
The Chicago Bears were quite coming into the 2022 NFL Draft.
They came into the draft without a first-round pick.
That was because of a trade they made in 2021 with the New York Giants to draft quarterback Justin Fields.
Bears fans waited until Friday to see who they would get in the 2022 NFL Draft.
What happened after the second round was the Bears trading down to draft more players in 2022.
By the end of the draft, Chicago selected 11 players.
However, what every fan wants to know is how these players will help the team this season.
Will Kyler Gordan Help With Pass Defense Woes?
While the Bears’ offensive line issues needed addressing, Chicago opted to fix their secondary first.
Last season saw them allow 31 passing touchdowns, a tremendous problem for them with Aaron Rodgers still with the Packers.
The Bears allowed 31 passing touchdowns last season, tied for second-most allowed in franchise history according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Not such a bad thing to want to improve.
— Briana Lansinger (@BrianAlanSinger) April 30, 2022
Of those 31 passing touchdowns allowed, 27 came from a corner as the primary player near the receiver.
Drafting Kyler Gordan helps improve a disappointing secondary from 2021.
He had two interceptions and seven pass deflections in his last season of college football.
The numbers made him a leader in both categories with the Washington Huskies.
However, with some good coaching, he can hopefully improve on those numbers.
Could Braxton Jones Help Offensive Line Woes In 2022?
One of the late-round picks by Chicago was that of offensive lineman Braxton Jones.
The Bears acquired this pick from a trade they made with the Buffalo Bills.
What makes him so special for Chicago is his domination during his 2021 college year.
While at Southern Utah University, he received a grade of 93.9 at tackle from Pro Football Focus.
The Chicago Bears pick Southern Utah Tackle Braxton Jones at No. 168 overall.
93.9 PFF grade in 2021 (1st among Big Sky Tackles, 2nd in FBS) ♨️ pic.twitter.com/OmOQKeWgDg
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 30, 2022
That put him second among all tackles in the FBS in 2021.
From that perspective, the Bears got the steal of a lifetime drafting him.
However, the Big Sky division isn’t the NFL, and we need to see him develop at the pro level.
While it is a big step forward for Chicago with fixing their offensive line issues, it might take time before we see this pick pay off.
Bears Drafting Velus Jones Jr. Is A Head Scratcher
While some people praise the Bears for drafting this speedy receiver, the move doesn’t make much sense.
Velus Jones Jr. is a great return man for special teams.
However, Byron Pringle signing with the Bears earlier in the year was thought to help the return game.
But it seems Chicago rather have Jones Jr. fielding punt and kick returns.
He’s also one of the oldest college players in the draft at 25 years old.
With many other receivers out there with more proven talent at receiver, the pick raises questions.
Why draft a return man when you have Pringle?
Why not move up to snag a true number one receiver to replace the departed Allen Robinson?
There are too many downsides to drafting Jones Jr. with this pick.
The pick had better use for the Bears with other available players on the board.
However, some of the other picks the Bears made will help the team in the future.
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