Chicago Bears: 5 positions team can ignore in 2023 NFL Draft

We are in full-on draft mode, here, folks. The Chicago Bears continue to dominate the 2022 offseason as big free agency winners and with a lot of control in the 2023 NFL Draft; some control of which they have already relinquished.

Still, after the Bears traded the number 1 overall pick, Chicago boasts a lot of power in the draft. At no. 9, they could still move back again and obtain even more draft capital. As it stands, the Bears have 10 picks in the upcoming draft. That’s a lot of swings for general manager Ryan Poles.

Prior to the start of free agency, this Bears roster had a ton of holes. Fortunately, Poles did a great job filling a lot of them via signings and, of course, the arrival of wide receiver D.J. Moore. Still, Chicago has a good chunk of roster needs that they’ll address via the draft.

But, to give the Bears front office some props, we need to look at what they’ve done well in recent years and check out the positions Poles shouldn’t have to worry about going into this year’s draft. With that said, let’s begin with one of the quiet MVPs of the roster.

Positions the Chicago Bears can ignore in the 2023 NFL Draft: Kicker

This should be one of the most obvious positions the Bears can ignore, and it’s not one often talked about. So, more than anything, this segment is given to Cairo Santos more so to hand him some props for his career resurgence and becoming such a consistent part of the Bears’ offense.

Santos has been one of the Bears’ most valuable players over the past three years, making 30-of-32 field goals in 2020 (93.8 percent), 26-of-30 field goals in 2021 (86.7 percent) and 21-of-23 field goals in 2022 (91.3 percent).

It’s no wonder he was rewarded with a 5-year contract in 2021. He deserved it, and he’s got job security with a team that, at one point, looked like a total circus when it came to trying to solidify the kicker position.