(670 The Score) Bears general manager Ryan Poles confirmed Tuesday that the organization has been leaning toward trading the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft ever since landing it at the end of the 2022 regular season, and he indicated Chicago is even open to dealing the selection sooner rather than later.
“There are some scenarios where it might benefit us to move it before free agency opens potentially,” Poles said at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “But again, when we get back, with all the information that we’ve gathered here, I think we’ll have a better direction.”
Discussions between players and teams can begin on March 13, while the new league year officially opens March 15.
“A clear view of what we need,” Poles said of the potential benefit of trading the No. 1 pick before or during free agency. “And there are scenarios where you could add players as well potentially. Which again, gives you some clarity on what you want to do in the draft and free agency.”
The Bears’ “plan right now” continues to be to build around quarterback Justin Fields, Poles said, but the organization will evaluate and sit down with the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 draft class as well. Previously, Poles mentioned that he’d need to be “blown away” by a quarterback prospect to consider moving on from Fields.
On Tuesday, Poles confirmed he hasn’t yet been blown away by any of them, though it’s still quite early in the evaluation process as the NFL Combine is just beginning this week and important pro days will be held in the weeks to come.
“Nothing’s changed there,” Poles said. “I saw the (report) from yesterday in terms of leaning one way or the other. I think that’s always been the case. We’ve always leaned that way because Justin did some really good things. I’m excited about where his game is going to go. But at the same time, when you sit in our situation at No. 1 overall, you have to do your due diligence. You have to investigate everything. You’ve got to spend time with those guys (the prospects) just to make sure we’re making the right decision. What’s important to me – I think everybody knows me by now and how I want to treat our players – we’ll be in communication with Justin along the way just to make sure that he knows what we’re doing and that nothing is a surprise to him.”
Asked how far back the Bears might be willing to trade back, Poles responded that it's "a year-to-year thing" and that the team needs to further evaluate prospects and set its draft board before making that decision. The Bears want to land a prospect they've graded as a blue-chip player, and they haven't set all of those yet.
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