As we draw closer and closer to the 2023 NFL draft, speculation that the Bears may trade down again has grown and grown. Ryan Poles himself said the Bears were exploring chances to trade down twice when they held the No. 1 overall pick, so there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t be interested in making another move if the board falls their way on draft night.
There are several scenarios that could lead the Bears to trade down, and in all of them enough players need to still be available for Poles to drop. For instance, if the Bears are on the clock at No. 9, and there are five players still on the board they’re comfortable selectingーand their grades for each of those players are relatively closeー then there’s no harm in moving back four spots. No matter what, they’ll still get a guy they like. Of course every trade needs a trade partner, so a reasonably enticing player needs to have dropped to No. 9, too. Think a QB like Anthony Richardson or Will Levis, or the supremely talented Jalen Carter. If one of those three guys is available at No. 9, there’s a good chance Poles’ phone will be ringing.
But why trade back again, instead of just drafting the best player available to start injecting the Bears roster with more talent? Simply put, it’s because the Bears still have a lot of holes to fill. Poles has made it clear he believes the best way to fill those holes is through the draft. Knowing that no team hits on 100% of their draft picks, making more picks means better odds of coming away with an impactful class of players. And trading back would give the Bears more bites at the apple. So, if the draft shakes out in just the right way, here are seven teams who could be draft day trade partners with the Bears if Poles decides to move down again:
TENNESSEE TITANS - NO. 11 PICK
The Titans don’t need to worry about the Eagles sniping a QB right before them with the No. 10 pick, since the Eagles are set with Jalen Hurts. But if they get wind that another team is trying to move up, they may jump two spots to get another young prospect to compete with Malik Willis as Ryan Tannehill’s career winds down.
NEW YORK JETS - NO. 13 PICK
Almost everyone expects the Packers and Jets to come together on a deal that would send Aaron Rodgers to New York. On the off chance it falls through, the Jets are a prime candidate to move up at some point to snag a QB. Even if it doesn't, they still need their QB of the future since Zach Wilson’s days with the Jets appear to be done.
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NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - NO. 14 PICK
Rumors are buzzing that the Patriots and Mac Jones are not happy with each other. If the two sides are headed for a divorce after just two seasons, don’t sleep on Bill Belichick making a move to get his guy.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS - NO. 16 PICK
The Commanders drafted Sam Howell in the fifth round of last year’s draft, but we haven’t seen enough out of him to know if he’s worth building around. With new owners expected to take over in Washington soon, there’s a chance the new boss(es) will want a new face of the franchise.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS - NO. 17 PICK
Peter King created quite a stir when he reported in his latest “Football Morning in America” column that the “best rumor” he had heard leading up the draft was that the Steelers will trade up from No. 17 if Carter makes it to the Bears. Conventional thinking says NFL teams will need the right coach and a veteran locker room to take on the risk of drafting Carter. The Steelers think they have that, per King.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - NO. 19 PICK
Tom Brady’s retirement prompted the Bucs to sign Baker Mayfield to a free agent deal this year, but it’s unlikely the team views him as anything more than a bridge QB. They have Kyle Trask on the roster too, but Trask hasn’t looked particularly impressive in his extremely limited playing time over the past two seasons.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - NO. 29 PICK
We’re in “wow you’re moving back a whole lot” territory here, but the bounty of picks the Bears would receive from a team jumping 20 spots is a whole lot more than whatever they’d receive from a team moving up only a handful of spots. The Saints have Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Jake Luton on the roster, so it’s not like they’re desperate for a QB this year. But if they’re convicted that a QB on the board is going to be a superstar, one could see them making a move to get their guy.