The Bears’ trading of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft has been a little like a recreational drug with a few side effects. First came the euphoria after they were able to confidently double down on an ascending Justin Fields while he was still on his rookie deal, supply him with DJ Moore and transfer to the Panthers the unenviable task of picking the quarterback out of the haystack.
Then came the headaches, as Fields went through a bit of a regression, the Bears’ offensive line was gutted by injury and a handful of players Chicago could have selected at quarterback (C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson) began the season with promise.
Now, we’ve reached a sort of mellow stage of levelheadedness, where having traded the No. 1 pick makes some sense again. Chicago was able to land Commanders pass rusher Montez Sweat before Tuesday’s deadline for a second-round pick. While the move seems egregious at first glance—namely, why on Earth would this team be trading real capital for a player at the end of his contract amid a lost season—it is sensible specifically because of the flexibility the team has created for itself. It is now up to you, the consumer, to wonder whether the assets are being directed in the right way.
