Getty The Bears' loss to the Packers Sunday night resulted in a shift in their draft position.
If there’s one good thing about the Chicago Bears‘ recent five-game losing streak, it’s the resulting shift in draft position. The Bears began the year at 5-1 and primed for the postseason, and now, at 5-6, they’re outside looking in at the playoff race — but the positive is that they’ve now got a better chance to add an impact player in the first round.
It’s beyond cliché to point out that Chicago needs a quarterback. The Bears have had exactly two Pro Bowl quarterbacks in franchise history (Jim McMahon and Mitch Trubisky, who served as an alternate in 2018), and they have never had a 4,000 yard passer. They’re also in dire need of offensive linemen, and if they continue on this downward spiral, their draft position will keep improving — and so will their prospects at both positions.
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Where Do Bears Stand in 2021 Draft Order After Week 12?
The Bears have broken into the top 15 of the draft order for the first time this year. According to lead draft analyst Jacob Infante of The Draft Wire and Windy City Gridiron, the Bears passed the New England Patriots, the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers in draft order with their loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday night.
The Bears now occupy the No. 13 slot, per Tankathon. They began Week 12 sitting at No. 16, and they leap-frogged the aforementioned three teams with their defeat. Had they beaten the Packers, the Bears would have taken over the final Wild Card playoff spot in the NFC, and their draft position would have fallen to No. 20 overall. Instead, Chicago climbed three spots.
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Bears Will Have Options at QB, Offensive Line in 2021 NFL Draft
GettyZach Wilson of the BYU Cougars may be available if the Bears keep their current draft position. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Regardless of whether the Bears decide to go with an o-lineman or a quarterback in the draft, they’ll have some intriguing options to choose from. Promising offensive linemen that could potentially be available for the Bears if they keep an upper-mid round standing include Samuel Cosmi of Texas, Jalen Mayfield of Michigan, Alex Leatherwood of Alabama and Jackson Carman of Clemson.
While Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields will be gone by the time the Bears draft, there’s still a chance the likes of North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, BYU’s Zach Wilson, and especially Alabama’s Mac Jones will be available when the Bears are on the clock.
Chicago plays the Detroit Lions Week 13, and the Lions, with a 4-7 record, are just a game behind them, so the winner of that matchup will alter the draft order even more. The Bears have remaining games against Detroit, the Vikings, Texans, Jaguars and Packers — three of whom currently have higher draft selections — so the next five weeks will be key in determining the team’s draft position in 2021.
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