Chicago Bears: 3 positives from the Andy Dalton signing

Another benefit to taking Dalton and missing out on trading for Russell Wilson is saving the Bears’ draft capital. This is the first draft in three years that the Bears have a first-round draft pick, and Bears fans should be happy to have it.

There is much speculation that the front office will still take a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft. There’s no way that Dalton is Nagy and Pace’s big quarterback move to save their jobs and the organization from a third straight 8-8 season, or worse.

Let’s talk draft possibilities.

Don’t forget, a poor season next year could lead to a very high draft pick in the 2022 NFL draft. This could land the Bears a game-changing quarterback like Sam Howell out of North Carolina. For now, however, let’s look at the candidates for this year’s draft.

Trey Lance, out of North Dakota State, is certainly a viable option. He’s big at 6-foot-4 and 227 pounds, has a huge arm, and great footwork in the pocket. The Bears were in attendance for his pro day last week.

Mac Jones, out of  Alabama, is the most recent quarterback to win a college national championship. Remember the last time the Bears passed on a national champion quarterback in the draft (Deshaun Watson) it did not end well for them. Jones is an excellent playmaker who is used to throwing downfield and remaining decisive in the pocket.

Another option the front office can go is taking an offensive lineman in the first round. This would be ideal, considering Nagy and Pace are notorious for missing the mark on quarterbacks. Alijah Vera-Tucker (USC), Samuel Cosi (Texas), and Alex Leatherwood (Alabama) are some options that the Bears could get in the first round.