Bear Digest

The teams and prospects who dictate Chicago Bears' draft fate

Some players and teams ahead of the Bears or even behind them in the draft order will decide who they wind up taking at No. 10 because they don't control their own fate.
Gene Chamberlain|
Derek Carr, eluding the rush of T.J. Edwards to get off a pass, has a shoulder injury that might impact who the Bears draft.
Derek Carr, eluding the rush of T.J. Edwards to get off a pass, has a shoulder injury that might impact who the Bears draft. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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As much fun as it might be to look at the potential draft picks available to the Bears at No. 10, the simple fact is they are receivers in this draft and not a mover and shaker.

They do not dictate who they can draft. Rather, they will draft who everyone else leaves for them barring a trade up or a trade back for an extra pick or two.

Ryan Poles' pick at 10 will be decided by other teams and by other players.

This is usually the case unless a team is picking in the first six or seven spots.

ESPN's Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates described this draft as a real grab bag, a free for all where anything can happen.

These teams and players will decide who the Bears present as their No. 1 pick, No. 10 overall because they sure don't have their fate in their own hands.

The Key Picks

T Will Campbell

Most certainly the Bears would have interest in Campbell even with what has been exaggerated as gator or T-rex arms.

Field Yates of ESPN, in an insider column, painted Campbell's draft outlook as rising at the right time.

"I was hard pressed to find an exec or coach who doesn't view LSU's Campbell as the best tackle of this class, and those same people told me his (arm) length wasn't a concern on tape," Yates wrote.

The Bears had him on their Halas Hall visit list but forget about their chances of drafting him because there are several other teams who need offensive line help. Still, where he goes could help determine who is left to choose from later at 10 for the Bears.

QB Shedeur Sanders

All the rumors his stock isn't high or has declined tends to hurt the Bears' chances at selecting a player who would be elite at a position they need to address. If you listen to Todd McShay of The Ringer, Sanders isn't going in the top 10 or top half of Round 1.

There are teams who could use a quarterback in position Nos. 3-9 but the talent level may or may not cause them to take him. Still, there is always the chance a team in the middle part of the draft wants him and is willing to part with some picks. In that regard, Sanders might even be a player taken at No. 10 by a team that trades up with the Bears. It's a huge uncertainty.

RB Ashton Jeanty

As the cream of a sparkling running back crop, he's viewed as a player the Bears would love to have. He fits a need and is a special player. Numerous insiders have attested to the fact their 30 visit at Halas Hall isn't just an obligatory look. They're interested but so are several others. The Ringer's Todd McShay said the consensus among teams he spoke with is this is a top-five or even top-four player on most of the boards. Expecting him at No. 10 would be a fantasy. If the Bears really like him, maybe a trade up with the Patriots gets the trick done. His presence up near the top could ensure an offensive lineman of higher quality falls to the Bears, though.

DE Jalon Walker

The edge rusher group is regarded as very talented but after Abdul Carter there is a drop off perceived from the truly elite and another, it seems, after Walker. Whether the Bears would be interested in him seems unlikely. A player in the 240-pound range, Walker isn't in the mold of a Dennis Allen pass rusher. However, his presence in that second five somewhere can push a desired player back to the Bears and he also could be a player someone trades up from the middle of the round to acquire.

TE Tyler Warren

No doubt the Bears would take a look at him but some of the other teams ahead of them might do it, as well. A player with a unique skill set for a big player. Go down the line and there might be two others who would take a shot on him before he reached the Bears, maybe three.

T Armand Membou

Another space eater for the 4-9 range who could push someone back to the Bears or even be there himself when they pick. They're looking for linemen and preferably one who plays guard or tackle, but Membou hasn't been a left tackle and the Bears already have their right tackle. 

The Critical teams

New England Patriots

With left tackle a huge need, this comes down to whether the Patriots want to draft Campbell or address their lack of a big play wide receiver. It would not be surprising if Campbell gets scooped up here. While this might be a player the Bears would covet, as the 30 visit they had with him says, the chance he'd slip through to 10th appears unlikely anyway with a few other possible interested parties after New England. If the Patriots opt, instead, for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan then it's going to make a big impact on the Bears, sending a player at a needed line spot there way.

New York Giants

Should the unlikely happen and New York decides to draft running back Ashton Jeanty, this obviously impacts the Bears and their running back need. However, the Giants are in position to take cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, a needed offensive lineman and possibly Abdul Carter if he somehow isn't selected by Cleveland. They're choosing far enough up in No. 3 that it's unlikely their choice will impact the Bears

Las Vegas Raiders

This is where Jeanty is projected to be going by everyone from Mel Kiper Jr. to the 10-year-old son of Raiders GM John Spytek. So this sixth spot is definitely crucial to what the Bears do in the draft. They could need to either trade up with the Jaguars at No. 5 or Patriots at No. 4 if they want Jeanty.

New York Jets

In the seventh spot, they probably need either a tackle like Membou or Warren or even a pass rusher. If it's Membou or Warren, they'll impact greatly on player choices the Bears could have.

New Orleans Saints

The shoulder injury to Derek Carr could require surgery and leave him out of training camp at the outset. It could put Sanders into play for the Saints, which would be fine with the Bears because New Orleans could use a running back, offensive lineman or tight end and each of those could deprive the Bears of a needed pick.

Dallas Cowboys

Everyone watching the draft thinks Jerry Jones would like to trade up from 12, ahead of the Bears, and get Jeanty but he may not even be there for them that late. They may need to go earlier. In that case, maybe they settle for Omarion Hampton.

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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.