Draft Insider Adds More Smoke To Chicago Bears Trading Up Rumor

It's been the most persistent rumor of the offseason thus far. The Chicago Bears need a quarterback. They know they need a quarterback. Andy Dalton is the guy for 2021 but he's guaranteed nothing beyond that. Head coach Matt Nagy hasn't been able to pick his own quarterback since arriving in 2018. This could be his one and only opportunity. Thus the buzz persists that Chicago may move up from #20 overall to go get one. Multiple insiders have mentioned this possibility as being real. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune was the latest. SM's own sources have said the same. Now another threw his own information into the mix. Tony Pauline of the Pro Football Network is typically known for his accurate information regarding the draft every year. On his latest Draft Insiders show with co-host Trey Wingo, he was talking about what the Dallas Cowboys might do with the 10th overall pick.

That was when he dropped a little nugget regarding the Bears.

"I'm also told the Cowboys will look hard to trade down. They're not against trading down. One of the teams I'm told is a realistic possibility to trade up is the Chicago Bears who want to trade up to get a quarterback."

Last week I reported that the Bears had talked to the Denver Broncos about the 9th overall pick. This revelation by Pauline furthers the belief that if the Bears do end up jumping up the board for a quarterback, it'll most likely be at the tail end of the top 10. This way the cost would still be high but nothing close to what it would be if they tried to go all the way to #4 overall. The obvious question is who might they be looking to move up for? Based on recent snippets of information, it looks like the one name that interests them the most is Justin Fields of Ohio State. He certainly has the talent of a future star. Somebody who might benefit from sitting behind a pro like Dalton for a year. Will he actually drop to the bottom of the top 10 though? Some are skeptical, feeling he's too gifted to fall out of the top 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8MvXU5oq-4&t=1787s&ab_channel=ProFootballNetwork

Chicago Bears will be at the mercy of the board

Thinking logically, it's much more likely either Trey Lance of North Dakota State or Mac Jones of Alabama end up falling to that area of the draft. Lance because of his limited experience and coming from an FCS team. Jones because of his limited upside in terms of overall talent. Would the Bears be willing to move up that high for either of them despite those concerns? From a talent perspective, Lance has the edge. His mixture of size, arm strength, and mobility is exactly what the modern NFL is all about these days. The fact he threw just one interception in 17 starts illustrates his ability to protect the football and reports continue to indicate he's highly intelligent. Jones though? Experts have raved about his mastery of the game. He is so smart and showed he could process information rapidly before and after the snap. Accuracy is his greatest strength and being a national champion proves he's a big-game player.

Moving up for either would be a considerable risk.

When comparing the two? It feels like Nagy might prefer Jones while Pace prefers Lance. Nagy's offense places high demands on the quarterback when it comes to reading the field. They have to be able to process loads of information quickly. Pace is a scout at heart. He prefers players with traits. So either one of those guys seems possible. This is what makes the Chicago Bears such a fascinating subplot to this 1st round.