Why did the Chicago Bears trade the No. 1 pick now? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
On Friday, the Bears traded their coveted No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers. Yet, the NFL draft is a mere seven weeks away.
The Bears received a haul in return from the Panthers. They exchanged the top pick for the No. 9 pick, the No. 61 pick, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025 and wide receiver D.J. Moore.
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But why trade the pick now?
MORE: Report: Bears trade No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers
The last piece of the trade seems to be part of the reason the Bears bargained with the Panthers this early. The Bears now have a clear idea of where their team stands before the start of free agency. And Moore scratches out the need for the Bears to obtain a receiver this offseason.
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The NFL free agency period opens with legal discussions on March 13 and starts officially when the new league year begins on March 15.
Heading into free agency, the Bears also now know exactly where they'll be drafting in the upcoming NFL draft (assuming they don't trade down again out of the top 10) and they've already crossed their wide receiver needs off their laundry list.
This gives Ryan Poles and the Bears' front office a clear idea of how they'll want to attack free agency and the draft. The Bears seemingly will address free agency with vigor, considering they have the most cap space in the NFL.
In the draft, they still have a top-10 pick to add premium talent to their roster. They'll likely address the trenches (offensive/defensive line) from the plethora of talent filling the brim of the top ten picks.
They likely won't be in range for Will Anderson or the top-tier defensive line prospects. But they could be in a position for names like Nolan Smith, Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson; or, even Jalen Carter, depending on how far his charge of reckless driving and racing brings him down in the draft, if at all.
Instead of waiting on the likes of the Houston Texans (No. 2 pick) and the Indianapolis Colts (No. 4 pick), the Bears executed decisively about the fate of their draft.
No questions. No second guessing.
This was a veteran move made by second-year general manager Ryan Poles. The Bears now have a clear direction for their offseason plans.
