NFL Believes Only Two Players Will Stop Chicago Bears From Trading Down

The Chicago Bears are the hardest team in the top 10 to nail down with the NFL draft now just two days away. Insiders have tried to get a gauge on what GM Ryan Poles could be planning, but the updates are all over the place. In such cases, it is often best to lean on the local guys who have the strongest connections to the team. That is why a recent update from Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune felt timely. Based on what he's heard from people around the league, there are two outcomes the Bears are shooting for.

One is staying at #10 to select either LSU left tackle Will Campbell or Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The other is trading down from the 10th spot to later in the 1st round.

Let’s assume Campbell and Jeanty are not available for the Bears. In that scenario, folks around the league say Halas Hall is open for business and the team would be interested in trading down with the belief that the strength of the draft is rooted in Day 2 depth. If the Houston Texans are set on landing a left tackle, would they be willing to trade the Nos. 25, 58 (Round 2) and 89 (Round 3) picks to move up to 10 for Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks? Draft trade charts say that compensation would be a little light for the Bears, but if it’s a buyer’s market, would that be enough for Poles to move?

This isn't difficult to understand. Chicago has traded several picks recently to acquire veterans. Poles likely hopes to recoup some of those and feels he can get a player the Bears like later in the round. Jeanty and Campbell are both considered blue-chip talents. If they're gone, the odds of Chicago landing one at #10 are remote.

The Chicago Bears likely have several names in mind if they trade down.

Two that immediately come to mind are Michigan tight end Coleston Loveland and Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson. Both are said to have several admirers inside Halas Hall. Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks is also a possibility. Poles has shown before that he isn't afraid to move down. He did it twice in 2023 before selecting Darnell Wright, who is turning into a good player. That should give the Chicago Bears confidence that they can find somebody they want. The tricky part is finding a team willing to come up. Biggs mentioned Houston as a possibility. Miami (#13), Indianapolis (#14), Denver (#20), and Pittsburgh (#21) all feel like possibilities depending on who is available.