Draft Insider Hints Chicago Bears Have Realistic Chance At Next Eric Berry
If there is one lesson to learn about the draft every year, it’s that players who are viewed as the best prospects in a class by the media and fans may not be viewed the same inside the league. That is why certain guys tend to fall on draft day. However, other factors come into play as well. Sometimes it’s health issues. Sometimes it’s off-the-field stuff. One thing that isn’t discussed often enough is money. That may seem odd given the NFL’s rookie wage scale, but that structure could play into the Chicago Bears’ hands this year.
Draft insider Dane Brugler revealed in a media appearance recently that the rookie wage scale isn’t defined by position. It is by pick. In other words, whoever a team selects at a certain spot will pay that player a specific amount of money, regardless of position. That is a big reason why you’ve seen linebackers and safeties less prevalent in the top half of the 1st round in recent years. This is why there is a strong possibility that Caleb Downs, Ohio State’s elite safety and one of the highest-ranked prospects in the class, could experience a fall on draft night in April.
The Chicago Bears have every reason to target Downs.
For one, they have a glaring need at safety. All four of their top players at the position will be free agents this spring. There is no way they’ll be able to keep all four. GM Ryan Poles will have to go hunting for a long-term solution in the draft at some point. Downs is considered one of the best to come out of college in years, drawing comparisons to former All-Pro Eric Berry. Don’t forget Poles was a scout in Kansas City when they drafted Berry. If he sees the same things, he won’t hesitate to go after Downs.
People should not dismiss the idea outright. No safety has gone higher than 11th since 2018, and the only one to crack the top 20 in the past six years was Kyle Hamilton in 2022. That suggests there is a strong possibility Downs could at least reach the mid-teens in the 1st round this year. If the Chicago Bears want to be aggressive in hunting for a difference-maker on defense, that is a trade scenario they can consider.
The team to watch would be Dallas. They have two picks at #12 and #20 with a need at safety. If they pass on Downs with that first pick, they won’t with the second, which means the Bears have to get to at least #19.