3 reasons it is fine that the Chicago Bears passed on Georgia DT Jalen Carter in the NFL Draft
By Todd Welter
Jalen Carter’s character was clearly questioned by the Chicago Bears.
Jalen Carter might be the second coming of Warren Sapp. He might also be out of the NFL in three seasons with all his maturity issues.
He was arrested this offseason for reckless driving and racing that involved the death of a teammate and a Georgia staffer. The teammate and staffer were in another car allegedly racing Carter and then had a fatal crash.
It was a tragic situation. Carter made his part in the situation worse by leaving the scene, then initially telling police he was not racing, and only heard about the accident after it occurred.
Some might chalk that up to being young and scared of the situation. He still had character questions before and after his arrest. He appeared out of shape in the College Football Playoff semifinal game. He was a non-factor in the game.
Carter showed up out of shape for his pro day and could not complete drills. Those character and motivation issues are why Carter is not a Bear.
"Character is always going to be important for us" - #Bears GM Ryan Poles.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) April 28, 2023
Eberflus needs a top-line three-technique defensive tackle for his defense to be successful. Carter was not going to be a fit for Matt Eberflus. The head coach wants a motor and meanness in his lineman. Wright has a consistent motor and a mean streak while Carter does not.
Also, the Chicago Bears do not have the infrastructure in place like the Philadelphia Eagles do to keep Carter in the line.
If the Bears had the players in place like the Eagles do and passed on Carter, it is okay to be furious. Since they do not, the chances of Carter reaching his full potential in Chicago would be murky.