The Chicago Bears haven’t approached the 2022 offseason like many expected. With a decent amount of salary cap space, they believed GM Ryan Poles would work hard to find Justin Fields some help in free agency. Instead, the only notable additions thus far include new center Lucas Patrick and wide receiver Byron Pringle. They are former undrafted free agents who served much of their early careers as backups before emerging as solid options in 2021.
Not exactly the aggressive moves people were hoping for. That does offer one bit of critical information. It pretty much confirms the Bears will be active at wide receiver early in the upcoming draft. If that is the case, it becomes a discussion of who they might target at the 39th or 48th overall picks in the 2nd round. According to draft specialist Jordan Reid of ESPN, he sees one name as a perfect fit for the team and its young quarterback.
“George Pickens, WR, Georgia. Outside of Mooney, the Bears don’t have any dependable targets. Pickens, who at 21 is one of the youngest prospects in this draft class, has lots of ability as a route runner and hands catcher. He has the 6-foot-3 frame, route maturity and catch radius needed to step in and become an instant contributor for Chicago.”
From a production perspective, he is what most would call an unknown. In three years, Pickens managed 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns total. Each year saw his productivity decrease too. Most of that was due to untimely injuries, but it still leaves room to question what his ceiling is. Then there are those who watch game film and look at the physical attributes. The young man is big, strong, fast for his size, and has sharp quickness and reliable hands to make tough catches. He’ll also throw his weight around in the running game too.
Pickens is a classic projection pick. Somebody teams believe he may be a much better pro than he was a college player. The toughest part is whether Poles is willing to invest one of his first-ever draft picks on such a player. The talent is worth it, but there is risk involved too. Perhaps the Bears would do better getting Justin Fields somebody with a little more of a proven track record. Maybe not as high of a ceiling but a high floor.
These are the difficult discussions Poles, Matt Eberflus, and the rest of the Bears brass will have over the next month.
