Bear Digest

Ben Johnson seeking three starters from first two days of Bears draft

Coach Ben Johnson has told Fox Sports he hopes they can come out with three starters on Days 1 and 2 of this year's draft.

Gene Chamberlain

Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is among the Bears who have 30 visits lined up. Coach Ben Johnson says they've been heavily involved watching film of the expected early picks in this draft.
Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is among the Bears who have 30 visits lined up. Coach Ben Johnson says they've been heavily involved watching film of the expected early picks in this draft. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
In this story:

Not long ago the Bears became very serious about the upcoming selection process.

Coach Ben Johnson, GM Ryan Poles, assistant GM Ian Cunningham, senior player personnel director Jeff King, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen locked themselves in a room and started watching player film.

The process of determining what to do with the 10th overall pick began long ago for the Bears but according to Johnson in an interview he did with Fox's Lou Canellis at this week's owners meetings, it has intensified in recent days.

"We spent some time over the last couple weeks, just us in a room watching some of the top draft picks potentially and how we like them, how we view them," Johnson said. "And so we feel like there's going to be a lot of good players available with that No. 10 pick and, honestly, right now I couldn't tell you if it's going to be offense, if it's going to be defense. There's a lot of candidates in mind right now that could help us."

What Johnson was able to tell Canellis is the overall aim is for their first four picks, Nos. 10, 39, 41 and 72.

He said he wants to see three starters drafted from that grouping.

"That's the hope, yeah," Johnson said. "Listen, there's going to be competition so I can't say as we pick a player that he's necessarily going to win a job.

"He's got to go earn that job. But yeah, you would like to think that whether it's this year or years from now, that these players that we're picking in Day 1 and Day 2 will be starters for us."

Traditionally at this time, Poles and personnel have studied all of the top picks so that they know what's worthwhile if they wanted to move up or down in trades, or if someone started dropping to them.

They have been lining up 30 visits by top candidates to Halas Hall. One of those widely reported is with tackle Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon, and another with running back Ashton Jeanty from Boise State.

Tackle Will Campbell from LSU, SMU running back Brashard Smith and Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin. They have also shown interest in Jahdae Barron, a cornerback from Texas, and teammate Andrew Mukuba, a safety, although it hasn't been clear whether those two will have 30 visits to Halas Hall or a private workout.

More pertinent to Johnson's statement about watching the top players on film, a report by editor and draft analyst Tony Pauline from Sportskeeda.com said the Bears are one of three teams who will visit with and watch a workout by Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.

So far in free agency, the emphasis has been the trenches. There's no doubt about this, whether on offense or defense. They didn't get around to a skill position until signing Olamide Zaccheaus after the signing of center Drew Dalman, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.

"The game's won and lost in the trenches," Johnson told Canellis. "And Ryan knows that. And I acknowledge that and I think the moves that we've made as an organization acknowledge that as well."

They're not locked in on any particular position as a result of what happened to date in free agency and trads, and Poles has said as much.

"The moves we made in free agency, I feel like really helped us be flexible to where we don't have to pick necessarily a certain position at that spot," Johnson said.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published |Modified
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.