The last Chicago Bears No. 1 pick was Oklahoma A&M running back Bob Fenimore in 1947. Before that, it was Michigan RB Tom Harmon in 1941. Harmon never played for the Bears, and Fenimore had a grand total of 53 carries for 189 yards and a touchdown in his lone NFL season. It’s safe to say the top Bears NFL draft picks ever haven’t worked out all that well. Between that and not needing a quarterback with Justin Fields in place, a Bears trade out of the No. 1 slot makes sense.
As expected, there is plenty of interest in the top pick, and Chicago is reportedly open for trade business. Here are the four best Bears draft trades they can make with the first overall pick.
4. To No. 16 from the Washington Commanders
Heading into the 2023 NFL season, the Bears’ biggest needs are at edge-rusher, defensive tackle, and offensive line. There are high-end prospects at all three positions available at the Bears' No. 1 pick (Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Georgia DT Jalen Carter, Ohio State OT Paris Johnson).
However, there are plenty of players at all these positions available in the mid-first round, and a Bears trade that moves the team back a bit will net them an excellent prospect as well as future draft capital, which the team needs to reset its roster.
The Bears will target QB-needy teams, and the furthest they should trade back is to No. 16. A trade with the Commanders would get them a top 15 non-QB prospect (assuming two to three QBs in the first few picks) and the most draft capital of all these trades.
At No. 16, the Bears NFL draft could net them players like Georgia OT Broderick Jones, Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence, or Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith.
3. To No. 9 from the Carolina Panthers
Dropping back to No. 16 is a little unnecessary, though, as there are several teams in the top 10 who desperately need a QB in 2023. A great Bears trade would be dropping back to No. 9 and allowing Frank Reich's Panthers to come up to the top of the draft.
Panthers owner David Tepper seems desperate to find a franchise QB, and he’s a go-big-or-go-home hedge fund guy, so the Bears might get more from the Panthers than most other teams.
A Bears trade like this could bring back No. 9, a 2024 first-rounder, and 2023 second- and third-round picks. That is a new roster in a single swoop, which is why this is one of the Bears draft trades the organization should consider.
At No. 9, the Bears could grab Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski, Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson, or maybe even Paris Johnson if he falls a bit.
2. To No. 4 from the Indianapolis Colts
The best part of a Bears No. 1 pick trade is they don’t have to move back that far to get solid value. Simply by moving back three spots, Chicago could get a 2024 first and a few other later-round picks to help improve the team’s talent.
Trading with the Colts and new head coach Shane Steichen so they can pick a QB is smart because the Colts and Texans will take quarterbacks, Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, guaranteeing the Bears still get either Will Anderson Jr. or Jalen Carter. Colts owner Jim Irsay has also come out and publicly hinted at a possible trade with the Chicago to get a quarterback.
The return won’t be as big only going back to No. 4, but because QBs are involved, a future first-round pick should still be on the table.
1. To No. 2 from the Houston Texans
The best of all the Bears draft trades would be moving back one spot and swapping picks with DeMeco Ryans' Texans. Chicago can get an extra draft pick (maybe even the No. 12 pick the Texans got in the Deshaun Watson trade with the Cleveland Browns), and still get the best non-QB in the draft.
And best of all, this could allow the Bears' No. 1 pick to turn into even more picks.
Now sitting at No. 2, there could be a second Bears trade with the Colts where Chicago adds yet another future first-rounder so that the Colts can go up to get whoever is left at QB between Young and Stroud.
Want to get really wild with the Bears NFL draft in 2023? With the Colts’ No. 4 pick, Ryan Poles moves back yet again, trading back to No. 9 with the Panthers so they can trade up to draft Kentucky QB Will Levis.
That means with three Bears draft trades, the team gets (at least) three additional first-round picks, and with three QBs gone in the top four, the Bears get one of the top five non-quarterbacks on the board this year. Pretty amazing, right?
Feel free to steal this idea, Ryan.
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