Why The Chicago Bears Might Be Leery Of Going WR In 1st Round
The favorite draft scenario for the Chicago Bears among top experts has remained the same for weeks. They will take quarterback Caleb Williams at #1, and then they will grab one of the top three wide receivers at #9 to further fortify his arsenal of weapons. Whether it’s Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze doesn’t matter. Both are playmakers. This way they have insurance in case Keenan Allen leaves for free agency in 2025 as well. However, there are reasons to think GM Ryan Poles might not be as high on the idea of taking a receiver at #9 as people think. Let’s start with every 1st round pick the Kansas City Chiefs made when he was there.
- DE
- DB
- WR
- DT
- OT
- EDGE
- CB
- QB
- RB
Across nine drafts, the Chiefs went with an offensive skill player only twice. Both times didn’t end well. Wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin was an outright bust. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire hasn’t been a bad player, but he has looked nothing like a 1st round pick during his four seasons with the team. Meanwhile, they’ve had lots of success finding playmakers in later rounds like Tyreek Hill (5th), Mecole Hardman (2nd), Chris Conley (3rd), and Rashee Rice (2nd).
One must also not forget recent history is working against him.
Here is every receiver the Bears have drafted in the past decade in the 3rd round or higher.
- Kevin White
- Anthony Miller
- Velus Jones
Not the most inspiring list. For whatever reason this scouting department struggles to identify true star players at the position. Combine that with his other high-profile whiff on Chase Claypool, and it’s easy to believe Poles will choose to avoid wide receiver.
Logic says Chicago Bears will stay focused on the trenches.
If you include the first pick in all 13 Chiefs drafts he participated in, six of them were trench guys. Four of those six became Pro Bowlers. The other two were solid starters. Your odds of a successful pick in the trenches seem higher than at wide receiver, especially for a GM who played there during his own career. Chicago will have some excellent options at #9 at offensive tackle and defensive line. They could take Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu to maybe upgrade at left tackle. They could nab Dallas Turner or Jared Verse to put another edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat. Or they could grab that elusive interior pass rusher like Byron Murphy.
Adding another weapon for Williams is not a bad idea at all. Still, wide receivers are easier to find than good trench players. This is true for both the draft, free agency, and the trade market. Don’t forget Poles swiped Keenan Allen from Los Angeles for a fourth-round pick and D.J. Moore from Carolina in the deal for #1 last year. He knows how to find proven playmakers. It feels like his perspective would be to keep building the Chicago Bears along the line of scrimmage.