The Chicago Bears are sitting in a prime position with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, where the expectation is general manager Ryan Poles will look to trade back for more picks.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Chicago has been approached by multiple teams about trading the top selection in the draft, and the Bears are “leaning toward” trading the pick.
It makes sense considering Chicago has found their quarterback in Justin Fields, who was one of the NFL’s most exciting players in 2022 — despite a lack of talent around him.
During his end of year press conference, Poles voiced his commitment to Fields — without revealing his hand — which opened the door for quarterback-needy teams to inquire about moving up for the top pick.
The Bears should have no shortage of suitors for the No. 1 pick, as Schefter indicated there are anywhere from 8 to 12 teams that could be in the market for a new quarterback. With guys like Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis, Poles has the chance to take advantage of another team’s desperation.
“We have flexibility where if there’s opportunities where if we can turn that into a lot of players that come in and help us, we can do that,” Poles said at his end of year press conference. “If it’s staying put or really being selective with certain people, we can do that as well. I know my expectation, our expectation, is that we move the needle to be more successful. We can win some of these close games and bring in guys that can impact this football team.”
The ideal scenario for Chicago would be trading back inside the top four and still managing to land one of the top defensive prospects in Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter or Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.
But with so many holes on the roster, it would certainly be in the Bears’ best interest to acquire additional draft capital to help retool the roster.
