People out there are already trying to downplay the idea of the Chicago Bears having any market for the #1 overall pick. Don’t believe them. This time of year is called lying season for a reason. It’s all smoke and mirrors. The truth is GM Ryan Poles sits in a great spot. He holds the most coveted pick in the draft, and there are two quarterback-needy teams directly behind him at #2 (Houston) and #4 (Indianapolis). If these quarterbacks impress enough, it will push somebody to get aggressive in their attempts to jump those two.
It might already be happening. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has demonstrated rock-solid NFL sources for years. He was first on Ryan Pace getting fired last, for those who don’t remember. He was also far ahead of everybody else on Ted Phillips retiring. So it is important to listen when he says something. Hughes dropped quite a bombshell on Thursday. First is confirmation that the Bears will be sticking with Justin Fields. The quarterback won over the new regime with his play starting in November. They were impressed with his improvement and ability to weather a tough situation without complaining.
Then came the bigger nugget. It seems other teams are already sniffing around the #1 pick.
The Chicago Bears getting interest already is a good sign.
The fact it’s not the Texans or Colts is even more encouraging. That means other teams already know both those franchises are targeting a QB in the draft. The only way to get ahead of them is by snagging the #1 pick. Early assessments would suggest it is likely Atlanta (#8), Carolina (#9), and Tennessee (#11) that are possibly making those calls. Each sorely needs a quarterback and their chances of landing a top veteran appear slim. An under-the-radar possibility is Seattle (#5). Geno Smith is a free agent. They may rather try to land a top rookie than pay him a massive contract extension and have the extra picks to make it happen.
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Either way, the fact the Chicago Bears are already getting calls is a welcome sign. The intensity should pick up around late March once the veteran quarterback market becomes settled. By then, we’ll know which teams must look to the draft for their answer at the position. That is when the phone calls will get serious. Don’t be surprised if there is significant movement to get a deal done by the beginning of April. Poles has no reason to feel rushed. He isn’t the one under pressure in this situation.
