Will the Bears draft a speedy receiver to compliment Alshon Jeffery?

After a rough five-win season in 2014, the Bears have used this offseason to shake things up and are looking to move their team in the right direction. The organization began by cleaning house and brought in an entirely new coaching staff, headed by John Fox. The Bears also made several aggressive moves in free agency. New general manager Ryan Pace wasted no time and brought in LB Pernell McPhee, WR Eddie Royal, and S Antrel Rolle while also trading away veteran WR Brandon Marshall.

While these initial changes should bring excitement to the Chicago fan base, especially when added to the weapons currently on the roster, there are still roster spots that need to be addressed. The majority of those spots lie on the defensive side of the ball, where the Bears ranked 31^st in team defense and 24^th as a D/ST unit in fantasy last year. Pace will look to address those needs in the upcoming NFL draft where the Bears have the 7^th overall pick to go along with five other picks. Here is a look at each of the Bears’ remaining needs and who they might select.

Defensive Line

As the rankings listed above show, the Bears’ defense collapsed last year and reinforcements are needed all over the roster. The biggest draft need for the Bears is difficult to pin down, but adding a stud along the defensive line would surely be an upgrade, especially with the team switching to a 3-4 defense in 2015. Last year, the Bears were forced to play youngsters Ego Ferguson or Will Sutton out of position while filling out the rest of the roster with inconsistent veterans. Going into 2015, the Bears would love to add an anchor along the defensive line to pair with free agent acquisitions McPhee and Rolle in their new scheme.

The good news is that the Bears have a top 10 pick and should have a number of great selections waiting for them at no. 7. It is unlikely that USC’s Leonard Williams, who is viewed as the best defensive lineman in the draft, will still be on the board after 6 picks, but there are other players the Bears would be happy to draft. Nose tackle Danny Shelton is a beast at 339 pounds and would be a nice plug up front in the 3-4 scheme. Other possible options may include DE Arik Armstead, who is a popular choice among mock draft boards, or run-stuffing DT Malcom Brown. However, Brown is viewed as a mid to late first round pick, so the Bears could likely trade back and acquire additional picks, if he is their man.

Overall, the Bears are in the midst of rebuilding their defense. Even if they do draft a productive defensive lineman to anchor their defensive line, it is unlikely that they become a top DST fantasy unit in 2015.

Potential draft targets

• Leonard Williams (USC)
• Danny Shelton (Washington)
• Arik Armstead (Oregon)
• Malcom Brown (Texas)

Safety

Safety is another position that arguably could be the biggest draft need for the Bears. For the past two seasons the secondary has been one of the weakest areas on the Bears’ roster. The team finished the 2014 season ranked 30^th in passing defense and gave up a ton of big plays. Those stats do not bode well in today’s NFL, especially when playing in the same division as Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Teddy Bridgewater.

The bad news is that this year’s draft is considered to be very thin for top safeties, with only one player (Alabama safety Landon Collins) projected to be taken in the first round. Luckily, the team already signed veteran Antrel Rolle (a 3-time Pro Bowl selection) in free agency to provide depth and consistency to the secondary. Plus, the fact that there are few first round options may make the Bears’ first round decision easier. If Collins is off the board at no. 7 (or if they pass on him), the Bears would be able to draft a high profile defensive lineman with their first pick while drafting a safety in the later rounds. Anthony Harris, from Virginia, is a smart and instinctive leader who would be available in the 2^nd round. Derron Smith, out of Fresno State, and Ibraheim Campbell, out of Northwestern, would both be intriguing options. Both players would add athleticism and awareness to the Bears’ secondary and are projected to be selected in the 3^rd to 4^th round.

Potential draft targets

• Landon Collins (Alabama)
• Anthony Harris (Virginia)
• Derron Smith (Fresno State)
• Ibraheim Campbell (Northwestern)

Wide Receiver

However, the Bears could go in a completely different direction and focus on the offensive side of the ball with their first round pick. After trading Brandon Marshall to the Jets this offseason, the Bears will need to add depth, and hopefully another playmaker, at receiver. The team did sign Eddie Royal as a free agent, but he better fits the role of a slot receiver versus a number 2 wide out across from Alshon Jeffery. Plus, Jeffery, (who ranked 11^th in WR fantasy scoring for 2014) is a big bodied receiver who excels at making catches in traffic. With Jeffery and Royal as the two main pass catchers currently on the roster, the Bears could definitely benefit from adding vertical speed to the receiving corps.

The Bears’ situation at wide receiver fits perfectly with the 2015 draft class. There are a number of projected first rounder picks who have the vertical speed the Bears are looking for. The highlight of these prospects is Alabama’s Amari Cooper. Cooper is viewed as the most polished and proven wide receiver in the draft class, so it would be no surprise if he is not available for the Bears to select at number 7. However, there are plenty of other options for the Bears beyond Cooper. Another projected first round pick would be Kevin White, out of West Virginia. White is a big receiver, but runs a 4.35 40, so he has the speed to go along with his size. He may be the ideal replacement to fill in for Marshall due to his combination of size and speed.

Outside of the overall studs that are Cooper and White, the Bears may focus on the true deep threat their roster needs. They could find just that in either Breshad Perriman or Chris Conley. Both have insane speed, which would loosen up any defense and free Jeffery from consistent double teams. However, Perriman is viewed as a late first rounder, so the Bears would need to trade back to get him as he is unlikely to be a top 10 pick. Otherwise, Conley would likely be available in the later rounds of the draft which would allow the Bears to focus on defense with their first few picks.

Potential draft targets

• Amari Cooper (Alabama)
• Kevin White (West Virginia)
• Breshad Perriman (Central Florida)
• Chris Conley (Georgia)

Overall, the Bears have several different ways to approach the 2015 NFL Draft and they sit in a great spot with a top 10 pick. They could focus on rebuilding their defense, which ranked near the bottom of the league last year, or they could look to add a key weapon to their already dangerous offense. Either way, it will be interesting to see which route the Bears choose to go on April 30^th.

Brad Behrens is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Brad, check out his archive or follow him @_BradBehrens.