Chicago Bears fans have already made up their minds that the #1 pick will be traded at some point this off-season. GM Ryan Poles will keep Justin Fields and auction the pick off to the highest bidder seeking a quarterback. It’s important never to make assumptions. There is a reason that pick is rarely traded. Most teams don’t want to move, but other times the cost is too prohibitive. So it may come down to what Poles’ demands for compensation will be to make a deal happen.
ESPN draft expert Matt Miller has covered this topic recently, trying to piece together the most likely teams to make such a move. More importantly, what would the package they’d assemble look like? Miller listed three teams as candidates. Here is who they are and what they likely end up offering.
Houston Texans
The offer: No. 2 overall, a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder
Indianapolis Colts
The offer: No. 4 overall, a second-rounder, a fourth-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder
Carolina Panthers
The offer: No. 9 overall, a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, a 2024 first-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder
None of these are big surprises. All three teams need quarterbacks. All three aren’t likely to take the veteran route. That means if there is one QB they fall in love with, then the only way of assuring they get him is via the #1 pick. It’s about whether those offers are enough for the Bears’ perspective.
The Chicago Bears likely consider two of those three options.
The compensation overall probably isn’t what Bears fans hoped for. They have dreams of multiple future 1st round picks. In truth, they might be able to get more if a robust market develops. Based on the offers listed, the two that make the most sense are Houston and Carolina. The Texans would provide the Bears with two quality picks in 2023 and another in 2024 while allowing them to still take the best non-QB prospect on their board at #2. As for the Panthers, they’re offering what Poles would covet most: a future 1st round pick. That would give the Bears tons of extra flexibility moving forward.
The obvious issue is whether they’d feel comfortable falling all the way from #1 to #9. It lengthens the odds of the Chicago Bears landing a future star. That said, they’d still have a favorable chance of landing a quality starter at a position of need. It comes down to how confident Poles is in his evaluation process. If he’s not sold on any of the players outside the top 5, then the Texans deal makes the most sense. If there are good players to be had down the board, then go get that extra 1st round pick.
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