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Insider believes Bears will trade No. 1 pick in NFL Draft

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Jason Burgos | Last updated 2/1/23

The Chicago Bears are believers in the upside of quarterback Justin Fields and that is why there is a strong chance the organization looks to trade their top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

This past season, the Bears finished with their worst record since going 1-13 in 1969. On their path to eventually finishing 3-14, the team traded away key players and seemed to punt on 2022. Despite how abysmal the team was, there is a reason for hope.

In the NFL, if you don’t have a worthwhile quarterback, your chance of success is very limited. 2021 first-round pick Justin Fields took some nice steps forward in 2022. Before suffering an injury at the tail end of the season, Fields and the offense were a formidable group that broke several Bears rushing records.

Furthermore, while the young QB displayed his running talents all season, he also showed notable growth as a passer. And that is why the team is not looking to make a change despite a rich class of QBs in this year’s draft and owning the top overall pick.

During a Tuesday appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL insider Albert Breer spoke about the belief the Bears have in Justin Fields. The way he handled himself as the quarterback and locker room leader during a rough season proved a lot to the organization.

“That scored him a lot of points with people in that organization, and I think right now, where things are trending towards Justin Fields being their quarterback in 2023…They’re either gonna try and get somebody to trade for that pick or take Jalen Carter or Will Anderson.”
– Albert Breer on Bears likely draft plans

Staying pat to take edge rusher Will Anderson or talented defensive tackle Jalen Carter — two players viewed among the very best in this draft — certainly wouldn’t be a bad decision. However, with this draft deep in strong QB prospects, and with many teams in desperate need of a long-term answer at the most important position in the sport, the Bears have a high-value asset.

If the Chicago Bears were willing to move down, three teams that would likely give them a pretty strong offer would be the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers. All three organizations are in transition and will have new head coaches in 2023. They will also need new starting QBs and are desperate for a franchise signal-caller.

There is a very real chance the Chicago Bears could parlay their No. 1 pick into getting a first-round pick a few slots back, as well as extra picks in the second and third rounds. All spots where they can find players that could make an immediate impact next season.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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