(670 The Score) The Bears are open for business in seeking to deal the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles recently had discussions at the NFL Combine about trading the No. 1 pick, and he believes Chicago can land a first-round pick in 2024 and 2025 in a potential deal, he told Peter King of NBC Sports. While it wasn't explicitly stated in Poles' quote or the article, the context and assumption is that would be in addition to the Bears landing their trade partner's current first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“No one’s gonna rush me,” Poles told King. “I know I can get a ’24 one and a ’25 one. You’re telling me for the next two years I’ll have two ones? That’s either four really good players or if we’re cruising, we can still trade back.”
The NFL Draft begins April 27 in Kansas City.
Poles also pointed to a scenario in which the Bears could trade the top pick prior to the start of free agency next week, which would allow clarity in addressing the open market.
“Should we do this before free agency? Or should we wait?” he said. “I don’t know. That’s what I’ve communicated (to teams). I could carry this all the way until we’re on the clock the night of the draft. But then there’s teams that want some certainty because, ‘If I need a quarterback bad, should I do that now when some of these guys, like Derek Carr, are out there?’ To me, they’ve got to go so much more above to do it now.
“I’m not greedy with it. But they’re gonna have to go above and beyond to close the door now.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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