New Projected Chicago Bears Draft Trade Is Creating Controversy

Conversations center around one of two possibilities when discussing what the Chicago Bears will do in the upcoming 2023 draft. Either GM Ryan Poles will take the best defensive line prospect on his board, or he'll auction the pick off via trade to secure a bounty of extra picks. Everybody loves trades, so it's no surprise most fans are clamoring for the latter. As a result, several draft experts have explored such possibilities in recent mock drafts. One such example has created an interesting buzz.

The Draft Network is one of the most respected platforms for covering the event on the internet. Analyst Jaime Eisner explored how things might play out for the Bears. He does indeed see them trading down. What nobody could've expected is who he sees them making a deal with.

TRADE:

CIN receives: 2023 1st-round pick (No. 2 overall)

CHI receives: Tee Higgins, 2023 1st-round pick (No. 28 overall), 2023 2nd-round pick (No. 59 overall), 2024 3rd-round pick

On the surface, this feels like an overly aggressive move for Cincinnati. Then again, they are a Super Bowl contender in the QB-loaded AFC. Pass rushers are a premium in that conference right now. They only have 26 sacks as a team this season. So moving up for Will Anderson isn't totally crazy. As for the trade itself? The idea is sound, but the compensation is not.

That isn't enough for the Chicago Bears.

Going from #2 to #28 would be the single biggest drop of any 1st round trade in the modern era. Remember, the 49ers gave up two future 1st round picks in addition to the 13th overall selection to get #3. Yet the Bengals are expected to climb 27 spots giving up only one future 1st rounder? That is absurd. Much of this deal is centered around the idea Chicago gets Tee Higgins. That isn't a bad thing. The 25-year-old crossed 1,000 yards for the second straight year. He is an excellent player. That said, he also comes with the desire for an expensive new contract. That decreases his overall value.

That would be a strong package if Cincinnati were picking in the top 15. Not from the bottom of the 20s. They'd need to throw another 1st rounder into the mix for the Chicago Bears to call it a truly fair deal. In all honesty, there is no way that trade happens. The Bengals aren't moving up that far for a pass rusher. Their front office is notorious for avoiding aggressive deals like that. If the Bears do move down, Poles will likely seek to stay somewhere in the top 10.