ESPN analyst says Texans will try to trade with Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
In the eyes of one ESPN analyst, the Bears hold an ineffable amount of power by owning the rights to the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Specifically, he believes teams hungry for a quarterback will do whatever it takes to trade with the Bears for the first selection.
“I don’t think they (Houston) will sit at two. I think they’ll do everything they can, and the Colts are going to be the driving reason," Todd McShay said on the First Draft podcast with Mel Kiper and Field Yates.
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There are plenty of teams in the top half of the draft who need a quarterback. Their Bears aren't part of that club, giving them the freedom to trade the pick, without harm, to collect assets.
Primarily, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts have expressed their identity as one of those teams. The Texans are nearly guaranteed to move on from 2021 draftee Davis Mills and the Colts are likely trashing their plug-and-play strategy of signing a veteran quarterback into their elite roster.
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“The Colts are done with veteran quarterbacks who come in and just don’t fit the bill," McShay said.
The Colts have gone through a carousel of veteran quarterbacks, handing them the keys to the offense for a quick attempt at boosting their team to a deep playoff run. The most recent subject was Matt Ryan, with Carson Wentz and Philip Rivers as the predecessors to Ryan in the system.
That being said, the Texans own the No. 2 pick in the draft, and the Colts own the No. 4 pick. McShay believes the Bears' ownership of the No. 1 pick will create a bidding war for the selection, especially since the teams share the AFC South division. Mel Kiper, on the other hand, has expressed the argument that none of the quarterbacks in the upcoming draft create enough motivation for a team to move up and select one.
Houston Texans reporter John McClain suggested the possibility of the Texans leaking who they want to take at quarterback to set up a trap for a team to take the quarterback they don't want. This strategy could prevent or instigate a trade with the Bears.
MORE: Texans reporter breaks down the draft for Bears
The possibilities for the Bears' front office seem endless for the upcoming draft. How will they leverage the No. 1 pick?
