What Should the Chicago Bears Do with Their Number 1 Pick?
After a brutal 2022 campaign, the Chicago Bears have secured the number 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. There has been a lot of speculation about what they will choose to do with it. It’s doubtful they stay in the first spot and take a quarterback, but GM Ryan Poles didn’t completely shut the door. He was quoted as saying “I’d have to be absolutely blown away to take a QB at 1”. For the purposes of this blog, let’s operate under the assumption he’s not a complete idiot. There is too much that would be forfeited by drafting any player, let alone a quarterback with the coveted first overall pick.
Trade the First Pick and Keep Justin Fields
There are going to be a ton of teams interested in the first pick as there are 3-4 quality quarterbacks in this draft and a bunch of teams in need of one. Aaron Rodgers will stay in Green Bay, meaning only Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo and maybe Baker Mayfield will be available for teams to grab. Indianapolis is the most obvious trade partner with Chicago. They aren’t going to risk signing another veteran quarterback that might implode in a year or two. The Colts want to get their quarterback of the future and will be willing to trade away a lot of picks to do it.
A trade I have in mind looks like the graphic below:
The Bears shouldn’t stop there. Once they’re on the board at number 4 they need to seriously consider trading down again, either with Atlanta or Las Vegas. As with Indianapolis, I don’t think either of these teams back up the Brinks truck for any of the free agent quarterbacks. They need a long-term solution and won’t have to give much to move up a few picks. Las Vegas strikes me as the team more willing to deal, so let’s go with them. This trade is a little harder to value, but I think it would look something like this:
As for who the Bears should select at #7, I’m not sure. Their roster is full of holes so they can’t really go wrong. I’d go offensive line if I were them. It’s their biggest hole and arguably the most important unit on a roster.
Let’s look at where the Bears stand after all of these trades. They have successfully turned a 1st and 4th into two 1st rounds, two 2nd rounds, and a 3rd. Those will be added to the picks they already have giving them 6 picks inside the top 60 over this draft and next. Combine that with the cap space they currently own (95+ million) it should be relatively easy to surround Justin Fields with an explosive roster by the start of his last season (2025) on this contract.
If Chicago follows this guideline, I think they’re a top 10 team in league within two years. Fields has the ability to lead a team if he’s surrounded by the right parts. Taking into account Minnesota is due for a regression period, the Packers are clueless at quarterback and Detroit only plays well indoors, this division could be Chicago’s. They just have to play their cards right in the next 2 months.