Bear Digest

Mock Draft 3.0 Loaded with Bears Trades

Bears 2024 Mock Draft 3.0 for BearDigest is plugging the second-round Bears gap and filling needs through heavy use of the trading market.

Gene Chamberlain

In this story:

Mock drafts are more fun when trading is involved and the first two mock drafts conducted by BearDigest were largely accomplished without this spice added to the mix.

It's time to wheel and deal.

Bears mock draft 3.0 for BearDigest, the final mock draft before combine times and measurements enter the mix, is one where the abilities to produce a second-round pick are on display.

Trades will not include trading pick No. 1, as this is reserved for quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Bears currently face a huge gap in their draft from the second pick at No. 9 in Round 1 to No. 75 in Round 3. The goal in any draft is to plug holes of this type because talent simply pours off the board while you're sitting there awaiting your next pick.

If the Bears were to get to No. 9 and see their biggest need—a top wide receiver target for their new QB—off the board, then shifting to defensive end might be an option. However, the fourth receiver in this draft is one definitely worth taking over many other Round 1 players. 

That's Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU.

So keeping this in mind, and with Bears needs at pass rusher, center and safety as well, the trading market was open.

At No. 9, all three top receivers were gone and Thomas available but graded for this mock down in the middle of Round 1 . Rather than pass on him and taking an edge rusher, I traded back.

First trades sought were with Denver and the Las Vegas Raiders, obviously because they would want to take a quarterback. It proved impossible to squeeze a second-round pick out of those skinflints. You'd have a better chance making a good deal with used car salesman Kurt Russell in the all-time classic movie "Used Cars" than with these deadbeats. They can choke on their draft picks and enjoy life without a quarterback.

There's more than one way to skin a cat and to get desired picks. The way to do it is what Ryan Poles has done in the past and that's come from the other direction. You acquire as many third and/or fourth-rounders and use some picks from 2025 to trade back up into Round 2. 

First, you need those extra Round 3 picks, though. So I traded back from No. 9 to No. 16 with Seattle, which needs its own future quarterback for a new coaching staff. Geno Smith is not an elite NFL player but a 33-year-old, late-blooming overachiever.

The Seahawks gave me their 16th pick to get a QB at No. 9. I got No. 78 in Round 3, No. 81 in Round 3 and a 2025 fourth-round pick for giving them the ninth pick, but I also had to give them Rounds 5 and 6 picks in 2025. Those are players who probably wouldn't make the much-improved team at that point anyway.

Knowing I needed more trade bait, and because Wilson fell to 16, but also knowing there were other needs and players of interest to teams with the next two picks, I traded back with the Rams to No. 19. To go back from 16 to 19, I obtained the 83rd pick in Round 3 and a sixth-rounder, No. 191, but had to also trade the 143rd pick in Round 5 to do this.

I'm thinking if I can't get my receiver at 19, I'll simply take center Jackson Powers-Johnson. I got the receiver, though, but now need a center and it's going to take Round 2 to get the player I need. 

So now it's time to trade up for better position using the extra acquired Round 3 picks.

The Bears give the 78th pick just acquired and a third-rounder in 2025 for Tampa Bay's 58th pick in Round 2. They do want to make sure to get players of need and quality so I also trade the 81st pick in Round 3, their fourth-rounder at No. 111 and a 2025 fourth-round pick to Buffalo to acquire the 60th pick in Round 2.

Now the gap is plugged. 

The Bears have not just one second-rounder but two, plus two third-rounders and a fourth-round pick.

The Bears are on the clock in Bear Digest 2024 Mock Draft 3.0.

Round 1, No. 1

QB Caleb Williams USC

The only concerns about him are how he'll be accepted in the Bears locker room after all the Justin Fields love, and whether he'll get his contract done fast enough without an agent. Those are real reasons for concern, though. The passing off-script has been sensational. It's not common for first picks to run 40 times at the combine or even work out with the other players at the position but the biggest thing to watch will be his official height as some have suspected he might be shorter than 6-foot-1.

Round 1 No. 19

WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

A trade back twice netted extra picks and still left the Bears with one of the top four receivers in the draft, and one who might be just as good as the top three based on an ability to go up to get the ball or turn on the jets. Thomas is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, flies, and turns on the jets rapidly. He scored 17 touchdowns last year and comes from a program known for producing top NFL receivers. Maybe teammate Malik Nabers is a better prospect but Thomas is awfully close to the top three and the Mel Kiper Jr. big board agrees.

Round 2, No. 58

S Calen Bullock, USC

A funny thing happened on the way to this pick after a trade. Center Zach Frazier was a target and was drafted.  With centers of adequate talent for the pick unavailable, it's another need position in Round 2 with Bullock. The Trojans didn't exactly have a good pass defense last year but Bullock's skills and physical assets would make him a good Eddie Jackson replacement. He is 6-foot-3, 190. with a long reach for playing back in cover-2 and picking off passes, to go with great closing speed. His nine college interceptions in three seasons make up for his perceived need to be more physical, and he's going to add weight. Bullock was easily the best prospect at this position available to take with a pick acquired in a trade.

Round 2, No. 60

DE Bralen Trice, Washington

At 6-4, 274, Trice has added strength and weight over the past two years and is an ideal size to be an edge defender for the Bears. He produced 17 sacks in the last two seasons while earning high grades from Pro Football Focus a pass rusher as well as a run defender. This is another pick the Bears had because of a trade back up after acquiring a slew of third-rounders, and one who eventually makes their pass rush better and deeper.

Round 3, No. 75

C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

The intent was to get a center with the second-round picks acquired but the simulator or teams within it apparently had other ideas. But the Bears get the Bulldogs' former guard who converted to center and led their line last year. At 6-4, 310, he's not the most mobile wide-zone blocker but is not slow, either. This might not matter as much because the Rams model on offense is less wide zone and more a combo of wide zone, inside zone and gap blocking. That's what Shane Waldron is working toward.

Round 3, No. 83

DT T'Vondre Sweat, Texas

The goal here was to find a running back/receiver or another three technique. Instead, they'll be a very Sweaty defense. They'll have a second Sweat on the line. This one will occupy the inside. At 6-4, 340, he is no mere plug nose tackle. He's said to be a two-gapper but can create his own gap by trampling blockers. Sweat can play as a penetrating defender and showed it by making eight tackles for loss last season and four pass deflections each of the last two years. This is a player who can immediately contribute in goal line and short yardage and work into more play in a rotation on first and second down with Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens. He can also back up Andrew Billings The ideal pick would have been more pass rush-oriented but they were beaten to the punch so they use one of the picks acquired by trade on helping the interior be more physical as they replace free agent Justin Jones. Sweat also provides more line versatility to use if teams start to find running inside against six-man boxes a little too easy.

Round 4, No. 123

RB Will Shipley, Clemson

There was still a running back available in the fourth round who also has shown to have good hands out of the backfield. The Clemson back is someone who can come in and contribute as a third-down receiver or runner with estimated 4.42-second speed and he also returns kicks well with a 26.6-yard average on 34 attempts. So they won't be burdened with keeping Velus Jones Jr. active or even on the roster simply to return kicks.

Round 6, No. 191

G LaDarius Henderson, Michigan

A 6-foot-4, 315-pound former Arizona State player who transferred to Michigan after missing a big chunk of his 2022 season with a painful tendon injury to his ring finger that was so bad it was left in a "pointed-down" position and required surgery to repair. He returned and transferred to Michigan for his final season, starting more than half the offensive snaps for the national champions as a left tackle and earning first-team All-Big Ten. At Arizona State he'd been a left guard starter. So he has good position versatility. His PFF blocking grades as a tackle for the Wolverines were mediocre but at guard he had been much better. He can come in and compete with Ja'Tyre Carter for a roster spot as a backup guard to Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOn Maven

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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.

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