3 Bears Who Could Be Traded During the NFL Draft
For the first time in the Ryan Poles era, the Bears roster is at a point where they could trade players for draft capital. Here are three potential players the Bears could move on from during the draft this year.
The NFL draft is the second most exciting event on the NFL calendar behind the Super Bowl.
Part of what makes the NFL Draft such an exciting event is the unexpected trades that are bound to happen. Last year, the Houston Texans drafted quarterback C.J. Stroud at No.2 overall and then traded up with the Arizona Cardinals to No.3 overall and drafted defensive end Will Anderson Jr.
A trade that aggressive doesn't happen every year, but smaller trades that move players for mid- to late-round draft capital do. After two years of roster building, general manager Ryan Poles has put the Bears back in a position where they can move players during the draft.
These are three players the Bears could move on form during draft day to acquire more picks.
1. Velus Jones Jr.
With the addition of wide receiver Keenan Allen, Jones's roster spot might be in danger. The former third-round pick in the 2022 draft has had quite a rocky start to his career. In Jones's first two seasons in the NFL, he has only caught 52.4% of his passes. That is disappointing for a player the Bears had high hopes for.
On top of his poor reception stats, Jones has also proven to be an issue in the return game for the Bears, muffing kickoffs and punts. While Jones's catching is an issue, he has found success as a gadget runner with his 4.31-second speed. Over two seasons, he has 17 rush attempts for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Even though it may be best for the Bears to move on from Jones, another team may still value his talent and want to work with him to fix his catching issues. If that is the case, then Jones could be moved for a sixth or seventh-round pick.