The Chicago Bears are in a prime position to trade back from the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, where they are sure to have no shortage of suitors.
If GM Ryan Poles can find a trade partner, he’ll likely trade back. But who are the most likely candidates?
NFL insider John McClain appeared on Football Night in Chicago, where he discussed the possibility of Chicago trading back from No. 1, and it’s clear that their best options are the Texans at No. 2 or the Colts at No. 3.
Not only are they both looking for a quarterback, but it would put the Bears in a good position to land either Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
“They don’t want to go lower than the Colts at four,” McClain said, “because you assume two quarterbacks are going to be gone and would leave (Anderson or Carter) for them.”
But are the Texans in a position to move up one spot to block their division rivals, the Colts, from leap frogging them? Better yet, is trading back one spot with Houston in the Bears’ best interests?
“Caserio’s got 11 picks, two number ones, two number ones in 2024 and he’s got 10 picks,” McClain said. “So he can afford to make that move. They’re not going to get as much from the Texans to swap one spot as they would from the Colts to swap four.”
It’s true the Bears would get a lot more in terms of capital from the Colts than the Texans, which you figure is something Poles are considering. Depending on how Chicago feels about Anderson or Carter — namely, is there one who stands above the other — picking at fourth overall (and getting more in terms of compensation) feels like the most likely option.
This is certainly a storyline worth monitoring as we get closer to the draft, especially with the Scouting Combine and pro days, where perhaps one quarterback separates himself.
But just how much of a factor is the fact that division rivals could be competing for their top option at quarterback?
“If it was a team from the NFC South, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal,” McClain said. “But when you play the Colts twice a year and the Colts play the Texans twice a year, it’s assuming they want the same quarterback. One might like Bryce Young, one might like CJ Stroud or Will Levis. The fact is, Nick Caserio has got to convince people by leaking that he wants the quarterback that he doesn’t want. In a perfect world, both teams will get the quarterback they want and the Bears will get the defensive lineman they covet.”
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