- Jake Hunter
- Apr 28, 2023
- 4 min read
Look, anyone who listened to our live draft reaction podcast last night knows that I was NOT happy with the Bears' first-round selection at #10 overall. One of the fun things about last night's episode was the fact that I completely shut down all of the outside media sources for the duration of the time we were watching the draft (as you probably remember, Taylor ended up being our live source for outside information), so my reaction was entirely based off of my own preconceived notions with absolutely no influx of information to moderate my live opinions. In the time since we recorded, I've been able to tap into some of the information channels about what truly went into the Bears' process for what they did, and I will say that my general outlook on the pick is different today. Let me break it down quickly.
Detailing Exactly What Happened
The Bears went into the night with the #9 overall pick. The consensus amongst virtually every expert, analyst, and fan alike was that the Bears would be targeting an offensive or defensive lineman. With the way the draft board fell, the top contenders on both sides of the trenches available at pick #9 were the following: offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, Broderick Jones, and Darnell Wright with defensive lineman Jalen Carter and Lukas Van Ness. Of the five, Carter is head-and-shoulders the most highly-regarded prospect, though he has legitimate off-field concerns that caused him to drop to #9 in the first place. When the Bears were initially on the clock, the prevailing debate was whether on not they'd choose Carter or an offensive lineman (I wanted them to draft Carter in the moment). They ultimately opted to trade back one pick to pick #10 with the Philadelphia Eagles, picking up a 2024 fourth round pick. The Eagles selected Carter, and the Bears then selected Darnell Wright.
What I Liked in the Moment
The Bears need improvement at two OL spots: Center and Right Tackle. Wright is a ready-made Right Tackle
In improving their line, the particular area of emphasis the Bears have been targeting is pass protection. Wright is considered perhaps the most pro-ready pass blocker in the draft (which I think is a fair contention)
He showed out against elite players. In games where he spent time matched up against both Jalen Carter and Will Anderson, he was decidedly the stronger player
His athletic profile is impressive (see below)
What I Didn't Like
Carter was on the board, and I think the Bears' defensive line is in a more dire situation than offensive line
Philadelphia has a sensational defensive front already, and giving them Carter's upside gives me concern
Given Carter's upside, I believed in the moment that the Bears could/should have received more in return from the Eagles
I had Wright as the third-best offensive linemen on my board behind Jones and Skoronski when they drafted him
It isn't verified by any means, but the information that had been floating around the draft circles was that Wright has questionable work ethic. This is completely unsubstantiated and purely hearsay, but when as many different outlets and voices are making those types of comments, I begin to have significant concerns (see: Isaiah Wilson)
He's not a strong run blocker. The Bears have relatively strong run blockers already on their line, but for a top-10 pick, I expect a stronger performance in an offensive lineman's weaker area
He wasn't good until this past season. His first few years at Tennessee were mediocre at-best. Sometimes players figure things out over time and make quantum leaps as an older player (eg. Joe Burrow), but I am skeptical about his track record, which I believe is especially concerning for a lineman
What's Changed
It has become apparent that the Bears were not going to take Carter under any circumstance. Therefore the move to add something for free (essentially) by trading back is a shrewder move than I gave them credit for in the moment
Re-evaluating and realizing that the Eagles have a substantially better situation to take a swing on a player like Carter compared to the Bears, so their willingness to target him when the Bears clearly did not feel comfortable with him makes sense, and reconciling that makes me more confident in the Bears' rationale
The Bears' major front office members GM Ryan Poles (originally from Kansas City) and Assistant GM Ian Cunningham (originally from Philadelphia) have a strong track record of identifying offensive line talent. It's now apparent that they considered Wright the best offensive tackle in the draft. I'm willing to give them more leash now than my reaction probably suggested
Wright fits exactly into a spot of need. The other OL options would have been questionable fits for what the Bears needed and would have required considerable shuffling around, which complicates things in fall camp and can waste time/resources
A strong run on offensive tackles was brewing when the Bears made the pick. The Steelers ended up trading up for Jones and Skoronski went with the very next pick. The likelihood that trading down further while still being able to land a strong OL prospect seems like it would have been slim
A fourth round pick in 2024 is more valuable than I gave it credit for in the moment (see below)
Looking closer and hearing some feedback from around the league, my confidence that he can be an impactful starter from Day 1 at Right Tackle is much higher than I did at the time he was picked
Overall:
I'm still lukewarm on the pick/trade-back, but this is not the disaster that I believed it was at the time of the pick last night.
