The NFL Draft: On The Clock, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears

Pick: #11

Top Needs:  DL, OT, OLB, ILB,  FS

Top Targets:  Shaq Lawson, A'Shawn Robinson, Ronnie Stanley, Noah Spence, Reggie Ragland 

Off The Board:  

PickTeamPlayer, POSSchoolComments1Tennessee TitansLaremy Tunsil,   OTOle MissA shut down corner to protect franchise QB Marcus Mariota. 2Cleveland BrownsJared Goff, QBCaliforniaThe Browns finally find an answer to stop the QB merry go-round of the last 20 years.3San Diego ChargersJalen Ramsey, DBFlorida StateWhether he plays cornerback or safety, the Chargers get one of the best players in the draft.4Dallas CowboysJoey Bosa, DL Ohio StateThe Cowboys shore up their defensive line, and find QB, LB and DB help later in the draft. 5Jacksonville Jaguars Vernon Hargreaves, CBFloridaThe Jaguars get a shutdown corner in the first round, find solutions in the front seven in free agency and the rest of the draft.6Baltimore RavensMyles Jack, SS/LBUCLAThe Ravens leap to draft an elite defensive talent, and possibly draft a future star.7San Francisco 49ersCarson Wentz, QBNorth Dakota StateKap forces the teams hand and they take a potential future starting QB to truly start a new era.8Miami DolphinsMackensie Alexander, CB ClemsonMiami plugs its biggest hole,  but with a player who does have some questions.9Tampa Bay BuccaneersDeForest Buckner, DLOregonBuckner could easily go earlier, but he's too talented to fall any farther than this.10New York GiantsEzekiel Elliott,   RBOhio StateNew York gets an immediate boost with Zeke Elliott, getting new HC Ben McAdoo a huge weapon.11Chicago Bears???

If I told you that the Bears need help on the offensive and defensive line, would you think I'm crazy? Cause I'm not, they do. They also need help at linebacker on both the inside and outside. The defense is ... leaky.

I have to think that DC Vic Fangio would do a lot to find a way to have Myles Jack on his team, but he's long gone. Reggie Ragland could give Fangio the ILB his defenses are based around, though it seems as if draft insiders are torn whether Ragland projects to be solid, or something special. And while the team still needs help in the defensive backfield, there's nobody out there who is really worth the cost of the 11th overall pick.

Offensive coordinator Adam Gase has left for Miami, and the team could look to solidify things there. Matt Forte will be employed elsewhere next season, and while Jeremy Langford looks promising, they'll need to bolster that backfield. At receiver, they're getting Kevin White back, who played not a snap last season, and he and Alshon Jeffrey certainly should provide a promising passing game for QB Jay Cutler.

Where they can get help on offense is on the offensive line. The team released Jermon Bushrod, and will move Charles Leno over to LT, leaving RT open. It could be where Kyle Long stays, but another school of thought is to draft a RT and let Long go back to guard where he is an All-Pro. I rather like this idea.

If you're the Bears, what do you do?

THE PICK: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame

With the turnover on offense both on and off the field, it's important to shore up the line, and at this point Ronnie Stanley is a huge value this deep in the draft. He projects as a longtime starter with all the fundamentals you'd want and could certainly develop into someone special at OT. If the Bears can really turn the offensive line into a strength, it helps 2nd year RB Langford, it gives Cutler more time to let Jeffrey, White and others run their routes, and it keeps their own porous defense off the field. 

Fans never much like it when a team takes an offensive lineman so highly. It's not sexy, it's really hard to always understand what offensive linemen really do, and unless a lineman is truly horrendous - like Jordan Devey or Erik Pears horrendous - than it's hard to know if he's doing a decent job. But a great line absolutely can make an average offense a very good one. At worst, Stanley will start at RT, but could easily project as the long-term answer at LT as well. He's the right pick here.

Next up, the New Orleans Saints.