Two days left. GM Ryan Poles has put in months of work for this moment. He has positioned the Chicago Bears well. Trading the #1 overall pick netted them a quality receiver in D.J. Moore and three additional picks to help rebuild their roster. Now everybody is waiting to see what he does next. The conversations around the 9th overall pick seem focused on one of two outcomes. Either they take Jalen Carter, or they take the best offensive tackle available. Neither would be a huge surprise considering the Bears’ obvious needs in the trenches.
However, there is a third option that remains a strong possibility. That is Poles wanting to move down again. Multiple insiders have mentioned this is something the Bears GM is seriously considering. It’s a matter of getting somebody to make an offer he can live with. One team remains active on that front, according to Todd McShay of ESPN.
“I’ve heard Pittsburgh has contacted multiple teams, including the Bears (No. 9) and Titans (No. 11), about trading up for an offensive tackle. The Steelers need a long-term answer as protection for Kenny Pickett, and there are three potential cornerstone left tackles in this class who will be available in that range.”
Pittsburgh’s offensive line is in questionable shape, which isn’t ideal as they try to retool around their young QB. The 9th spot would be ideal for a team seeking a top tackle. It comes down to whether the Steelers can make Chicago an offer strong enough.
Ryan Poles must be sure he wants to do this.
There is a strong possibility the top offensive linemen will all come off the board by the time he’s on the clock again at #17. The Steelers would obviously take one. Philadelphia (#10), Tennessee (#11), New England (#14), and New York (#15) all have needs up front as well. So either he thinks one of the top four options will slip through the cracks, or there’s another player at a different position he’d be comfortable taking. Maybe Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Lukas Van Ness, or Myles Murphy.
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Too many variables remain in play. We know that Ryan Poles doesn’t like the wide gap between his first and second picks. He’d like to close it somewhat so he has a better chance of landing multiple good players. The Steelers are well-equipped to make that happen. Moving down to #17 would likely secure the Bears either the 32nd overall pick or the 49th overall pick. That would put them in the 20-50 window most experts feel is the strength of this class.
