Now We Know Why Bears Are Moving So Fast To Trade #1 Pick

One thing about the Chicago Bears trading the #1 pick that has been somewhat strange is how fast things are moving. While nobody doubts anymore the odds are favorable that the selection gets traded, there are strong rumors it could happen even before the start of free agency on March 15th. That would be unprecedented. Every trade involving a top five team has happened around the end of March into mid-April. It's hard to understand GM Ryan Poles pulling the trigger this early.

There must be some kind of incentive to do so. Well, it appears we might be finding out. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports did some deep digging into the situation at the scouting combine. He shares the belief that trading the #1 pick is a matter of when it happens, not if.

Where it gets wild is how he thinks it may unfold.

"Everyone is waiting on the Chicago Bears to trade the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but they may not stop at just one trade.

League sources indicated to CBS Sports this past week in Indianapolis that the Bears could trade down once, then trade down again in the first round of April's draft. That result would net Chicago multiple first-round picks in 2023 and 2024 along with several other Day 2 picks.

Here's how one prominent league source sees it: the Bears deal the top pick to the Texans, who are currently selecting at No. 2 overall. The Texans don't want to get leapfrogged for their top pick and, armed with a dozen picks in this year's draft plus two firsts in next year's draft, they'll be able to give Bears GM Ryan Poles sufficient compensation to get their quarterback of the future.

In some regard, the Bears may be in an even better position to make a deal at No. 2. The Texans would have taken their top quarterback, and if teams feel there are two difference-makers at QB for the 2023 season, they'll want to get on the phone with Chicago before someone else does."

This isn't the first time the rumor has come up. Buzz has remained steady for some time that Houston wants to swap places with Chicago to ensure they get their quarterback. Most believe it's Bryce Young. Then the Bears would sit at #2, knowing Indianapolis is lurking at #4, ready to take the next quarterback. They can take bids from teams like Las Vegas, Carolina, and Tennessee looking for a mega offer.

The Chicago Bears would make history if they did this.

No team has ever traded down twice in the top five. Every time it's either been one minor move down inside the first five picks or simply trading out entirely. Poles pulling off a minor drop from #1 to #2 and then making another big drop after that would be uncharted territory. It also has a chance to swell his draft coffers to a level unseen by this organization in decades. They could end up with two 2nds this year, two 1sts and two 2nds in 2024, and two 1sts in 2025. That would present a golden opportunity to build a roster filled with young, high-end talent.

It's an attractive idea, especially for a young GM that said he wants to build this team through the draft. The key to pulling it off is time. If the Chicago Bears were to swap with Houston before free agency, it would give them over a month to work the phones with other teams wanting to come up for #2. The logistics are extensive. It might be easier to make one big drop all at once. Then again, Poles may sense he could get more picks this way. Nobody can blame him for exploring the idea.