The Chicago Bears are seriously considering trading the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and several teams have approached them about it.
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The ESPN network learned this on Monday. General Manager Ryan Poles had also opened the door for a swap of the prestigious selection last January.
“We are flexible if the opportunity arises to turn that choice into multiple players who help us quickly. We could do that,” he said at a news conference.
The Bears inherited first pick of the next auction due to their poor record of 3-14. Despite the setbacks, quarterback Justin Field performed terrifically, and the Illinois organization still has faith in the athlete they selected with their 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft.
The club would therefore not intend to pick a pivot in 2023 and several teams in need of that position would like to make the first choice to back a future quarterback.
Recruiting experts say it’s been a good year for quarterbacks available for the draft. Bryce Young (Alabama) and CJ Stroud (Ohio State) head the list for the April 27 auction.
It wouldn’t be the first time in NFL history that a team has acquired the first floor to get a quarterback. In 2016, the Los Angeles Rams gave the Tennessee Titans one first-round pick (15th overall), two second-round picks, and one third-round pick in that year’s draft. The California team also sent first- and third-round picks to the Titans in 2017 to secure Jared Goff.
The latter eventually played five seasons with the Rams before being traded to the Detroit Lions as part of the transaction with Matthew Stafford. For their part, the Titans have gotten their hands on several Impact players, including one Derrick Henry.