The dust is finally starting to settle after the 2023 NFL Draft and the Chicago Bears have 10 new players they selected over the course of three days who will hopefully become key contributors as early as this upcoming season. General manager Ryan Poles sought to fill key position groups on the team, specifically offensive and defensive line and he followed through. The picks were as follows:
- Tackle Darnell Wright (first round, pick No. 10)
- Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (second round, pick No. 53)
- Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (second round, pick No. 56)
- Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (third round, pick No. 64)
- Running back Roschon Johnson (fourth round, pick No. 115)
- Wide receiver Tyler Scott (fourth round, pick No. 133)
- Linebacker Noah Sewell (fifth round, pick No. 148)
- Cornerback Terell Smith (fifth round, pick No. 165)
- Defensive tackle Travis Bell (seventh round, pick No. 218)
- Safety Kendall Williamson (seventh round, pick No. 258)
Of course it’s way too early to judge how any of these players will pan out, no matter how high or low they were selected. But we can begin looking at the veterans on the roster and how this draft class affects them. Here are the winners and losers now that the 2023 Bears draft class is set.
Winner: QB Justin Fields
Right out of the gate, the Bears made a big move to fortify the offensive line thanks to the selection of Wright with the tenth overall pick. Wright should start sooner rather than later at right tackle and help fortify what was a leaky offensive line. But the help goes deeper than that.
Players like Johnson and Scott could be gems found on Day 3. Johnson is not only a great runner, but can effectively pass block. Scott, meanwhile, has incredible playmaking ability and would be a nice deep threat for Fields when he gets on the field.
The Bears needed to help their offense both in the trenches and at certain skill positions to give Fields more support. They accomplished that goal.
Loser: DL Justin Jones
Justin Jones isn’t losing his job on the defensive line yet, but he’s got more competition than he had last week. The Bears drafted three defensive tackles last weekend, two of them getting picked on Day 2. Dexter most likely will play the one technique, currently held by Andrew Billings. But Pickens could be coming for Jones spot at three technique.
Jones was easily the best defensive lineman on the team last season, but he’ll need to play better to hold off the rookie competition. He’s also highly regarded in the locker room but that won’t help him keep his starting spot.
Winner: Cs Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick
For the last couple of months, the interior of the offensive line seemed poised to get an upgrade in the draft. Specifically the center position. The Bears were going into the weekend with Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick as the top options and neither inspired much confidence in the fanbase. But when the draft came and went, no centers or even guards were selected. It feels like the Bears are comfortable riding with the two veterans and Poles confirmed as much.
“For right now, I feel good with Cody and Lucas both as leaders and players, Poles told the media on Saturday via Courtney Cronin. “They’ve both played that position well in the past.” Sounds like it will take a surprise signing to keep these two from battling it out this summer.
Loser: CB Kindle Vildor
Cornerback Kindle Vildor followed up his disastrous second season in the league in 2021 with a relatively quality third one. He was much better in pass coverage and wasn’t the same liability he once was. The Bears felt like they needed to upgrade the position though and it could spell bad news for Vildor.
The Bears selected two cornerbacks in the draft, most notably Stevenson in the second round. He projects as an outside player and will push Vildor almost immediately. They also drafted another player in Smith, adding plenty of competition to work through. This could be the beginning of the end for Vildor in a Bears uniform if both players shine early in camp.
Winner: DEs Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson
Like center, defensive end was another position of need that was projected to be upgraded in the draft. But that didn’t happen either, meaning players like Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson are still firmly in the rotation. Both players struggled for much of the season in 2022 and with such a deep edge rusher class, the thought was that someone was getting replaced.
The Bears did still add a few players via free agency like DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green. But they don’t have the upside like an early draft pick would have. They’re safe for now but the Bears could be looking to add more defensive ends that are available in free agency.
Loser: WR Darnell Mooney
Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is coming off a broken ankle and is entering the final year remaining on his rookie contract. Now the Bears may have just drafted his replacement.
Scott, a speedster out of Cincinnati, is considered a clone of Mooney and is coming into the league at just 21-years old. Mooney will need to show he’s not only healthy, but that he’s capable of playing like the 1,000-yard weapon we saw back in 2021. He wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire last year prior to his injury. If he doesn’t produce, there’s a decent chance Mooney leaves in free agency next spring.
Winner: OC Luke Getsy
The Bears not only added to both the offensive line and skill positions on offense to give offensive coordinator new players to work with, they added three prospects who actually played under Getsy at the 2023 Senior Bowl. Getsy was one of the coaches at the annual bowl game in February and coached Wright, Stevenson, and Pickens for a week down in Mobile, AL.
All three players impressed in some capacity whether it was in practice, the game, or both. Perhaps Getsy had some pull when it came to his opinion on players the Bears could draft that he coached. That should be a feather in his cap as he eyes an eventual head coaching job in the future.
Loser: D'Onta Foreman
Running back D’Onta Foreman signed with the Bears on a one-year deal this spring in hopes of becoming one of the featured backs when the 2023 season gets underway along with Khalil Herbert. Now that Johnson is in the fold, the clock is now ticking on Foreman’s touches.
Foreman and Johnson, two former Longhorn running backs, are both dependable in pass protection. But Johnson has more upside than Foreman, who is merely just a stopgap at this point in his career. Foreman has had some productive seasons the last few years but it’s only a matter of time before Johnson takes over. Herbert will likely remain the change-of-pace back, meaning Foreman is most at risk to lose carries.
Winner: OT Braxton Jones
One year ago, the Bears found a diamond in the rough when they selected tackle Braxton Jones in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After playing every single snap at left tackle with uneven, yet promising results, Jones appears to have found his home on the line.
The Bears mentioned they will determine where Wright fits best on the line, but the clear assumption is that he plays right tackle, keeping Jones on the left side. Jones has said in the past he will play wherever he is needed, but it’s clear his desire is to remain at left tackle. Barring a surprise, that’s what’s going to happen.
