Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of email questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I was reading an article stating that the Bears traded Gabe Carimi to the Buccaneers last June in exchange for a sixth-round pick. That would mean the Bears have eight picks in the draft this year, yet most articles I've read saw the Bears have seven picks. What's the real number?
Larry G.
Meridian, Idaho
The Bears currently have seven picks in this year's NFL Draft. You're right about them acquiring a sixth-round selection from the Buccaneers in exchange for offensive lineman Gabe Carimi last June. But the Bears also dealt a seventh-round pick to the Cowboys just before the start of the season for tight end Dante Rosario. So just to summarize, they have one pick in each of the first five rounds, two in the sixth and none in the seventh.
Why don't the Bears draft in the 14th slot in all rounds like the first round? In Round 2, they draft 19th and in Round 3, they pick in the 18th slot.
Jeff C.
El Paso, Texas
The Bears are one of six teams that finished 8-8, but they get the first pick of that group (14th overall in the first round) because they had the easiest strength of schedule. Those six teams then rotate in subsequent rounds with the Bears selecting 19th in the second round, 18th in the third round, 17th in the fourth round, 16th in the fifth round and 15th in the sixth round. As I mentioned in my answer to the first question, the Bears traded their seventh-round choice to the Cowboys.
With the uncertainty of where Jon Bostic will play and talk of Khaseem Greene and Shea McClellin playing outside linebacker, do you think it's possible that the Bears would move Lance Briggs inside to play middle linebacker?
Ben N.
Chicago
There probably will be a lot of moving parts and changes to the Bears defense this offseason, including at the linebacker position, but I don't think that moving Lance Briggs to middle linebacker will be one of them. Briggs has thrived at the weakside position, where he has earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl. I could be wrong, but I think the Bears will keep him in his familiar spot and build around him.
