Don’t want to read? Watch my breakdown here: https://sportscastr.com/stream/53135321
If you missed the NFL Unwrapped Mock Draft 2.0, you missed so much that I can’t explain it all! However, I can explain what the team that I was representing did in the Chicago Bears. The “wheelin’ and dealin’” started Friday when I posted in our group chat that I was willing to do business. I just wanted to see what offers I could get, if any. Let me preface this by saying that I put Mitch Trubisky on the block and I think I almost got exempt from the group…Nobody wanted him…like….at all. Fast forward about a half hour later and my phone goes off…it’s the Detroit Lions. The initial offer was Marvin Jones Jr. and a 2021 third round pick for the Bears’ 43rd overall pick. I sat on it for a second, but realized that next year’s draft picks aren’t an issue, it’s obviously this year that the team needs more picks. So I countered with the same deal, but the 2021 pick became a 2020 third rounder, his 67th to be exact. Pretty quickly the deal was finalized and stored away for secrecy until draft time.
I thought getting Jones from Detroit was a great move. It’s not like the Bears would be losing another pick they just traded back while filling a much needed hole at wide receiver. I honestly think that he would be a great fit in the locker room and would be that number two receiver that the team is looking for. As someone said on Twitter when I posted that this went down, “All Jones does is catch TDs, so I’m in.” Of course, they have to figure the rest of the offense out, but nonetheless, this transaction was great in my opinion.
That left me having to pick just once in this mock draft with it being two rounds. Pick 50 came up quick and to be honest, I wasn’t completely prepared for it as far as my big board was concerned. I know the releasing of Trey Burton was something to think about, but Cole Kmet was off the board and even though FAU Tight End Harrison Bryant was titled as the best overall at his position going into the draft, I just wasn’t sure on him. Another topic of conversation for the Bears is their secondary. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Bears defense is an absolute beast, but I think after Kyle Fuller, there is a concerning drop off in talent at the cornerback position. You could argue that because the front seven is so dominant, the secondary doesn’t really need to be as stout as we think. I’m aware of that. But with the 50th overall pick in the NFL Unwrapped Mock Draft, I selected Ohio State Buckeye, Damon Arnette. He’s a physical corner with good speed. Reports say he can get grabby at times, but his ability to play press coverage and mirror routes is great. In my opinion, Arnette would compliment Fuller nicely and give the already beastly defense some more juice.
The signing of Jason Spriggs made me not really want to take an offensive lineman. I’m not quite sure what the Bears’ plan is with him, but at 67 I was prepared to take John Simpson again, a guard from Clemson. I sort of wish we would have played it out until the pick just to see what players were available on the offensive side of the ball. Who knows, maybe I could have snagged a great weapon that just fell to me? Regardless, I think the moves I made were sufficient. Why would I think otherwise? Either way, to each their own. That’s why mock drafts are so fun. It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s not real.
I’d love to know what you all would do in the Bears position. How did you like what went down in this mock draft? Would you have taken Arnette at 50? Or would you have went strictly offense like I did in the first draft?
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Josh Barlog is a Contributor for the Unwrapped Sports Network. Follow him on Twitter @JoshBUSN.