The Chicago Bears sit atop the 2023 NFL Draft order and will entertain offers to trade down on day one. In this mock draft, the Bears trade down twice for a King’s Ransom — and still wind up with a blue-chip prospect.
The Bears have already begun fielding offers for the No. 1 overall pick, with several quarterback-needy teams inside the top ten of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Texans and Colts are the leaders in the clubhouse right now, as they both would allow Chicago to land one of Jalen Carter or Will Anderson.
Bears Mock Draft: Chicago Trades Down Twice for a King’s Ransom
In the first trade of the mock draft, the Bears flip spots with the Texans, acquiring a first- and second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on top of No. 2, No. 33, and No. 104 from this year.
Mock Draft Trade #1
Houston selects Bryce Young at No. 1 overall, securing its quarterback of the future and still holding on to its ‘other’ first-rounder this year (No. 12) and its own first-round pick next year. With that, Chicago starts taking calls for another trade down.
The next trade will come down to two factors:
1. How far do the Bears want to trade down?
2. Will the Colts offer enough to justify a trade down at all?
Knowing Young is off the board, the Colts become concerned about missing out on a quarterback. Indy sends No. 35 and No. 106 from this year and adds two future second-round picks to sweeten the pot.
Although the Bears have a chance of fetching more in a trade offer from the Raiders or Panthers, such a move would take them out of the running for Jalen Carter or Will Anderson. After adding a slew of picks in the first trade down, Chicago opts to take the deal, knowing it will be in a position to land one of the blue-chippers on defense.
Mock Draft Trade #2
The Colts select CJ Stroud out of Ohio State at No. 2 overall. Indy was unwilling to risk two teams trading up and swiping the quarterbacks off the board. The front office wisely moved up to guarantee its choice of Stroud or Richardson. The Bears add more picks and still sit in a prime position at No. 4 overall.
Recap of both trades and the total haul for Chicago:
Bears Send:
-No. 1 (2023)
Bears Acquired:
-No. 4 (2023)
-No. 33 (2023)
-No. 35 (2023)
-No. 104 (2023)
-No. 106 (2023)
-Future CLE 1st (2024)
-Future HOU 2nd (2024)
-Future IND 2nd (2024)
-Future IND 2nd (2025)
Round 1, No. 4: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
If general manager Ryan Poles can pull this off, he should win Executive of the Year in a landslide. After two savvy trades, the Bears sit with a stockpile of assets and the No. 4 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Cardinals selected Will Anderson at No. 3 in this mock draft, effectively deciding for Chicago.
Georgia’s Jalen Carter is a game-wrecking defensive tackle and fills the all-important three-technique in the Matt Eberflus system. Chicago gets the player it likely would have taken at No. 1 overall. Every pick acquired is merely icing on the cake; what an incredible start to this Bears mock draft.
Round 2, No. 33 (via HOU): Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
The Bears got their new head coach a building block on defense, and now it is time to get Justin Fields some protection. Braxton Jones looks promising at left tackle, but Riley Reiff is headed to free agency, and the roster lacks a replacement as currently constructed.
So, let’s reunite Fields with his former Ohio State teammate — offensive lineman Dawand Jones. Jones looks like The Mountain from Game of Thrones and plays with a mean streak that only Cersei could rival. He uses his otherworldly length and impressive strength to dominate as a run blocker.
Jones is still a work in progress in pass protection, but he rarely allowed sacks at the collegiate level. While protecting CJ Stroud the past two seasons, Jones gave up only three sacks in nearly 900 snaps. As Shrek once said: “that’ll do, Donkey, that’ll do”.
Round 2, No. 35 (via IND): Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame
If the three-tech was the most pressing need on defense, consider edge rusher a close second. The Bears ranked dead last in pass-rushing grade at 52.2 (via PFF). That will not cut it in today’s NFL, where generating pressure on the opposing quarterback is crucial to a unit’s success.
Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey fits the scheme and profiles as a player who can contribute immediately. Foskey recorded 23 sacks in the past two seasons and accounted for 65 total pressures in that span. He improved his tackling in 2022, giving optimism that he can serve as a three-down player early on.
Round 2, No. 54 (via BAL): *TRADED TO ARIZONA FOR DEANDRE HOPKINS*
The Bears traded for Chase Claypool during the season, but he is not the type of receiver to lead the depth chart. Rather than leaning on Claypool and Mooney as WR1s, Chicago should take a page out of the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins playbook.
Justin Fields has been set up for failure throughout his career, but one way to turn things around is by adding a go-to veteran target. DeAndre Hopkins is not what he once was, but there are still a couple of top-of-the-line seasons still in there. Hopkins should help the development of a young quarterback, just like Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill before him.
The Cardinals are facing a mini-rebuild, as they enter the offseason with Kyler Murray on the shelf, where he will likely remain for at least the first month of the 2023 season. Trading the 30-year-old receiver while he still brings back a second-round pick is the best move for all parties.
Round 3, No. 64: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
Chicago traded away Roquan Smith for the pick that became DeAndre Hopkins. Not too bad of a trade-off there for the Bears. However, that leaves a hole in the middle of the defense at linebacker.
Washington State’s Daiyan Henley reminds me of Darius Leonard, the superstar defender who blossomed under the tutelage of Matt Eberflus. Now, Eberflus gets a chance to replicate that success with a carbon copy.
Henley is a freaky athlete with a nose for the football. He never gives up on a play and can regularly be found tracking down ball carriers on the complete opposite side of the field. The Wazzou alum is steady across the board and will develop into an above-average starter in the Windy City.
Round 4, No. 103: KJ Henry, EDGE, Clemson
As stated earlier, the Bears were among the worst in the league at generating pressure on the opposing quarterback. With Jalen Carter and Isaiah Foskey in tow, things are already changing for Chicago. Adding KJ Henry puts the unit over the top.
Henry is a former five-star recruit, dripping with natural talent and looking the part of an NFL pass rusher. He pressured the quarterback 53 times in 2022, resulting in a sparkling 84.0 pass-rushing grade (via PFF).
Henry improved considerably as a run defender during his time with Clemson, but rushing off the edge is where he will make his money in the league. Another potential rookie starter heads to Chicago in this mock draft.
Round 4, No. 104 (via HOU): Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
Khalil Herbert is a favorite of mine and David Montgomery is a stud when healthy. Re-signing Montgomery is a likely outcome this offseason, but he has yet to stay healthy for a full regular season. If the front office opts for fresher (and more reliable) legs in the backfield, Tyjae Spears is the man for the job.
Spears possesses home run-hitting speed, showing the ability to take any snap to the house. He improved as a pass blocker during his time at the Senior Bowl and often looked like the most explosive player on the field. The pairing of Herbert and Spears makes for a dynamic one-two punch.
Round 4, No. 106 (via IND): Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland
With DeAndre Hopkins, Darnell Mooney, and Chase Claypool on the roster, Chicago looks to add a fourth high-upside player to the receiving corps. Rakim Jarrett is explosive with the ball in his hands and consistently created separation in college. Justin Fields cannot have too many weapons.
Round 4, No. 134 (via KC): Jarrett Patterson, OG/C, Notre Dame
The Bears added a plug-and-play right tackle earlier in the mock draft, and at No. 134, they do the same for the interior of the offensive line. Jarrett Patterson is a seasoned veteran and comes out of the offensive line factory known as Notre Dame. He can play center or guard in the NFL and will keep the pocket clean for Fields.
Round 5, No. 137: Zacch Pickens, NT, South Carolina
Jalen Carter will fill the DeForest Buckner role in Eberflus’ system, but he needs a Grover Stewart too. South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens is a handful to block, using a blend of strength at the point of attack and deceptive agility when working around blocks. Pickens will contend for early-down snaps as a rookie.
Round 5, No. 150 (via NE): Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
The secondary is the strongest point of the roster if you ask me. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are studs at cornerback, plus Jaquan Brisker and Eddie Jackson provide elite play at safety. Louisville’s Kei’Trel Clark is the final piece to the puzzle in the secondary.
Clark is as confident as they come, a vital trait for a cornerback in the NFL. He flexes the versatility to line up in the slot or on the boundary, even if his physical profile underwhelms a bit. The Cardinal defensive back will carve out a career in the NFL, even if it ends up as a special teams specialist.
Round 7, No. 220: Jake Moody, K, Michigan
Speaking of special teams, Chicago uses the final pick of this mock draft on Michigan kicker Jake Moody. Moody connected on 52-of-60 kicks the past two seasons, including a perfect 23/23 from 30-39 yards.
Cairo Santos is entering the final year of his deal, so bringing in a potential replacement caps off a ‘best-case scenario’ mock draft. What do you think, Bears fans? Did I nail it, or could it be better?