Insider reveals Bears’ ‘historic’ price for No. 1 draft pick

Contemplating the presence of Justin Fields, there’s been some hypothesis that the Bears might look to maneuver the primary total choose to a quarterback-needy squad. Whereas the group isn’t fully shutting the door on a commerce, it seems like it will take a large haul to pry the choose from Chicago.

In accordance with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears would require a “historic haul” in the event that they have been to think about shifting the No. 1 choose. One supply instructed Rapoport that the provide would have to be “loopy,” and the compensation would presumably have to be too good to refuse.

Whereas it’s seeming more and more seemingly that the Bears would choose USC’s Caleb Williams first-overall and commerce their former first-round QB, there was some benefit to the alternative route. As Rapoport notes, many throughout the group help Fields, and the Bears have been particularly happy with the QB’s growth over the previous 12 months (one supply described Fields’ make-up as “uncommon”).

Additional, the Bears definitely aren’t strangers to buying and selling the highest total choose. They did so final 12 months in a commerce with the Panthers that netted them this 12 months’s first-overall choice. The Bears might theoretically maintain including to their assortment of future draft picks, and people rookie salaries could be particularly helpful because the staff navigates a possible Fields extension.

After all, it’s that contract that can seemingly play a task in Chicago favoring a rookie QB. Assuming the group picks up Fields’ fifth-year choice, they’d nonetheless have their younger QB on an reasonably priced wage by way of the 2025 season. Then, Fields might command probably the most profitable contracts within the NFL, a deal that may not be palatable for a squad that doesn’t appear all that near rivalry.

Additional, the Bears aren’t in determined want of excessive draft picks following final 12 months’s commerce. They’re already armed with each the No. 1 choose and the No. 9 choose on this 12 months’s draft, and they’d certainly add some draft compensation in the event that they determine to maneuver on from Fields (though the QB isn’t anticipated to fetch a first-round choose).

Normal supervisor Ryan Poles was requested about his powerful determination final month. The manager was naturally noncommittal concerning any particular path, however he did exit of his option to reward Fields.

“We’re going to flip each stone to make it possible for we’re going to make a sound determination for our group,” Poles stated, via Rapoport. “I did suppose Justin bought higher. I feel he can lead this staff. However on the identical time, there’s a distinctive state of affairs.”

So what would a historic haul appear like? The primary total choose has been dealt 13 occasions since 1967, and the final two trades (Bears/Panthers in 2023 that noticed Bryce Young go to Carolina and Titans/Rams in 2016 that noticed Jared Goff go to Los Angeles) concerned a minimum of two first-round picks and two second-round picks in compensation. If a possible suitor doesn’t have any extra first-round choices moreover their very own, they’d be allowed to commerce as much as 4 first-round picks in the course of the precise draft (their present choice plus three future picks).