Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Bears' Third-Round Pick Almost Drastically Different

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Pat Boadway | Last updated 5/7/24

As the NFL offseason continues, there is a lot of information coming out after the draft in April. The Chicago Bears made a huge splash in the first round, nearly winning the draft in the top ten picks.

But in the later rounds, the Bears made waves again and according to NFL reporter, Jeremy Fowler , General Manager Ryan Poles almost went in a very different direction.

Bears' Third-Round Draft Pick

With the 75th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears selected offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie. The Illinois native out of Yale was projected by some scouts to be a top-50 pick, if it wasn't for an injury hindering his appeal.

Ryan Poles was an offensive lineman and knows the value of building that group of players. There can never be enough depth along an offensive line and Poles brought in the Yale product to add to the group.

But according to Fowler, the Chicago Bears almost went with a defensive player at pick No. 75 and this could have been why they traded back into the fifth round to select Austin Booker.

Amegadjie has a high ceiling and needs development to become an eventual starter, surpassing Braxton Jones at the left tackle position. As Fowler points out, the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts both selected offensive linemen after the Bears took Amegadjie. So Poles took the lineman he believed he needed, who wouldn't last much longer and would be long gone by the Bears next pick.

Ryan Poles took a gamble on Amegadjie knowing he wouldn't be NFL-ready in year one. But with time, development, and consistency, the Chicago Bears could turn the Yale product into a perennial Pro Bowler, leading to wins and a comfortable pocket for quarterback Caleb Williams.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: