No one was surprised that the Chicago Bears dealt the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. But it did come as a surprise how quickly general manager Ryan Poles moved the pick ahead of free agency.
The Bears found a willing trade partner in the Carolina Panthers, who gave up two first-round picks — including this year’s No. 9 selection — two second-round selections and wide receiver DJ Moore.
For Poles, it was important to help his team both now and in the future.
“After doing the research with my analytics group, I really wanted it to be a situation where this helps us now, but also helps us down the road,” Poles told Albert Breer. “Obviously, adding uptick in 2023 was critical, but I also want premium picks, or what could be premium picks in ’24 and ’25, just to continue to add draft capital down the road. That was important, again, just to continue to make up for some of the trades that the organization did before, to try to find a quarterback and continue to add good players in this draft.”
There’s no doubt this trade was a move for the future, as Chicago landed the No. 9 pick and three additional selections between 2023 and 2025. But it also helps jumpstart things in the 2023 season, as the Bears added a No. 1 wideout in Moore and a top-10 selection.
Following the trade with the Panthers, Chicago has four picks in the top 64, which gives them several swings in adding some top prospects who can contribute immediately as rookies.
It’s also a move that also serves as insurance should Fields not pan out. Because while Poles is committed to Fields now, that might not be the case next offseason if he doesn’t take that step forward in 2023. Chicago now has two first-round picks in 2024, which would allow them to use one or package both to start over with a top quarterback prospect in Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the 2024 draft.
