Ryan Poles, GM of the Chicago Bears, has revealed that he won’t be rushing to make a decision on the #1 overall pick, unlike last year when he traded it to Carolina on March 10th. It’s likely that the decision will be delayed until April for two reasons. Firstly, Poles may opt for a change at quarterback, replacing Justin Fields with one of the top names in the 2024 class. Alternatively, he may believe that the pick’s value will increase as other teams become familiar with the quarterbacks, making it more valuable for trading.
Interestingly, the Bears may not have to work too hard to increase the pick’s value. Jerod Mayo, the new head coach of the New England Patriots, recently hinted in an interview with CBS News Boston that the Patriots are planning to take a quarterback with their #3 overall pick. This revelation suggests that the Bears may have more leverage in potential trade negotiations.
Mayo’s announcement clarifies that any team selecting below #3 will need to surpass the Patriots if they desire one of the top quarterbacks obtainable, including Washington at #2. It is well-known that they are also searching for a quarterback, and they will not be keeping Sam Howell with a new GM and head coach. This implies that if Poles reveals that #1 is available, the bidding war could become insane. Teams will want to surpass those two, while they may have to pay a high price to jump into the #1 spot to guarantee their desired selection.
This reinforces the belief that many experts have held since the season’s end, that the Chicago Bears are in a prime position. They can either choose one of the best quarterbacks in this year’s draft, which many believe is loaded, or they will receive a significant package of assets to trade their spot. In either case, Poles will lead his team towards contention. There should be indications of their intentions around the start of the offseason in mid-March.
