There are two competing camps regarding the Chicago Bears and the #1 pick. Either GM Ryan Poles will take the best defender at the spot, or he will trade the pick to the team most desperate for a quarterback. Each camp has a fair argument. Picking #1 gives them the best possible chance to land a superstar. On the other hand, trading back would secure them multiple high picks, enabling Poles to completely revamp a depleted roster. It’s not an easy decision and will require careful thought.
Local insiders Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns spoke about it on their Hoge & Jahns podcast. Hoge predicted that the Bears would end up trading the pick. Not only that, but they won’t even wait until draft night. They’ll deal it weeks before the event takes place. Jahns took it a step further. He agrees that the Bears will trade the pick, but he went so far as to say which team ends up closing the deal.
That would make perfect sense for the Chicago Bears.
Start with the connections. Poles worked with Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard for years in Kansas City. They have a strong personal relationship. Matt Eberflus also worked for the Colts as their defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021. He’s highly respected inside that building. Such familiarity often makes it easier for two teams to discuss trade possibilities.
Then there is the situation the Colts are in. Their attempts to solve the QB issue have badly faltered over the past two years. Carson Wentz disappointed in 2021, and Matt Ryan was a disastrous flop this past year. Owner Jim Irsay is reportedly furious with team brass for not going young at the position sooner. That leads one to think the obvious. Ballard will be under intense pressure to land one of the top prospects this year.
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What brings this together is the fact Houston sits at #2. The Colts and Texans are division rivals. If Indianapolis does covet one of the quarterbacks in this class, they likely won’t be comfortable risking him going to a team they’d have to play twice a year. The only way to prevent it is by jumping ahead of them at #1. That is why the Chicago Bears have so much leverage.
Just think what a lot of trading down would do especially if we had our own 2nd instead of Claypool.
One first rounder, three 2nds , three 3rds, two 4ths, two fifths and two 7ths would be just fine with me.
I like trading down twice….just once …eh…get a lot of high picks to hopefully get starters and some depth for positions of need which would help if FA doesn’t go so well
We’ll see how effecrive priir relatiins with team will be. For examply, Ryan Pace had relatiinships in New Orleans, and attempted to land players…so far, Poles is 0 for 2 on his deals.
The perfect storm, trade the #1 to Houston for their #2 and #12 and a 3rd rounder in 23. Immediately after, trade the #2 pick to Indianapolis for their #4, and 2nd, and 4th round picks. At #4 select Anderson (if Arizona doesn’t take him) (if Arizona takes him, select Myles Murphy), with the 12th pick take P Johnson or P Skoronski. That leaves the Bears with 2 top selections in the 2nd round, 2 in the 3rd, 2 in the 4th, and 2 in the 5th. Landing 2 blue chip players in the first-round filling two positions of need… Read more »