Based on the replies to our post asking if you want the Bears to trade up with the Falcons to take a quarterback with the fourth pick, I don’t think we’ll find a consensus any time soon.
But what we will find is that the Bears aren’t alone in wanting to do business:
From NFL Now: Who could trade up for a QB in the NFL Draft? The #Broncos and the #Patriots are among the top contenders. pic.twitter.com/M1VpfUqASl
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2021
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport lists the Broncos and Patriots as chief contenders vying to trade with the Falcons to get the fourth pick. Both teams have starters in tow. Denver could roll with Drew Lock again, while New England has Cam Newton at the top of its depth chart. But both teams could stand to improve at that position. In other words, the Broncos and Pats are where the Bears are. Unfortunately, the key difference here is that both Denver (9th) and New England (15th) are picking higher than Chicago. And thus, have better draft capital to deal with when talking to an Atlanta team that might not want to fall all the way back to No. 20.
We’re still early enough in this process to where I’m not yet obsessing over every team that could be in on a deal with the Falcons. And I’m not yet in a place where I want to fall down too far down the rabbit hole of trade compensation. But I want to be cognizant of what the Bears will be up against should they go all-in on this pursuit. So set aside whether or not you want to go down this path. We can discuss that aspect in due time. But for right now, since we know it’s something that’s plausible, we should examine as many aspects as we can when they come to our attention. Buckle up, friends.