Hopefully trade down. But since that's always my choice and it's unoriginal, let's take a much more interesting look at seven scenarios that could actually happen in increasing order of likelihood.
7. Bears Trade #7 overall in 2015, #39 overall in 2015, #142 overall in 2015, and a 2016 first-round pick to the Titans for #2 overall in 2015
Also known as the "Marcus Mariota Option." It's just not going to happen. The roster has way too many holes, and even if one of them is at quarterback, it's very difficult to imagine rookie GM Ryan Pace taking such a massive risk in his first draft.
6. Bears Trade #7 overall in 2015, #39 overall in 2015, and #142 overall in 2015 to Raiders for #4 overall in 2015 and #68 overall in 2015
The lovely three-for-two deal. It's a hefty price for the Bears to pay, but coming away with USC DE Leonard Williams is probably worth it. Though the Bears would still need to find a nose tackle, Williams is the best defensive player in the class and should fit in perfectly as a 3-4 DE. The draft pick value chart calls this one basically a wash (Bears get 2,050, give 2,045), so this comes down to organizational preference. I'd rather see the Bears amass more picks, but I appreciate that passing on a better prospect is unwise. This is highly unlikely to happen: Williams wants to go to Oakland and they could really use him. It's a great match.
5. Bears Select Alabama WR Amari Cooper
I like Cooper plenty and the team definitely needs to add help at wide receiver even after bringing Eddie Royal aboard. But at just 6'1", I have a hard time seeing Cooper be the pick. It could happen and I won't be upset if it does.
4. Bears Select Iowa OT Brandon Scherff
Scherff looks an awful lot like this year's Kyle Long, a tackle-capable player best suited for guard. He makes tons of sense for the Bears if they think that (i) Scherff can play a strong right tackle, or (ii) Long can kick out to play a strong right tackle while Scherff plays a killer right guard. It's not a high-value play at #7 overall, but it sure looks like a safe bet. Sometimes you need to be wary of those.
3. Bears Select West Virginia WR Kevin White
Unlike Cooper, White has the (i) size (he's 6'3"), and (ii) blazing speed (he ran a 4.35 40-yard dash) that gets receivers drafted in the top ten, rightly or not. White has size similar to Alshon Jeffery with the speed and quickness more like Johnny Knox. That's an awfully tempting package.
2. Bears Trade #7 overall in 2015 and #142 overall in 2015 to Dolphins for #14 overall in 2015 and #47 overall in 2015
In my eyes, this is the best scenario for the Bears, but it certainly comes with substantial risk. The Dolphins make this trade if they feel a desperate need to get an ace receiver for Ryan Tannehill...and seeing as they just signed Greg Jennings to play a meaningful role, I think they should. Miami's top two receivers are the 6'0" Kenny Stills and 5'11" Jarvis Landry. Grabbing a receiver with Cooper's, White's, or DeVante Parker's size would go a long way toward helping to determine whether Tannehill deserves the nine-figure deal they'll owe him in a year...or not.
For the Bears, dropping to #14 is an acknowledgment that, after Leonard Williams and the two quarterbacks, there is no player in this class worth sacrificing the chance to add two useful pieces instead of just one. The big hope is that Washington NT Danny Shelton falls to #14, and if he slips past the Browns at #12, he should be there. Shelton would start at the nose from Day 1 and make Vic Fangio's defense much more feasible even with all the current round pegs and square holes. If Shelton doesn't make it, Oregon DE Arik Armstead, Miami OT Ereck Flowers, UConn CB Byron Jones, and Nebraska OLB Randy Gregory all fit the roster nicely. The chance to add that mid-second round pick is very tempting.
1. Bears Select Washington NT Danny Shelton
Then again, it's even easier just to take Shelton at #7.
If I was the GM, I'd most like to see the club trade down. With seemingly countless holes in a roster desperate for upgrades, the Bears need bodies and lots of them. I'd most like to see the Dolphins trade suggested above. Even though it's a two-for-two swap, upgrading a fifth rounder to a second rounder is massively important to the Bears, increasing the likelihood that the club can add a useful linebacker to the roster.
With so many needs, the front office needs to hit a home run. Here's hoping.
UPDATE (6:04pm on 4/30/2015): I failed to mention that my third favorite player expected to be drafted highly, Kentucky OLB Bud Dupree, hasn't been connected to the Bears at all. If the Bears stay at #7, I'd like to see Shelton, White, or Dupree.
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