The biggest storyline of the NFL Scouting Combine was what’s going to happen with the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Following a strong showing from the quarterback class, with Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, Chicago is in the perfect position to reap the benefits of compensation in trading back — perhaps even twice — with a quarterback-needy team.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, Bears general manager Ryan Poles had enough conversations that lead him to believe that they can get three first-round picks in a trade for No. 1, which would be huge for the rebuild in Chicago.
He said he had enough conversations about a deal to know in swapping first-round picks this year he can get “a ’24 one and a ’25 one” in a major package for a trade. However far down he goes in the draft this year, Poles wants to be sure he gets a “blue player,” his term for a premier first-rounder—and there may be only six or eight of those when the Bears end up setting their board.
Despite all the speculation involving the uncertain of Justin Fields’ future in Chicago, Poles said the Bears have always been leaning toward trading out of the top spot. And it seems like he has no shortage of suitors, where there are at least eight teams who could be looking for a new quarterback this offseason.
There’s been plenty of smoke involving a potential trade happening sooner rather than later — perhaps even before free agency. And according to Poles, teams are “gonna have to go above and beyond to close the door now.”
“Should we do this before free agency? Or should we wait?” Poles said. “I don’t know. That’s what I’ve communicated [to teams]. I could carry this all the way until we’re on the clock the night of the draft. But then there’s teams that want some certainty because, ‘If I need a quarterback bad, should I do that now when some of these guys, like Derek Carr, are out there?’ To me, they’ve got to go so much more above to do it now.
“I’m not greedy with it. But they’re gonna have to go above and beyond to close the door now.”
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, teams are “scrambling to get up to number one” via a trade with Chicago. He said those talks should “heat up” over the next couple of weeks.
