Chicago Bears News: Team sends contingency to Alabama Pro Day

The Chicago Bears were present at the University of Alabama’s Pro Day on Tuesday that featured one of top quarterback prospects of the 2021 NFL Draft in the form Mac Jones.

It is no secret that the quarterback position has been the priority for the Chicago Bears this off-season. The Bears have been linked to laundry list of potentially available quarterbacks this off-season that included Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson, Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson; Jameis Winston before he signed with the New Orleans Saints; Ryan Fitzpatrick before he signed with the Washington Football Team; and Carson Wentz before he was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts.

The quarterback that the Bears were closest to acquiring may have been Wilson. Reports had the Bears’ offer to the Seahawks for Wilson including three first round draft picks, a second round draft pick and at least two starting defensive players. The Seahawks ultimately decided that they are not ready to trade Wilson and the Bears moved quickly to sign free agent quarterback Andy Dalton.

Dalton met with reporters last week and mentioned that one of the reasons why he preferred the Bears over any other team in free agency is because of having the opportunity to start. Not only did the Bears offer Dalton with the opportunity to start, the former Dallas Cowboys’ and Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback confirmed with reporters that the Bears provided him with the assurance that he would be the starting quarterback for the team. Dalton also acknowledged the possibility that the Bears could select a rookie quarterback during the early portions of the 2021 NFL Draft.

If the Bears are going to target the quarterback position in the first round of the 2021, Jones would be an ideal target as he is expected to be the fifth quarterback taken after Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Josh Fields, and Trey Lance. All five quarterbacks are projected to be selected in the first round.

The Bears continued their homework on the 2021 quarterback prospects as they had contingency present to watch Jones during Alabama’s Pro Day on Tuesday.

The fact that both Lazor and DeFilippo were present is a sign that the Bears, at the very least, are doing their due diligence on Jones. Of the five quarterbacks that are projected to be selected in the first round, Jones is the most likely to be available for the Bears at 20. Though, it is possible that the Bears would need to trade into the top 15 to avoid Jones being selected by a team like the New England Patriots.

While Jones does not have the same athletic ability as the other quarterback prospects mentioned, he does have the accuracy and pedigree to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. During his Pro Day on Tuesday, Jones also proved he has the arm strength.

One thing is clear, the Bears have to do whatever it takes to select one of the top five quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. Waiting until the 2022 NFL Draft should not be an option for the Bears considering that class is projected far less talented than this current crop.

What the Bears could be attempting to do with their 2021 quarterback room is the same thing that the Kansas City Chiefs did with their quarterback room in 2017. Have a veteran in place as the starter that performs at a consistent level while having the first round rookie quarterback taking a year to adapt to the NFL lifestyle. The Bears, of course, had that plan in 2017 until veteran quarterback Mike Glennon struggled so significantly that he was replaced by Mitchell Trubisky in Week 4 of that season.

One final thing to note for a team like the Chicago Bears is that, unlike previous years, the Pro Days this year due hold some significance. There was no scouting combine for prospects this year. Meaning, Pro Days are one of the few opportunities where teams can not only meet with prospects but request certain plays during their workouts