You make a reasonable argument, but I respectfully disagree. Consider this perspective. When other teams are preparing for the Bears, who do they have to be concerned about when making their gameplan?
On Offense | On Defense |
Justin Fields | |
Cole Kmet is slowly working himself up there | |
Maybe the combined running back room | |
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Now looking at all those empty spaces, if they have to be filled, the more people on both sides that opposing coordinators have to worry about, the more games your team will win. I mean taking nothing away from Sanborn, if he is an average NFL starter, teams are just going to stay in their scheme and block him just like any other 4-3 inside linebacker. But let's say that linebacker was a former safety who stood 6-4 and ran a 4.5-4.6 40- suddenly offenses have to worry about him. He can play the ball, he's tall and fills up passing lanes, can run with tight-ends, and can flow to the ball like a "Monster". People worried about Brian Urlacher. People are not yet (and perhaps not ever) worried about Sanborn, as tough and as gritty as he happens to be.
The more of those empty slots you fill up with people the other team is worried about, the better. Your argument is, we have so many needs, we need to players. Which is true. But drafting in the top-5, I want to see those picks turn into difference-makers on the field, or in other words,
playmakers.