NEWSLETTER
The 2023 NFL Draft opens one week from tonight, and it sure sounds like the Chicago Bears will be busy.
Because after already executing a trade back in the draft back in March, it seems as if like another could be on the horizon.
This is some strong hinting from ESPN’s Todd McShay, who makes it seem like another trade down (this time from the ninth pick) is a realistic possibility:
Here’s what was said:
“It wouldn’t shock me. I already know they’ve made the one move to nine, but you’ve got Houston sitting there at 12 and a lot of rumors that they’re not going to take a quarterback at that No. 2 spot. They pick again at 12. Tennessee is at 11. If Houston doesn’t take a quarterback and one of the quarterbacks is still on the board when they get 9-10 in that range, they can be a team that tries to get up ahead of Tennessee to go get that quarterback.”
Sure, it is just one 40-second clip. But there is plenty to parse through there.
Firstly, I love hearing about the possibility of the Bears possibly moving back (again). This team needs blue-chip players, to be sure. But GM Ryan Poles also needs picks so he can build out this roster. It’s a sticky situation. But there is no denying the allure of another trade back. And when an insider such as ESPN’s Todd McShay alludes to the potential of Chicago moving back again — and this close to the draft — it has my full attention. This doesn’t seem like McShay throwing stuff out there just to put it into orbit. Especially not when we know trading back twice was something Poles wanted to do in March. Plus, it’s something he is apparently open to doing now that we’ve flipped the calendar to April.
In addition to floating that the Bears might not be done working the trade lines, McShay offers up a new trade partner for Chicago. OK, so the Houston Texans aren’t necessarily a new trade candidate for the Bears. After all, Poles was trying to coax the Texans into a trade before ultimately sending the first pick to the Panthers. Maybe their prior conversations would make it easy for both sides to hash out a deal on draft day. This isn’t something to rule out. Especially not with this buzz building around the idea that quarterbacks could drop down draft boards:
ESPN’s Adam Schefter making it seem like the trade-back value might not be as high now as we might otherwise expect definitely has me thinking that the Bears did well in moving the first pick as early as they did. Who knew I’d like it this much to see Chicago’s football team ahead of the curve for a change?>
This is why getting the first pick was essential for the Bears at the end of the regular season. It put Poles in the driver’s seat and set the Bears on course for a productive and fun offseason to follow. That could’ve still happened had the Bears owned the second pick. But it was much easier to control the draft (and their future) from the top of the board. That Chicago could do it again from the ninth spot if quarterbacks fall is just dumb luck. But then again, aren’t the Bears due for some of that dumb luck to go their way for a change?
In the end, Poles better have some fully powered battery packs and extra chargers (and cords!) handy. Because it sounds like his draft night is going to be one where he’ll want a fully charged phone at all hours of the day.
