Chicago Bears NFL Draft 2021: Crippling mistakes Ryan Pace must avoid
By Ryan Heckman
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace can’t misuse his late-round picks
The reality is, the Bears have the majority of their picks in the fifth round or later. In years’ past, Pace has really whiffed on some late-round guys. Think about Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, Stephen Denmark, Kylie Fitts and Jordan Morgan.
This is a year where Pace finally has to find some talent in those late rounds. At the very least, find a serviceable backup in the sixth or seventh round. The Bears don’t have a pick in the seventh, but they could end up trading back and acquired one.
The 2021 draft class is deep at wide receiver. If the Bears waited until later in the draft, they could still end up with a quality wideout. That’s one position they could hold off on and use one of those sixth-round picks for.
Heck, even taking a flier on a late-round quarterback would be better than wasting it elsewhere. Simply trying to fill a need with one of these late picks is what we need to see from Pace. That’s all. As long as the pick makes sense, fans will be happy.
light. Must Read. Bears: 3 trades involving Justin Fields skepticism
Speaking of fans, a lot of fans stop watching the draft after Day 2. On Day 3, there will be a lot of notable names left. There always is. Pace needs to give fans a reason to stay tuned in. Possessing three picks in the sixth round might seem like three picks that don’t matter to some fans, but that’s where Pace has to prove those folks wrong.