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The 2022 NFL draft kicks off on April 28, which means draft day trade proposals are in season.
Last year, the Chicago Bears made a huge splash in the first round when they traded up to No. 11 overall to nab quarterback Justin Fields. They’re unlikely to do it again this year, with new general manager Ryan Poles taking a hyper-conservative approach so far this offseason, but if the board falls to their liking and an opportunity arises, anything is possible.
The Bears have myriad needs, with wide receiver, offensive line and cornerback at the top of that list. If they had a chance to secure a dominant player at a position of need, would it be worth trading up to nab him?
One analyst thinks the Cincinnati Bengals could give the Bears an opportunity to move late into the first round of the draft this year in a scenario that could be mutually beneficial to both teams.
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Bears Nab No. 31 Overall Pick in Exchange for Their 2022 2nd & 3rd Rounders
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport compiled a list of draft day trades that “make sense for each team,” and he thinks that the Bengals, who were close to winning the Super Bowl last season and don’t have near as many needs as the Bears, may be amenable to trading away their first-round pick, which is at No. 31 overall.
The Bears don’t have a first-round pick this year, but they have two in Round 2 (No. 39 and No. 48) and one in Round 3 (No. 71 overall). In Davenport’s trade proposal, Chicago would keep one of its second round selections while also nabbing a first round pick.
Here’s the trade Davenport proposed:
- Bengals receive: 2022 second-round pick (No. 39 overall), 2022 third-round pick (No. 71 overall)
- Bears receive: 2022 first-round pick (No. 31 overall)
“If there isn’t a player available there who truly turns Cincinnati’s gears, you can bet the rent there will be a team that badly wants to jump into the back end of Round 1 and grab a guy with a fifth-year option attached,” Davenport reasoned.
“Whether it’s the Bears, Jets, Chiefs or Giants, there are a number of clubs with all kinds of Day 2 draft capital that could offer the Bengals the chance to stockpile picks in the top 75—and add depth to a roster that doesn’t have many glaring holes.”
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Bears’ Draft Capital Limits Them This Year
The Bears, unlike the Bengals, have not yet found their No.1 wide receiver, nor did they add a top offensive lineman this offseason the way the Bengals did when they inked La’el Collins to a three-year deal. Considering Chicago has just six picks in the upcoming draft, it’s not likely Poles will trade two of them away in a package deal.
If a player Poles really covets is there at 31 and he’d have the opportunity to move up and grab him, never say never, but the new Bears GM has talked about trading down if he does anything at all, and that’s the likeliest scenario. This year’s draft is also rich with talent in Rounds 2-4, so Poles is surely chomping at the bit to add players on Day 2. Here’s a complete list of the team’s selections in the draft this year:
- Round 2, Pick 39
- Round 2, Pick 48 (from Los Angeles Charges via Khalil Mack trade)
- Round 3, Pick 71
- Round 5, Pick 148 (from Houston Texans via Anthony Miller trade)
- Round 5, Pick 150
- Round 6, Pick 185
Unless something wholly unexpected happens, expect those to stay the same, unless Poles trades down to acquire more.
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