The 2019 NFL trade deadline came and went without any moves by the Bears, which was pretty much expected all along. Sure, ESPN's Adam Schefter created wide-spread panic with the suggestion that the Bears could be suitors for 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard, but there was never a sense that GM Ryan Pace would actually make a move midseason to replace Mitch Trubisky.
It doesn't mean he won't make that move in the 2020 NFL Draft, however.
Buckle up, Bears fans. It's going to be a bumpy quarterback ride this offseason that will start in free agency and won't stop until the final pick of the 2020 NFL draft. In fact, it's already begun.
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With team needs crystallizing around the league, mock drafts are slowly becoming more interesting reads. And in the case of the Bears, who are having some issues under center, the latest mock draft from the Draft Wire deserves some attention.
This mock draft, which is of the three-round variety, has the Bears picking at No. 44 (their pick) and No. 45 (the pick they acquired from the Rams in the Khalil Mack trade). If the season continues the way it's gone so far and with this year's draft class possessing some interesting Day-2 quarterback prospects, Pace could find himself in a sweet spot for QB-next in Chicago.
In this scenario, that guy is Jordan Love (Utah State), who the Bears pick with their selection, No. 44 overall.
Love began the season as some analysts' No. 1 quarterback. Draft scouts often get aggressive with players like Love in their summer draft work in an effort to get ahead of the curve, and while Love still has upside, the preseason scouting reports missed their mark.
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Love isn't this year's top quarterback prospect, but he still has a chance to be a late first-round pick because of how toolsy he is. That said, he's regressed mightily in 2019. He's completing just 59.8% of his passes (compared to 64% in 2018) and has just eight touchdowns with nine interceptions. He threw 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2018. His throwing motion needs work and he struggled to look the part against LSU this season in a game that will become his most valuable scouting tape.
Evaluating quarterbacks isn't just about stats. But Love needs a strong finish in 2019 in order to salvage his draft stock that, right now, looks more like the second-round range at best. He could slide even lower than that.
But quarterback-desperate teams often reach on guys who they think offer even a glimmer of hope at the position. The Bears don't feel like a club that's that desperate yet, especially with several veteran options likely available in free agency this year.
It would be pretty amazing, though, if another 'Jordan' took Chicago by storm.