ESPN Projects How High Chicago Bears' Extra 1st Round Pick Will Be

D.J. Moore wasn't the only centerpiece of the Chicago Bears' trade with the Carolina Panthers for the #1 overall pick. They also needed a future 1st rounder in the package as well. They obliged, sending their 1st in 2024 as part of the compensation. GM Ryan Poles was thrilled with the outcome. He believes the Bears now have tons of ammunition to retool this roster with good players. The lingering question that will be unanswered until next January is how high that pick from Carolina will be.

It entirely depends on how they perform during the regular season. The worse record they have, the higher the pick will be. Obviously, Bears fans will be cheering for them to lose. What they don't know is if Carolina will oblige. ESPN seems to think so. They did projections for the 2024 season using their Football Power Index. Based on their findings, the Arizona Cardinals will end up with the #1 overall pick and the #2 overall pick. As for the Panthers, they expected to land the 10th overall selection.

The Chicago Bears would be thrilled with that outcome.

Yes, it's acknowledged that such an event would ensure the Bears have no shot at top quarterback Caleb Williams (if they're targeting one) or elite Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. That said, a top 10 pick puts them in a great position to still land a high-end prospect. They could perhaps secure that elusive edge rusher they desperately need or perhaps a three-technique defensive tackle. Maybe they will grab another top offensive line prospect to get Justin Fields more protection. This doesn't even bring up their own 1st round pick.

While Chicago Bears fans might be dreaming big with a top five pick or maybe even the 1st overall again, conventional wisdom says that's unlikely. Carolina isn't a good team, but they're in a bad division. That should help them eke out a few victories to fluff up their record. Securing a top 10 pick is plenty beneficial for this organization in the long term. Poles should be able to land another quality talent that can form a potential championship core for this organization.