We know the Chicago Bears hold the 25th pick in the 1st round. We also know the general manager in charge isn’t afraid to move down if he feels it’s necessary to help his roster. Ryan Poles proved that in 2023 when he bypassed a possible franchise quarterback in favor of stacking more draft capital to help their chances of finding more talent at other positions. It certainly worked out. That trade led to Caleb Williams, Darnell Wright, and several other core pieces.
Now the Bears sit at another interesting point. They’re fresh off a playoff run. Many thought they’d go all in seeking veteran pieces to make a run at a title. Instead, they’ve allowed several notable free agents to walk and left multiple positions with uncertainty. It appears they’re willing to see what happens in the draft. Yet with only seven picks, they may not be able to cover all of them. That is why the possibility of trading down feels plausible. If it were to happen, they’d need a partner, and these teams make the most sense.
These teams should be the targets for the Chicago Bears’ trade-down calls.
#33 overall – New York Jets
With Fernando Mendoza going #1 overall, the Jets are left with a choice. Either they take the next best quarterback available, or they take the best player. Almost every expert worth listening to doesn’t believe another quarterback in this class is worthy of going anywhere close to the top 10. That means the Jets will just take the best player on their board. However, it doesn’t solve the original problem. They still need a quarterback. Geno Smith is not their future. Trading back into the 1st round is their best chance to land the guy they want, and they have more than enough ammunition to get it done. It mitigates the risk of another team jumping over them at the bottom of the 1st round.
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#34 overall – Arizona Cardinals
This is the same situation as New York. The Cardinals just released Kyler Murray after a seven-season run that started with so much promise but fizzled out. Now they’re stuck in limbo with Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett as their top options. Two backups. They also aren’t taking a quarterback with the 3rd overall pick. Most people think they will focus on the offensive line, which was a serious liability last year. Once done, they are free to go wherever they want. Their 34th pick is a premium spot in the 2nd round. Any team moving down would likely prefer it as a landing spot. If the right quarterback is on the board, the Chicago Bears should get a call from a Phoenix area code.
#36 overall – Las Vegas Raiders
This one is a little different. Everybody knows the Raiders are taking Mendoza #1 overall. It’s been written in stone from the moment they secured that pick, and he won the national championship. The only thing left to do is turn in the card. However, the job doesn’t end there for Vegas. Their roster still needs a ton of work. That is particularly true on defense. They have no cornerstone player on that side of the ball. It shows up most of all on the defensive line. If one of the top defensive tackles or edge rushers is still on the board, and the Bears are comfortable moving down anyway, it isn’t crazy to think the Raiders might get ahead of Buffalo at #26 to secure somebody who can help get to the quarterback.
#39 overall – Cleveland Browns
This one is tricky. Cleveland won’t take a quarterback at #6 overall. The bigger question is whether they will take one at #24, one spot ahead of the Bears. If they do, that decreases the odds of them wanting to move up from #39, unless they wish to get more help for their offensive line. Remember, they lost most of their starters to free agency this offseason. They’ve been having to rebuild it on the fly. Even if they take a tackle at #6, which many expect them to do, they can and should consider doubling down by coming back up to grab help at guard. That, or they could look to get Shedeur Sanders or whoever their quarterback is, another weapon. Some good wide receivers should still be available at #25.
