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Chicago Bears Hold Ninth Overall Draft Pick For NFL Draft

By Jordan Campbell

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Dec 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota kisses the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

If the NFL season ended today, the Chicago Bears would possess the ninth overall draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. With a top-1o pick, there will be speculation about whether or not the team will draft a quarterback in the first round. 

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If Chicago Bears’ fans wishes were granted and the season ended today, the Bears would possess the ninth overall draft pick. With a pick within the top-10 in the first round, there will be speculation about whether or not the Bears will take a quarterback in the first round.

Here are the current teams ahead of the Bears in the draft order.

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-12)
  2. Oakland Raiders (2-12)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
  4. Tennessee Titans (2-12)
  5. Washington Redskins (3-11)
  6. New York Jets (3-11)
  7. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)
  8. New York Giants (5-9)
  9. Chicago Bears (5-9)

Given the fact that the Bears have the same record as the Giants and Falcons, there is a chance that the Bears could finish the season with the rights to seventh overall draft selection. The Giants are on a two-game winning streak and face the St. Louis Rams and Philadelphia Eagles in their final two regular season games. The Falcons are on a two-game losing streak and face the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers in their final two games of the regular season.

But, for the sake of this article, lets say the Bears do not move up in the draft and they secure the ninth overall selection at season’s end.

If that is the case, that would presumably leave four teams ahead of the Bears–Buccaneers, Titans, Redskins, and Jets–that could potentially be interested in drafting a quarterback. That could possess a problem for the Bears as there currently are only two quarterbacks that could go in the top-10 of the draft.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston appear to be at the top of what is an otherwise thin quarterback class for the 2015 NFL Draft. Simple math would suggest that there is a strong chance that Winston and Mariota will be off the board when the Bears are on the clock. Winston, however, could be on the board but his legal troubles may not warrant such a lofty investment.

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So the Bears need to suck for the duck? Even if that is the motto for the Bears, that leaves one quarterback that could go in the top-10 with four teams drafting ahead of the team.

How can the Bears improve their chances?

Well the Titans are a team that have always been interested in Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler and this off-season may present the best opportunity for a team to acquire Cutler. Would the Titans package their first round pick as part of an offer for Cutler and the Bears’ first round selection? If so, that would give the Bears the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft if the season ended today.

That would put the Bears in a position where the Buccaneers are the only team with a need of quarterback drafting ahead of them. The Buccaneers are led by head coach Lovie Smith and that could lead the team into selecting a defensive player with the first overall selection. Meaning that may open the door for the Bears selecting Mariota with the fourth overall selection.

Mariota was the 2014 Heisman Award winner after throwing for 3,783 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes for the Ducks this season.

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