We’re officially in April, which means the 2023 NFL Draft is going to be here before we know it. For Chicago Bears fans, it’s about to get real.
For the past year or so, general manager Ryan Poles has been working tirelessly in effort to make this 2023 offseason a monumental one. Thus far, he’s done a masterful job.
Now, with the draft in sight, Poles could wind up putting on a clinic, allowing us to see one of the best off-season in recent memory for any team. But, prior to the draft, Poles and the Bears could still make some big moves that would only amplify this productive offseason.
First up, the Bears make a move to go all-in on 2023.
The Chicago Bears should make a blockbuster trade for Deandre Hopkins
One of the things we must keep in mind is the fact that the Bears still have a chunk of money to spend before the league year kicks off. To be exact, Chicago has to spend approximately $45 million to meet the cap floor.
With that in mind, what if the Bears made a move to acquire DeAndre Hopkins, giving him a new contract and boasting both Hopkins and D.J. Moore for Justin Fields to work with?
You thought adding Moore was a big move, just picture Hopkins on the opposite side of Moore with Fields under center. Sure, Hopkins will turn 31 in June. But, after the pieces the Bears have added this offseason on both sides of the ball, they could turn into a contender real quickly assuming Fields takes a leap.
We’re talking about adding an All Pro receiver to a core including a young, Pro Bowl caliber wideout and a tight end who’s in the midst of breaking out. Not to mention, Darnell Mooney as your number three is a luxury.
The Chicago Bears should make a big trade down in the 2023 NFL Draft
Poles already moved down to number 9 from the first overall pick, but there is a good chance the Bears move down once more. When looking at the Bears’ needs and how they can address them in the first round, you could see them go after a few select players. Quite frankly, those players could end up being available between picks 10-19.
Should there be a quarterback available still at number 9, then Poles must take advantage of the situation and get on the phones. Some outlets have Kentucky’s Will Levis dropping a bit, which might mean that he’s available at the ninth overall selection. Obviously, the Bears don’t need a quarterback, so a trade might look something like this.
Moving back to no. 16 with the Washington Commanders, the Bears might still have a shot at someone like Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr., Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness or Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Whether they go one or the other, the Bears now have three picks in the second round to address the other positions of need.
Getting an extra second rounder and another pick in the fifth round, for moving down six picks, makes a lot of sense for a team like Chicago. Giving Poles two additional picks to work with could make a huge difference.
The Chicago Bears should make a blockbuster trade for Mike Evans
Lastly, the Bears could look at one other wide receiver that might be available via trade. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been re-working their cap and parting with key veterans, and they very well could look to open up a bunch of money by trading veteran wide receiver Mike Evans. The 6-foot-5 towering wideout has been a model of consistency throughout his nine years in the league, never finishing under 1,000 yards.
Evans is a year younger than Hopkins and, although Hopkins is a bigger name, Evans is still right up there in terms of talent level. Again, this is a guy who goes for 1,000 yards in his sleep. It’s what he does. Giving Fields a gigantic receiver like Evans to go with the shiftiness of D.J. Moore, combined with Darnell Mooney, could make this Bears offense one of the most lethal units in all of football.
Picture this offense with Evans, Moore, Mooney, Kmet, Khalil Herbert and D’onta Foreman with Fields under center, plus another offensive lineman or two added via the draft.
You thought Poles was off to a great start this offseason? He’d be finishing the bulk of it with an absolute bang.