Part 9 of a 10-part series previewing the NFL Draft and analyzing the Bears’ needs.
For all the criticism of Bears general manager Ryan Pace’s draft record, he has been very good at choosing inside linebackers.
Roquan Smith, the No. 8 pick in 2018, has been everything the Bears coveted and fits perfectly with their history of stars at the position. He had his best season in 2020, and the Bears are banking on him being a fixture for a decade. He’s headed toward a massive long-term contract extension.
With his overwhelming, versatile skillset, the Bears can afford to patch together the rest of their depth chart at inside linebacker.