One would think something as trivial as a voluntary minicamp practice can’t have an impact on what the Chicago Bears have planned for the upcoming NFL draft. The festivities are just over a week away. GM Ryan Pace likely has his board set and knows which prospects should be available when the Bears go on the clock at #8. Who will he take? Only the man himself knows and he is going to absurd lengths to make sure nobody else does. However, Aaron Lynch may have just changed that.
The Bears signed the veteran free agent last month, reuniting him with former coordinator Vic Fangio. Hopes are high that they can rekindle some of the magic they showed in 2014 when Lynch had six sacks as a rookie. Good thing too because the Bears are hurting at edge rusher. In a big way. Pernell McPhee is gone. Willie Young is gone. Lamarr Houston is gone. Leonard Floyd is coming off a knee injury.
The depth looks no better with Sam Acho, Howard Jones and Isaiah Irving rounding out the list. Lynch’s arrival eased some of the concerns but hardly erased them. It wouldn’t be the best thing for him or anybody else to get hurt though. Well, everybody knows the Bears’ notorious luck on that front.
Aaron Lynch, one of the #Bears' rare edge rushers, hurt his left ankle today and was helped off. "He'll be OK," Matt Nagy said.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) April 18, 2018
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Aaron Lynch injury magnifies Bears dire need at edge rusher
The fact that Nagy says he’ll be okay is somewhat reassuring, but ankle injuries are notoriously tricky. The fact he had to be helped off the field also wasn’t encouraging. This further underscores how serious the situation is for the Bears. The fact that they’re sweating the potential loss of a player who has 2.5 sacks the past two years? Not good.
Pace has always said he drafts according to the best player available. It’s a philosophy he believes in and there’s plenty of merit to it. However, there are times when teams make massive transitions at a position that can sometimes create a glaring need. With this draft, it’s an even worse situation. Projections indicate the edge rush crop is light. Meaning the Bears might not do themselves any favors if they wait to get one.
It’s amazing how such a minor occurrence could potentially have such a profound impact. Proof that once again, depending on severity, that timing is everything. Can Pace afford to wait on finding help? He’ll be playing a dangerous game if he does.
