Chicago Bears Tricked into Trade Up for Mitch Trubisky in 2017 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears were tricked into trading up for their franchise quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft.
If Mitch Trubisky becomes a true top-tier NFL quarterback for the Chicago Bears, none of this will matter. That being said, less than 24 hours removed from the selection, the Bears look like fools.
Before we get too far into it, let’s take a step back and refresh on what happen. The Bears held the third overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. Most of us figured that they would take an elite defensive prospect like safety Jamal Adams, edge rusher Solomon Thomas or cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Taking a quarterback was always possible but relatively unlikely after they signed Mike Glennon in free agency.
Little did we know, general manager Ryan Pace and the Bears were dead set on getting Trubisky on their roster. They obviously fell in love with him throughout the draft process and feel like he is the guy to lead this team to the promise land. Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, it is hard to blame the Bears for getting the guy who they believe can reshape the franchise going forward. That being said, the way it happened was far less than ideal.
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The Bear traded up from number three to number two, giving up their 2017 third-round selection (67th overall), 2017 fourth-round selection (111th overall) and a 2018 third-round selection. Make no mistake about it, those are valuable picks for a rebuilding team like the Chicago Bears.
The thought was that the 49ers were going to trade the second overall pick to a team coming up for Trubisky. The Cleveland Browns were rumored to have a ton of interest in the North Carolina quarterback and may have been looking to come up from number 12. The Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, who ended up trading into the top 12 for quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes respectively, were also possible threats to get to two for Trubisky.
Pace was not taking any chances and he traded up to guarantee his selection of Trubisky. However, the way it looks, Pace and the Bears got played by first-year general manager John Lynch and the 49ers. A day after the first round, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports is adamant that the Bears panicked. Nobody was coming up to trade for Trubisky.
Well, if you believe Robinson (you should), the Bears got fleeced here. There is no other way to look at it. Pace and company panicked and traded up one spot for a player who was going to be at the third overall pick anyway. This was a poor move by a general manager who is on thin ice.
Now, as I said at the top, if Trubisky becomes a strong starting quarterback, nobody will remember this. That being said, it does not make the move any better. They essentially gave the 49ers draft capital in exchange for nothing.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Grading Each First Round Selection
I cannot overstate this enough, the Chicago Bears traded up for a player who would have been there anyway. I typically defend moves that Pace has made, but this one is indefensible. The Bears gave up valuable draft compensation for absolutely nothing.
Being the man in charge, Ryan Pace dropped the ball here. The Bears were already going to have a hard time rebuilding this roster. Giving away valuable mid-round picks for free will not help their cause.