Plenty of intrigue related to the upcoming NFL draft remains centered on the top of the order, and which teams (if any) of the Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers will be willing to move down the board. The Bears own the first overall selection, but they are also positioned to add another top-10 prospect. 
Chicago’s own selection is No. 9 overall. Once the team uses Carolina’s pick (acquired in last year’s blockbuster trade) on a franchise quarterback – widely expected to be Caleb Williams – the team will have an intriguing decision to make. High-profile options at receiver, edge rush and offensive tackle will be on the board, and general manager Ryan Poles recently confirmed Chicago will focus its attention on those positions.
Notably, however, Chicago only owns two other picks in the 2024 draft (Nos. 75 and 122). That could entice Poles to trade away the ninth selection and add extra Day 2 capital while moving down the first-round order slightly. Based on his recent comments, though, such a deal should not be expected at this time.
“The way this is set up and [with] some of the draft capital we’ve been able to create in the first two years, I feel pretty comfortable about it,” Poles said of the Bears’ position regarding limited draft picks. “It’ll be boring if we don’t do any trades, but I feel pretty good about where we’re at” (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin).
The Bears made three trades during last year’s draft, so Poles is certainly accustomed to maneuvering around the board. The team already spent a fourth-round selection in the Keenan Allen acquisition, however, demonstrating a willingness to part ways with draft capital and add to the team’s immediate prospects on offense. If Poles sees the 2024 season as one in which the Bears can take a notable step forward compared to his first two at the helm, it would be reasonable to retain the ninth pick and avoid trade-down scenarios.
Of course, the way the rest of the top 10 plays out after Chicago starts the draft will dictate much of the Bears’ decision-making process. The top of the board is set to be dominated by quarterback additions, and the No. 4 and 5 selections are known to be available to teams eyeing a move up the order to add a passer. In any event, a number of highly-regarded players stand to be available for Chicago when the team is on the clock for the second time.
To that end, the Bears have hosted several prospects who could be in range at the No. 9 spot, including wideout Rome Odunze and pass rusher Dallas Turner. Nothing can be ruled out with plenty of key decisions still to be made before draft night, but for now one of those players – or another one similarly ranked on Chicago’s board – is likely to join the team in lieu of trading down.
Only the Bears would feel good about where their franchise is. What a laughingstock.
Clearly you haven’t been paying attention
Since the HC has a 10-24 record, I’d say he’s been paying attention. And most likely w/ a rookie QB, they’ll be around .500 once again.
Only a moron wouldn’t be able to comprehend what a good position the bears are in. That somebody is probably someone that didn’t realize how important education was!!
I dunno, hard to feel in a bad spot when you’ve got the #1 in a year worth having it.
Exactly… Bryce Young or Caleb Williams/DJ Moore. I’d say they are in a damn good spot.
I’m not sold on Williams until he actually wins something in the NFL. That being said, its the best position the Bears could be in, especially given 2022 where the teams was stripped to the foundation.
They’re gonna pick a target for Williams to throw to besides Allen.
Yeah because DJ Moore is an afterthought??
Moore will cost $ soon, Allen is a rental, and a rookie is 5 years cheap. O-line is needed to be able to throw but a good team doesn’t need top pick lineman. Those should be developed or paid to grab from another team instead of overdrafted.
I doubt Williams would agree with you. He’d feel better if they can pull Alt at 9, if he’s even still there, so he can throw to what he has right now. Want to see your QB flourish and stay healthy, protect his blind side and invest in a top tier LT and LG if you can.
Make no mistake, this O line is still bad.. maybe average at best, then figure the lack of depth at all spots considering all the line injuries they team has had over the past 10 years….
They have DJ Moore my dude. Now they might take a receiver because having two over thirty receivers isn’t a great long-term solution but they also desperately need a defensive end to pair with Sweat.
If you’re referring to Moore as am over 30 WR you are seriously wrong. He’s only 26 and coming off a season with 96 catches and almost 1400 receiving yards. A WR at 9 is a luxury that he Bears can’t afford right now. You gotta be able to win on both sides of the D and Chicago can get perhaps their pick of all defensive players at 9. Although adding a top prospect on the O line wouldn’t be a bad move either.
I think taking those comments to mean it’s unlikely they trade down is a little bit of a jump, what else would he say? “Drafts in 3 weeks of x, y, and x aren’t there we are gonna trade down” that smashes their leverage in that scenario, seems to me it’s as up in the air as always
I thought that was automatic. No one ever says they are looking forward to trading down.
Get 1 of the studs in this draft @wideout w/#9 pick and give Williams player he can grow with.
The NFL Draft is 18 days away….
Everything is for sale, even the first overall pick…..
Everything might be for sale but you won’t find any Amazon type discounts.
Correct. That’s why the Steelers gave up a 2025 6th round pick for Fields instead of trading up to the 9th overall pick.
I the Bears can get a king’s ransom for the 9th overall pick, good on them.
Poles thinks he can get a 6th rounder for the #9 pick in just three quick years.
Just remember that it was Pace that made that trade up, not Poles. Poles has come in and cleaned up some of Pace’s mess.
It’s going to be an interesting draft. The Bears actually had 3 picks in the top 10 back in 1965 with two of those guys (Butkus & Sayers) going onto the HOF. Unfortunately that 65 draft bonanza only resulted in a 29-38 record over the next 5 years. Perhaps they can do better this time around.
Dallas Turner would be a really nice addition to the D-line, or an elite O-tackle to protect Caleb. Gotta fortify the trenches.
The 2024 Draft already looks like this:
#1 Williams
#9 Nabers/Odunze/Verse or Turner
2nd Montez Sweat
3rd OL
4th Keenan Allen
5th Special Teams
I tend to think they take an EDGE early, but only after a small trade down from #9 to add an additional top 120 pick. Then WR, OL, TE/H in some order with1 their two 3rds and the 4th from Philly.
My guess:
#1 QB Williams
#9 DE Verse
#75 WR B Rice
#77 TE/H Sinnott
#122 OL Nourzad
I doubt the Bears reach on #9, if that guy they want is not there (or the guy they want is forecast to go lower), they trade down to get a couple more picks. The Bears still have holes that need to be filled: OL (attentive Bears fans know they cannot stand pat on what they have currently), WR, TE, Edge, Safety. Which, knowing the Bears, means they are also likely drafting a RB somehow with one of their few picks.
Whether the Bears trade back has everything o do with the draft, and little to do with the Bears, If Odunze is the top gut available, then the Bears draft him. The only they trade out is if McCarthy is available.
I think if Nabers, Odunze, or Alt are somehow still there then you take them. Those are blue chip prospects that you can’t pass up on and the Bears need some more blue chip players. I don’t think Turner is the perfect fit for Flus’s system. I think they could still get Verse a few picks later. If those top 3 above are gone then I think they move down.
I believe they want to infuse the offense big time with talent to give Caleb every chance to succeed. If Caleb works out then they keep their jobs. If Caleb flops then they all get fired. They’ll definitely get another WR somewhere. Their WR room is barren after Moore and Allen.