2017 NFL Draft: What draft day trades could the Chicago Bears make?
What would the Chicago Bears need to do to trade up or down early in the 2017 NFL Draft?
One of the hot topics regarding the Chicago Bears’ 2017 NFL Draft plans revolves around possible draft trades. Specifically: how could the Bears trade the third overall pick to acquire more picks? Also, could they maybe trade back into the first round to try and grab a late-round quarterback?
To get a feel for possible trades, I looked at last year’s draft day trades for some perspective. Here are a few options for the Bears based on 2016 trades involving comparable picks.
If Bears Trade Down from Number Three:
With the talent drop-off after Myles Garrett, finding a trade-down partner for the third pick may not be a given. That said, doors may open for the Bears to trade the third overall pick as the draft approaches. In fact, a few rumors (take them as you will) are already flying. For example, the Carolina Panthers (currently at #8) may be interested in trading into the top-3. A betting man might wager that they want a shot at defensive lineman Solomon Thomas or Jonathan Allen.
What could such a trade look like? A trade from last year’s draft offers a template for we could expect.
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Last year, the Cleveland Browns traded their #2 pick to the Philadelphia Eagles (#8 overall), which they used on quarterback Carson Wentz. Additionally, the Browns received a 2016 third (#77) and fourth-round (#100) pick, plus their 12th overall pick this year. They even get a 2018 second-rounder while giving the Eagles a 2017 fourth-round pick (#118).
Trading down would give the Bears multiple dips into this year’s deep defensive back and tight end classes. Furthermore, the Bears might have a shot at safety Malik Hooker, edge rusher Derek Barnett, linebacker Reuben Foster or even a quarterback they like. If someone in the lower top-10 wanted to make that swap, it could be a worthwhile investment. There are two big questions though. Firstly, who would that team be/what pick would you be getting? And second, are the Bears comfortable with passing on Thomas, Allen, safety Jamal Adams, or corner Marshon Lattimore?
Another facet of trading down is that the Bears could use then picks to parlay their way back into the first round. If the top quarterbacks in this draft start to slip within striking distance of trading up from the 36th overall pick, I’d expect the Bears to strongly consider a move.
If Bears Trade Up from #36:
While I could be wrong, I’d only expect this to happen if they wanted to take a shot at a top quarterback. And if they don’t gamble on one with the third overall pick, they can do two things. On one hand, they can hope one falls all the way into the second round, as happened with Derek Carr a few years ago. Or, if they deem that too risky, they could try to strike before then by trading up from 36th overall.
Related Story: Why the Chicago Bear Must Draft a QB Early
Specifically, teams like the New York Giants (#23), Houston Texans (#25), Kansas City Chiefs (#27), and Pittsburgh Steelers (#30) are searching for their future quarterback. As such, the top-four quarterbacks (Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, Patrick Mahomes) may not last until the second round. If any are still available in this range, the Bears will likely be tempted to make a move.
A couple of similar scenarios unfolded in last year’s draft. First, the Denver Broncos traded up from 31st overall to get the Seattle Seahawks’ 26th pick, drafting quarterback Paxton Lynch. In order to move up those five spots, the Broncos surrendered a 2016 third-round pick (#94).
Interestingly, the Bears have a very attractive third-round pick (#67) this year if they wanted to dangle it in trades. Of course, with a deep draft class, it would be preferable use a 2018 third-round pick as trade bait if possible or to acquire more picks via trade. The point is that the high third-round pick could save the Bears from giving up more picks in this scenario.
Another trade-up situation occurred between the San Francisco 49ers (37th overall) and the Kansas City Chiefs (28th overall). Here, the 49ers moved up to get guard Joshua Garnett. To do this, they gave up their 37th, 105th (fourth round), and 178th (sixth round) picks for the Chiefs’ 28th and 249th (seventh round) picks.
Obviously, this trade involves the Bears giving up more picks and getting an almost completely bottom-of-the-draft selection in return. However, acquiring more picks along the way could mitigate that loss. Also, it might be easier here to offer 2018 mid-round/late round picks instead of 2017 picks.
Next: Bears Seven-Round Mock Draft with Trades
We ultimately won’t know the Bears’ 2017 NFL Draft plans until April 27th. However, we do know they have options other than just staying put at each spot. Especially if they can possibly get a franchise quarterback without reaching at number three overall, the risk in a draft day trade may be worth it.