I know, I know: You probably aren’t looking forward to Thursday night’s Week 10 primetime game between the hapless Chicago Bears and the, uh, hapless-er Carolina Panthers.
But there is something to note here when it comes to the game: No matter what the outcome is, the result will affect the 2024 NFL Draft.
Remember: Because of the Panthers trading up with the Bears last year to eventually draft QB Bryce Young, Carolina owes Chicago a first-round pick this coming year. And the Bears, as of the draft order heading into Week 10, are pretty high up at the moment.
If the draft was before Thursday’s game, the Bears would have both the Nos. 2 and 3 picks. So a win from Chicago would hurt their OWN chances while boosting their pick from the Panthers. A win from Young and the Panthers — which would be the result you want if you’re a Carolina fan — would boost the Bears’ own pick.
1-7 Bears vs 2-7 Panthers TNF. Bears have Panthers draft pick. Tie would be ideal for Chicago lol
— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) November 7, 2023
This week’s TNF could have a big impact on the 2024 NFL Draft
The Bears (2-7) currently have the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft
They face the Panthers (1-7), who would currently be picking second, if they hadn’t traded their pick to the Bears pic.twitter.com/6dtt7BnaWn
— Matt Hicks (@TheFF_Educator) November 7, 2023
So if you’re a Bears fan, it feels like a win-win here.