Bears get big assist from Adam Schefter in trade value for No. 1 overall pick

The Chicago Bears backed their way into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, thanks to former coach Lovie Smith and Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills. The Texans’ miraculous win in Week 18 gifted general manager Ryan Poles the equivalent of football’s golden ticket.

Most teams that end the season with the first pick in the NFL Draft are in that position because they don’t have a franchise quarterback. That isn’t the case with the Bears, who have one of the league’s brightest young superstars in Justin Fields. As a result, the overwhelming expectation around the NFL is that Chicago will trade out of the top pick and be enriched by a bounty of draft picks, both in 2023 and in future years.

Here’s the problem, though. The entire league and all its general managers know the Bears don’t need a quarterback. The only reason a club like the Texans or Indianapolis Colts would trade up with Chicago is out of fear that another quarterback-needy team will beat them to it. And while there’s some merit in the suggestion that that fear will spark a big offer for the Chicago Bears, there’s a chance general managers like Nick Caserio and Chris Ballard will roll the dice and wait it out. If that happens, the Bears could be “stuck” with the first selection.

Adam Schefter just leveled up Chicago Bears’ trade leverage at No. 1 overall

Thanks to ESPN NFL inside Adam Schefter, playing it safe may no longer be an option for the Texans, Colts, or any other team hoping a quarterback slides to their first-round pick.

Schefter appeared on ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy show Wednesday and said he expects the Chicago Bears will receive unbelievable offers for the No. 1 overall pick.

“I can just tell you right now, that the Bears are going to have the opportunity to listen to some unbelievable offers for the No. 1 pick,” Schefter said. “And they’re gonna have the chance to parlay that one pick – that came as a benefit from the Houston Texans, playing a game that they never should have won – into a bevy of future picks that can set up that franchise for years to come.”

Schefter’s comments can’t go understated. There’s no doubt they’ve made their way through every front office just weeks before the 2023 NFL Combine. Teams that thought they could lowball the Bears and play the long game must think again. The pressure to make a first-best offer for the first overall pick went way up, all thanks to Schefter’s big assist.

Several quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft warrant early-first-round consideration. Alabama’s Bryce Young is considered the favorite to be the first quarterback picked, while Kentucky’s Will Levis, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are all being picked in the top 15 of mock drafts. Levis and Stroud are top-five guys.

One of this year’s quarterback prospects must emerge as the clear best in class with a grade worthy of the first overall pick for the Chicago Bears to maximize trade value. Young’s size is a concern, as are Stroud’s struggles to make plays outside of structure. Levis’s inconsistent play and Richardson’s raw skill set make them risky picks, too.

The evaluation phase of the 2023 NFL Draft is ongoing, but thanks to Adam Schefter, the trade market for the Bears’ No. 1 overall pick is beginning to peak.

Subscribe to the Bears Talk Podcast