Not Everyone Celebrates the New Guys

Veterans are not usually big draft day fans as it can mean threats to their job security and that's the case with some Bears.

For every personnel action in the NFL there is reaction.

Just like in free agency, the draft generates winners and losers among the roster rank and file.

After all, this is a wins-based business. If you're losing 14 games, the next guy can't be too bad of an option for the coaching staff of a rebuilding team.

The Bears drafted 10 players and the addition of some failed to generate specific challenges for a starter or prominently ranking backup on the roster.

For instance, it's unlikely defensive tackles Zacch Pickens and Gervon Dexter are going to immediately challenge veteran three technique Justin Jones for the starting spot. It's more likely one or both would be worked into the rotation, but the phasing out of Jones is more of a late 2023 project or for the 2024 offseason provided the rookies deliver.

Something similar happened in the secondary. Seventh-round 2022 pick Elijah Hicks probably is secure in his job despite the selection of seventh-round Stanford safety Kendall Williamson, unless the Bears sign back free agent DeAndre Houston-Carson. The need is for two or even three safeties behind starters Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker. There is always undrafted free agent or street free agent competition, too, but the draft looks less likely to directly affect Hicks than it would some other backups at the bottom of the roster like Adrian Colbert or A.J. Thomas. That's a different situation entirely if they bring back DHC.

Here are the biggest veteran losers on the Bears roster from the 2023 NFL Draft.

8. WR Velus Jones Jr.

His roster spot is unlikely to be threatened by the presence of fourth-round wide receiver Tyler Scott from Cincinnati but his opportunities with the ball could be. Besides being a short-area target, Scott's speed also lets him get downfield and he has a 39-inch vertical leap. So he's no ordinary smaller slot target. Jones only had only 14 targets last year as it was, and now with D.J. Moore as their main receiving target there could be even fewer chances for the 2022 Tennessee third-round pick unless he steps up his knowledge of the offense and improves how he attacks pass defenses.

7. T Larry Borom

Borom probably loses any chance to start at tackle with the selection of Darnell Wright in Round 1, but they figured to bring in someone who was drafted higher than Borom no matter what. It's just that the first-round pick is much more likely to take that starting position. But Borom will still have a vital role as the backup tackle and also played some backup guard last year. He has played four positions for them on the line and is under contract two years. It's just that his starting opportunity is probably gone.

6. LB Jack Sanborn

Sanborn looked like a likely strong side linebacker starter even if he did lose his starting middle linebacker job to free agent Tremaine Edmunds. His major competition was veteran free agent acquisition Dylan Cole, who was in the league five years with only one start until he got to start eight games in Tennessee last year. So Sanborn's strong second half of 2022 as a starting middle linebacker seemed his ticket to play a little less than half the snaps as the starting SAM linebacker this year. However, rookie fifth-round pick Noah Sewell is certain to get thrown into the mix for that position. Sewell is a big hitter and big. So Sanborn will need to work harder to maintain what essentially is a starting role when they play their base defense.

5. WR Darnell Mooney

It might not be for this year because rookie receivers often find the NFL a tough place to be, but their top receiver the last two years definitely had to wonder what was going on when Scott got drafted. That's because this is a contract year for Mooney, who may or may not be in line for an extension. Mooney always performs beyond expectations but this is a different GM and coaching staff than the one that drafted him. Mooney adjusted well last year to the new offense that required more blocking of him and this wasn't easy. He was among the top 30 wide receiver blockers according to Pro Football Focus. But Mooney is 173 pounds. And Scott is a 171-pound slot receiver, as well. So this is a player who could replace him eventually and he's been brought on board at a time when Mooney is going to be trying to get more money.

 4. T Alex Leatherwood

They never found a role for Leatherwood after claiming him off waivers in 2022. It's tough coming onto a team as the season is starting and then he was ill for several weeks afterward. Now he has a chance to use the offseason to prove what he can do to coaches. The problem, of course, is they have another first-round right tackle they just drafted in Wright. And with Borom well-versed in the offense at four positions, Leatherwood's role seems entirely unclear. To top it off, they would have to pay him twice what they would pay some veteran street free agent looking to catch onto a roster at the league minimum because his cap figure based on his contract signed with the Raiders is $2.6 million. So he's more expensive than most fourth tackles. The one thing working in his favor is there isn't a lot of competition besides Borom for the fourth tackle position, if there even is such a role on the roster.

3. RB Trestan Ebner

Only on special teams did Ebner make a mark as a rookie. He was supposed to be a possible third-down type back in the sixth round last year because of his versatility. Instead, they drafted Roschon Johnson on Saturday and he is one player who definitely has earned high praise from scouts as a do-it-all type. To top it off, they brought in third-down back Travis Homer in free agency for use behind either Khalil Herbert or D'Onte Foreman. It's a very crowded backfield-by-committee and someone looks like the odd man out.

2. CB Kindle Vildor

When a team trades up and surrenders a draft pick to get another second-round cornerback on the roster like the Bears did with Stevenson, it's going to make Vildor's starting job seem temporary. His best shot is as the fourth cornerback now and also special teams. They do have some other undrafted cornerbacks who can perform that backup role as well. Jaylon Jones and Josh Blackwell got good experience while starters were injured last year. Vildor also is going into a contract year. To top it off, they drafted another cornerback in Terell Smith. Their fifth-round pick is probably faster than Vildor but bigger. It's a tough situation for Vildor to say the least, one where his starting position and roster spot are threatened.

1. Defensive Coordinator Alan Williams

Through free agency and the draft they couldn't even acquire him a legitimate threat as an edge rusher. They have a plan to get pass rush pressure with their interior rush men. That's fine, until it doesn't work. Then what have they got? The defensive backs will be left out on an island too often unless they get some sort of edge rush going. When the lack of edge rushers leads to passers picking apart their secondary the blame will fall squarely on the defensive coordinator's shoulders and not necessarily Matt Eberflus. The second year of coordinators' contracts are often telling and will be in this case for Williams, who could wind up wishing they had drafted an edge rusher in Round 1 or early Round 2.

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