Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles gave assistant GM Ian Cunningham the stage Tuesday at Halas Hall for the annual pre-draft news conference.
After the Bears held the Brian Piccolo Award ceremony, Cunningham met with reporters to preview what’s ahead this week as they prepare to make 10 draft picks, starting with No. 9 in Thursday’s first round.
In addition to Cunningham’s thoughts on Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, here are five things we heard.
1. The Bears’ additions to the offensive line this weekend will be telling.
It won’t be only the players they choose but where they are chosen. It has been established for months that a sturdier front should be a priority as the Bears enter a pivotal evaluation season for quarterback Justin Fields.
Poles signed guard Nate Davis in free agency to help stabilize the interior of the line, and there’s a presumption in many league circles that the Bears will add one of the top offensive tackles in the draft, with countless mock drafts linking them to Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson, Tennessee’s Darnell Wright or Georgia’s Broderick Jones with the No. 9 pick.
But don’t be surprised if the Bears make that swing later. While Cunningham acknowledged the talent of those four “household names” at the top of the tackle board, he suggested the Bears feel comfortable with the options further down the board while noting he is drawn most to a combination of size, athleticism and competitive spirit.
The Day 2 tackle options could include Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron, Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison, Ohio State’s Dawand Jones or Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan.
“If you trickle down, you get a lot of the similar skill set but maybe not the top-tier athleticism,” Cunningham said. “But you (still) feel comfortable with it. We were able to take Braxton Jones last year in the fifth round. And when you have a guy like Chris Morgan, who is one of the better offensive line coaches and one of the best teachers in the league at the position, you feel comfortable with some of those guys.”
2. Plenty of trade scenarios are being considered inside Halas Hall.
As it stands, the Bears own 10 selections. After picking at No. 9, they face a wait of 43 selections before they go back on the clock at No. 53 in the second round. So is there a possibility the front office would maneuver — perhaps via a trade up in Round 2 — to add another selection in that range from No. 10 to No. 52?
“That’s something we’ll revisit after Day 1 and see where the dust settles,” Cunningham said. “We’ll meet after the draft (Thursday) night and then we’ll come back in on Friday and meet again and see where the board is. We’ll make those decisions then.”
Depending on how the board breaks Thursday — perhaps most notably with the quarterback class — the Bears also could consider a trade down from No. 9 if offers come in. Such a deal could add picks for Day 2 or Day 3.
3. Bears staff members have a better feel for what they’re targeting in their second year together.
Cunningham echoed Poles’ comments at the NFL annual meeting in which the GM said better understanding of what the coaching staff is looking for has helped entering their second draft. The Bears kept most of their coaching staff from Year 1 into Year 2.
“We have a feel for the coaching staff, their fit, their vision, their role, the scheme,” Cunningham said. “The relationships we have with those guys, we’ve communicated a lot better, just in terms of natural time on the job.”
As the Bears get ready for a hectic few days, Cunningham said he will try to find “calmness through chaos.” Another benefit of more time with the group is they know whom they can count on to lighten the mood during a high-stress weekend.
“I’m the one that’s probably with the stern face, and those guys are trying to poke me,” Cunningham said. “So, yeah, it’s just learning each other and feeling each other out.”
4. Linebacker Jack Sanborn and running back David Montgomery are the Brian Piccolo Award winners.
The Piccolo Award is given annually to one rookie and one veteran who “best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of the late Brian Piccolo,” according to the Bears. Players vote on the award, and the ceremony typically features an update on the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund.
Sanborn won the award after going from an undrafted rookie last spring to a player who had 64 tackles, five tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits and two sacks in 14 games, including six starts.
“It’s very humbling to be here, and at the same time I know there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Sanborn said. “But it’s definitely rewarding and it’s definitely extra confidence and extra hunger and motivation to continue to improve and continue to help this team, help this organization become a winning team for this city. Because that’s what everyone around here deserves.”
The Bears signed free-agent linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards last month to take over starting roles, likely pushing Sanborn to strong-side linebacker. Sanborn said he has talked to Edmunds and admires his hunger to get better. Sanborn and Edwards are both from the northwest suburbs, had the same high school coach, Luke Mertens, and played together at Wisconsin.
“I’m very familiar with T.J., have a lot of respect for T.J.,” Sanborn said. “I always kind of looked at him as almost like a mentor in a way, going through a similar situation that I was in last year. And look at him now, carved a role in Philadelphia and became the great player that he is today.”
Montgomery signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Detroit Lions last month, so he wasn’t present at the ceremony. But he offered a thank you to the Bears and Chicago fans through running backs coach David Walker.
Walker praised Montgomery, a two-time winner of the award, for his work ethic, professionalism, competitiveness and hunger to improve and said “his impact in this building and this community will be felt for a long time.”
5. Sanborn understands why Bears fans are thrilled the Green Bay Packers traded Aaron Rodgers.
One of the first Bears games Sanborn remembers is the NFC championship game in January 2011, when Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was hurt and Rodgers led the Packers to a 21-14 win on the way to winning the Super Bowl. So he gets Bears fans’ excitement over Rodgers leaving the NFC North.
“Yes, I very much do,” Sanborn said.
Sanborn continued to watch a lot of Rodgers during his time at Wisconsin and then got to play against him last year.
“He’s obviously a great player,” Sanborn said. “I know from many instances as a fan but also last year as a player. … No matter who replaces him, it’s still an NFL-level quarterback that’s going to come in. Their goal is going to be to try to beat us, and our goal is going to be to try to beat them.
“He’s a tremendous talent. We’ll see what he does in New York.”
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