The Chicago Bears now hold the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL draft after trading the top overall selection to the Carolina Panthers last week.
When Chicago held that No. 1 pick, there was plenty of speculation that the Bears would select former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter with that top selection. Already having one-time Georgia quarterback Justin Fields on the roster, Carter was a player that made sense for the Bears if they could not find a trade partner.
But now even after trading down, is there still a chance the Bears could get Carter at No. 9?
Considered one of the best overall talents in the draft, Carter’s stock is potentially sliding amid charges of racing and reckless driving.
Because of that, ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter thinks that the Bears still have a “real chance” of Carter dropping to them at No. 9.
“I think there’s a real chance he’s gonna be there for them,” Schefter said of Carter on ESPN 1000 with Peggy & Dionne. “And they’re gonna have to do the work on him and spend some time. And I know they’ll be at his pro day, watching him closely, meeting with him. And once they do that they can decide what they want to do.”
The Bears possess the possibility of having traded down from No. 1 to No. 9, received numerous draft picks plus an elite wide receiver, and still getting Jalen Carter, who they wanted all along. That would be an all-timer.
