Why Latest Update On The Detroit Lions Would Be Great News For The Bears
The Chicago Bears are in a rare position: they are the last team in the NFC North to pick in the 1st round this year. It will start with the Minnesota Vikings, then the Detroit Lions, and finally the Green Bay. It’s been a long time since that happened. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson must hope that their rivals don’t hit any home runs with those picks and make life harder moving forward. However, it won’t be just about that. Whichever players those other teams pick will have a significant impact on who falls to the Bears at #25.
That is where the latest update regarding the Lions is so interesting. Tony Pauline is one of the best draft insiders on the circuit these days. He had some new information that feels pertinent to the 1st round for Chicago. From what he’s hearing, Detroit is zeroed in on Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor. They don’t feel good before their left tackle options after releasing Taylor Decker. Proctor is the kind of bruising blocker they feel is perfect for their run-heavy attack as they try to regain an identity they lost last season.
“The Detroit Lions have a hole at left tackle, and sources believe they’ve zeroed in on Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor…
…Those I’ve spoken with believe the latest Proctor ends up in the draft is the 17th pick, presently owned by the Detroit Lions. They need a left tackle after releasing Taylor Decker, and Proctor gives them an option, along with Penei Sewell, the 2021 first-round pick who was a star at Oregon on the blind side before moving to right tackle after the Lions drafted him in 2021. More than anything, the Lions want to run the ball and hope to extend Jahmyr Gibbs before the season starts. They believe the combo of Sewell and Proctor would be a dominant run-blocking duo.”
The Detroit Lions going that route is good for the Bears.
There are two reasons for this. We’ll start with the practical. For months, almost every draft expert believed the Lions would target an edge rusher. They lost Al-Quadin Muhammad to free agency and replaced him with D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner. Not exactly an upgrade. They need somebody who can rush across from Aidan Hutchinson. Taking a top rusher at the 17th pick would make sense. However, if they’re focused on a left tackle, that significantly improves the odds of one of the better edge rushers falling to the Bears at #25.
As of now, projections have around five edge rushers going in the top 24 picks. However, removing the Lions from that equation would improve the odds of that number dropping to four or even three. Right now, most would agree the New York Jets (#2, #16), Tennessee Titans (#4), Kansas City Chiefs (#9), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#15), Detroit Lions (#17), and Philadelphia Eagles (#23) are believed to view edge rusher as a need in some capacity.
Tampa signed Muhammad as a free agent. Philadelphia signed Arnold Ebiketie. New York signed Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enigbare. That could dissuade them from attacking the position early, leaving Tennessee and Kansas City as the bigger threats to watch. Obviously, someone unexpected could still draft one, but Detroit leaning away from it is still a break.
Targeting Proctor is a risk in itself.
Talent-wise, the Alabama standout has a rare mix of size, power, and mobility. He has flashes of dominance on his tape. It is easy to fall in love with what he can be. The problem is he never did it consistently. Not only are there concerns about his weight (350+ lbs), but league scouts also have serious misgivings about his passion for the game. Bob McGinn of Go Long found this out recently. They see the talent, as well as somebody not interested in doing the extra work.
“I didn’t like Evan Neal and this guy is exactly the same,” a second scout said. “I wanted to like him, too. He has a little bit of movement for being so big. But the game against Auburn, he’s just standing around watching. He just teases you and, ultimately, disappoints. Big, good-looking dude but not physical, not a lot of grit. Stands around and watches.”
This would be doubly beneficial to the Bears. Not only would the Lions add a player who may ultimately prove to be a disappointment, but it’ll also ensure Chicago, which does need a left tackle, won’t have to wrestle with the decision to draft him were he to fall to the 25th pick. Sure, there is always a chance Proctor overcomes those questions to achieve his full potential. Based on what most around the league believe, they wouldn’t put money on it.