NEWSLETTER
As expected, there is a whole lot of noise surrounding the Chicago Bears and their plans for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. At this point, it feels safe to assume the Bears will successfully deal the pick. And for a haul, too. It’s mostly just a matter of when and to whom than anything else.
But let it be known that no two potential trade offers will be created evenly, which boosts the intrigue around the pick. For instance, there are teams that can offer up oodles of picks. Some squads can sweeten the pot by tacking on a veteran player. Heck, the possibility exists that a team can deal a combination of picks *AND* players in a package that would bowl the Bears over. And even then, there’s a but in all this that pops up when the idea of trading “too far” down the board gets discussed.
To that end, I found it interesting that The Athletic’s Robert Mays dropped a juicy rumor about what that possibility would look like for Chicago. And it definitely has my attention:
“The price I heard from outside the top 5 is your 1 this year, your 2 this year, a 1st in 2024, and a 1st in 2025,” Mays said in a podcast that also featured Adam Jahns and Adam Hoge.
Woow! That is a heckuva rumor to drop during Combine week — and I’m not going to overlook it. This is a legit, national voice. At a notable publication, sharing a huge rumor about a Bears team whose draft plans we are obsessively following. Hook it straight into my veins. I want more.
We’ve been looking for the Bears to bring in a large haul. But we’ve also been hesitant to drop too far back. After all, we don’t want to see this team miss out on a blue-chip needle-moving type of talent. Yes, the Bears need to fill a lot of holes. And there is value in volume. To that end, I’m digging the potential of this type of deal. This is something that would satisfy desires to create a ton of draft capital for now and later. Think of it this way: If you’re going to move out of a spot to take star pass-rusher like Will Anderson Jr., then positioning yourself to get picks that could help land a future draft’s version of that guy might be a worthwhile consolation prize.
Although, I’ll admit this one thing. It will take some convincing to make me think moving down out of the top 5 is the best thing to do with the first pick. But I’m open to different things. My default mindset is to keep an open mind. That is just how I operate.
Even still … I can’t shake how that feels like a lot to ask for from the Bears. Then again, there *IS* precedent for it to happen. Remember the Niners trade up from No. 12 to No. 3 in 2021? That deal looks a lot like the one Mays hears is Chicago’s asking price. So while I know better to expect lightning to strike twice, I can still root for it.
All in all, this podcast was a fun listen and I’d encourage you to check it out. I can’t wait to see what rumors pop up next. Keep driving up that price (by any means necessary).
