The NFL draft is just under two weeks away, but Chicago Bears fans have been predicting who the team will draft for months now. Before Chicago hired Ben Johnson, fans talked about the Bears selecting LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell. However, since Johnson took over and rebuilt the offensive line through trades and free agency, fans' focus shifted to drafting Boise State's Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty is an exciting prospect who would immediately improve the Bear running back room. That said, many believe the Boise State product will be off the board before the Bears pick at ten. Given that he is one of the top prospects in this class, that's not an unrealistic reality.
Still, Chicago should be left with a few options worthy of being drafted tenth overall. Despite that, the Bears' best option could be to trade back even though the top-end talent is lacking in this draft. While it may be hard to find a trade partner due to the lack of top-end talent, teams are always desperate for quarterbacks. This year, the team most desperate for a QB is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bears Swing Blockbuster Deal With Steelers for 2025 NFL Draft in Projected Trade
Ever since Big Ben Roethlisberger retired, Pittsburgh has been searching for a new quarterback. Unfortunately, since the franchise refuses to have a losing season, finding a good young quarterback has been difficult. In 2020, they took a swing at drafting a franchise quarterback when they selected University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick, but it failed.
Currently, Pittsburgh is waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on if he wants to join the team. Be that as it may, owner Art Rooney II has said that they won't wait around for Rodgers. With the uncertainty around whether Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders falls out of the top nine, the Steelers could capitalize and trade up for him.
According to Jimmy Johnson's NFL Draft trade chart, the Bears No.10 has a value of 1300. On the other hand, Pittsburgh's 21 picks had a value of 800, and their third-round pick had a value of 175. Therefore, there is a difference in value of 325.
While next year's first-round pick might be a slight overpay, quarterbacks come at a premium, so acquiring that pick is fair. Even if Sanders does get selected in the first nine picks, this trade isn't off the board. Pittsburgh could still trade up to guarantee they get their guy, whether that be Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, or Jalen Milroe.
While next year's first-round pick might be a slight overpay, quarterbacks come at a premium so acquiring that pick is fair. Even if Sanders does get selected in the first nine picks, this trade isn't off the board. Pittsburgh could still trade up to guarantee they get their guy, whether that be Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, or Jalen Milroe.
While all those quarterbacks are likely to fall to 21, it's always better to be safe than sorry in the draft when it comes to quarterbacks. Right now, everything remains on the table for the Bears, but don't be surprised if, come draft trade, they trade back.