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The Chicago Bears have done alright for themselves in the 2023 NFL Draft so far. Adding future draft capital by trading back from the first pick to the ninth and then going back to another spot has put them in a good spot to build around a core headlined by Justin Fields and Jaquan Brisker. The goal is simple: get better on the line of scrimmage.
The Bears' quest to get better in the trenches started at the 10th overall pick when they drafted tackle Darnell Wright out of Tennessee. The end of the first round saw five defensive players taken (four linemen, one outside linebacker), which slimmed the pickings even further for the Bears, whose first pick on the second day of the draft is 53rd overall.
Ryan Poles hinted at a potential move-up in the second round to ensure that the Bears can get one of the best defensive players left available, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN. The Bears' general manager feels good about where they are at as the draft continues.
“We feel confident that there’s going to be opportunity there, but we might have to maneuver a little bit and see what we can do,” Poles said, via ESPN. “I’ve seen that before where you try to move and you strike out. No one wants … The pairing doesn’t make sense, and a guy or guys fall to you, which is always a good experience too. But yeah, we might have to move a little bit and see what happens. But I feel pretty good about it.”
The top defensive linemen available to start the second round include Wisconsin's Keeanu Benton and Georgia Tech's Keion White. The Bears decided not to draft Georgia star Jalen Carter at ninth overall and Poles said simply that the Bears value character.