Bears GM confident No. 19 pick will help team

The Bears have already addressed several team weaknesses by trading for three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall and signing free agents such as guard Chilo Rachal, linebacker Geno Hayes, running back Michael Bush and quarterback Jason Campbell.

As a result, general manager Phil Emery, in his first time running a draft, believes he’ll have options in the early rounds. He won’t be forced to reach for a player at a specific position because of need.

“What we’ve done in free agency really gives us flexibility,” Emery said Monday at Halas Hall. “We will make sure we get the player who’s going to help us win a championship the quickest way possible, or we can go and fill what we perceive as a need.”

Whatever position is addressed, Emery said his draft philosophy is to get better immediately, not at some point in the future.

“We’re very orientated toward finding the player that’s going to get us there the fastest,” he said. “If that means that player patches a hole, great. If a player is at a position of strength, but he’s a little bit better than (what) we have, then we’ll go that way, if that’s the player that’s going to get us there the quickest.”

That philosophy is especially key in the first two rounds, Emery explained.

“You want to come away with player(s) that you feel are going to be starters or contributing greatly; in your sub-packages at the minimum,” Emery said. “We want to draft players that are going to help us right away. You need contribution out of those players right away.”

Emery believes that if teams are looking for a starting left tackle — and the Bears should be — they need to pull the trigger early in the draft. He believes some positions, such as fullback and safety, good players can be found in the later rounds, but not usually when you’re looking for someone to protect your quarterback’s blind side.

“There are premium positions, and generally you’re going to have to take those higher, especially, historically, left tackles,” Emery said. “You’re going to have to take (them) in the first couple rounds. The majority of the (left tackle) starters in the league are first-, second-, third-round (picks).”

The Bears’ starting left tackle last year was J’Marcus Webb, a seventh-round pick in 2010 out of West Texas A&M. The Bears were 31st in preventing sacks, and Webb struggled as much as any of the offensive linemen.

“It’s unusual to hit on one late,” Emery said. “That’s an unusual situation. (Webb) is somebody that had unusual length and foot quickness playing at a small school. If you’re going to hit on a tackle, your chances are better earlier than late.”

The Bears are scheduled to pick 19th overall Thursday night, when the first round will take place. From Emery’s previous experience, the middle of the first round is where things can get muddled, although he and the Bears’ brain trust believe they have narrowed it to a select few players they’re targeting who should be available.

“There’s a lot of variability in that mid-range area,” he said. “(But) I would say right now we’re working on a core of about seven players.”

Emery believes the strengths of this draft are at wide receiver and defensive line. The consensus appears to be that as many as five wide receivers could be claimed in the first round, while eight or nine defensive linemen could go, and even more if some of the bigger linebackers are projected to defensive end in 4-3 schemes.

The Bears are on record as wanting to upgrade their pass rush, and Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus, the nation’s sack leader, could be among the seven players Emery believes will be available at No. 19. So, too, could Stanford offensive left tackle Jonathan Martin. Maybe even Iowa left tackle Riley Reiff or Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd.

“The biggest concern I have is that we’re ready no matter what the scenario is,” Emery said. “That no matter what happens around us, we’ve figured out how to get a player that’s going to help us win championships.”