NFL Draft: Should the Chicago Bears trade out of No. 9 pick if Big-3 WRs are gone?

The Chicago Bears have had a heck of an offseason on offense. They traded for one of the NFL’s top wide receivers in Keenan Allen, signed D’Andre Swift to restore field-flipping ability to the backfield, and added a handful of quality interior offensive linemen who will upgrade that unit’s play.

They also own the first overall pick and will usher a new era of Bears football with the selection of QB Caleb Williams on April 25.

But Chicago’s 2024 NFL Draft doesn’t end there, they also possess the ninth pick in Round 1, and all signs are pointing toward that selection being used on another offensive player.

There’s smoke building around the idea of the Bears spending the pick on an offensive tackle, but that could be nothing more than late-draft-season fodder. Instead, the more likely (and preferred) Chicago Bears first-round target is a wide receiver—specifically, any of the big three: Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze.

As the 2024 NFL Draft inches closer, there’s a growing feeling that one of those three will be available when it’s Ryan Poles’ turn to pick. But what if they aren’t? Should the Bears pivot to an offensive tackle? Should they snag the best pass-rusher in the class?

According to ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., the answer is none of the above, they should trade down.

“So at the end of the day if Rome Odunze happens to slide to Nine, I’m taking him,” Kiper said during an appearance on the Waddle and Silvy Show. “If he’s not available at Nine, he’s gone, which I think is a strong possibility because he’s a great player and he’s the fifth highest-rated player on my board right now, then you think about trading down.”

NFL Network’s Peter Schrager published his first mock draft this week, and he had the Chicago Bears taking Kiper’s advice and trading with the Indianapolis Colts (they slid to No.15 overall and drafted Alabama OT JC Latham). The problem with Schrager’s mock was that he had the Bears passing on Nabers, which has about as much of a chance as me beating out Caleb Williams for Chicago’s starting quarterback job in 2024.

Still, trading down does make sense if the run on wide receivers happens before the ninth pick. The gap between the No. 2 and, say, No. 5 offensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft isn’t as wide as the gap between the third and fourth receivers. If the Chicago Bears have their heart set on adding an offensive lineman? Yes, trade down.

That said, I highly doubt Bears fans would be happy with that result. Take advantage of the top-10 pick, add a top-10 player, and continue elevating the ceiling of the overall roster.