There’s been plenty of discussion about what the Bears should do with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. While many expect Chicago to trade back and stick with quarterback Justin Fields, there are some who believe the Bears could consider moving on from Fields.
In a new mock draft from The 33rd Team, the Bears make a shocking trade sending Fields to the Panthers in exchange for Carolina’s ninth overall pick. Chicago then drafts Alabama’s Bryce Young with the No. 1 pick,
The Chicago Bears pull off a shocking trade sending Justin Fields to the Carolina Panthers for the ninth pick of the draft, and here they pick Young. The Bears feel like Young is just too talented to pass up and hand the keys to the franchise to the rookie.
With the additional ninth pick, the Bears get some help on the offensive line in Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson.
The Bears have two picks in the top nine after trading Fields to the Panthers. They pick Johnson to protect their new rookie passer.
The Bears haven’t shown any indication that they’re going to trade Fields. While Poles didn’t rule anything out — saying they were going to evaluate every player in this draft — he said he’d have to be “blown away” in order to take a quarterback with the top pick.
This mock draft doesn’t come as a surprise considering there have been a number of people who have hot takes about Fields’ future in Chicago. Every indication has been the Bears are going to trade back from the first overall pick — with a quarterback-needy team — for additional draft selections.
After all, looking at how Fields kept his team in games they had no business of being in was quite telling. It’s difficult to evaluate a quarterback without putting an adequate supporting cast around him. If Fields was able to be a playmaker with a talent deficient roster, just imagine what he can accomplish when he gets some help around him.
