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Why Jalen Carter Might Really Be Ideal

The Bears do have several needs that went unaddressed properly this year but it's possible they could get three technique Jalen Carter in the draft and then find receiver and offensive line help in next year's free agency period.
Gene Chamberlain|
Why Jalen Carter Might Really Be Ideal
Why Jalen Carter Might Really Be Ideal

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The popular narrative is how Bears GM Ryan Poles failed to support Justin Fields with proper receiver or offensive line help.

Those who believe this probably were horrified at the thought of Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter as the player in the 2023 draft for the Bears to watch. It was a suggestion in an article by Pro Football Focus and for once, the analytics website has hit it right on the head.

Why No Receiver?

One obvious first-round interest for the Bears might be a receiver to help Justin Fields. While it's true the Bears could have used one other No. 2 receiver instead of Byron Pringle, the offensive line concerns are probably greater in 2022 and 2023 than wide receiver.

The Bears do not need to draft a receiver in 2023 in Round 1 because there are so many who could be available in free agency, and GM Ryan Poles will have around $100 million in cap space for 2023 to pay for help.

Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, Jakobi Meyers, Diontae Johnson, D.J. Chark, JuJu Smith-Shuster and Mecole Hardman are among those younger receivers they could reel in if those players' teams haven't already signed them on board. 

 The Packers like to tout Allen Lazard as their answer to losing Davante Adams. If he really is, they'll need to come up with a ton of cash to keep him because he'll no doubt be able to come south of the border to Halas Hall and make more than the Packers can pay him. 

Spotrac.com right now sets a market value of $7.7 million on Lazard for 2023. It's a figure that would skyrocket if he actually developed as a No. 1 for Aaron Rodgers. If he only does enough to be a No. 2, the Bears could still be interested, provided Darnell Mooney continues to progreass as a No. 1 target.

Many of these receivers might re-up with their current teams before March free agency in 2023. But remember what happened last year with Christian Kirk and the receiver market in free agency? It's probably the best reason the Bears did not get a receiver better than Pringle, based on their limited salary cap space. The market blew prices sky high.

Good receivers who are smart will remember last year and remain unsigned until free agency begins. They can reap a windfall and are unlikely to forget how that worked in 2022. Watch for some receivers to wait it out until becoming free agents.

Chips Off the Old Blocks

The offensive line question facing the Bears can be addressed in free agency as well, with tackles Orlando Brown, Rob Havenstein, Matt Pryor, Trenton Brown, D.J. Humphries, Isaiah Wynn and Mike McGlinchey all without contracts for 2023 at the moment. 

The Bears might not even need to find a tackle if Larry Borom, Braxton Jones and/or Teven Jenkins work out for them.

The guard supply is less plentiful in free agency but there are some really high quality players slated for free agency. How does Quenton Nelson in a Bears uniform playing for his current team's former defensive coordinator sound? Green Bay's Elgton Jenkins, Arizona's Will Hernandez, Buffalo's Cody Ford, Washington's Wes Schweitzer and Arizona's Justin Pugh all are potential free agents, as could Philadelphia's Isaac Seumalo. In fact, the Bears might even be able to get Seumalo before then if a report by Mike Kaye of Pro Football Network is correct and he gets cut this year.

However, the tackle market does look better than guard.

Three Techniques Wanted

The one other weak position for the Bears where they would need to look for help is the three technique at defensive tackle. It's the most important spot in Matt Eberflus' defensive scheme and they're giving Justin Jones a chance to prove himself at $12 million for two years even though he hasn't even really been a true three technique in a base four-man front.

And unlike at guard, receiver and tackle, they don't grow "threes" on trees.

The truth is there are only a couple of options at three technique in free agency for 2022 unless the Bears chose to go for someone older. That doesn't seem to be Ryan Poles' view of how to build an organization.

And the best name out there will once again be Larry Ogunjobi, who signed for only one year with Pittsburgh. 

The Bears are highly unlikely to be a site Ogunjobi needs to visit after what happened this past offseason with his failed physical and aborted agreement to play here in 2022.

So Carter appears the best option for a team most believe will be in a position to draft him.

JALEN CARTER SCOUTING REPORT FROM NFL DRAFT BIBLE

"The Florida native hails from Apopka, home to Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Warren Sapp—a player that Carter has often been compared to. A one-man wrecking crew, Carter is fast, physical and powerful, making him a top five overall selection with All Pro characteristics," NFL Draft Bible wrote in an early assessment.

Carter went from 13 quarterback pressures in 2020 to 33 last year, reported NFLDB.

What Carter can achieve this year could be the only real Bears problem. He might turn out to be so good that he becomes one of the first picks in the draft.

Then again, who's to say the Bears won't have that selection?

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

 

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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.

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