NFL Draft Rumors: Should Chicago Bears target Amari Cooper?

The NFL Draft is right around the corner, but could the Chicago Bears use free agency to make a play at Amari Cooper?

The Chicago Bears need help on offense, and that might be the understatement of the offseason. But they also happen to need help on the defensive side of the ball, which creates a conundrum for the team in that they need to be careful about how they go about this offseason.

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There are two ways this offseason could go for the Bears. The first route is the boring route in that they save money in free agency and build largely through the draft. The second route though is a little more exciting, as an aggressive offseason for the Bears could turn them around quicker than they think is possible.

Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com opined this weekend that the Bears could be looking at the draft this year to find receiving help, and could go big on defense in free agency so they can go big on offense in the draft.

"It is one of the draft’s deeper positions, albeit not necessarily on so-called “burners” early. It may lead the Bears to use more money on their defensive needs in free agency (and the draft) early in order to secure a candidate for the offense opposite the size Alshon Jeffery will provide."

Naturally, this suggests that the Bears could do something bold and swing for a home run with a top receiver in the draft. Their offense showed flashes of greatness when it was Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery catching the ball, but one half of that duo is missing.

If the Bears can grab someone like Amari Cooper with the No. 7 overall pick — a very gettable spot for him — and pair him with Jeffery, that could be deadly.

Of course, the Bears will need to go big on defense in free agency to be in a position to draft a receiver that high in the order, and there are other areas of need that could be addressed. If Vic Beasley is there, he’d be a steal at No. 7 overall for Chicago and the same could be said about Dante Fowler or Randy Gregory.

No one has pegged Cooper to go to the Bears nor has there been any indication that they’r interested. But Chicago would be foolish to not atlas consider the idea of talking Cooper No. 7 overall and pairing him with Jeffery. That makes the Bears an attractive free agent destination in 2016 — if nothing else — and could lay down the foundation for the team to take strides on both offense and defense moving forward.

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