It’s not a surprise at this point, but nobody knows for sure what Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace has planned for the draft. Few men are better at hiding their true intentions than him. His previous work this time of year proves that much. Pace will not betray any inside information to anybody. He even kept his own former head coach John Fox in the dark about the Mitch Trubisky pick last year because he feared Fox’s chummy nature might lead to him blabbing to someone.
Those are the lengths Pace will go to. One must admire his dedication. Still, this hasn’t stopped people from trying to predict what he might have planned. After a strong push on the offensive side of the ball in free agency this year, experts see Pace looking to add a top talent for his defense, perhaps one of the gifted linebackers that should be available. That is of course unless Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson should fall. Then it’s a no-brainer, right?
All that being said, Chad Reuters of NFL.com seems to think it might be a more prudent course of action were Pace to consider not staying at the #8 spot and instead aim to do something he never has in his time as Bears GM.
Bears GM Ryan Pace should call old friends about a trade down
Reuters released an article recently discussing possible trades in the first round that teams should discuss. At the very top of his list is a deal he wants to see between Pace and his former mentor, New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis. He seems to think the two teams can help each other solve notable problems with their current situations.
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“1) New Orleans Saints (No. 27 overall) to Chicago Bears (No. 8) for QB Baker Mayfield
…Sean Payton’s squad is not likely to pick early in the first round over the next couple of years, so if they want a top prospect to groom under Brees, they’ll have to go get one. Mayfield would be such a perfect fit for the Saints, and Brees would be an excellent mentor on and off the field for the feisty young passer. If Josh Rosen or Josh Allen were available instead of Mayfield, the trade would still make sense. The Bears, on the other hand, would pick up one or two selections from the Saints this year in addition to a high pick or two in the 2019 draft — regaining some of the draft capital they lost in the trade to move up for Mitchell Trubisky last year.”
It’s a compelling idea but one with a lot of problems.
Namely, the Saints aren’t in the best position to make this sort of move. For one they have no second round pick in this 2018 draft, having already dealt it to the San Francisco 49ers. This means they would have to supplement the deal with high future picks and at least their third rounder this year. That or they try to entice the Bears by throwing a player into the mix.
Not impossible, but not ideal either. To say nothing of the fact that Pace has never moved down in the first round before and has even hinted that’s not something he’s wild about. If this is something the Saints want to happen, they may have to get creative.
