minor flashes of potential, but struggled more plays than not. Still, with teams using three-linebacker sets far less, out of all positions, linebacker could be at the bottom of the list.
Defensive Line: After a brutal year against the run, adding a talented defensive tackle to the rotation of Stephen Paea, Jay Ratliff, and Tracy Robertson to be a top priority early in the draft. In the NFC North, you have to be able to win in the trenches come December, and grabbing a premier defensive tackle can help that. The addition of Jared Allen and Lamar Houston are impactful acquisitions, and allow the Bears to look elsewhere in the draft.
Day-One Targets
Aaron Donald: A no brainer if he is still on the board, Donald is one of the biggest risers of the draft after a dominating week in Mobile. Donald is lightning quick while penetrating into the backfield with regularity, and would dramatically help the line play for the Bears, both in the run and pass game.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: Who are the Bears starting safety tandem? Truth is you can say whoever you want, because I don’t even know. You could make a strong case that the Bears had the worst ranked safety duo in the league. Clinton-Dix is a center fielder who has tons of range and can cover a lot of ground, something heavily needed in a division with Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. The top-ranked safety’s playmaking skills would mean a high increase in the turnover department as well.
C.J. Mosley: If you want someone to fill the shoes of Urlacher, Mosley is the guy to ask. The most complete linebacker in this draft, Mosley’s awareness and football IQ, are what helped him excel in the run game, blitzing, and coverage. Although the Bears don’t run the same Cover-2 defense like they use to, Mosley’s coverage skills would be a tremendous asset in a pass-happy league.
Day-Two Targets
Pierre Desir: Cornerbacks, the Bears will take as many as they can get, and Desir would be a great start. Another fast riser of late, Desir dominated his competition at the lower-level division, and teams think he could do the same in the NFL. A long lanky player, Desir has a knack for the ball when it’s in the air, something teams covet, and something you can’t teach.
Christian Jones: Jones is a pure 4-3 outside linebacker, with size and speed. Jones can run sideline-to-sideline, and track down the ball carrier. With Bostic and Greene’s future still being determined, Jones is an insurance policy, with tremendous upside in the middle of the third round.
Justin Ellis: A quiet-sleeper pick, Ellis is higher on many more teams’ draft board than people think. A wrecking ball at the point of attack, Ellis’ 6-1 334 frame is a like moving a ton of bricks for any offensive lineman. By chewing up multiple blockers, Ellis will make everyones job easier, including Jared Alllen’s as a pass rusher, and Lance Briggs as a run defender.
Mid-to-Late Round Targets
Ed Reynolds: Reynolds started out hot in 2013, but ultimately had a very inconsistent season for the Cardinals. During his up-and-down year, Reynolds had some very productive games, and showed flashes of a starting safety. Reynolds should probably have stayed another year at Stanford, but could make some team very happy in the fifth round.
Aaron Colvin: After drafting cornerback earlier in the draft, Colvin would be a great strategic move later on. A first-round talent, Colvin tore his ACL during the Senior Bowl and now will likely be out for the year, dropping him on many teams boards. However, with Tillman, Jennings, and the rookie earlier mentioned, stashing Colvin away on the IR could prove to pay huge dividends next year.
Aaron Lynch: Another player who would have benefited from another year of playing time is Lynch. Lynch had a eye-opening 2102 season at Notre Dame, but struggled last season after he transferred to USF. Still the potential is there for Lynch, who could be a monster pick in day three. Especialy for a team in the Bears situation that can let Lynch learn behind Jared Allen for a couple of years.
Final Seven-Round Mock
1. (14) Justin Gilbert, Cornerback, Oklahoma State
2. (51) Deone Bucannon, Safety, Washington State
3. (82) Justin Ellis, Defensive Tackle, Louisiana Tech
4. (117) Josh Huff, Wide Receiver, Oregon
5. (156) Jordan Tripp, Outside Linebacker, Montana
6. (183) Aaron Colvin, Cornerback, Oklahoma
7. (191) Aaron Lynch, Defensive End, USF