Todd McShay Predicts Chicago Bears Catch A Huge Draft Break

The Chicago Bears sit four games away from what could be a top three pick in the 2023 draft. If they lose their final four games, they are guaranteed at least the 3rd pick. If the Denver Broncos can win one of their remaining four, it will become the 2nd pick. Knowing this team's history, it is never wise to assume they'll cooperate. They won a pair of games late in 1997 that cost them Peyton Manning. Their stubborn win over the Jets in 2002 was their only one in the final five weeks and cost them wide receiver Andre Johnson. It's too soon to hope they'll do it right this time. Todd McShay of ESPN thinks luck may be on their side regardless.

Even if the Bears end up with the #3 pick, he envisions a scenario where they still end up with the best pass rusher in the 2023 draft class. He released his first official mock draft with the current order. Unsurprisingly he had Houston taking a quarterback at #1 overall. That left what the Seattle Seahawks would do with the #2 pick they'd gotten in the Russell Wilson trade. This is where the surprise came. Rather than do the obvious and take Will Anderson of Alabama, he went a different route.

"Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

This pick is a higher than Seattle thought it would be when it sent Russell Wilson to Denver in March -- and it will have options here. First, if the Seahawks aren't sold on Geno Smith long term, they can happily select Ohio State passer C.J. Stroud and let Smith walk in free agency. Second, they can trade back with a team that wants Stroud and pick up even more picks for their ongoing rebuild. Or third, they can add a difference-making defender.

It's still early to project trades or truly evaluate Smith's future, so I'm opting for the third option -- and going with Carter over Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. Seattle has a bigger need on the interior than edge, and I think Carter could be dominant there with a lightning-fast first step and plenty of disruptive power. He reminds me of Quinnen Williams."

This would be great news for the Chicago Bears.

What McShay says makes sense. Seattle's top three defensive tackles have combined for only eight sacks this season. That is a big reason why their defense is 30th in points allowed. If that weren't bad enough, Al Woods is 35 years old, and Shelby Harris is 31. They need an injection of youth at that position. Carter makes perfect sense. He has all the tools of a classic three-technique interior pass rusher. The Seahawks have tried to find somebody like that for years with guys like Jarran Reed and Malik McDowell.

If this did happen, it would allow Anderson to fall into the Chicago Bears' laps at #3. He represents the kind of edge rush presence this team has sorely lacked. His comparisons to Von Miller and Micah Parsons are valid. The guy is a game-wrecker. He would represent the first legitimate blue-chip talent they've added in a long time. Poles and Matt Eberflus would be ecstatic if things broke this way. It will be fascinating to see if the draft order holds through the end of the season.