In a lot of ways, general manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears control the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft, but, the Philadelphia Eagles have been among the more aggressive franchises across the league this offseason and could be primed to make a major draft night trade.
General manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles are no strangers to draft weekend blockbusters; having acquired All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back D’Andre Swift during the NFL Draft the past two years, and could be primed to strike again.
After signing Saquon Barkley, Devin White, Zack Baun, Bryce Huff, Parris Campbell, DeVante Parker, among others, in free agency and re-signing DeVonte Smith, Landon Dickerson, and Jordan Mailata, continuing to aggressively plug holes and add depth on the roster with quality homegrown talent would be a key page in Roseman’s playbook.
Meanwhile, even though the Bears signed Swift and wide receiver Keenan Allen, Chicago might want to add significantly more depth up and down the roster than their current draft picks would allow them to, around presumptive No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at quarterback.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggests the Eagles and Bears could be perfect trade partners.
Here’s the trade that Kay proposes:
Chicago Bears receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 22 overall), 2024 second-round pick (No. 53 overall), 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 172 overall), 2025 third-round pick (TBD)
Philadelphia Eagles receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 9 overall)
“Philly general manager Howie Roseman has displayed a propensity for moving all around the board during drafts,” Kay writes. “And should jump at the opportunity to secure a top-10 pick for his club. The roster desperately needs more elite young talent following last year’s disappointing finish as well as the subsequent retirement of key veterans like Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox.
“Philadelphia could offer a package headlined by its own first-rounder at No. 22 overall and second-round choice at No. 53. The Eagles could sweeten the pot with one of their three fifth-round picks as well as a Round 3 pick in 2025. The latter selection would give the Bears additional capital in a year where they should be ready to make a leap to contending status.”
Who Philadelphia Eagles Might Target after Chicago Bears Trade
The question for the Philadelphia Eagles becomes, who would Roseman be targeting?
There likely isn’t a cornerback worthy of a top-10 pick in this year’s class, which happens to be the most glaring weakness on the roster. Meanwhile, unless the Eagles are eyeing University of Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze to round out a trio of Brown and Smith, this could be a pick earmarked for depth in the trenches.
If the Eagles are looking at life after All-Pro Lane Johnson, Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olu Fashanu could make some sense, as could pass-rusher Dallas Turner, as a rotational player as a rookie with sights set on replacing Josh Sweat in 2025.
Roseman has created a luxury of not needing to reach for need, which would make a move up into the top-10 likely possible only if a prospect the Eagles have ranked incredibly high on their board starts to tumble.
What NFL Draft Picks Would Chicago Bears Have after Blockbuster Trade?
If the Bears believe it’s a top priority to keep stockpiling draft picks for 2024 and in future years, trading back would make a lot of sense.
Should a deal similar to the one proposed by Kay come to fruition, here’s a look at the picks the Bears would have in 2024 and 2025:
2024:
Round 1 – Pick No. 1
Round 2- Pick No. 53 (via Philadelphia Eagles Hypothetical Trade)
Round 3 – Pick No. 75
Round 4 – Pick No. 122 (via Philadelphia Eagles)
Round 5 – Pick No. 173 (via Philadelphia Eagles Hypothetical Trade)
2025:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 2 (via Carolina Panthers)
Round 3 (via Philadelphia Eagles Hypothetical Trade)
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 6 (via Miami Dolphins)
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1 Comment
You forgot to include pick #22 that the Bears would receive from the Eagles in your trade scenario. You included it in your writeup, but missed it at the bottom end of your column summary.