Getty Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos.
If the price is right, the Chicago Bears could very well be open to trading the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft.
And, considering how many teams could be angling to move into the top 10 to draft a quarterback, the Bears sit in a pretty good spot, currently holding No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks.
The Bears have just four total selections in the draft this year, and the No. 9 pick promises to be extremely coveted, so a trade-down there is possible, if not likely. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey proposed a trade scenario in which the Denver Broncos would send picks Nos. 12, 76, 147 and 203 to Chicago for the No. 9 pick.
“The rush to land the fourth-best quarterback in the draft could still be on at No. 9 if the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders fail to move up,” Tansey wrote on April 1, adding:
“Chicago will not do any business with the Vikings, especially if it helps them land their replacement for Kirk Cousins. That leaves Denver and Las Vegas as the primary options to trade with if the fourth quarterback, likely J.J. McCarthy, is still on the board at No. 9.”
Broncos Would Likely Need Higher Draft Picks to Trade Up With Bears
It’s true that Bears general manager Ryan Poles will probably not want to do business with the Vikings, as it would likely result in Minnesota getting a potential franchise quarterback. The Broncos are a likely trade-up contender, as they’re in the AFC and not in Chicago’s division.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed on March 25 that the team had McCarthy in for a private workout, but Denver doesn’t own a second-round pick this year, and that’s likely something Poles would want if he traded down from nine.
“Denver has a handful of Day 3 picks that could be packaged as part of a move up three spots,” Tansey wrote. “They may not be the abundance second-and-third-round picks the Bears want to land, but the Broncos could at least aid the Bears in adding to their draft capital while also landing a new quarterback and blocking the Vikings in the process.”
The appeal of blocking an NFC North rival from drafting a QB won’t outweigh Poles being shrewd in his draft-day trades, though. He and the Bears would surely rather land a blue chip player at nine than take their chances on three Day 3 picks.
Poles & Bears Have Myriad Options With the No. 9 Pick
I’m torn with what I want the #Bears to do at No. 9.
The thought of trading down for more Day 2 capital and getting a starting EDGE is enticing.
But if Odunze/Nabers are there, I’d have a hard time saying no. Does the value of those two outweigh the haul? I think it might.
While Chicago only has just four picks in this year’s draft, due to the value of having two in the top 10, the Bears are sitting pretty. Some analysts and draft experts believe the value in Rounds 5-7 won’t be great this year, so that also helps the Bears, whose other two picks lie in Rounds 3 (No. 75) and 4 (No. 122).
Considering the sheer number of talented players set to be available in the first round alone, it’s also quite likely the Bears will stay put at nine and snag the best player available.
“Having that No. 9 pick is a really good spot to be in,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said, via the team’s official website. “It’s right there at the top. We’re going to get a ‘blue’ player there, for sure. What we’ve done in free agency allows us to be flexible, to really be able to take the best player, one we feel fits us in that spot.”