Pace said. “I think Adam’s projected to play early. We spent a lot of time on that. Just because he’s a small-school player … yeah, it’s a big jump. But, I think he has the physical skill set to make that jump, and we’re confident in that.”

But the Bears already had signed unrestricted free agent Dion Sims to an $18 million, three-year contract in free agency that includes $10 million. He is considered an ascending three-down player who already has four years’ experience in the NFL.

And — oh, by the way — Bears No. 1 receiving tight end Zach Miller is a skilled pass catcher with 81 receptions for 925 yards and 9 touchdowns in the previous two seasons. The Bears also have tight ends Ben Braunecker, Daniel Brown and MyCole Pruitt still on the roster, all 24 or younger with NFL experience.

On Saturday, the Bears traded up five spots to get Alabama free safety Eddie Jackson, who might well provide the most help in 2017 of any of the five players drafted. That is if he’s fully recovered from last season’s fractured leg, which is expected.

Seven selections later, the Bears got entertaining third-down running back Tarik Cohen, a 5-6½-inch pinball from North Carolina A&T, an FCS school. Pace would like for Cohen to be for the Bears what Darren Sproles was for the New Orleans Saints. But Sproles was even more productive than the prolific Cohen, and he did it for Kansas State, against much better FBS competition than what Cohen faced.

And, if the Bears have to take rookie sensation Jordan Howard off the field to utilize Cohen, what’s the point?

With their last pick, the Bears went for another D-2 player, Kutztown State’s Jordan Morgan, a college tackle who projects to guard in the NFL. But the Bears are set at guard with Kyle Long and Josh Sitton. They have greater need for a tackle.

“I don’t know that we met all our needs,” said Bears coach John Fox, who with a 9-23 record in Chicago has more to lose than anyone. “I think that’s impossible when you’re rebuilding like we are, but I’m very pleased with all the players we got.”

It will be interesting to see how pleased Fox is next year at this time.

• Follow Bob’s Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere.