Trade Scenarios The Chicago Bears Could Face With #2 Pick

The Chicago Bears hold the rights to the #2 overall pick in the 2023 draft with four games to play. There is a good chance they won't win another game down the stretch. If they maintain control of that slot, it gives GM Ryan Poles some interesting leverage. He could easily take the best player on the board at #2, likely landing himself a future long-term starter with All-Pro potential. At the same time, it's apparent to everybody this roster needs a ton of work. Poles wants to build it through the draft. By that logic, it might make sense to consider trading down.

There are few better ways of accumulating several high draft choices than moving down from a top five pick. Logic dictates that several teams will have interest in the #2 slot in hopes of landing a quarterback. Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are widely considered the two best in this class by a comfortable margin. Presuming one of them goes to Houston at #1 overall, it isn't hard to imagine teams will scramble to get high enough for the other. The obvious question is who the Bears may or may not do business with.

Here are three possibilities based on the current draft order.

Chicago Bears have multiple trade possibilities with current draft order.

Scenario #1

• Bears receive - 4th overall pick, 15th overall pick, and 2nd in 2024
• Lions receive - 2nd overall pick and 5th in 2024

Detroit's offense has played well this season. Perhaps that means they're willing to stay the course with Jared Goff despite his obvious limitations. At the same time, this might be their best chance to land a young quarterback they believe can morph into a franchise guy. Knowing Seattle is looming at #3 and Geno Smith is 32 years old, they decide not to take the risk. Chicago lands that coveted extra 1st round pick while still managing to stay in the top five, ensuring they land one of the best non-quarterback prospects on the board. Inter-divisional trades are rare, but Lions GM Brad Holmes has already done it twice in the past year with Minnesota. So this isn't out of the question for him.

Scenario #2

• Bears receive - 6th overall pick, 2nd in 2023, 4th in 2023, 1st in 2024 and 5th in 2024
• Panthers receive - 2nd overall pick

Carolina has tried half-measures at quarterback for years. Sam Darnold flopped. Baker Mayfield flopped. They need to get serious about that position and have the ammunition to make it happen. They have multiple 2nd and 3rd round picks next year. So they can afford to absorb the loss of one of them along with a future 1st. The Chicago Bears get four extra picks to work with, including two the following year and a likely top ten selection in the 2nd round. Meanwhile, they still remain in a high spot that should yield a quality player of their choice.

Scenario #3

• Bears receive - 9th overall pick, 2nd in 2023, 4th in 2023, 1st in 2024 and RT Braden Smith
• Colts receive - 2nd overall pick and 5th in 2024

Another team that has tried to get by on temporary fixes. After losing Andrew Luck to retirement, the Indianapolis Colts went with a steady string of has-beens like Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan. It hasn't worked out. Frank Reich was already fired as head coach. GM Chris Ballard might be next. Owner Jim Irsay is on the warpath and it wouldn't be a surprise if he pressures his front office to go get a quarterback in this draft. The team is currently picking 9th, which puts them in striking distance. The difficult part is making a deal that doesn't force them to give up multiple future 1st round picks. They do so by giving Chicago something they need: a top-quality right tackle in Smith.