The NFL Scouting Combine takes place this week, and its first significant development has already reportedly taken place. Multiple teams have inquired about the availability of the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and the Bears are certainly open to the possibility of moving it. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Chicago is “leaning toward” trading the top selection. The results of Chicago’s and Houston’s final regular season games clinched the top spot for the Bears, and immediately invited debate and speculation on what they would do in a position of considerable leverage. General manager Ryan Poles made it clear that all options are on the table as they weigh draft evaluations against trade offers.
When speaking publicly about the opportunity afforded with the No. 1 pick to draft a quarterback, Poles endorsed incumbent starter Justin Fields and said he would need to be “blown away” by the class of signal-callers. Alabama’s Bryce Young is expected to be the first QB off the board, but others like Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are expected to go in the top 10. With the QB-needy Texans set to pick second overall, a bidding war could ensue as teams look to move ahead of them on the board.
Coming off a 3-14 season, the Bears have a number of roster holes to fill, and would be well-served to collect extra draft assets by moving down. Doing so would be in line with the majority view of PFR’s readers, and could still allow them to secure one of the top defenders – defensive tackle Jalen Carter or edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. – depending on how far down the board they fall. Much of their roster needs will be determined by free agency, of course, which will be a busy period for Poles and Co., seeing as the Bears lead the league with nearly $100MM in cap space.
The veteran quarterback market has yet to take shape, with Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo the top names certain to find themselves in a new home next season. Whichever teams are unable to land those two (or any other passer who could be moved, such as Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers) will no doubt look towards the draft to find a long-term solution. A clearer picture will be in place by April with respect to which teams are still on the market for a signal-caller, and thus of interest to the Bears as a potential trade partner.
It has been seven years since the last time a No. 1 pick was traded, but the past two offseasons have seen significant pick swaps in the first round. The Eagles and Saints finalized a notable deal affecting their 2022 and ’23 draft capital last April, while the 49ers made a major push up the board the year before to move to No. 3 and select Trey Lance. Another blockbuster could be in the cards, if the Bears remain willing to entertain offers for the top selection.
Makes sense. They have so many needs on that roster, and Fields showed promise with very little around him. Presumably, any trade down will involve adding an extra first rounder next year. So if Fields doesn’t take another big step forward, they’ll most likely have a high pick, plus an extra first if they want to aim for someone like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye next year.
Plus, they have SO much leverage with a QB needy team drafting second… This seems like a “perfect storm” of opportunity for Chicago.
Yep. And in the top ten alone, you have to figure Houston, Indy, and Carolina are all depending on the draft for their long term QB plan. That’s plenty for a bidding war.
Plus Vegas
I saw a best case scenario (for the Bears) the other day with Indy trading up to one for Bryce. Houston taking Stroud and Carolina trading up to fours for Levis. (Sp).
That would net the Bears two additional firsts next year as well as two more seconds this year and who knows how many additional from Carolina. The mind boggles.
This makes way more sense to me. I get that there are still concerns about Fields, but with a better supporting cast, I think he’ll show more. If he falls flat on his face and they suck, they may have an opportunity to reset next season… but I’d rather see them try to compete than throw in the towel already.
Any Bears fan who breathes through their nose should be asking themselves, “how could the Bears possibly screw this up?” My response would be, despite Ryan Poles’ best efforts, the right leaning venture capitalist who own all the sports franchises and the media will do everything in their power to ensure the Bears fail (once again). Just saying… prepare yourselves for another epic, monumental, and completely unexplainable disaster.
So any and all failures of the Bears are caused by right leaning venture capitalist sport team owners and the media? I am confused how all these people could get together and make the Bears have poor drafts poor coaching and FO failures. Can you please explain this ummm idiotic view? I tried for another word but they escaped me.
Ahhh, Don’t mind him. He folds his underwear and still looks for monsters under the bed. Unfortunately he see them too. Sad.
“right leaning” LOL
ChiSoxCity never lets off with the idiocy.
Here’s a far fetched trade idea. Chicago sends Justin Fields and the Number 1 to Baltimore for Lamar Jackson. Maybe Baltimore has to throw in a Number 2 or a Number 3 as well.
That’s about as far fetched as it gets.
Why? Fields is a better runner already and neither has shown they can pass.
you want to pay Jackson a zillion dollars… I am not sure about Fields, but I will bet you that no other team is asking if Fields is available..
That’s awful for the Bears. The Bears have so many holes to fill that Lamar wouldn’t really help and Chicago would have to pay him. The best years of a QB is when he’s under his rookie contract. This year they likely won’t compete, but those next two years will be huge years where Fields will be a bargain.
If you want to look at a Lamar trade then Atlanta would be the best fit. Solid WRs and upside right away. Baltimore still might have to throw in a pick to move Lamar and still get a top 6 draft pick. Baltimore has no leverage in the Lamar situation. They’ll be forced to sell low or back up the Brinks truck.
If Lamar is your QB, your competitive window is right now. If your roster looks like Chicago’s, no one or two players can make you a win-now team. It’s not a good match. And while Jackson would fetch two first rounders, Fields and 1-1 is too much, especially for a team not ready to compete with him and desperate for talent all over the roster.
So, give up the top draft pick and player with good potential (considering the surrounding talent) for a banged-up running QB who will eat up all your remaining cap? Sounds like a Cleveland move…
Fields is meh. Lamar is an MVP unique talent. He runs and throws better. It would take much more than that to acquire Lamar. Fields won’t be starting for Bears after next year. Bears losing in 2023 will get their hopes for Caleb.
Fields is far from “meh”. He’s an elite runner with a strong arm who, given a halfway decent O-line and receivers, could take a major step forward next season. I don’t care who the QB is; no one could’ve succeeded on that team last year.
I don’t break down tape, but Fields was the QB for the worst team in the league. Sure lower their talent, new GM & coaching staff played a role; but so did Fields. Franchise QB’s will always be more valuable than draft picks. They should study the incoming class in depth.
They definitely should, and I think if Caleb Williams were in this draft, they would be trading Fields for sure. Given some of the questions in this group, though, and everything that’s worked against Fields, they might as well see him one more year, and arm themselves with more draft picks and add more talent to the offensive line, pass catching group, and defense, the latter two of which might have both been the worst in football last year.
And when the Bears lose this season & then in year 3, they get a rookie QB(?)…..It’s the same cycle over and over again. That scenario would be 3 most likely losing seasons for the GM 7 HC, fans will want change again.
That makes sense, but I think in this case they get a little extra grace because they inherited an awful roster with a bad cap situation, missing draft picks, and a quarterback they didn’t draft. Plus, if they can build the roster up over the next two offseasons, they’d be dropping that next QB into a much better situation.
It’s slow season. In other news, the Bears are leaning towards wearing blue, orange, and white next year.
Plenty of options available to Poles but in his place I’d simply ask the Blackhawks brass what they would do…then do the exact opposite.
This isn’t Arizona with Rosen. If the Bears can’t make things work with Fields, they can hang it up.
Poles has tons of options here. He could trade back to 4 and get that haul. Then if Carter is gone they could trade back for another haul and end up with tons of picks. Still could get the LT they really need and save cap money and move Braxton Jones to RT. Or….. They could trade back to 2 and get a mini haul, Then back again to the Raiders at 7 for another haul. Because if the Colts think some one will move in front them they have a decision to make rather to sit, and gamble because the Bears aren’t taking a QB so however you look at it the Bears can make 2 moves back and still get something they need because they need just about everything. Because I don’t think Anderson helps them because a 250 lb. DE is a gamble to me. They need the beef first in the middle for him to be effective.
They definitely need beef on the defensive line, but I don’t think that makes Anderson’s size a problem. It’s not like he should measure much smaller than a guy like Von Miller. Carter would be a dream fit for Eberflus, but if he’s gone, they take Anderson, and they can follow him up with a Mazi Smith, Siaki Ika, or Keanu Benton for more beef in the second or third round, that would be a nice outcome.
But I do like the idea of them trading back more than once. Having extra draft picks would also help them if a young star who wants a new contract hits the trade market. They have so much cap space and the free agent class isn’t great. Maybe they could trade a pick or two for Daron Payne and extend him–assuming DC doesn’t want to spend $40 million on a pair of defensive tackles next year.
Oooof- Yeah but here’s the thing, FA comes before the draft so they have to decide who they want BEFORE the draft. I personally don’t want to see them get a FA LT or WR1. They’ll be terribly costly. The best plan for me would be trade back get a stud LT and then with the high 2nd get a WR that might become a WR1 or at least get the C from Minnesota Schmidt or whatever his name is. The 2 big things they need on the OL are a C and LT. Jones gets run over too much. They could solidify the 2 T’s and C for years to come. I think Jones would be fine at RT. Then next year they have 2 1st’s again and can get a WR1. Either way they don’t have to pick a certain player, With all the needs best player available works for me.
“With all the needs best player available works for me.” <— I think that's the right approach. Carter would be a great mix of value and need, but they have enough needs that they can trade judiciously and just let the board come to them. Free agency can only do so much this year. But also remember they only have a mid-2nd, because they already spent their high 2nd on Claypool.
They’ll get 2 high seconds by trading back. At least 1.
Yeah, the most intuitive trade to me would be 1-4 and getting Indy’s 2nd this year and 1st next year.
Convince Indy that the Texans are offering a better package for the quarterback they really want so they also include Quinton Nelson. and then if Jalen Carter is still there (an early run on quarterbacks would make it possible) trade 1-4 to Philly for 1-10 and 1-30.
Bears could realistically get 2 firsts this season, an extra first next season and still have a top 10 pick this year by trading 1-1.
The word “realistically” is doing a LOT of work there.
Oooof=Yeah the Bears trading draft capital and PAYING big money to a guy is totally counterproductive, Why would you give up both when you need about 20 guys just to improve? There is no ONE guy the Bears should be looking at because they’re nowhere near there yet. If they make the deal with the Colts for 4 and get what everyone says they will, They’ll have #4, Indy and Ravens 2nd’s, Indy and their own 3rds, 2 4ths, 2 5ths and 2 7ths with the compensatory pick they get for hiring Poles. Then next year they’ll have 2 1sts and 2 2nds plus all the rest of their own. That’s 16 right there plus FA. Trading picks and money for 1 guy you can just buy is not productive. That’s why I hope Poles has about 30 million left after training camp because you can get some cut down bargains if you have money with teams up against the cap. They can get a guy and pay him big after he gets cut for just the 1 year and still get the cap room back the next year. More efficient way to go about it,
Jesse- Yeah that isn’t happening. The Bears are probably already going to get rid of their own 14 million dollar guard why would they want another one? I agree Nelson is good if not great, But the Bears can get a pretty good one in FA for less, Plus they have a few in house options. I still think the Bears will trade down twice in the first round and will end up with 3 2nd round picks. Unless Carter is there at 4 and they want him. All depends on how the board falls. Anderson is more of a LB in a 3-4 which the Bears don’t play anymore. There are a lot of Edges they can get in the second or 3rd rounds. Better place to gamble than #4.
This isn’t news. Anyone paying attention knew that the draft pick was up for sale as soon as the Bears received it. That BS ESPN was throwing out there last week made zero sense.
It’s all smoke screens. I’d bet money that Poles comes away from the combine “blown away” by a QB and tries to play it out as if they’re going to pick a QB for as long as it takes to get the right offer.
Idk why. Bears need a QB in the worst way. People who think Fields is the answer must be packers fans
I know I’m in the minority but Fields hasn’t shown me a glimpse that he’s an NFL QB
He had more WRs than several QBs (e.g., Daniel Jones & Lamar Jackson) yet he’s hyped as having a “breakout season” yet he was usually running for his life and occasionally hit Kmet for a TD.
Chicago has too many holes to keep #1 but Fields is not the NFL Franchise QB he’s hyped as being.
Trade back
Fill holes
Start Fields
Draft Caleb in ‘24
lol