The Bears Hurt This Team By Trading Their Number One Pick
The NFL was waiting for the Chicago Bears to decide on what they were going to do with the number one pick in the NFL draft, and we finally got the answer.
Compensation update, per sources: Bears trading No. 1 overall pick to Carolina for: 🏈pick No. 9 🏈pick No. 61 🏈a first-round pick in 2024 🏈a second-round pick in 2025 🏈WR DJ Moore pic.twitter.com/hHrHn1UIR2 — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2023
The Bears traded the first pick to the Carolina Panthers for the ninth pick the 61st pick in this year’s draft, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025, and wide receiver D.J Moore.
The Impact Of The Bears’ Blockbuster Trade
The Panthers are looking to take a quarterback now that they have moved to number one, and the void that the Bears have left that means two quarterbacks are likely going first and second in this year’s draft.
The Houston Texans have the second pick, and they have made it known they will be taking a quarterback, and the two top quarterbacks at the moment are Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young. The Bears, on the other hand, made it clear that they believe in Justin Fields with this transaction.
Florida’s Anthony Richardson is flying up draft boards, but it does seem like as of right now he is the third quarterback with Kentucky’s Will Levis.
The Arizona Cardinals hold the third pick, and they will not be taking a quarterback, but they have made it known their willingness to trade the pick.
Why The Colts Are the Real Losers?
A team who needs a quarterback could move up to three and jump in front of the Indianapolis Colts who are also in need of one. The Colts as of right now are the odd team out in the quarterback draft sweepstakes.
The Colts hold the fourth pick, and they need a young quarterback, and with these moves and without the guaranteed non-QB selection of the Bears, they will struggle to get one.
The Colts have gone down the veteran route the last few years going for Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan, but none of them worked out, and that’s why they’re picking at number four.
Before the Bears traded the pick the Colts were in business to take one of the top two quarterbacks, but that looks to be very out of play now.
The Colts still can end up with one of the four quarterbacks, but they might end up with the fourth guy if do they want to go down that road.
The Colts have gone through changes from firing their head coach Frank Reich midseason last year and then hiring their former center/ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday for the interim job.
The Colts officially hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to be their new head coach, and he is going to need to attach himself to a quarterback.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard is most likely on the hot seat after his swing and misses on veteran quarterbacks so he needs to find his guy or he will be packing his bags.
The Colts Need To Go After Lamar Jackson
The best way for the Colts to go is back to the veteran market, and they should do whatever they can to get Lamar Jackson on their roster.
Hear me out. Trade back, get some extra picks, possibly get another first or a couple second rounders. Then use those additional picks to trade for Lamar Jackson. 🤔#Colts #ForTheShoe — Logan (@SchmitLogan12) March 11, 2023
The Baltimore Ravens have already made it known they have no interest in giving Jackson a contract and they put the exclusive franchise tag on him which means Jackson can talk to any team and if he signs with the team the Ravens can match the offer, and if they don’t, they get two first-round draft picks in return.
Jackson is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and he would go perfectly with Steichen. Steichen knows how to use a running quarterback since he had Jalen Hurts with the Eagles. Hurts is one the best playmakers with the ball in his hands, but Jackson can even be better.
The Colts need to give their fanbase some hope and bringing in Jackson could make the Colts favored to win the AFC South. The Colts are better than the Texans that still need a ton of help and the Tennessee Titans who are getting rid of every one of their players. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the south last season and will be the preseason favorite to win it again, but the Colts with Jackson could give them a fight.
It will be interesting to see what the Colts do at the quarterback position this offseason. Based on how they handle it, the Bears’ move could set them back another five years or make them great.