The Chicago Bears mortgaged the future by trading for Khalil Mack last September, sending first-round pickw in 2019 and 2020, a 2020 third-round pick, and 2019 sixth-round pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the league's premier pass-rusher and a 2020 second-rounder. Many balked at the price Chicago paid for Mack, but he immediately rewarded the team with typically dominant performance, finishing the season with 12 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, a career-high six forced fumbles, and one interception returned for a touchdown.
Surrendering all that draft capital was considered especially onerous at the time of the trade because the Bears had already depleted their stable of picks going forward. But like Mack, rookie receiver Anthony Miller proved worthy of trading a fourth-round pick in last year's draft and a second-round selection in 2019 to the New England Patriots, catching 33 passes for 423 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns.
As a result of acquiring two impact players that sparked their one-season turnaround, the Bears won't be picking in the opening round of the NFL draft on Thursday night. They don't have a second-round pick, either, which to general manager Ryan Pace makes it extra important Chicago finds gems with the limited amount of choices the team does have.
“The pressure feels the same to me,” he said, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. “I feel like with fewer picks, and with later picks, the onus is on us as scouts to hit on these picks, and to keep this momentum. I feel like we have this momentum. To keep this momentum going, we need to nail this draft.”
The Bears have five picks in the 2019 draft, beginning with No. 87. They'll make four picks on Saturday, including two in the seventh round.
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