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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Mike McDaniel

NFL World Reacts to Bears’ Clinching No. 1 Pick in 2023 Draft

The biggest winner of Week 18, at least among teams not headed to the playoffs, is undoubtedly the Bears.

Chicago lost its season finale, 29–13, to the NFC North-champion Vikings to finish the season 3–14. By virtue of the Texans’ inexplicable, 32–31, win over the Colts, the Bears have earned the top pick in April’s draft. Houston finished the season 3-13-1.

In a draft that’s loaded with quarterbacks, the Bears will not be in the market for one, as Justin Fields took a substantial step forward in his second season as a professional. As such, the Bears are expected to be in a position to either take a non-quarterback of their choosing, or trade back for a haul of picks with a team that’s looking for a new signal-caller. If the Bears keep the pick, it will mark the first time they’ve selected first in the draft since 1947.

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