The Chicago Bears have become notorious for trading their first-round draft picks away in recent years.
The Bears traded their 2019 and 2020 first-round selections to the Las Vegas Raiders for Khalil Mack back in 2018, and they traded their 2022 first-rounder to the New York Giants last year when they moved up to select quarterback Justin Fields. Now, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report is urging the team to do it again.
The Bears don’t have a selection until the second round this year, but Knox thinks it would be wise for the team to trade away future draft picks — again — in order to nab one of the most promising young offensive linemen in the draft.
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Bears Urged to Trade Up in 2022
“Heading into the draft, the Bears must decide if trading into the first round—and netting an extra year of team control via the fifth-year option—is a move worth making. The answer is ‘yes’ if the Bears can land a quality offensive-line prospect,” Knox wrote in his December 29 column, adding:
“Five offensive tackles and three interior linemen fall within the top 32 prospects. The Bears should be eager to land one of them because their offensive line is a mess. … They should be very much prepared to move into the first round to ensure they don’t miss out on a line prospect they love.”
Trouble is, the Bears have done a tad too much of this over the last five years alone, and mortgaging the future is never a good idea. Trading their first-rounders away so frequently is a primary reason Chicago currently has so many needs (o-line, wide receiver and defensive back are the most glaring) but lacks the draft capital to fill them.
That said, the Bears might already have their eye on a first-round talent.
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Bears Might Be Eyeing Iowa Center Tyler Linderbaum
According to Scott Dochterman of The Athletic, the Bears were one of two teams present at the Citrus Bowl to watch the matchup between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Kentucky Wildcats. Dochterman says the Bears have sent seven scouts to five different Iowa games this year, so it’s clear Chicago has its eye on at least one of the Hawkeyes, but considering the team’s needs, Tyler Linderbaum seems like the logical target.
Two NFL scouts watching Citrus Bowl between Iowa-Kentucky: Chicago and Pittsburgh
Bears have sent 7 scouts to 5 Iowa games.
Steelers have sent 4 scouts to 4 Iowa games.
Linderbaum, a 6’3, 290-pound center, is considered to be one of the top interior offensive line prospects in the upcoming draft. Considering the Bears have given up 49 sacks so far this season, o-line should certainly be a priority.
Here’s what Jacob Infante, lead draft analyst for SB Nation’s Windy City Gridiron, had to say about Linderbaum:
Of the centers in the 2022 draft class, Tyler Linderbaum is widely considered to be the top prospect of the bunch. It’s more likely he’ll end up selected in the first round, but given that centers typically aren’t viewed as having elite positional value, there’s a chance he falls farther than he arguably deserves. He is a master of leverage, succeeding regularly at being the lower man and keeping his pads low. He has great accuracy behind his jabs and has the grip strength needed to seal off interior defenders in the run game. For a smaller center, he is able to keep his legs churning well at the point of attack. It’s not just his technique and strength where he thrives, though: Linderbaum is also a fantastic athlete for an offensive lineman. His mobility stands out when watching his film, and his acceleration as a down blocker or when moving upfield on screens is awe-inspiring.
Linderbaum is undoubtedly an excellent and intriguing prospect, but would he be worth Chicago trading into the first round for? There’s no way to know yet, but that’s generally not a good way to go about building a team. Linderbaum also left the Citrus Bowl with a still-undiagnosed injury after he limped off the field late in the game, so there’s some potential risk there depending on the severity of the injury.
Of course, the Bears could have also been watching another player, and Infante listed off the possibilities:
The #Bears have sent scouts to 5 Iowa games this year, per @ScottDochterman.
Top prospects they could be watching:
• OC Tyler Linderbaum
• CB Riley Moss
• LB Jack Campbell
• RB Tyler Goodson
• LB Jestin Jacobs
• TE Sam LaPorta
Hopefully, the Bears don’t do anything too drastic — but based on the team’s actions in recent years, that’s entirely possible.
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Bears Urged to Trade Up in 2022 Draft, May Have Target in Mind