Mocking the Mocks: Todd McShay has the Bears trading up for a QB

In the previous mocks I spotlighted here at WCG, they all had the Chicago Bears taking an offensive lineman with the 20th overall selection in the upcoming National Football League Draft. That’s definitely a safe assumption from the draftniks considering the Bears need more youth and talent at that position for sure.

But this latest mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Bears trading up with the 49ers for a quarterback.

I know, I know, we’ve already seen how that story goes.

McShay is assuming the Bears failed to address the position with a veteran in free agency or via a trade, so he has Chicago taking a swing at the best quarterback left on his board, Alabama’s Mac Jones.

Here’s what he said about Jones to Chicago with the 12th overall selection.

12. Chicago Bears (via mock trade with SF)

Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

This would tie the earliest that five quarterbacks have been drafted in the common draft era (1999), but the Bears didn’t want to risk missing out on the player I consider the final Round 1-worthy QB. If there is a run on quarterbacks, and Wentz goes to Indianapolis or elsewhere, then the Bears have to do what they have to do here. Mitchell Trubisky played pretty well down the stretch, but after declining his fifth-year option, Chicago is likely looking at other options. This season, the Bears were 25th in Total QBR and 28th in yards per attempt, and they tied for the fourth-most interceptions thrown.

Jones had a fantastic 41-to-4 TD-INT ratio and led the nation in Total QBR at 96.1. He anticipates well and has a nice touch on his deep throws, and Chicago would hope he can spark one of the NFL’s least efficient offenses.

McShay thinks the Bears would need to send their 2021 first (20th) and second round (52nd) picks to San Francisco along with a 2022 first or second round pick to get the deal done, but he speculated the ‘Niners could send a midround pick back Chicago’s way to seal the deal.

This seems like a lot to give up for a guy that could still be there when the Bears pick at 20, so this isn’t a trade I’d like to see made. Then again, if the actual NFL draft were to fall this way with four quarterbacks going in the first four picks, then I could see a QB needy team panicking to move up for Jones.

If by some chance the Bears do strike out in all their free agency and/or trade plans, and the board falls like McShay’s does, then I could see Ryan Pace’s desperation forcing his hand.

I wouldn’t like it, but I’m probably not going to like any trade they make for a quarterback this offseason anyway...

Would you guys be okay if the first round of the actual 2021 NFL Draft fell this way for the Bears?