LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Progress is sometimes a difficult thing to see in the early NFL rebuilding process.
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace entered his first draft in 2015 needing as many athletes as possible at any position. Even after identifying a solid base in a rebuilding 6-10 season, the Bears find themselves still looking for as many athletes as possible at any position. They still need to become younger, faster and better regardless of position on defense, if not offense.
It only speaks to how poorly they drafted over the course of the previous decade.
“We were last — we were 6-10,” head coach John Fox said. “That’s the reality. I think we were competitive. I don’t think there were too many off-kilter games. We did a lot.
“We were one of the older rosters in the league and became one of the youngest in one season. I think we’re in good position with nine (draft) picks.”
Pace sees it as having the handcuffs removed, so to speak. It’s a chance to take some of the nine picks and use them to move into position to take players they’ve targeted.
“Last year we only had six,” he said. “So now we have some flexibility to move around within the draft, not just acquire more players but possibly move up or move back.
“It gives us more flexibility in the draft and that’s exciting. We have more ammunition now, we can be more aggressive with moving up and down in the draft.”
The Bears have six picks in the top 150 of the draft: 11th, 41st, 72nd, 106th, 127th and 150. They also have two sixth-round picks and another in the seventh.
Pace has even more flexibility because of his signings in free agency. Adding inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman removed that position from the most pressing need to just one other spot they could stand to add depth.
Signing defensive end Akiem Hicks bolstered a position where they lacked numbers and talent last year. Now with Hicks, Eddie Goldman, Ego Ferguson, Mitch Unrein, Bruce Gaston and Will Sutton, the numbers problems they suffered appear over. And the front three looks stout enough against the run.
A disruptive force, either coming off the edge or playing the 3-technique when they switch out of their base and into a four-man pass rush would be the most pressing defensive need.
By bringing back free agent Sam Acho, the Bears ensured they would have four outside linebackers who played their spots last year, but finding a standout pass rusher at outside linebacker isn’t the easiest task these days with so many more teams playing the 3-4.
“You know you used to be able to pluck the undersized defensive ends and kind of be in a smaller group, but now that seems to be more the norm,” Pace said.
Free agency also brought the Bears another safety in Omar Bolden, who appears over the injuries that plagued him last year in Denver. So the only entirely unaddressed defensive position is cornerback.
Although the Bears re-signed Tracy Porter and have Kyle Fuller, the need exists for a third corner to challenge starters, or even be an effective nickel corner. This could even be as pressing a need as a disruptive defensive lineman.
“You know I think you’re looking for guys that are making critical game-changing plays at critical moments – you know, when the game’s on the line and it’s in the fourth quarter,” Pace said. “You look at how close all of our games were and all of the games around the league and there’s certain players that step up at those moments and we need more of those type of players.”
While free agency brought players to the depleted defense, it did the opposite on offense at the tight-end spot. Losing Martellus Bennett left the Bears needing a tight end. But their attempt to acquire Saints restricted free-agent tight end Josh Hill failed when New Orleans matched the offer.
Offensive line acquisitions have made it less an area of Bears need in the draft than tight end. The signing of right tackle Bobby Massie let Kyle Long slide back to right guard. Acquiring veterans Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen bolstered depth, so Pace appears settled on Charles Leno Jr. as his left tackle – unless an elite athlete like Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley falls to them in the first round.
“I thought (Leno) got better as the season went on and I do think that Leno is a natural left tackle,” Pace said. “That’s his best spot. With our offensive line, when I look at that, we’ve got some flexibility with some guys there.”