NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears currently sit in a place where they’ll be drafting second in the upcoming draft. With a little bit of good fortune – a loss against the Vikings, and a Texans win against the Colts – Chicago’s football team could claim the No. 1 overall pick after the dust settles after Sunday’s games. If that happens, it could open a world of opportunity for GM Ryan Poles. Because even though I don’t think the Bears will take a quarterback in the upcoming draft, there are a bunch of teams that should be foaming at the mouth to jump up to the No. 1 spot.
In fact, two teams have come up in recent days as predicted trade partners for the Bears. This is where the fun begins, folks!
The NFL offseason won’t officially open its doors for another 69 days. And the clock won’t start on the 2023 NFL Draft for 112 days. We’ve got so much time between now and the two biggest mile markers of the offseason.
And, yet, silly season is already underway. But I’m here for it. Especially if the Bears can net the No. 1 overall pick. And doubly if we can already start drumming up interest in trading for the chance to draft Alabama quarterback Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. That NFL folks are already spitting out trade scenarios involving the Bears and multiple teams, and it hints at what could be a rumor-filled offseason for Chicago’s football team.
So while that is fine and dandy, what could these trades look like? And what does a best-case scenario look like for Poles if he gets a chance to pull the trigger on such a deal?
Firstly, Paul Charchian’s proposal with the Bears getting three first-rounders from the Colts feels like a good place to start. It wouldn’t make up the entirety of the trade, but it makes for a good starting point in negotiations.
An Indianapolis win would likely knock the Colts to having the No. 6 overall pick in the first round. Dipping from first to sixth would still position the Bears to take an impact talent at any number of positions. Could Alabama defensive end Will Anderson or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter drop to that spot? Perhaps. If not, defenders such as Myles Murphy (Clemson), Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), or Bryan Bresee (Clemson) could be options. Maybe an offensive lineman such as Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) or Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) would be in play if the Bears are at No. 6. What about TCU receiver Quentin Johnston? Drafting him would make for an intriguing choice.
Benjamin Allbright’s predicted Bears-Panthers swap is a bit harder to hash out. But it is worth pointing out that Carolina has four picks in the top 100. However, Carolina has just seven picks to work with. Perhaps a more creative trade could be made to satisfy all parties. Is it too much to dream of a package that involves receiver D.J. Moore coming to Chicago?
Personally, my favorite scenario is one in which the Bears trade the first pick to the Texans (who would own the second pick if they win and the Bears lose on Sunday) so they can draft Young or Stroud, then flip the second overall pick to another team willing to pony up and leapfrog everyone else in the hunt to take whichever top QB is left on the board. Sure, that sounds like a pie-in-the-sky dream. But let me dream big things while I can!
In any case, this is an important weekend for draft positioning. And once it all shakes out, then we can continue to piece together trade possibilities like Charlie’s conspiracy board from It’s Always Sunny.
I can’t wait!
