Bear Digest

Did NFL GM just open the door for Bears to draft Ashton Jeanty?

Ashton Jeanty is being labeled "special" by virtually all draft analysts and it's possible the Bears had an obstacle to drafting him removed by an NFL GM.
Gene Chamberlain|
Raiders GM John Spytek speaks at the NFL combine to reporters. Spytek is talking now about the importance of the O-line.
Raiders GM John Spytek speaks at the NFL combine to reporters. Spytek is talking now about the importance of the O-line. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Any hopes for the Bears to draft running back Ashton Jeanty seem to revolve around the Raiders either trading them the sixth pick or simply drafting a player at another position.

ESPN's Mina Kimes suggested earlier this week the Raiders haven't done enough to qualify for drafting Jeanty beause their offensive line is bad.

The Raiders offensive line was graded 26th last year by Pro Football Focus and their only addition is Alex Cappa, a former Bengals and Buccaneers guard who was graded in the bottom 10 in the league by PFF last year. Kimes' thoughts were Jeanty should be on the Bears because they've built an offensive line.

The importance of building an offensive line is also reflected in comments made by NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah while speaking about special players on ESPN's Ryen Russillo podcast.

The fuel for the Bears' pursuit of Jeanty just got a huge boost by something Raiders general manager John Spytek said while speaking with Rhett Lewis and NFL Network's Bucky Brooks on the Raiders website regarding his team's draft.

"I have a deep belief in the physicality and the violence reqiured to play football and it starts with the big boys up front."
Raiders GM John Spytek

"I have a deep belief in the physicality and the violence reqiured to play football and it starts with the big boys up front," the Raiders GM said. "And that, again, I think you can trace that back to my playing days at Michigan, too. Like, that's how we were built in those years and it's kind of who I am to my core."

Spytek referred back to his days as a Tampa Bay executive when they won the Super Bowl and last year when they reached the playoffs.

"And we were very intentional with it in Tampa and the results I think speak for themelves," he added.

They rebuilt the line after winning the Super Bowl and Tristan Wirfs was the only common link on both lines.

"And he's a great one but it's not just about Tristen, it's about those other four men up front with him, too," Spytek said. "And there's no better way to me than to do it (than) through the draft. Those guys are hard to find in free agency and if you find them you either got really lucky like we did (in Tampa) with (center) Ryan Jensen or you probably overpaid for somebody.

"And to me that's just the reality of how O-line and D-line work."

Spytek couldn't be more correct. It's why the Bears went out and traded for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson ahead of free agency. The pickings become slim once the signing begins, so they jumped at the chance to get players they deemed worthy, and then signed top-rated free agent center Drew Dalman.

The Raiders, though, haven't done any of this and will need to bolster their line in the draft.

All of this seems to open the way to the Bears having a better chance at drafting running back Ashton Jeanty in Round 1, after they already built their line. It's likely take a trade up based on the "special" tag being put on Jeanty by draft analysts like Jeremiah.

Perhaps trading up with the Raiders and letting them use an extra draft pick in Round 2 or 3 to take an offensive lineman is the answer for the Bears if they want a special back, and it wouldn't hurt Vegas as they try to fortify a bad front five.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.