NFL rumors: Bears could have bidding war for No. 1 pick trade

The Chicago Bears can pit two rival teams against each other for the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

Although the Chicago Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it is probably in their best interest to trade it for assets and build the best team it possibly can around their franchise quarterback Justin Fields.

If they were to stand pat at draft at No. 1, going with either Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter would make a ton of sense. However, there are two franchise quarterbacks expected to go very high this spring in Anderson’s Alabama teammate Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. Both quarterbacks are worthy of going No. 1 overall.

For this reason, it is why ESPN’s Todd McShay expects the Houston Texans picking at No. 2 to do everything in their power to get to No. 1, so that the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts picking at No. 4 will not leapfrog them to the top overall spot. Both awful franchises are hiring new head coaches this offseason, but landing a star quarterback is the easiest way to get it turned around.

Keep in mind that Bears head coach Matt Eberflus used to be Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator.

Chicago Bears must pit Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts against each other

Look. This does not have to be that hard. Trading down is the right choice for Bears general manager Ryan Poles to make. He did not have a first-round pick last spring because his predecessor Ryan Pace traded up to draft Fields No. 11 overall out of Ohio State in a deal with the New York Giants. That extra draft capital helped the G-Men be a playoff team this past season.

By trading back, the Bears would be in fantastic position to still take their choice between Anderson or Carter, and still receive more compensation. The Colts may be done with their retread quarterback nonsense, but Houston has something their rival club does not have: The No. 12 overall pick coming over to them by way of the Cleveland Browns from the Deshaun Watson trade.

In theory, it would probably serve the Texans to feel great confidence in either Stroud or Young as their franchise quarterback. Even if Indianapolis leapfrogs them to No. 1, they would still have the No. 12 pick to use on a weapon for whatever quarterback the Colts do not take. Plus, Indianapolis moving up from No. 4 to No. 1 will cost them an arm and a leg, despite the Eberflus connection.

Regardless, the Texans have trade capital at their disposal Indianapolis cannot match. For that reason, the Bears need to hear out the best offer it can possibly get from either team for the No. 1 overall pick. They need to fully understand what they have in Fields and get the dude some help, man! The NFC North can be had with Aaron Rodgers’ illustrious career winding down at this point.

If Chicago is still picking at No. 1, then Poles failed the franchise and did not do his job correctly.