Despite no longer possessing the first overall pick, the Chicago Bears had one of the gems of the 2023 NFL Draft fall right into their lap at number 9. Instead, they traded away the pick and let Jalen Carter end up with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles spoke out on the decision to move down one spot and cede it to the Eagles instead of keeping the opportunity themselves.
“Character is always going to be important to us,” Poles said of the Bears not drafting Jalen Carter.
With a young roster led by a fledgling quarterback in Justin Fields, Chicago might not be the ideal landing spot for a prospect with a turbulent past like Jalen Carter. Going to the Eagles with mentors such as Fletcher Cox to set him straight instead of the upstart Bears appears to be a much better situation for him.
Carter was implicated in a fatal car accident that claimed the lives of Georgia recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock. He also fell flat on his face during Georgia Pro Day, as he wasn't even able to finish all the drills after injuring himself. His ballooning weight was also evident as he had grown a couple dozen pounds heavier than the weight he was playing at during his best days at Georgia.
The Bears could ultimately regret passing on Jalen Carter to instead select Darnell Wright. But as far as optics go for now, the decision appears to be a sound one for both parties invovled.
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