Things have been breaking the Chicago Bears‘ way in recent weeks. A freak comeback victory by the Houston Texans handed them the #1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. It’s the first time that has happened since 1947. Suddenly GM Ryan Poles has crazy amounts of leverage going into the spring. He can either take the best player on his entire board, or he can auction the pick off for a bounty of extra selections from a QB-desperate team. It is hard to imagine things getting much better. Well, they did.
Thanks to the Roquan Smith trade, the Bears secured 2nd and 5th round picks from the Baltimore Ravens. The exact positioning of those picks remains to be determined because that team was entering the playoffs. If they made a deep run, the positioning of those picks would continue to fall. So Bears fans watched the wild card round against the Cincinnati Bengals with deep interest. They watched an entertaining contest, to say the least. Baltimore was on the cusp of engineering a massive upset until one of the greatest momentum-shifting plays in NFL history happened.
That touchdown proved the difference. Cincinnati escaped 24-17, sending the Ravens home. The impact on the Bears now becomes clear. They will end up with the 53rd or 54th pick in the 2nd round this April, pending the Dallas Cowboys-Tampa Bay Buccaneers tilt on Monday night.
The Chicago Bears should be happy about this.
Recent history shows the 53rd-54th pick range has been lucrative for teams. They’ve produced possible future Hall of Fame wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Davante Adams. Former All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy went there. So did 100-sack defensive end Carlos Dunlap and MVP-hopeful Jalen Hurts. Poles will have a reasonable chance to land an immediate difference-maker for his team. Don’t forget he landed Jaquan Brisker at the 48th spot last year. So it’s not unreasonable to think he can find talent in that area of the draft.
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With clarity on that draft question, the Chicago Bears can focus on what to do with the #1 pick. Most experts believe they’re going to trade it. The only debate is to whom. There likely isn’t any shortage of contenders. Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Carolina, and Tennessee all stand out as possibilities. It only takes one of them to fall in love with one of the top quarterback prospects to create the market for a trade. If Poles plays his cards right, he could end up with more than one 2nd round pick before the dust settles.
Get the meanest of. Lineman we have to protect fields
Say what you want ; but , trading down twice, I’d take Myles Murphy & Bryan Bresee over Carter & Anderson , any day.
Hey Waddle. If Poles hadn’t offered the Steeler’s our pick, Claypool would be a Packer. This time next year all Bear fans will be glad Claypool is part of our core.
GhostTomahawk speaking that truth here. But the Bears meatballs are going to come at you with “But, but the Giants are a much better team, they have Saquon Barkley durrrrr And the Jaguars are also a much better team, they have Christian Kirk and Marvin Jones durrrr hurrrr All Fields is weapons around him and an OLine full of Pro Bowlers and then you’ll see!!!” Doug Pederson: SB winning coach known for making a hero out of Nick Foles Brian Daboll: Offensive mind known for developing Josh Allen into a star Matt Eberwho? Some unknown defensive coordinator who oversaw mediocre… Read more »
Remember all the garbage about how Fields was the best QB in his draft? Nope. Trevor Lawrence is. He elevated his game and got his team to the playoffs and just won a playoff game too.
If you don’t think Ryan Poles isn’t seeing these teams who were wise than the Bears last year just win playoff games with their young QBs with the same experience, you’re crazy. He’s absolutely thinking about dumping Fields for Bryce Young. If you think Fields is better or going to get better, you’re crazy.