Much has been made of the Chicago Bears' need to add talent along the offensive line this offseason, specifically at guard where the void created by Kyle Long's retirement will force GM Ryan Pace to use critical resources to fill. It's possible the Bears will search for a plug-and-play starter in free agency, but it's more likely Pace will use the second round of the 2020 NFL draft to find a talented (and cheaper) option.
It's exactly what Chad Reuter envisions the Bears doing in his latest 2020 mock draft on NFL.com. In this three-rounder, Pace taps into LSU's championship program to find a potential starter at No. 43 overall in guard Damien Lewis.
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This pick feels like a bit of a reach, especially because Lewis is a fringe top-100 player. That said, the 6-2, 329-pound road grader is the kind of run blocker the Bears need in order to become more efficient running between the tackles. Still, it's unlikely Lewis will get selected this high; there's a chance he's still on the board in the fourth round when the Bears are expected to receive a compensatory pick after losing safety Adrian Amos to the Packers in free agency last offseason.
Chicago's second second-rounder is equally surprising, as Reuter has the Bears picking Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Like Lewis, Brooks is considered more of an early Day-3 prospect than a top-50 guy. Chicago has some big decisions to make on Nick Kwiatkoski and Danny Trevathan, as both inside linebackers are scheduled to hit free agency in a few weeks, but even if they're unable to re-sign either one, it's highly unlikely Brooks will get pushed into this range.
Brooks is a twitchy prospect who had 108 tackles in 11 games last season and would be a nice value pick when the Bears begin the busiest portion of their draft in Round 5.