[ad_1]
CHICAGO — The Bears earned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft after a 29-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the season finale.
Chicago, which held the No. 2 pick entering Week 18, jumped Houston in the draft order after the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts 32-31. The Bears needed to lose and have the Texans win to secure the top spot in the draft.
The Bears finished 3-14, their second three-win season since 2016. Quarterback Justin Fields did not play in the season finale due to a hip injury suffered last week at Detroit. Fields finished his second season 64 yards shy of the single-season quarterback rushing record. Chicago owned the league’s top rushing offense and was last in passing in 2023.
Bolstering the defensive and offensive lines are among Chicago’s top priorities this offseason. The Bears registered the fewest sacks per game (1.3) of all NFL teams and pressured opposing quarterbacks on 20.9% of dropbacks, which ranked 31st.
In his latest mock draft, ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid had Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter going No. 2 to Chicago, followed by Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson and Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson. All three players could be options to help fix Chicago’s pass rush.
Chicago also has pressing needs at wideout. Darnell Mooney, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11, finished as the team’s leading receiver with 493 yards and two touchdowns. Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, Chase Claypool and Velus Jones Jr. are the only Bears receivers under contract for the 2023 season. St. Brown signed a one-year extension with Chicago last week.
The Bears find themselves in a high-leverage position should they decide to trade back. Chicago is not currently among the quarterback-needy teams drafting early in the first round, which include Houston, Indianapolis, the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are all…
[ad_2]
