The Chicago Bears don't have the #1 overall pick yet. However, it feels like their grip on it is stronger than ever. The Carolina Panthers have the worst record in the NFL with one win. Before last Sunday, two teams were close threats to them. The Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots both had two wins each. In the space of the next five days, that changes. Arizona beat Pittsburgh 24-10, then New England beat them 21-18. Just like that, Carolina holds a 1.5-game lead in the race for that #1 spot. If they lose Sunday to New Orleans, that lead increases to two games. Ryan Poles has to be smiling about that.
In essence, the Panthers must win three of their last five games to knock Chicago out of the top 2 spots. There is currently a chance in excess of 80% that the Bears end up with the #1 pick. If Poles lands it for a second time, people wonder what he will do. Most believe this time, he will use it to take a quarterback, replacing Justin Fields and resetting the contract clock. One team beat writer isn't so sure about that. Hub Arkush of Shaw Local told 670 The Score that Poles has different plans for that pick if he gets it.
He's going to trade it again.
“[What] I’m hearing from a lot of my sources is Ryan [Poles] is going to trade that pick again this year. He is not going to trade out of the first round [and] not to take the quarterback. I’m already hearing from multiple sources that the Patriots who look like they could be [having] No. 2 or 3 [pick in the draft] would definitely be a team that would trade for that pick. Of the teams in the top 10 or 12 who might want Williams or Maye, there are at least three [teams] who could trade for that pick. If you were to trade down from one to two or one to three or four, you could possibly get the quarterback you want and get another meaningful player.”
Ryan Poles has already shown he's willing to do something like that.
He traded the #1 pick this year, passing on Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud to get a huge package from the Carolina Panthers. That became D.J. Moore, Darnell Wright, the Panthers' 1st round pick in 2024, and 2nd round pick in 2025. The trade already looks like a home run with Moore and Wright. Imagine if he continues stacking picks with another trade. Don't forget the Bears also hold the #5 pick. If they don't go on a winning streak over the next few weeks, that selection figures to stay in the same range. The Bears could trade with New England to give them Maye or Williams and then trade out again to anybody who wants the other.
People don't realize how strong this 2024 quarterback class is. While Williams and Maye remain the top two guys, there is a lot of depth, with Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix also considered 1st round locks. If Ryan Poles doesn't see a huge gulf between them and Williams and Maye, it makes perfect sense to trade the pick. Stack more assets, collect a top non-QB prospect with the first selection, then get your QB of preference later in the round. This strategy has worked in the past. It's how Baltimore landed Lamar Jackson in 2018.
Arkush isn't always known for pinpoint accuracy, but this is still something worth noting.
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