Chicago Bears: 3 options with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears are picking first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and have huge needs on both sides of the ball. Which player should they take?  Perhaps one of the most interesting decisions that Bears’ General Manager Ryan Poles will get to make is what to do with the first overall pick.

He recently said that he’d have to be blown away with a quarterback to select them first overall.  Obviously, Justin Fields was a 2021 NFL Draft choice by the previous regime, so there is no connection between the Bears’ front office and coaching staff and Fields himself.

With that being said, while Fields has much to work on as a passer, we did see him take a leap in year two.  He rushed for over 1,000 yards and did earn a passer rating in the mid 80s.  That, from what we saw last year, is somewhat promising.

Chicago may also consider trading down because of how many holes they have on their roster.  Let’s look at three options they can take with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

Chicago Bears: 3 options with the first overall pick

Trading down

This might be the best option with the first overall pick.  The Bears have a bad defense, a bad pass protecting offensive line and bad weapons.  Given that the team has so many needs, it might be wise to simply take the highest bigger for the first overall pick, drop a few slots, and use that extra capital.

You are either fully in on your quarterback or you’re looking for a new one, and if Poles and co. decide to run it forward with Justin Fields, they need to be all in on making that happen, and the best decision they could make with this pick is to trade it to acquire more draft capital.

More darts = more chances for a bullseye.

Selecting a quarterback

Perhaps something that is still possible but maybe unlikely is Ryan Poles and his team to fall in love with a quarterback that they simply cannot pass up in the 2023 NFL Draft.  Bryce Young might be the best QB in the nation, but CJ Stroud has a case for that as well.

However, CJ Stroud has not officially declared for the NFL Draft…

Either way, this is a possibility, and a risky one at that.  I think the Chicago Bears saw enough from Justin Fields in year two to give him year three with an improved roster, and I honestly do not think the roster itself will be at adequate levels until Fields’ fourth year in the NFL.

This is a true rebuilding process for the Bears.

Taking a defensive player

Whether it’s Jalen Carter, Will Anderson, or someone else, the Bears could simply opt for the best defensive player, or best overall player in the NFL Draft.  Outside of the quarterbacks, who are usually taken very high, there does not seem to be any other player on offense that would be worth using the first overall pick on.

So if the Chicago Bears do not want to draft a quarterback and do not receive a strong enough trade offer to move down, they may be left taking someone to bolster that defense.

While that might not be well received by the NFL landscape, that might be the nature of the situation they are in.  Fortunately, guys like Carter and Anderson are insane talents that will not only start day one, but will likely be near the top of their respective positions by their rookie season’s end.