CHICAGO — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles finally found the deal he was looking for.
The No. 1 pick the Bears collected for finishing last season with a 3-14 record now belongs to the Carolina Panthers. In a headline-grabbing trade Friday, Poles sent the top selection in April’s draft to GM Scott Fitterer in exchange for the No. 9 pick, the No. 61 pick, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025 and wide receiver DJ Moore, a source confirmed. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the news.
It had long been the Bears’ preference to trade the No. 1 pick and conversations on that front escalated when the league scouting combine began in late February. Poles vowed to remain in firm control of the situation, seeking a trade partner that could help maximize what the Bears squeezed out of the top pick while remaining mindful of how far they were willing to trade down.
