Chicago Bears trade up for franchise QB in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft

It is relatively surprising to see the Chicago Bears roll it back with general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy for another season. Neither Pace nor Nagy has been particularly impressive with the team and allowing Pace to lead another offseason could hurt this organization in a big way down-the-line.

That being said, Pace is clearly on thin ice and is unlikely to be around much longer unless he can inject some serious life into this franchise. With his job on the line, do not be surprised to see Pace and the Chicago Bears get aggressive this offseason, especially in the draft. In this seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft, we are going to try to get aggressive and find an opportunity for the Bears trade up from their pick at No. 20 overall and land a potential legitimate franchise quarterback.

The Chicago Bears make an aggressive move up the board for Trey Lance in the first round of this 2021 NFL mock draft.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at a complete seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft for the Chicago Bears.

Note: This 2021 NFL mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.

Round 1, 10th overall

With Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Justin Fields going off of the board within the first four picks of this 2021 NFL mock draft, Trey Lance quickly stood out as the premier trade target for the Chicago Bears.

After trying to make a move up with a few other teams to acquire Lance, the Bears finally get the Dallas Cowboys to bite at No. 10. In exchange for moving up to No. 10 from No. 20, the Bears send Dallas two second-round picks (one in 2021 and one in 2022) and receive a fourth-round selection from the Cowboys. An aggressive move up like this could be exactly what Pace needs to do to save his job.

Lance is the exact kind of player who could come in and give the Chicago Bears some hope. He is an incredibly gifted quarterback prospect whose combination of size, arm talent and athleticism is legitimately special.

Lance can make any throw on the football field and is a dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands. His dual-threat ability is exciting and makes Lance a strong fit for the modern NFL. Lance’s decision-making needs some work and his accuracy is inconsistent, but with proper coaching and stable development, he has a chance to become an absolute star at the next level.

The Chicago Bears would be wise to make an aggressive move up for Lance and then bring along slowly. Build an offensive attack around his strengths as a player and allow him to develop behind Nick Foles or Mitchell Trubisky for at least the first half of his rookie season. Once Lance is ready, they can unleash him, and the young quarterback would give this franchise some much-needed hope.