Chicago Bears May Not Be Done Trading Yet
Ryan Poles has concluded one of the biggest blockbuster trades in Chicago Bears history. In exchange for the 1st overall pick, he secured the 9th pick, 61st pick, 1st in 2024, 2nd in 2025, and wide receiver D.J. Moore from the Carolina Panthers. It’s not hard to see why the deal came together. Carolina has been haunted by quarterback problems ever since Cam Newton began his decline a few years ago. New owner David Tepper desperately wanted a solution to that problem. So GM Scott Fitterer got on the phone with Poles and made the deal.
One would think the Bears are content with what they’ve done. They’ve stacked picks for now and in the future. They even added a legitimate #1 wide receiver for Justin Fields in Moore. Poles can take the best player on his board at the 9th spot and be happy. Except it’s never that simple with this GM. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has been on top of the situation from the start. He said Carolina was the biggest aggressor mere days before the trade happened. Now he is dropping another not-so-subtle hint.
It is possible Poles might not be done moving down.
It sounds crazy, but the Chicago Bears have done it before.
Granted, it was in the 5th round last year but Poles still showed the tendency. He moved down three times from pick #148 down to #168 before finally selecting Braxton Jones. That worked out pretty well as he started every snap at left tackle for the Bears as a rookie. If Poles doesn’t see much difference between the talent at the 9th spot and, say, the 15th or 16th spots, then moving down makes sense. It comes down to what a team may offer for his spot. The quarterbacks will likely be gone by then. This means it would have to be for another player.
Rumors are the Philadelphia Eagles, who pick 10th, are in the market for cornerback help. That isn’t a surprise with James Bradberry departing in free agency and Darius Slay on the trade block. If another team that needs corner help wants to jump them, the Chicago Bears are the team to call. Poles seems determined to build through the draft. That means more picks is a good thing. He doesn’t seem overly enamored with the top players in this class. Sacrificing position this year for picks in the future makes sense.