Insider reveals Chicago's plans for first overall pick

The Chicago Bears might soon be off the clock.

After clinching the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft with a Week 18 loss to the Vikings -- and a Texans win over the Colts -- everyone wants to know what the Bears will do with the top pick in the NFL Draft.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are "leaning toward" trading the pick.

Chicago's biggest needs this offseason are on defense, and the team could gather multiple future picks by trading the first overall pick. 

The Bears could also benefit from upgrades at the offensive skill positions and the 2023 Draft has some strong options at tight end in the first and second rounds and at running back in the later rounds.

There's been speculation the team could explore a QB and move on from Justin Fields, but Schefter's report indicates the Bears aren't giving up on Fields, nor should they.

QB Justin Fields began and ended his season on a bad note but showed incredible potential during the middle portion of the year, including a six-game stretch from Oct. 13 to Nov. 20 where he went 87-of-140 (62.1 percent) for 963 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions and added 80 carries for 640 yards and six touchdowns.

If a team does decide to trade for Chicago's pick, it will almost certainly be to draft a QB. Bryce Young is considered by several analysts as the best QB prospect, but others including C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson could also end up being selected first overall.

The Titans were the last team to trade the first overall pick, back in 2016 to the Rams. Based on that trade, the Bears can expect a sizable haul in return.

Tennessee traded the first overall pick, as well as fourth- and sixth-round picks (113th overall, 177th overall), for the 15th overall pick, two second-round picks (43rd overall, 45th overall), a third-round pick (76th overall) and 2017 first- and third-round picks.

The question for Chicago is how far down the organization wants to move in the draft. If the Texans or Colts put in offers, the Bears could only drop one or three spots and still draft one of the class's elite defensive linemen, Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr.

Chicago could also trade further down and pick up even more future draft picks than what the Texans or Colts would need to offer. That would mean Chicago misses out on Carter or Anderson, but with $98 million in cap space, the team could make a run at one -- or two -- free-agent defensive linemen, of which there are many.

If not the Texans or Colts, teams including the Raiders (seventh overall), Panthers (ninth overall), Jets (13th overall), and Saints (29th overall) all have glaring needs at QB. 

The Falcons (eighth overall) Commanders (16th overall) and Buccaneers (19th overall) have indicated they plan on starting unproven young QBs Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell and Kyle Trask, respectively, but may want to explore an upgrade.

The Giants, Ravens and Seahawks could be in the market if they don't work out contracts with their free-agent QBs.

Once there's clarity on where Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers are playing next season, we'll have a better understanding of what team most needs a quarterback.

Until then, let the speculation run rampant. Young -- and all of the draft's top quarterbacks -- could end up anywhere.