The Chicago Bears unexpectedly landed the top overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft with the way things unfolded in Week 18, and it is sounding more and more like they will have no choice but to trade the selection.
The Bears are committed to Justin Fields, so they do not need a quarterback in what is considered a QB-heavy draft. That puts them in a position of tremendous strength. During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN 1000’s “Waddle & Silvy,” Adam Schefter said the Bears are going to be blown away with trade offers leading up to the draft.
“I can just tell you right now, that the Bears are going to have the opportunity to listen to some unbelievable offers for the No. 1 pick,” Schefter said, as transcribed by Ryan Taylor of NBC 5 Chicago. “And they’re gonna have the chance to parlay that one pick – that came as a benefit from the Houston Texans, playing a game that they never should have won – into a bevy of future picks that can set up that franchise for years to come.”
At least four teams that pick in the top 10 — the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers — badly need a quarterback. You could also add the Atlanta Falcons to the mix, though they drafted Desmond Ridder last year. Any or all of those teams might be interested in trading up to No. 1 to land the QB they like the most.
The Texans could have had the top overall pick, but they defeated the Colts in Week 18. That was a huge gift to the Bears and left them with leverage they never expected to have.
It seems like a virtual certainty that the Bears will trade back, and they may even take a more interesting approach.
