1 offseason move each NFL team must make

Chicago Bears’ offseason move – Trade out of the top pick for a haul

This is going to be a huge offseason for the Bears, who have their franchise quarterback in Fields and nearly $94 million in salary cap room to upgrade his supporting cast. Second-year GM Ryan Poles also got a late Christmas present when the Houston Texans won a meaningless game in Week 18 over the Colts, ensuring his franchise landed the top pick in the 2023 draft.

Having Fields means that Chicago doesn’t need to spend the No. 1 slot on a quarterback, allowing them the luxury of taking the best player available, such as Georgia DT Jalen Carter or Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson. The more intriguing scenario, however, involves opening up the bidding for the top pick.

Everyone knows that the Texans will draft a quarterback at No. 2, meaning that anyone who wants their pick of the young passers will need to leapfrog Houston to get to No. 1. This should create a huge bidding war among teams desperate for a young franchise quarterback, resulting in a package of top draft picks and/or young talent to supercharge the Bears’ rebuild.

Moving back from the first pick to somewhere else in the Top 10 shouldn’t significantly reduce the type of player Chicago would be able to draft in the first round. The opportunity to add multiple assets to the roster instead of just one elite defender is one that Poles should take advantage of.