ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Monday what most Chicago Bears fans have long assumed to be the case: general manager Ryan Poles is leaning toward trading the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Schefter provided some valuable insight into what’s otherwise been nothing more than an assumption. According to his sources, the Bears have already been approached by multiple teams interested in making a trade.
The Bears lucked into the first pick after the Houston Texans’ miracle win over the Indianapolis Colts in the final moments of Week 18. With the emergence of Justin Fields in 2022 and a quarterback prospect like Alabama’s Bryce Young at the top of the draft, a trade for a bounty of picks should be coming.
The most likely suitor for the No. 1 pick is the Indianapolis Colts, who currently pick fourth overall. With an aggressive owner and a general manager who must hit a home run at quarterback this offseason, the Colts will make a desperate play to move up.
Other teams to watch in trade talks include the Houston Texans (No. 2) and Carolina Panthers (No. 9). The Panthers offer an intriguing option because they’d have to pay the biggest price to move up from nine to one. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah recently outlined what a trade back to No. 9 would net the Chicago Bears; it would alter the trajectory of the franchise.
The 2023 NFL Combine kicks off this week, and there’s a chance the Bears will get knee-deep in trade negotiations in Indy. It’s unlikely Ryan Poles will wait until NFL Draft weekend to pull off a blockbuster trade. Only eight weeks remain until the first round kicks off, so buckle up. A trade could happen at any moment.
