The Chicago Bears are sitting at 3-9 with five games left on the schedule, and it’s hard not to look to the 2023 offseason. Especially with what appears to be a guaranteed top-five draft pick and north of $100 million in salary cap space next year.
The Bears currently have the No. 2 overall pick, which gives them a lot of options. They can trade back (with a quarterback-desperate team) or even land a top defensive talent. To be fair, they have two options in Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson.
In a new 2023 NFL mock draft, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar has the Bears selecting Carter with that second pick, which would shore up an important need in the trenches. Carter has been a stud for Georgia’s defense, where he’s shown he can be a game wrecker and could fill the 3-technique role in Matt Eberflus’ defense.
Outside of Justin Jones, there’s no one currently on the interior of the defensive line worth bringing back in 2023. Adding someone like Carter would bolster the defensive front in a huge way. Although, so would Anderson.
As we inch closer to the 2023 offseason — and with Chicago a lock for a top draft pick — there’s going to be a lot of debate between whether the Bears should select Anderson or Carter. Regardless of the answer, it’s good news for Chicago’s rebuild.
