The Chicago Bears head into the NFL draft without a first round pick after trading with the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears gave up their first round pick and one of their third round picks in order to acquire Cutler, who gives them a huge improvement at the quarterback position but still leaves some glaring holes.

Despite trading for Cutler, the Bears needs still remain the same heading into the draft. Now that the Bears have a quarterback that can perform at a Pro Bowl level, the team must equip him with the weapons he needs in order to lead the Bears passing attack. Last season, the Bears went 9-7 in a horrible NFC North division and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Wide receiver is the most important area of concern for the Bears, but Chicago may not go after a receiver when they use their first pick in the second round with the 49th overall selection. Before Chicago traded for Cutler, they would have been able to select from receivers Hakeem Nicks out of North Carolina, Percy Harvin from Florida, Kenny Britt out of Rutgers, and Darrius Heyward-Bey from Maryland. Now, the Bears should expect almost all of these receivers to be off the board by the time they make their first pick.

Some receivers that the Bears may target with the 49th pick include Mohammed Massaquoi from Georgia and Brain Robiskie out of Ohio State. These receivers would offer the Bears help at the position and with Cutler throwing the ball; they could easily become impact players in their first year. Massaquoi is a big receiver that will give Cutler a huge target to throw to and could compliment Devin Hester’s speed very well. Robiskie has the potential to be a top receiver if he is put into the right situation and offense.

If one of these talented receivers is still available, look for the Bears to jump at the opportunity to add one of them to the roster. If not, the Bears will most likely address a different area of concern, such as right tackle or safety. The most likely choice for the Bears will be to pick up a tackle by the third round in order to get a quality player. The Bears can get a quality safety with their picks in the fourth through sixth rounds that will be able to help on the defense immediately.

In some ways, the Cutler trade may have hurt the Bears in this draft. If the Bears would have stuck with quarterback Kyle Orton instead of trading for Cutler, they could have been in line to trade for Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin.
Boldin would have fixed their issue at receiver and allowed them to bolster the offensive line and defense in the draft. Instead, the Bears will have to work hard to get a receiver with the 49th pick that will contribute immediately and be an impact player.

Filling in the needs on the offensive line and defense can easily be done in the later rounds of the draft. Finding a receiver that is ready to add value to your team right away is almost unheard of at the 49th pick although both rookie receivers that made any kind of noise were selected in the second round in Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson. In the end, Cutler may end up having no viable options to throw to except for his tight end and will be stuck relying on a mediocre running game to carry the Bears offense.

In this draft, the Bears should be looking to add the best player available when the team goes on the clock, and at this point, that may be the best option left for Chicago.

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