Bears Blitz

Published by Bob Warja on February 1, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Michael Floyd is generally considered the second-best wideout in the 2012 NFL draft. If the Bears select the former Notre Dame product with the 19th pick, that will be just fine with him.

Many Bears fans, who have been screaming for Chicago to take a wideout with their first-round pick, should be happy if the Bears are truly considering drafting Floyd. After all, he is tall (6’3″) and fast, with good hands.

Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bears taking Floyd in his first mock draft. And don’t think that Floyd hasn’t been thinking about the possibility, as ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson reports.

“It’s a great feeling just knowing that all the fans you have in Chicago, of course Notre Dame is so close and has so many fans in Chicago, it’s a great feeling,” Floyd said. “But you never know with mock drafts. I’m looking forward to this upcoming month and just showing everybody my talent and what I have to bring to an NFL team.”

If the Bears do select Floyd with their first pick, how will he feel about catching passes from QB Jay Cutler?

“Jay Cutler is a great quarterback. He knows everything, and what I like the most, he’s a leader on that team. He knows where to get the ball at times. He’s a good judgment guy. I really like him for that.”

Well, he certainly says all the right things. And that is important because for all of his talent, Floyd has been encumbered with some off-the-field issues.

He was arrested in the spring of 2011 for drunken driving. But, how quickly he falls in the draft will have more to do with how he performs at the NFL combine, especially since he missed the Senior Bowl with a rib injury.

Personally, I struggle with the idea of taking Floyd with the Bears’ first-round pick. That is not due to the off-field stuff, or any lack of talent, however. He had more than 1000 yards receiving in each of his final two seasons in South Bend. 

Floyd caught 100 balls last season, good for 1147 receiving yards. He finished his career with a school-record 37 touchdown receptions.

Wide receiver is definitely an area of need for the Bears, but they have so many other needs. Meanwhile, there are other tall wideouts who should be available in the later rounds for the Bears to choose.

The main reason I balk at Chicago taking Floyd, though, is that I am afraid they will then refrain from signing a free agent such as Vincent Jackson.

I would much rather the Bears sign a veteran wideout like V-Jax and then draft a WR in Round 2 or 3. As much as I respect Floyd’s talent, we need to win now, and a veteran would be a more immediate upgrade.

If the Bears sign a player like Jackson, or even Dwayne Bowe—new GM Phil Emery should be very familiar with the Kansas City free agent—they could then draft Wisconsin’s Nick Toon, LSU’s Rueben Randle or Appalachian State’s Brian Quick in Round 2 or 3.

That way, they could draft a pass-rusher like South Carolina‘s Melvin Ingram or the top 4-3 OLB, North Carolina’s Zach Brown, with their 19th pick.

Don’t get me wrong—I would be thrilled for the Bears to have a potential No. 1 receiver for a change. And that could very well be Floyd.

But I have other plans, that’s all.

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