If you watched their gut-punch loss in the Divisional Round to the Los Angeles Rams, you'll know that the Chicago Bears need massive improvements over the offseason to their defensive line. Between a miserable pass rush and an equally frustrating run defense, the Bears can’t afford to neglect the trenches both in free agency and the draft. Specifically for the NFL Draft, though, they need to think about both interior and edge rushers with their first three picks. They also need some improvements on the offensive line and a running back upgrade from DeAndre Swift, but all of that is secondary.
Using the NFL Mock Draft simulator, I played around with a few different scenarios and ultimately settled on these three picks for the Bears. The good thing about it is they’re three really good picks, but the downside is it’s not like the chips fall perfectly for the Bears to land all three players in this order. That said, if each of these players is on the board when the Bears pick, they can’t pass up on them.
Here’s a mock draft that will ultimately improve this Bears defense and get them ready for another playoff run next season.
Round 1, Pick 25: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
The first of many defensive linemen taken in the first three rounds by the Bears is Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker. It would have been enticing to go best available or even take an interior defensive lineman, but Parker is good value as a late first-round pick and could profile in as a future cornerstone off the edge. Clemson’s season spiraled out of control, thus his draft hype kind of fell to the wayside, but all the tools remain.
Parker was one of the top NFL Draft prospects at any position entering the season, and that should still be worth something. He finished with five sacks this year and 21.5 total for his collegiate career at Clemson. Drafting Parker is the first step for the Bears in retooling their defensive front.
Round 2, Pick 57: DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
This is where good fortune comes into play. Lee Hunter has been getting both late first- and second-round grades, so he could be a player that gets taken before the Bears’ second pick. That said, this is a draft full of interior defensive lineman, so this could be a spot where if the Bears like Kaydn MacDonald, maybe they take him first and then go EDGE with their second pick. Either way, improving their interior defensive line is just as important as building more EDGE depth.
Hunter was part of a portaled defensive front for Texas Tech that dominated college football this season. He should translate well to the NFL, too, as a 6-foot-4, 325-pound beast. All of this is contingent on how free agency goes, but it’s always good to have depth and some developmental pieces up front as well.
Round 3, Pick 89: DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
This is all about good value here. If the Bears fall in love with a player here in the third round, they could obviously go that route, but getting a second interior defensive lineman is probably the safest move. With Hunter and Darrell Jackson Jr., at least one of them has to hit. Again, this depends on the route they go in free agency. There are some decent cornerbacks out there that could work as well.
I like Malik Muhammad and Devin Moore, so they, too, could be options in the second or third round. That said, I feel like the defensive line is the smartest and safest move for the Bears based on how this season went. They need to improve the defensive line and doing that in the draft could be the key to reaching the NFC title game.