Chicago Bears reportedly shopping No. 1 overall pick, multiple teams interested
The Chicago Bears have reportedly put a for sale sign out for the No. 1 pick as the organization has settled on its support of Justin Fields as a franchise quarterback.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Bears have already been approached by multiple teams about trading the draft’s No. 1 overall pick, and Chicago is said to be “leaning toward” moving the pick.
As for potential trade partners, ESPN noted that the Bears own the top pick in a year when anywhere from 8 to 12 teams could be looking to make a switch at quarterback.
Sources: The Bears already have been approached by multiple teams about trading the draft’s No. 1 overall pick, and Chicago is said to be “leaning toward” moving the pick. So the No. 1 pick now looks like it’s for sale. pic.twitter.com/2w03L6qP0L
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2023
For historical context, since the AFL/NFL merger in 1967, the No. 1 pick has been traded 12 times before the start of the draft. It last happened in 2016, when the Los Angeles Rams moved from No. 15 to No. 1 two weeks before selecting quarterback Jared Goff out of Cal. It was only the second time in the past 22 years that the No. 1 pick changed hands before the draft (the Atlanta Falcons moved up from No. 2 to draft Michael Vick first overall in 2001).
Only idiots thought they were going to trade Justin Fields for an unproven rookie quarterback.
If AR were my first pick I’d give it away and throw in my second pick.
It is too early to give up on Fields and even if they did the Bears are way more than a QB away right now. There is nobody in the first round that turns them around. Better to trade it and load up on later picks. Jalen Hurts got the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Fields is plenty good enough to replicate that with talent around him.