Report: Bears trade No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Bears are trading the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers for the No. 9 pick, the No. 61 pick, wide receiver D.J. Moore, a first-rounder in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025, first reported by Ian Rapoport and compensation confirmed by Adam Schefter.
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Ryan Poles pulled off an early, earth-shattering trade well over a month away from the NFL draft. And he received an absolute haul for the Bears.
First, the Bears remain in the top ten draft order and can draft a game-changing player for their team. Reports say Poles believes seven "blue" players are worth taking at the No. 1 pick. Clearly, he's confident in this year's crop by trading back as far as the ninth pick.
The Bears loaded up their future war chest, securing a first-round pick in next year's draft and a second-round selection in two drafts from the upcoming one.
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The Panthers finished 7-10 last season while trading away Christian McCaffrey and now D.J. Moore. Assuming this is the start of a rebuild for Carolina, the Bears should reap the benefits of a high draft pick next season.
Finally, the Bears checked a No. 1 receiver off their laundry list. Poles and the Bears secured Moore, adding him to a group with Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet as the team's best pass catchers.
Moore, 25, has five NFL seasons under his belt, all with the Panthers. Last March, Moore signed a three-year extension with the Panthers worth about $62 million. That totaled his contract to four years, giving him three years in control with the Bears.
The former No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 draft has three seasons receiving over 1,000 yards. Last season, he posted 888 yards and seven touchdowns, the most he's recorded in a single season. The Bears found their No. 1 receiver ahead of free agency.
Now, the Bears' focus shifts to drafting at the No. 9 spot.
