Depending on who you ask, Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is staying with the team, leading the offense to new heights for the coming years or the Bears will be moving to those new heights with USC blue chip quarterback prospect and no. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams.
Both lines of thought are equally valid. There’s a case to be made for both ideas.
However, if the Bears decide to keep rolling with the 24-year-old 3-year veteran, Fields, there would be a considerable haul of talent that could come their way, especially if they decide to follow last draft’s strategy and trade their no. 1 pick away for a package of picks and current talent.
Chicago Bears’ Mighty Trade Haul
In trade proposals first mentioned in the BFR Podcast (and later re-posted at ChicagoBearsHQ.com), Chicago would bag huge returns from both the Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons for swapping out their overall no. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The returns would not only give the Monsters of the Midway a ton of high-end draft capital, but also bring them elite-level defensive talent that would have an immediate impact on the team’s increased defensive prowess.
Maxx Crosby to the Bears?
In the first of the two trade proposals, the Raiders would swap for the Bears’ no. 1 pick with their own draft pick (likely no. 11 overall). They would also give the Bears a 2024 second-rounder and their first-rounder in 2025. But, arguably, the biggest return in this trade proposal would be elite-level defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Grady Jarrett to the Bears?
When it comes to a potential deal with the Falcons, the Bears would trade away their no. 1 pick for the Falcons’ pick (likely no. 10 overall), a 2024 second round pick, and their no. 1 picks in both 2025 and 2026. Atlanta would also deal away veteran defensive end Grady Jarrett.
Either deal could be tremendous for the organization and provide a best of both worlds situation as Chicago adds ready-right-now talent to help win in the present tense, along with building block prospects for the future. Best of all, such a pre-draft blockbuster is hardly unprecedented for the Bears and their general manager Ryan Poles.
Massive Draft Deals Becoming The Norm In Chicago
Just last year, Poles pulled off a major deal, doing the exact same thing that’s being proposed this year. In March, the Bears dealt their no. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Carolina wide receiver DJ Moore, the Panthers’ no. 9 pick in the draft, their No. 61 pick, plus a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick.
Moore has been a godsend for the Bears offense, developing a legacy-defining on-field rapport with quarterback Justin Fields. Chicago’s haul in that 2023 deal also ended up bringing them offensive tackle Darnell Wright and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. And it continues to pay dividends as it’s resulting in Chicago having this no. 1 pick blessing in the upcoming draft.
Bears Drafting Their Way To Elite Defense?
For Bears fans, the Raiders deal is especially titillating as Crosby could be paired with Montez Sweat to provide the team with a scary-good and intimidating pair of edge rushers to rattle opposing offenses. The 26-year-old Crosby has made a solid case for himself as a 2023 Defensive Player of the Year candidate and has developed a reputation as an upstanding man with leadership capabilities both on and off the field.
The surging Bears defense, which has morphed into one of the best in the league, would be that much better with the pressure specialist Crosby doing his thing opposite Sweat.
But, as will be the case until the Bears make up their mind about what they want to do prior to this year’s draft, fans will just have to wait to see how this all plays out. Whatever is decided, though, the term “embarrassment of riches” comes to mind when considering the Bears’ dilemma.
