It’s way too early to determine what happens in April for the Chicago Bears. Everybody knows they hold the #1 pick. They also know there is a strong possibility GM Ryan Poles will decide to trade it. He only requires a quarterback-needy team ready to give up a strong package for the rights. Most predictions point at the Indianapolis Colts as the team to watch. They have the #4 overall pick. GM Chris Ballard is under a lot of pressure to find a QB after his expensive Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan failures. He has an established relationship with Poles. It makes sense. It comes down to whether one of these 2023 quarterbacks can sway him into making a move.
Colts analyst Landon Oliver of The Blue Stable has heard the speculation. Some feel Alabama’s Bryce Young is the guy. Others think the toolsy Will Levis of Kentucky is the traits-based prospect Ballard would love. However, Oliver doesn’t believe either will end up being the target.
What he says is true. Stroud isn’t a natural runner, but he’s a solid pocket passer with size, arm strength, and accuracy. His performance against Georgia was the best of his college career in the biggest game he has ever played. It isn’t hard to see the appeal.
If true, the Chicago Bears’ goal is clear.
Presuming Oliver is correct and Indianapolis develops a love for Stroud, it falls to Poles to drop every hint possible that the Texans will likely take him at #2. That will increase their urgency to move up. If Houston does indeed come to like Stroud, they, too, will be compelled to move up. That would create a bidding war. On the other hand, the Texans could also work the rumor mill suggesting they like Stroud. Getting the Colts to move up would hurt their draft coffers while allowing the quarterback they actually like to fall into their laps.
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They don’t call it lying season by accident. This is the time of year when deception is everything. Mask your true intentions at all costs. The Chicago Bears should flood the airwaves with as much misinformation as possible. If they can get one of those teams in the top 10 to panic about losing out on their quarterback of choice, they’ll get the trade offer they’re looking for. Ballard and the Colts are the most obvious target. He is under tons of pressure from ownership and can’t afford to let a division rival steal whichever quarterback he believes can turn a franchise around. If that is Stroud, so be it.
Trade the pick twice. Send it to Houston for #2 and all the additional picks they can get. Then take the #2 pick and go to Indianapolis. They will be desperate to move up so send #2 for #4 and another cache of picks. Its the only thing that makes sense. They will still get a top defensive player and a truck load of picks
@Martin Melhus – Colts and Texans can talk to each other all they want about who each team wants at QB in the draft. The problem for them is that they’re are 6-7 other teams that need a QB and will in some cases be willing to blow past those two teams to ensure they get the QB they want.
The Bears are not going to rule out trading down to picks 7-12 if the team they trade with steps up with a huge haul of future picks including future 1st rounders.
Bill… shhhhhhhh! Alabama quarterbacks are fantastic and worth trading up in the draft for … in fact they should give us all their picks for him..
You’d have to be a total idiot to trade up to take the Alabama QB. I don’t care how talented he is, he’s not big enough to take the pounding NFL QBs take. Need proof? See AZ QB. Which is why the only bidding war that is likely is if Houston and Indy both want Stroud. I’m skeptical Poles will get proper value in trading down given that the top QB in the draft is from OHO STATE, not exactly a bastion of success in terms of producing top caliber NFL QBs. Here’s hoping Justin Fields is the first out… Read more »
Totally off topic and not Bears related on something driving me a little crazy… which team (considering salaries/cap hit too) gets the better deal on this straight-up QB swap: Purdy for Wlson?