Chicago Bears: 5 Burning questions after busy offseason

5. Will this draft class step up to make big contributions?

The Bears made some picks in the draft that brought excitement and hope to their fans. They picked linebacker Roquan Smith in the first round (No. 8 overall). Smith was arguably the second-best overall defensive player in the draft (behind only Bradley Chubb). He could possibly be the next in the line of great Chicago Bears linebackers.

Of course, Smith will make contributions right away. He’s penciled in as the starter next to Danny Trevathan. Which of the other rookies make an impact.

Second-round pick James Daniels gives the Bears some flexibility. He is a center by nature but could play guard. In fact, he will play guard when the season starts. Hroniss Grasu will be gone and Cody Whitehair will gain more camaraderie with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Daniels won’t be flashy, but he’ll be solid.

Anthony Miller I believe will be a beast. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and that makes him work harder than anyone else. He has the mentality that he’s the best receiver in this draft and he’ll play to prove it. I love his attitude and his work ethic and he’ll have a big impact, especially if teams try to shut down Robinson.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe is more of a future impact player than one who will contribute heavily this season. I believe eventually he’ll team up with Smith. Until then, he’ll be a rotation player and do a good job adding depth inside and outside.

Bilal Nichols also adds depth to the Bears. He’ll play in a rotation on the defensive line. Eventually, however, he could compete for a starting defensive end spot. There are a few players drafted by the Bears who project to compete for starting jobs in the future.

Kylie Fitts is a boom-or-bust player. He may be a steal, or he may play very little. When on the field he exhibits first or second round talent. The problem is that it’s difficult to keep him on the field with his injury history.

It’ll be a tough road to take for Javon Wims to make the team. If this was last year, he’d have a better shot. He has the size and speed to make it so if he could put it together who knows.

Let’s take a look at some of the undrafted rookies. There could be some hidden gems there. Remember, Cameron Meredith, Bryce Callahan, John Timu and Christian Jones were all undrafted and contributed. Some became starters as well.

Of the current crop of undrafted rookies, I like LSU’s Kevin Toliver. At 6-2 and 192 pounds, he is a big, physical cornerback. Additionally, he has the attitude you want from a cornerback. He feels he can cover any receiver and won’t back down from any challenge.

LSU is known for having good defensive backs. In fact, they’re known as “DBU” for their ability to send defensive backs to the NFL. Toliver could be the next one to make it and contribute. Yes, the Bears have Fuller and Amukamara, but Amukamara has more behind him than in front of him and the Bears need some depth and playmakers.

Offensive lineman Dejon Allen could make an impact. He is a four-year starter from Hawaii who played both guard and tackle. He could put some pressure on Bobby Massie at right tackle.