Bears in perfect draft spot to trade for impact players |
The Chicago Bears will put a bow on their 2023 NFL season Sunday and once again set their sights on what could be another busy offseason. For the second straight season, the Bears will head into the offseason with many question marks, but this time, they have more answers than questions.
They will also have close to the most money yet again and will hold the keys to the entire NFL draft as they own the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight season. Last year, the Bears traded away that No. 1 pick to Carolina for DJ Moore, and part of that deal was to acquire the Panthers No. 1 pick this season. That is the top selection in this year's draft, as the Bears accomplished the rare feat of earning the top pick two years in a row. Whether or not they keep that pick remains to be seen, but that is where the fun will begin, as several teams will be looking to trade for the top pick. Given what this year's QB class looks like and how many teams could use a QB, expect the Bears to take phone calls for the next four months as teams will be lining up to make something happen. Should the Bears hang onto that pick, it seems very unlikely they will draft a QB, leaving Marvin Harrison Jr as the most likely option at No. 1. However, knowing the overall depth at WR in this year's draft and knowing they need to address other needs as well, the Bears may be comfortable trading that pick to move back and acquire more pieces to help build up their roster. Recently, we talked about the Raiders as being an ideal trade partner, but another team even more plausible than the Raiders could lure the Bears into a trade, that being the New York Giants. One of the surprise teams in the league last season, the Giants made the playoffs under then-first-year head Coach Brian Daboll and even secured a Wild Card win at the Vikings before falling to Philadelphia. Their surprising play put them in a tough spot as they had to choose between Daniel Jones and Sequon Barkley for a long-term extension. Barkley has been hurt a ton throughout his career, but he is the best player on that team, so extending him was a no-brainer. Apparently, the front office didn't feel that way, as they gave Jones a three-year extension worth nearly 35 million per year. Talk about a gut punch to Barkley and the entire Giants fan base, as that decision has backfired in their face and now has the Giants rethinking their future. Sitting at five wins on the season, New York will be picking inside the top six, and with Jones struggling before tearing his ACL, it may be time to move away from him for good. This draft is the perfect opportunity for that, as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr are all great options under center and will most likely be gone in the top 15. Several will remain when the Giants pick, but should they covet one more than others, they may find it resourceful to trade up to grab one, and the Bears would be the way to go. Like the Raiders deal we previously discussed, should the Bears make this trade, they will not only land a ton of draft capital but a potential difference-maker on defense to further improve their roster. What is being proposed now would be the Bears and Giants swapping picks this season while also giving the Bears a second-rounder this year. That would have the Bears picking at No. 5, in the teens and then having three picks in the second round. What stands out even more with this deal, as opposed to the Crosby one, is the future assets the Giants would give the Bears, as Chicago would not only grab the Giants' 2025 first-rounder but also their 2026 first-rounder to set them up for long-term success. In addition, DT Dexter Lawrence would be the piece to come to Chicago as he would be the anchor on the interior portion of the defensive line. Also 26 years old and drafted in 2019, Lawrence is one massive object in the middle, standing at 6-4 and topping 340 pounds. Talk about a force in the middle; the former Clemson star would bring instant run-stopping ability to a front seven that is already top three in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run. Unlike many DTs who focus more on stopping the run than getting after the QB, Lawrence can do a bit of both as he has accumulated 62 QB pressures so far in his career to go with 21 sacks. 13 have come the past two seasons with a career-high 7.5 in 2022 and then 4.5 this season. He has also added seven tackles for a loss this year to tie his career high and will look to break that against Philadelphia this weekend. Until something happens, all trade proposals are rumors, so don't look too far into the madness. However, these are the types of deals the Bears can expect all offseason should they part ways with their No. 1 selection.
