Chicago Bears Should Look to Trade Up for Myles Garrett in 2017 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears should look to trade up for Myles Garrett in the 2017 NFL Draft.
After going 3-13 last season, the Chicago Bears hold the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. They are in a great spot to land a big-time impact talent like edge rusher Solomon Thomas, safety Jamal Adams or quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, if the Bears really want to make a splash, they should start looking to move up.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Cleveland Browns have a split in their organization whether to take star edge rusher Myles Garrett or quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Personally, I’m not buying it. Garrett is the clear top prospect in this draft and he is going number one, one way or another. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the Browns making the pick.
Cleveland has not made up its mind at No. 1, per source. Split opinions. Some like Myles Garrett, some like Mitchell Trubisky. We will see.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2017
Just had an NFL exec tell me, "Don't be surprised if Myles Garrett isn't the No. 1 pick." Exec convinced a QB is in discussion at No. 1.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2017
I am sure Schefter is not just pulling this report from out of nowhere, but if there are actually some in the Browns front office who would rather take Trubisky at one, teams should be talking to them about a trade down from on. Garrett is the premier prospect in this class. If they would rather have Trubisky, they could still land him and pick up extra draft capital in a trade down.
Selecting third, the Chicago Bears are one of the few teams who can almost guarantee that they would still get their quarterback after a trade down. Number three would be a good position for a short trade down for the Browns. They would be able to pick up some draft capital and still get the quarterback who they reportedly covet.
Sure, dropping down to three would cause the Browns to risk missing out on both Garrett and Trubisky, but in all likelihood, Trubisky will still be there at three. The Bears could offer them a competitive package to land the clear best player in this draft class.
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The Chicago Bears are in a rebuilding situation and obviously, do not want to give up extra draft capital. That being said, Garrett is an elite game-breaking edge rusher who would immediately take their defense to the next level.
Garrett is the kind of pass rusher who can have a Von Miller like impact. He is absolutely ridiculous as a rusher, showing an elite combination of burst, athleticism and bend around the edge. Make no mistake about it, Garrett is going to be a star at the next level and is the obvious number one pick. However, this report from Schefter has me wondering if the Browns could be talked into a trade.
If they think that Garrett versus Trubisky is even a question, why wouldn’t they consider a trade down? The Browns could pick up extra draft capital and still take a player who has comparable value in their eyes. This Browns front office is extremely smart. If they truly value Trubisky as high as this report says, they will consider a trade down.
Sounds Great, But What Would it Cost?
The obvious concern for the Bears here is asking price. Sure, they love to add Garrett to their defensive front seven but they cannot give up all of their draft capital in order to do so. The 2018 first round pick will not be on the table. I love Garrett, but I just cannot see that happening.
Putting together a trade using the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart, the Bears giving up their first three picks (third, 36th and 67th overall) in exchange for number one looks about right. That would be a tough pill to swallow. The Bears are a rebuilding team with many needs, they simply cannot afford to give up that many big picks in one draft. Instead, I think they would be interested in getting the 2018 NFL Draft picks involved. Something like this could make sense:
The Browns love second and third round picks and they would likely still be in a position to land a quarterback who they seem to love. Meanwhile, the Bears put themselves in a position to land the clear best player in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Giving up draft capital is never ideal, but Garrett is a revolutionary talent on the outside. He is a freak athlete who has an extremely bright future at the next level. Pairing him with Leonard Floyd could give the Bears the best pass rushing duo in the NFL for many years. This is an organization that is build on defense. Having a pass rushing duo of Floyd and Garrett would put the Bears defense back on the map.
Next: Bears: Logical 2017 NFL Draft Targets at Each Position
If nothing else, this is an interesting discussion. What do you think Bears fans? Should Ryan Pace look to take advantage of the Browns’ love affair with Mitchell Trubisky and make this deal? Or are they better off just staying put and taking who falls to them at three? Let us know in the comments section below.