Chicago Bears NFL Draft: Chuck Harris offers needed EDGE help
The Chicago Bears will likely be looking for edge rushers in this year’s NFL Draft.
We are just days away from the 2019 NFL Draft, but the Chicago Bears will have to wait until the third round before making their first selection. There is a lot of speculation about which direction the Bears will go with their first pick.
The prevailing wisdom would be a running back, cornerback or safety. Some even speculate a tight end depending on how the board shakes out — though tight end is not a pressing need for this team and one could argue they should wait till the later rounds if they are interested in addressing that position.
One position they need to address in those later rounds — especially from a depth perspective — is the edge rusher/outside linebacker spot. Khalil Mack is a monster and Leonard Floyd had his best year as a professional. However, Floyd’s contract expires after this season unless the team exercises their fifth-year option, and Aaron Lynch was only re-signed for a year.
In other words, the team will likely look for depth at the position in the draft to provide insurance this year in case of injury, and next year in case they decide to part ways with Floyd.
One option could be Chuck Harris out of the University at Buffalo. Harris stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 265 pounds. He also recorded 6.5 sacks last season for Khalil Mack’s alma mater. He is a very fast and powerful player off the edge and has enough speed to drop in coverage if necessary. While that is something Vic Fangio liked to do, the jury is out on how Chuck Pagano will deploy his OLBs.
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In any event, Harris has a skillset that the Bears should find desirable regardless of whether they choose to drop him in coverage. In fact, they brought him in for a private visit, so there at least appears to be some interest from the team.
Harris represents a quality option at the back end of the draft, which would give them the depth that they need as well as allow them to focus their first couple of picks on true positions of need.