We have officially reached less than a month until the 2023 NFL Draft, and there is no more excited fan base in the NFL than that of the Chicago Bears.
Even though the team has traded back from the first overall pick, the Bears are still in a great position entering draft weekend. Having been one of the league’s top free agency winners thus far, and boasting a good chunk of draft capital, Chicago is set to continue their turnaround.
General manager Ryan Poles has done a masterful job this offseason, but has an opportunity to make things even more interesting on draft day.
With that ninth overall pick, the Bears could see some fruitful scenarios arise. If one of the following dream scenarios were to come up, Bears fans would get quite the start to draft weekend.
Dream scenarios for the Chicago Bears in Round 1: Jalen Carter is available at pick number 9
There has been much made about a possible fall for Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Whether it’s the questionable Pro Day or the idea that he takes plays off and doesn’t possess the most desirable work ethic, Carter’s stock has fluctuated as of late.
But, the fact of the matter is, the tape doesn’t lie. Carter is one of the most dominant defensive line prospects of the past decade or so, and the Bears would be lucky to have landed him at number 9.
How would that happen?
- Bryce Young, QB (CAR)
- CJ Stroud, QB (HOU)
- Will Anderson, EDGE (AZ)
- Will Levis, QB (IND)
- Anthony Richardson, QB (SEA)
- Devon Witherspoon, CB (DET)
- Christian Gonzalez, CB (LV)
- Peter Skoronski, OL (ATL
It really isn’t all that crazy to think Carter drops to number 9, considering the above players are all great players worthy of being top-10 picks. None of the above selections would necessarily be reaches, by any means.
So, should the Bears end up with the draft’s top defensive line prospect, this unit could be drastically different. Already boasting a fairly youthful, talented secondary and signing a pair of fantastic linebackers, the Bears could have some serious talent at all three levels.
Dream scenarios for the Chicago Bears in Round 1: A top-four quarterback is available at pick number 9
Out of all the possibilities for the Bears at number 9, maybe the best-case scenario would be to see a top-4 quarterback still available there. Why?
It’s pretty simple. There’s going to be a team who views that quarterback as a possible franchise quarterback, and for the Bears, that means dollar signs in the form of draft capital. If one of Anthony Richardson or Will Levis are still on the board there at nine overall, the Bears could use that as leverage to trade back once more.
How would this happen? Let’s take a look at a realistic scenario:
- Bryce Young, QB (CAR)
- CJ Stroud, QB (HOU)
- Will Anderson, EDGE (AZ)
- Anthony Richardson, QB (IND)
- Jalen Carter, DL (SEA)
- Devon Witherspoon, CB (DET)
- Christian Gonzalez, CB (LV)
- Peter Skoronski, OL (ATL)
At this point, you have Will Levis still on the board and a team like the Tennessee Titans at number 11 overall without a quarterback. The Bears could trade back just a couple of picks while netting something like a package containing a third rounder and another later pick.
Maybe, just maybe, Poles is able to squeeze even more out of Tennessee. Now, if it’s a team like Tampa Bay or even Baltimore (should they trade Lamar Jackson) trading up from 19 or 23, respectively, then the Bears would get far more.
Dream scenarios for the Chicago Bears in Round 1: Zero cornerbacks have been taken by pick number 9
Lastly, if the Bears get to their pick in the first round and there have been zero cornerbacks taken, Ryan Poles is in for a fun decision.
First of all, the Bears could absolutely trade back again if this is the case. Even if it’s a couple of picks back, Chicago could still end up with one of Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez or Joey Porter Jr.
How would this happen? Well, it’s actually not that crazy to imagine. Here’s a mock-up:
- Bryce Young, QB (CAR)
- C.J. Stroud, QB (HOU)
- Will Anderson, EDGE (AZ)
- Will Levis, QB (IND)
- Anthony Richardson, QB (SEA)
- Jalen Carter, DL (DET)
- Peter Skoronski, OL (LV)
- Tyree Wilson, EDGE (ATL)
From here, the Bears could snag any one of those three corners, depending on which one they view as the most talented or the best fit.
One intriguing situation would be bringing Witherspoon to the Bears, who wouldn’t have to travel very far after playing college ball for the Illini. Many believe he’s the best corner in the draft, so for the Bears to be able to pair him with Jaylon Johnson and keeping Kyler Gordon in the slot gives them a highly formidable trio going forward.