Chicago Bears NFL Draft 2020: The Defensive Line
During their dominance during the 2018 season, the Chicago Bears defensive line missed one game.
Rookie Bilal Nichols went out at midseason one week with a knee problem and since then has been held out of most of the Friday practices held in the Walter Payton Center on artificial turf. Beyond that they enjoyed remarkable health in 2018.
In 2019, not so much: Akiem Hicks missed a game with a knee injury, then 10 more with an elbow injury. Nichols went out with a broken hand and Roy Robertson-Harris missed time with a foot injury. Eddie Goldman missed a game with a concussion.
Most NFL seasons for the big guys on the front line are like 2019, not 2018 and for that reason the Bears need to think about the defensive line in the draft.
Losing Nick Williams in free agency made this even more necessary.
Considering their other needs, the reported contact they've had with players seemed focused later in the draft on some defensive linemen. However, a report by Draft Wire's Justin Melo said they hosted Auburn's Marlon Davidson in a pre-coronavirus visit and in Sports Illustrated's latest player rankings he's one of the top-level defensive linemen, just below his teammate from Auburn Derrick Brown and TCU's Ross Blacklock.
It's far more likely they'll look for players who can keep them from suffering the fate last year, when they couldn't get sufficient interior pass rush to complement Khalil Mack after Hicks' injury.
Two players to keep on eye on later in the draft are Darrion Daniels of Nebraska and Raequan Williams of Michigan State, listed by Bearreport.com as players who've met with the Bears.
Daniels is 6-foot-4, 340 pounds and had 11 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks in four years at two schools. He played defensive tackle but is probably more of a nose tackle in the Bears defense.
Williams is from Chicago and a 6-4, 303-pounder who has been more of a play maker and a defensive end type in the 3-4 with 11 1/2 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. He won the team's Iron Man award three times and was the team captain.
Daniels was a similar high-character type player who was a team captain for the Cornhuskers.
Bears NFL Draft 2020: The Defensive Line
The Defensive Line room: Ends Akiem Hicks, Bilal Nichols, Roy Robertson-Harris, Abdullah Anderson, Brent Urban; nose tackle Eddie Goldman.
Sports Illustrated's Top of the Line: Derrick Brown, Auburn; Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina; Ross Blacklock, TCU; Marlon Davidson, Auburn; Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M.
When Bears Should Pick One: Starting at Pick No. 163 in Round 5.
Possibles: Khalil Davis, Nebraska; Rashard Lawrence, LSU; McTelvin Agim, Arkansas; Robert Windsor, Penn State ; Broderick Washington, Texas Tech; Raequan Williams, Michigan State; Darrion Daniels, Nebraska.
Get Used to It: The Detroit Lions are in position in early Round 2 to select one of the better interior defensive linemen and desperately need defensive line help after Snacks Harrison's departure. SI's Kevin Hanson projects them selecting TCU's Ross Blacklock.
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