It appears more evident that the Chicago Bears may trade their pick at number nine. Here are five potential trade partners.
The 2024 NFL Draft is just two days away. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles is set to run the most important draft in franchise history. It looks as if he decided on who he selects at the top. It is all but guaranteed that USC quarterback Caleb Williams will be the pick.
What Poles does with the number nine pick is the real mystery. He has a lot of options there. He will be in a position to pick up another elite prospect. Does he add help for Williams, or does he improve the defense?
Another option for Poles is a trade. The Chicago Bears have only four picks. If Poles wants to fill more holes he may want to trade down to acquire more picks. However, he could decide to blow things up and go up for another “generational” talent.
Poles could want to take the best quarterback and best wide receiver prospect in the draft. That would put the NFL on notice that the Chicago Bears are back. He already revamped the offense and it looks as if the points will be plenty this season.
Imagine a wide receivers room with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Marvin Harrison Jr. That would be crazy. Harrison is mentioned because he is likely the only prospect Poles would move up to select.
Some may feel that with just four picks the Bears don’t have the assets to trade up. However, they have five picks in the first four rounds of next year’s draft, including two second-round picks. Poles could use a combination of the ninth pick and a couple of those 2025 picks.
Here are five potential trade partners for the ninth pick of the draft:
Jacksonville Jaguars, Pick 17
Poles could decide to amass many picks to fill holes and add depth. He can do that while still getting even more help for Williams. This class is deep at wide receiver. Poles can select a very good wide receiver as late as the fourth round.
The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their top wide receiver, Calvin Ridley, via free agency. If one of the big three receivers is available at nine, the Jaguars could pull the trigger and pick up a great replacement.
Trading down from nine to 17 should garner the Bears many picks. Jacksonville has eight picks the Bears could choose from. Poles could garner a few additional picks and solidify the roster even more than he already has.
New England Patriots, Pick 3
The New England Patriots have the third pick in the draft. They are always in search of additional picks both in the present draft and in future drafts. They have a history of wheeling and dealing every year.
The Arizona Cardinals are the one team linked with Harrison the most. They own the fourth pick and would be the first team not going after a quarterback. That means if Poles wants Harrison he needs to leapfrog over Arizona.
The Patriots could use multiple trades to move up and down. The ninth position is a great spot to make a deal. They can move down to nine and then move back up, similar to what the Cardinals did last year. They traded down from number three. Later, they moved back up to six. They ended up with multiple additional draft picks.
Poles could get ahead of the Cardinals and acquire the two best prospects in the draft.
Denver Broncos, Pick 12
The Denver Broncos need a quarterback. Sure, they just picked up Zack Wilson. They also have Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci. They are not screaming elite, though. It isn’t even screaming average. They will want to add to that quarterback room.
Like the Jaguars, the Broncos have eight picks to work with. Should a quarterback they want be available at nine, they would certainly pull the trigger on a deal.
Arizona Cardinals, Pick 4
Poles could end up taking the Cardinals’ spot. There are reports that Arizona is ready to sell that pick. They could prioritize additional picks to having the top wide receiver prospect. Additionally, they may want to find protection for quarterback Kyler Murray.
If the Chicago Bears make this trade it could go down to the wire. However, with the top three picks likely to be quarterbacks, if Poles can get to four he will get his man.
Los Angeles Chargers, Pick 5
Like the Cardinals, the Los Angeles Chargers announced their pick is for sale. Having this gives Poles an opportunity to wheel and deal if he covets Harrison.
The Chargers have a new coach, Jim Harbaugh. He wants to acquire some picks so he can fill holes in the roster. Their priority is likely selecting protection for Justin Herbert. They would want to make sure he stays upright. Last season, he suffered an injury that cut his season short.
Additionally, the Chargers need targets for Herbert. In addition to losing Allen in the trade with the Bears, they lost tight end Gerald Everett (also to the Bears but via free agency).
If there is a run on quarterbacks and the big three wide receivers, super tight end prospect Brock Bowers or the best offensive lineman prospect in the draft, Joe Alt, could be available at nine.
With the Bears’ fourth-round pick acquired for Allen, the Chargers have nine picks. That gives them plenty of opportunities to find wide receivers later in the draft.
There are many opportunities for Poles to trade either up or down. Poles might want to make a big splash in the draft. Moving up from nine to select Harrison would be a huge splash. However, he could trade down and solidify the roster. That could make them contenders for the NFC North title.
As Poles stated when he became Chicago Bears GM, this could be the draft that gives the team a hold of the division that they won’t let go anytime soon.
