There have been a number of storylines to come out of the NFL Scouting Combine, but none more talked about than a potential trade for the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
General manager Ryan Poles made it clear that Chicago is leaning toward trading out of the top spot, as a means to reap the benefits of additional draft capital.
During the NFL Scouting Combine broadcast, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said the interest for the No. 1 pick is “significant,” which has been bolstered by the quarterback performances at the combine.
Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis highlight the quarterback class, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson added his name to the mix with an impressive outing at the combine.
That’s only good news for the Bears, as Rapoport notes teams are “scrambling to get up to number one” via a trade with Chicago. And he noted those talks should “heat up” over the next couple of weeks.
From our Combine coverage: Who is trading to No. 1 is the storyline that will persist upon leaving Indy. pic.twitter.com/qKbJook6Hb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2023
The Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and the Las Vegas Raiders figure to be some of those teams.
But just how quickly could we see a trade get done? Essentially, could a deal be in place by the start of free agency?
We’ve seen trades before the draft happen at different times during the pre-draft process, usually kicking into gear after pro days. But if there’s a team convicted enough in one player, they could choose to move up the sooner, the better.
Poles had mentioned that there was a scenario where getting a trade done before free agency would be an option, especially if it involved a player. Rapoport confirmed that scenario could very well come to fruition as we sit just one week out of the start of free agency.
“I would say there’s enough momentum where something could happen fairly soon,” Rapoport said.
