Chicago Bears Fleece Carolina; who will panthers choose?

It has long been rumored that the Chicago Bears would be the first overall pick to go out in the 2023 NFL Draft. In such a quarterback-heavy class, a team with a solid situation under center was destined for a great move in exchange for a top draft pick. While most experts guessed the Indianapolis FoalS Turns out the team would pull the trigger and give the bears anything they wanted the Carolina Panthers were the ones ready to sacrifice everything.

Two firsts, two seconds and DJ Moore, who missed 1,000 yards for the first time in three years but set a new career high in touchdowns last season. He turns 26 next season and is just entering his prime. and is just the type of player Chicago needs — a young veteran wide receiver stuck in a bad situation with inconsistent quarterback play looking for a breakout. The ninth overall win is a prime opportunity for the Bears to take their revamped wide receiver corps even further. TCU’s Quentin Johnston and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba should both be available if Chicago elects. These additions, combined with Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney (who should be sane in time for OTAs), would give Chicago one of the best wide receiver rooms in the NFC, with all being exceptionally young.

Chicago could try to protect Justin Fields

However, you do not have to go to the receiver. They could give Fields a little more protection on offense. That might actually make more sense. After all, what’s the point of having a great receiver if your quarterback doesn’t have time to get him the ball? If Chicago thinks so, then northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski or long-armed Ohio State’s Paris Johnson would be the way to go. Frankly, Chicago can’t go wrong with this pick. With so many teams in the top 5 To draft a quarterback, the Bears have a plethora of options at nine. Heck, they might be willing to trade further down because it’s almost impossible to take every name on their board when the ninth pick comes up.

Who does Carolina choose?

Carolina on the other hand…I have no idea what they’re doing. Obviously they need a quarterback so taking action but giving up as much for the first overall was wise pick seems a little overzealous. As a matter of fact, reports have already found out that the panthers are trying to regain some of their trading equity by trading down a spot or two. And honestly, they have to.

The Panthers are not a good team. They also traded in some of their best offensive weapons. Christian McCaffrey? Went. DJ Moore? Went. Robbie “Chosen One” Anderson? Went. All they’re left with is Ish Smith, Terrace Marshall Jr. and a guy named Tommy who nobody trembles to. Whoever Carolina gets, even if they trade down, will put them in a bad situation. Without an incredible leap straight into the NFL, he’s not going to do well, and seeing him do so poorly will be a cause for concern. Whoever chooses Carolina has to succeed immediately to be worth everything they gave up or people will get fired. I would honestly hope the team doesn’t use him in his rookie year, but I doubt the Carolina front office can afford to wait that long.

“Oh, but the Panthers can just call up a few players to make up for their underperforming O-line and poor halfbacks and receivers with all the picks they got from trading Christian McCaffrey, right?” Not really. The Panthers now have only six picks in this draft, and while they can likely fix an issue with their pick in the second round, any one they pick won’t be enough to lead a pass attack or bolster the offensive line enough to Bryce Young or to hold C.J Consistently poured on his feet.

The bears win the trade

The bears dominated this trade. The fact that Carolina has already started soliciting bids is a testament to that. However, any team that needed a QB was getting a little more nervous. The Arizona Cardinals, who hold the third overall, are the first team on the clock that doesn’t need a quarterback right now. The Las Vegas Raiders (seventh overall), Atlanta Falcons (eighth overall but could ride with Desmond Ridder) and New York Jets (13th overall barring the addition of a QB via trade) would be the likeliest contenders to sneak up on it would third place. Where these teams may have hoped that one of the top four quarterbacks in Young, Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson would fall to them, given these new circumstances, that possibility seems much less. Look for another big trade to the upside very soon.