The Bears cashed in their tokens early, trading their coveted No. 1 pick for the No. 9, No. 61, a first- and second-round pick in the 2024 and 2025 drafts, respectively, and DJ Moore from the Carolina Panthers.
Ryan Poles and the Bears had discussions with multiple teams about the No. 1 pick, including the Las Vegas Raiders.
What did the Bears ask the Raiders regarding the first overall roster?
One pick from the 2023 first round, one pick from the second round of 2023, two future picks from the first round, and one future pick from the second round, according to The athletic. According to the report, the Raiders never made a formal offer and felt the Bears’ asking price was too high.
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Clearly, the Bears would have gotten a deeper war chest of draft picks from this trade. But, as the report pointed out, the asking price was too high for the Raiders. In addition, the Bears probably got a better acquisition from the Panthers with DJ Moore.
Instead of betting on a future prospect, the Bears traded for a proven perspective in Moore. He recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with sloppy quarterback play between 2019-2021. In Moore, the Bears bring in a No. 1 pass-catching option to pair with Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet.
If the Bears had gone with the Raiders and compromised on a fair trade, they would have relied on their ability to assemble a team, rather than take any immediate steps. The Bears may have skipped rebuild time by trading for players, not picks.
By trading the crop early, the Bears also traded compensation value for time. It is all the more likely that the Bears would have received more compensation if they had waited to trade the pick closer to draft day. Still, they exchanged it well before design day.
By doing so, the Bears scratched “elite pass catcher” off their laundry list and bought time to outline a new free agency offseason plan and draft. And they took advantage of the plan and let the market come to them.
The Bears soon signed Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards and Nate Davis. They added Travis Homer, D’Ontra Foreman and PJ Walker after their first start. The Bears added skill players they deem suitable in their schedule and marginal signings.
Now the question remains, how will the Bears attack the draft? They’ve only just reached the trenches, so it’s all the more likely that they’ll throw themselves into improving the line of attack and defense.
How would they have gone through the free service if they made a deal with the Raiders?
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