2010 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Needs
Published by Zack Nally on February 10, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
When Jay Cutler arrived in Chicago last year, fans had visions of Super Bowl berths swimming in their head. Instead, the Bears amassed a 7-9 record and failed to reach the playoffs.
Now, Nathan Vasher may be on his way out and new offensive coordinator Mike Martz is convinced Devin Hester should be in the slot, and not at the number one position. Matt Forte is seemingly overrated and the defense’s top rusher is Alex Brown.
Clearly, there are holes that need to be filled and upgrades that need to be applied. Now the only question that remains is which position does the team look at first, especially since they don’t have a single pick in the first or second rounds of the draft.
Offense
Biggest Needs: OT, HB, WR
Chris Williams displayed a real understanding of the left tackle position last year, showing how a strong football IQ and a little athleticism can be enough to be a professional. The right tackle position is still weak, though. Orlando Pace will most likely retire and Kevin Schaffer just can’t cut it.
Without a pick in the first two rounds of the draft, it will important for the Chicago scouting agencies to look deep into the draft and use a little intuition and luck to find a sleeper or two.
Finding late-round talent is like finding a needle in a haystack. My sleeper, though, is Kyle Calloway of Iowa, a young athletic talent who will likely slip quietly into the draft under the shadow of his more eccentric teammate, Bryan Bulaga.
Matt Forte is not blossoming into the every-down kind of back the organization expected him to become. Adrian Peterson is a decent backup but the Bears’ run game needs a spark and, once again, it’ll be hard to find that in the later rounds of the draft.
If the team opts to go the option of free agency, Chester Taylor and Willie Parker will both be available and could be revolutionary in Mike Martz’ style of offense. Otherwise, LaMarcus Coker of Hampton and Arkansas’ Michael Smith will most likely be available through the better part of the second day of the draft.
Devin Hester is more than likely moving to the slot at the beginning of the 2010 season, and Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett aren’t dependable starters. If the organization in Chicago expects Cutler to become a better quarterback, they will need to supply a few more offensive weapons.
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