2023 NFL Draft: 3 reasons why the Chicago Bears should select an OT in Round 1

After trading the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears remain in a powerful position in Round 1.

Armed with the ninth pick, GM Ryan Poles could find himself with every premier offensive line prospect still on the board. Four quarterbacks are expected to be picked in the first five or six selections. Will Anderson Jr. is a lock top-five guy. Add Jalen Carter, who should be a top six or seven selection, Tyree Wilson, and one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s class, and the Chicago Bears will have their pick of the offensive line litter.

Indeed, this scenario has been playing out in most mock drafts. According to NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus mock draft, the Bears end up with Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round. It’s an informative mock draft resulting from thousands of mock drafts tracked by NFLMDB.

Therefore, an offensive tackle to the Bears in Round 1 is a very likely outcome.

And it would be the right strategy for Poles. Here are three reasons why.

Keep Justin Fields safe

The only way the Chicago Bears will be a relevant football team in late December and January is if Fields continues his trek toward superstardom. We saw flashes of brilliance from the 2021 first-rounder last season. There’s a good chance that Fields will enter the elite tier of quarterbacks in 2023, but the Bears have to do right by him by elevating the talent around him.

Trading for DJ Moore was a great (GREAT) start. Signing Nate Davis deserves praise. But Ryan Poles must secure the right tackle position with elite talent, and he can do that in the first round this year.

Paris Johnson Jr. is my top choice for Round 1, but I’d be fine with Broderick Jones. I won’t complain if the Bears select Peter Skoronski, as any offensive line help is welcome. But Chicago should focus on a traditional tackle to protect Fields’ frontside for the next several seasons.

Offensive tackle is a premium Round 1 position

If the Chicago Bears traded out of the first 10 picks, I’d be open to Poles focusing on other positions. But top-10 picks should be spent on premium positions, and offensive tackle is at or near the top of that list.

I’ve always said that a high first-round pick should be about the quarterback. If you don’t have one, pick one. And if you already have one, draft a guy who can protect or sack him.

Will Anderson Jr. will be long gone by the time the Bears select. Tyree Wilson probably will be too. And even if Wilson slides because of his foot injury, I’d still advocate for an offensive tackle. We saw how quickly offensive tackles were gobbled up in free agency and how overpaid they were, too.

As a result, the Chicago Bears must use their first-round pick on the position. Otherwise, they’ll be left to chase and overpay a free agent in 2024.

Offensive tackle will be the best player available, anyway

Sometimes, the best NFL Draft philosophy is simple. Just take the best player available. For the Chicago Bears, a simple strategy like that also fills the team’s biggest need.

The Bears will benefit from this year’s quarterback class. The run on passers will result in a top-five non-QB falling to Chicago at No. 9, with the best of that group being Paris Johnson Jr.

If you’re a Broderick Jones or Peter Skoronski fan, they’ll be there too.

Selecting an offensive tackle accomplishes three critical goals: Keeping Justin Fields safe, adding a blue-chip talent at a premium position to the roster, and simply picking the best player available.