2011 NFL Mock Draft: The Chicago Bears Select 29th

Late note: The community pick came in late (post-publication), but I wanted to share who would have been the selection. Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi would have been the pick. Says KDean75: "DT is definitely a high priority for them, but Tice loves, loves Carimi, and he's Big 10. They might just stop drafting if they can get Carimi." I overlooked Carimi being gone and think that he would have been the better pick, being that protecting Jay Cutler should be priority number one.

We have reached the 29th pick in the ROTB mock draft and the Chicago Bears make their selection. Based on how far the Bears made it this past season, you would not be led to believe that they have many holes, considering with their third-string quarterback in Caleb Haney they almost came back to beat the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

Standing in for the writers is JoeCB1991 as GM for the Bears, while I acted on behalf of the community, as the pick did not come in. Tell us what you think of the picks. Did we do it right? Did we miss completely? Keep the discussion alive.

Now on the clock are the New York Jets. The community GM will be SportsCaveTV and he writer GM is Jessesb. Email me by 11PM with your selections.

Me:

Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

With the departure of Tommie Harris, the Bears need some help on the defensive line. They also desperately need help to protect Jay Cutler. However, once their pick comes up, the highest rated tackles are off the board. there are still good candidates, but Chicago has Paea rated higher. Paea made some heads turn with his record performance in the bench press at the combine. His ability to drive offensive linemen backwards will be a big help to the Chicago defense and will wreak havoc in opposing teams' backfields.

JoeCB1991:

Marcus Cannon, OT/OG, TCU

The Bears have an obvious need is the offensive line after Jay Cutler was sacked 52 times last season, including 33 sacks that occurred three seconds or less after the snap. That was the most in the NFL for any Quarterback, but it was second in the NFL behind our revolving door of an O-Line that gave up 37 sacks to the trio of excellence we had at Quarterback last season within three seconds of the snap. If it wasn't for Cutler's mobility, the Bears could have broken the record for sacks set by David Carr in 2002 with how poorly their offensive line played for parts of the year. With how so many Offensive Linemen have already been taken in the writers draft, I'll go with Marcus Cannon, a huge 350 pound tackle from TCU who is also very athletic for a man of his size and can be converted to Guard if necessary.

Another person I can see them taking is Stephen Paea from Oregon State now that they lack some depth at Defensive Tackle following the loss of Tommie Harris. Aaron Williams from Texas could also work seeing how besides Charles Tillman the Bears are only average at the CB position. And finally, I can see them going with Leonard Hankerson from Miami or Jon Baldwin of Pittsburgh to give Cutler a big target who will go up and fight for the football. Their starting receiver, Johnny Knox is a solid deep threat, but he also isn't very physical when he has to fight a DB for the ball and this has resulted in some interceptions where Knox had a chance to catch the ball or knock it down. For a team that was in the NFC Championship last year, the Bears have a lot of holes that need to be patched up.

Results of the mock draft:

Draft assignments and team needs for the New York Jets, according to drafttek.com