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As the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, the Chicago Bears are gearing up for the ninth selection overall. The Bears have 10 picks in this year's draft, four of them coming in the first three rounds. It is a monumental draft for Chicago as they head towards the all-important third year for QB Justin Fields, his second year under the current regime of GM Ryan Poles and HC Matt Eberflus.
Poles made a plethora of moves this offseason to help build the roster around Fields, starting with trading the number one overall pick. In return, the Bears received their current pick at nine, star WR DJ Moore, and a few other picks over a combination of the next few drafts.
Once free agency began, Poles went back to work. To go along with Moore, the Bears added OL Nate Davis, RBs Travis Homer and D'Onta Foreman, QB PJ walker, and TE Robert Tonyan on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, LBs Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, and Dylan Cole, join DLs Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker in coming to the Windy City.
With all of these moves, Poles and the Bears have been able to narrow the focus for the upcoming draft. However, the roster is still laden with holes and much work remains to be done. With that being said, there are players in the 2023 NFL Draft that the Bears could target that would actually fail to upgrade the roster. Out of all the draft hopefuls, who are the prospects the Bears need to avoid?
Here are two players the Chicago Bears must avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
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Devon Witherspoon is one of the highest rated players in the 2023 NFL Draft, many considering him to be the best cornerback overall. Witherspoon played his college football at Illinois, only a short drive from Urbana-Champaign to Chicago. He should be available at number nine. These all point to a match-made in heaven for the Bears to make him the ninth overall pick. In reality, the Bears would be wise to pass on him and do their due diligence on cornerbacks in the later rounds.
The primary reason the Bears should pass on Witherspoon is that cornerback is far from their biggest need. Rookies Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon formed a formidable cornerback duo last season, despite being in their first years in the NFL. Second-year Jaylon Johnson was inconsistent, but has also showed promising signs through two campaigns. Backup Kindle Vildor has been more than serviceable as well. Across the defense, the Bears' biggest weakness is clearly the defensive line. They should use their first round selection on just that.
Besides their needs, the Bears could also pass on Witherspoon due to the depth of the cornerback position in this year's draft. Joey Porter Jr. and Deonte Banks are just two prospects the Bears could wait on to select that could turn out to be just as good as Witherspoon. Either way, selecting the Illinois standout just doesn't fit the direction and needs of this current team and roster. The Bears would be smart to avoid Devon Witherspoon.
Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
Over the last few weeks, Calijah Kancey has seen his name generate a considerable amount of buzz. As a junior for the Pittsburgh Panthers last season, he was a first-team AP All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He had 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, all while missing the final two games with a shoulder injury. On paper, he could be the perfect player for the Bears to target in order to shore up a big hole in the middle of their defensive line. Nevertheless, they would be wise to avoid drafting Calijah Kancey.
Kancey is 6'1 and his arms are only 31 inches long. He is shorter and has less length than most typical NFL defensive tackles, and many other prospects the Bears could target instead. Ed Oliver was highly touted coming into the 2019 draft but had similar concerns. Through four seasons, the Buffalo Bills have not seen the generational player he was touted to be coming out of Houston. Kancey might have had a dominant college career, especially in the later years, but he is not worth the risk. The Bears would have to spend one of their earlier round picks to add him, and they really should look elsewhere. Kancey has a chance to be a great player, but the risk is not worth the reward for Chicago.
Overall, there are plenty of prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft that the Bears should or should not avoid. At the end of the day, predicting the careers of any prospect usually proves futile. Avoiding Devon Witherspoon and Calijah Kancey might look smart on paper for Chicago, but it will truly all be revealed on Sundays. If the Bears do end up drafting Witherspoon or Kancey, they can only hope it proves to be worth it.
