The San Francisco 49ers currently hold the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, but their Week 13 and 14 matchups with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets could result in them slipping down the board a bit. If the 49ers slip behind the Bears, it will be useful to know who Chicago is looking at with their pick. And who knows, maybe if Chicago beats the 49ers and slips down, they might decide to move up to the 49ers pick. There is plenty of uncertainty at those top few spots, particularly if Cleveland takes Myles Garrett with the top pick.
I decided to take a few minutes to chat with Windy City Gridiron writer Jeff Berckes. He offered up these thoughts on the Bears and their first round pick. Here’s what he had to say:
That's an interesting question. I think the obvious play is quarterback. Jay Cutler is almost certainly on his way out unless there's some consideration to making Cutler the bridge to a rookie. Personally, I like Cutty, but it's time for the franchise to move on from him just so I don't have to hear about how all the Bears problems will be solved if they'd "just get ridda Cutler" every time I go to the grocery store or fill up my gas tank. The Bears will definitely take a QB in the draft, but will it be in the first round?
Taking a look at the early mock draft boards, a lot of the intriguing names are on the defensive side. As a franchise known for great defenses and running games, there's a real argument to be made for taking a franchise player on defense in the first round. If Myles Garrett, Jonathan Allen, or Jabrill Peppers is going to be a cornerstone defender for 10+ years, why not continue to build a defense that is showing signs of improvement under Vic Fangio? There is so much information that we'll learn between now and April 27 but I'd be willing to bet that Bears fans will fall in love with a defender or two. We're still hurting after missing out on Aaron Donald and Leonard Williams by one pick in consecutive years.