Draft [5 million spent]
2[43] TE Brycen Hopkins [Purdue] 6'4" 240lbs.
The Bears desperately need a TE that can be a dynamic weapon in the passing game. Burton is constantly injured. Shaheen sucks, and while the young guys were showed some promise this season they are not guys who defensive coaches worry about. Hopkins is a dynamic athlete and very good route runner that can step in and be the mismatch TE that the offense needs to thrive. Hopkins can stretch the seam and force teams to cover him with a safety which will open up everything else in the offense. It will hopefully get Cohen back to being a dynamic weapon and open up things underneath for Miller.
*Trade: the Chicago Bears trade 2[50] to the Atlanta Falcons for 2[55] and a 4th round pick. If free agency does not go well the Bears need to look to add picks and depth at positions where they cannot add legitimate starting talent.
2[55] OG Damien Lewis [LSU] 6'2" 329lbs.
The Bears need a serious and long term answer at RG. They need someone who can step as quickly as possible and move Groy to the swing interior player. The buzz about Castillo is that he was hired to get the Bears moving down field more in the run game and he has always coached big OLs that can move people. Lewis is a monster people mover who has one of the best basis and punches in the class. He just got done dominating the Senior Bowl and show casing that power and nasty that the Bears are missing. Lewis is a little short, but with 33.5" arms I am less concerned with his height.
4. S Antoine Brooks [Maryland] 5'11" 215lbs.
The Bears need a long term SS next to Jackson who is not making a ton of money. Even if they re-sign Deon Bush they need options as he is unproven. They need someone to compete beyond a cheap veteran signing. Brooks is an ideal SS. He is built like a LB, can play in the box, and does not miss tackles. He would allow for Jackson to go back the the centerfield role that he did not get to play in 2019.
4. OLB Alex Highsmith [Charlotte] 6'4" 252lbs.
The Bears need to add some cheap pass rush depth and they need to start developing someone who can play heavy snaps in the rotation. Highsmith is a small school guy, but he has NFL physical tools and he has what you need to develop. Highsmith is coming off a 14 sack season on a team that has developed some recent NFL players. He has good burst and length and showed that he was a step above the shrine game competition.
5. CB A.J Green [Oklahoma St] 6'1" 200lbs.
CB is a position where I think the Bears will go cheaper so they can spread money to other areas of the team and because they do not have a lot of cap space. Green had a nice Senior Bowl week, he had the size the Bears seem to like at the CB position, and solid ball skills. He does not need to start, but he needs to come in and compete and provide depth at the #2 CB spot. Tolliver, Roberson [FA] and Green [draft] give the Bears 3 options to start and better depth than they have had in a long time.
6. WR Joe Reed [Virginia] 6'1" 215lbs.
The Bears need some speed in the WR core and they need someone who can generate some YAC yards. Reed needs work, he may not be ready to contribute in 2020, but he has good size and speed.
6. RB Reggie Corbin [Illinois] 5'10" 205lbs.
The Bears need a backup RB that offers a speed compliment to Montgomery. Corbin has better size than Cohen and much better speed and explosion than Montgomery. He can come in and backup, return kicks if Patterson is injured, ad provide a couple of speed looks out of the backfield during the game.
7. OLB James Smith-Williams [NC State] 6'3" 268lbs.
The Bears need to add multiple young cheap pass rushers and hope they get something out of one of them in the 2020 season and long term they can be cheap rotational depth. Smith-Williams is a raw, well built, and athletic pass rusher who has physical tools, but very little in the way of refinement. He can work as a deep backup and on special teams while they try and coach up the technique and pass rush moves.
7. OG Tyre Phillips [Mississippi St] 6'5" 342lbs.
The Bears need to add multiple OLmen and give themselves a constant developmental pipeline at the position because of injuries ans turnovers. Phillips is a massive mauler who could be an OG or maybe a RT after playing LT at Miss State. He had a solid Senior Bowl and has physical tools for Castillo to work with. He adds size and power to a line that was too often pushed around. More than likely he will end up on the PR, but the more swings at OL the better for an average at best unit.
Cap Room: 2.8 million
+3 million for cutting Shaheen and Brauncker in camp
Depth Chart
QB: Trubisky, Dalton
RB: Montgomery, Cohen, Corbin, Holtz
WR: Robinson, Miller, Ridley, Reed Wims, Patterson
TE: Hopkins, Bell, Burton, Horsted
LT: Leno, Phillips [PR]
LG: Daniels, Bars
C: Whitehair
RG: Lewis/Groy
RT: Massie/Sharpe
RE: Nichols, RRH
NT: Goldman, Anderson
LE: Hicks, Urban
OLB: Floyd, Highsmith
ILB: Smith, Iggy
ILB: KPL, Brothers, Woods
OLB: Mack, Sheard, Smith-Williams
CB: Fuller, Tolliver/Roberson/Green, Skrine, Shelley
FS: Jackson, Geathers, DHC
SS: Bush/Brooks
K: Piniero
P: O'Donnell
LS: Scales
