Around the NFC North: An insider's look at the Bears from the Chicago Tribune beat writer Dan Wiederer
If something huuuuuuge hasn’t happened in the NFL in the past 4.2 seconds, don’t worry. We’ll try to keep the multi-billion dollar dancing bear twirling for you with some offseason insider views on how the Vikings’ NFC North opponents have gone about filling holes and what they’re thinking heading into the draft.
Today, we start with a Q&A with Dan Wiederer, Bears beat writer for the Chicago Tribune and former Star Tribune Vikings beat writer.
MC: Where do you think the Bears have improved themselves the most so far this offseason and where do you think the biggest holes remain?
DW: The Bears entered free agency with a gaping hole at inside linebacker and emerged with two proven NFL starters. By signing former Bronco Danny Trevathan and former Colt Jerrell Freeman, suddenly John Fox and coordinator Vic Fangio can feel heightened confidence that they have an added element of playmaking ability in their linebacking corps. That’s a huge deal for a defense that’s still making a methodical climb back towards respectability. Last season, the Bears created only 17 takeaways on the entire season. And for the entire year there was a startling lack of splash plays from an inside linebacker group that used five different starters. Re-signing Tracy Porter offers a boost to the secondary as well and grabbing Akiem Hicks to be a three-down player up front should give the D some more experience and more edge.
On the whole, this roster still has substantial holes. Help at safety is needed. Another young corner would be nice. Depth at receiver and on the offensive line should be priorities.
MC: What players and positions do you think the Bears are focusing on as possibilities for their first pick in the draft?
DW: GM Ryan Pace’s good news-bad news scenario is that the Bears still have so many roster holes that the Bears could use the No. 11 pick at just about any position and fill a need. With Jay Cutler locked in as the starting quarterback for 2016, that may be the one position that seems to be least likely for the Bears to address on the Bears’ first night. Beyond that, the Bears can go just about any direction they please. The biggest needs remain on the defensive line, where the Bears could use another impact starter at defensive end. But this draft class looks to be deep at that position. So it would not be a shock if they waited to grab an end on Day 2 or even early on Day 3.
MC: What do you think the Bears will have to accomplish by the end of all seven rounds for this to be considered a successful draft for them?
DW: There’s an understanding at Halas Hall that this rebuilding project will likely take two more solid drafts to keep the organization on the right track. So the bottom line, with nine total picks going into the draft, is that the Bears must find at least two players who can come in and immediately start and then make sure that they limit their mistakes throughout the draft. Pace can ill afford to have the disastrous drafts that his predecessor Phil Emery had. Emery drafted six players in his first draft as Bears GM in 2012 and only one player (Alshon Jeffery) is still with the team. That’s bad news. In 2013, Emery found a Pro Bowl talent in offensive lineman Kyle Long, but then whiffed on linebacker Jon Bostic in Round 2 and linebacker Khaseem Greene in Round 4. For this draft to be successful for the organization, the Bears don’t need to hit five or six home runs. But they have to avoid striking out four or five times.