A trade with the Panthers has the Bears picking No. 9 overall and four times on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft, time to build around Justin Fields.
The 2023 NFL Draft just got shaken up at the top after a blockbuster trade between the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. Fans everywhere knew there was 0 chance that the Bears would sit at No. 1 overall and make a pick — we were right. The Bears are getting ready to build their franchise through the draft. In the trade, the Bears are receiving the No. 9 overall pick and No. 61 overall pick in this year’s draft from Carolina, as well as wide receiver D.J. Moore, the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick, and the Panthers’ 2025 second-round pick.
Chicago Bears add DJ Moore in blockbuster NFL trade
D.J. Moore filled a massive need and bolsters the wide receiver room that has Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney. Moore is a true number-one wideout who amassed 1,000 yards receiving in three of the last four seasons. The former first-round pick is a big-play wide receiver who does his best after the catch.
So what will the Bears do now? First and foremost, the Bears need to sign their own guys. At the top should be David Montgomery, whose lack of efficiency was a product of the bad offensive line play. Another guy is linebacker Nicholas Morrow, who leads the team in tackles, but he struggles in coverage, which should drive his price tag down. Outside of those two players, the Bears don’t have guys they must sign. However, they do have a ton of needs.
Free agency will dictate a lot of what the Bears will do. The strongest position is running back and offensive tackle. Guys like Orlando Brown, Mike McGlinchey, Cameron Irving, and Taylor Lewan are the top guys. However, great teams are built through the draft, and Ryan Poles understand that. He found his potential franchise quarterback. Now it’s time to build around him.
No. 9 – Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State
Protecting the blind side should be number one on the Bears’ list. Hopefully, they throw the brinks truck at right tackle Mike McGlinchey. Maybe they can sign a guy like Taylor Lewan who is familiar with Arthur Smith’s system. If they do, they need to focus on getting their left tackle and Paris Johnson is the perfect guy for the job. Size and athleticism define the Ohio State offensive tackle. The 6’6″ 313-pound Johnson is a versatile offensive lineman who played right guard in 2021 before transitioning to left tackle in 2022.
As a left tackle, Johnson is an explosive athlete with exceptional range as a run blocker. He has impressive size, power, and athleticism, which leads to dominant reps with a tenacious finisher mentality. What stands out is his foot quickness, control, and length to thrive with vertical sets.
However, Johnson needs to work on his functional strength to increase his lower-body strength and power to create more displacement in the run game and improve his anchor. Additionally, his hand technique can be further developed to eliminate some of his two-hand strikes and vulnerability to inside moves.
Despite only playing left tackle for one season, Johnson has the potential to become an early NFL starter at left tackle and grow into an impact starter for a guy he’s protected before in Justin Fields. A bonus is Johnson the man. He has a strong background in volunteering and has established a foundation to help veterans and underprivileged children.
Other options are Northwestern, OT, Peter Skoronski, and Georgia, OT, Broderick Jones.
No. 54 Derrick Hall, Edge, Auburn
A pass rusher is a necessity, and this draft doesn’t have any elite guys outside of Will Anderson. So, a player like Derrick Hall will be available in the second round — the bears shouldn’t pass up on an opportunity to draft him. During his college tenure, Hall accounted for 84 pressures, 27 QB hits, and 22 sacks in four seasons. He has an explosive and dense build with long limbs, making him a strong edge setter and run defender.
Despite being dropped into coverage more than necessary, his 4.55 40 at the 2023 NFL Combine adds to his potential in coverage and as a pass rusher. Hall’s A-trait is his ability to convert speed to power and use his heavy and powerful hands to impact the quarterback. However, he needs to develop his rush plan and hand-to-hand combat skills. While he is not the most flexible rusher, his traits make him an enticing long-term starting EDGE/OLB.
No. 62 – Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
In the NFC North, the Bears need guys that can cover. Emmanuel Forbes is a talented cornerback with excellent coverage versatility and football intelligence. He is a physical defender who is particularly effective in press alignment, where he uses his two-hand jabs to disrupt the timing between the receiver and quarterback. Forbes also demonstrates good instincts, which allows him to quickly read and react to the play, and he has an impressive ability to make plays on the ball at a consistent and high rate.
Despite his strengths, Forbes has limitations due to his slim build and tendency to be overly aggressive in coverage. This can lead to issues with bigger and more physical NFL receivers, as well as being susceptible to double moves. He also needs to improve his technique and discipline in coverage to prevent being out-positioned by opponents.
At the end of the day, Forbes projects as a true perimeter and outside cornerback, with the potential to become a CB2. His ball production, coverage versatility, and football intelligence are his biggest assets.
No. 65 Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
Building a defense could be just as important to a young quarterback as getting offensive weapons. In the case of the Bears, they need to add some help on the defensive line. Getting someone who can play inside and set the tone against the run with the potential to be a pass rusher should be at the top of the Bears’ list, late Day 2.
Siaki Ika is the perfect player for the Chicago Bears. At 6’3” 335 pounds, Ika plays with surprising quickness off the snap. He does a good job penetrating on passing downs which will help him stay on the field as an every-down tackle. However, Ika’s best asset is his girth and ability to anchor. He comes in ready to improve a leaky run defense.
His ability to anchor and play gap control will free up the penetrating three-technique. The Baylor product is a massive man with powerful hands that allows him to defeat blockers. He’s a space eater, a tone-setter, and a player that will keep his inside linebacker clean. Siaki Ika is a defensive tackle the Bears must have as a plug-and-play prospect.
No. 104 Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
Trading Roquan Smith was the right move for the long term, but there’s a gap inside the middle of the Chicago Bears defense. Alan Williams’ Cover-2 style defense needs an athletic linebacker. Washington State’s Daiyan Henley is the ideal fit. Henley is a dynamic inside linebacker in terms of his ability to play sideline-to-sideline. He’s a fantastic athlete who played on both sides of the ball before settling in at linebacker.
With long arms, fanatic burst, and the ability to exploit gaps Henley does a great job creating pressure. He’s a tenacious backer who is afraid of taking on blockers. There are questions about his instincts which may push him to more of an outside linebacker role. Worst-case scenario, he’s a fantastic special teams player. However, he’s an athlete who dominated during the Senior Bowl and proved he’s ready for the next level.
No. 134 Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton Tigers
Andrei Iosivas was a matchup nightmare for corners throughout their entire phase, using his physicality, speed, and fluid body control to separate from defenders and make big plays down the field. But that’s not all – Iosivas can also break his routes without losing any speed, making him a threat on out-breaking routes. And when he has the ball in his hands, his strength and acceleration make him a force to be reckoned with, capable of making defenders miss and racking up chunk yards after the catch.
He has the talent and intangibles to contribute right away in packages. He can push Equanimeous St. Brown for reps. And with some refinement, he could become a three-level route runner and a featured receiver in an offense that prioritizes getting the ball in his hands and allowing him to stress coverages at all levels of the field.