People have wrestled with the uncertainty of what the Chicago Bears would do after they take Caleb Williams #1 overall. They hold the #9 overall pick. Under normal circumstances, they would be free to take the best player on their board when back on the clock. There is one glaring issue. Chicago only has three more picks in the entire draft after #1. That is dangerously low. GM Ryan Poles has a track record for preferring a higher volume of selections, giving him more flexibility to find good players. That is why some have speculated he might look to trade down from #9.
Sure enough, prominent insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic provided confirmation on Twitter (X). From what she’s hearing, the Bears are wide open for business and ready to move if they get a fair offer.
This draft is said to be heavy on offensive talent. So, teams wanting to move up will likely be searching for either a weapon or an offensive tackle. New Orleans (#14) badly needs tackle help. Indianapolis (#15), Jacksonville (#17), and Los Angeles (#19) are all reportedly hoping to get their quarterbacks another playmaker.
Much of this is due to having the New York Jets picking right behind them at #10. Everybody knows the Jets will be targeting offensive help at that spot. Some have speculated Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. Others think they could look to add a young tackle. That knowledge may compel teams picking behind them to jump in front, and the Bears have the perfect pick for that goal. If this is Poles’ ultimate goal, the question becomes obvious. What exactly is his plan? It likely centers around two objects.
The first is to hopefully land a 2nd round pick. They don’t have one after dealing theirs to Washington for Montez Sweat. Once done, it is a reasonable assumption the Chicago Bears hope to secure a pass rusher. Byron Murphy of Texas is a hot name connected to them. Jared Verse of Florida State is another who could be available in the mid-1st round. It makes sense. They need somebody to complement Sweat. That other 1st rounder is their last, best shot to get somebody good.
