Chicago Bears 2023 Mock Draft: Trades solidify the whole roster
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles trades the number one overall pick and makes other picks to solidify not only this year’s roster but also next year’s draft.
Now that the Super Bowl is over, the Chicago Bears are on the clock. They own the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. With them feeling they have their franchise quarterback, general manager Ryan Poles will receive a ton of calls for that pick.
There aren’t too many people who think the Bears end up using that first pick. The overall theory is that he will trade down and receive some high-value picks in return.
Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles ready to wheel and deal in 2023 NFL Draft
In this mock draft, Poles again makes some trades. In our first mock, Poles acquired 13 draft picks. In this one, he has 11. We saw with what he’s done in his tenure so far that he isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on a trade.
It is important to keep in mind that Poles has a vision for the future. This is something previous Chicago Bears general managers failed to have. They were too worried about putting a band-aid on the roster. As long as they had a good season every few years they thought they’d have the fans happy. Sure, they’ve had players like Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and other stars.
With all those stars, however, the Bears have had only three playoff appearances and have just one playoff win.
A different approach is needed and Poles is trying to do exactly that. Poles will use his $100 million-plus salary cap space to complement the draft. We’ll see that with his first pick. He’ll acquire some picks in this draft but with a possible bidding war between teams in desperate need of quarterback help, he’ll pick up some draft picks for next year.
There is a debate about whether the Bears draft Will Anderson or Jalen Carter. Poles likey splits the difference. He’ll pick up a free agent at either EDGE or tackle. Then he’ll go with the position he didn’t sign. In this mock, he picks up a veteran defensive tackle. That means he’ll go for the EDGE rusher.
Let’s see what else Poles does in the latest Chicago Bears 2023 mock draft.