The Chicago Bears are on the cusp of again being at the center of the football universe, as what the franchise decides to do with the top pick in the draft will soon become the main question around the NFL.
General manager Ryan Poles is keeping his cards close to the vest yet again, after ultimately dealing the No. 1 overall selection last year. But whichever way Chicago is leaning, one outcome is near a certainty — a blockbuster trade is coming.
The Bears will either move the top pick for a king’s ransom or use it to draft a generational prospect, at which point Justin Fields most likely hits the trade market.
The majority of NFL analysts believe the latter path is the one Chicago will ultimately tread.
General manager Ryan Poles was right when he said the Bears are “built on a solid foundation” during his year-end press conference.
No position group showcases the bright potential of Poles’ rebuilding job better than the defensive backfield.
With four of the five members younger than 25, the Bears’ budding defensive backfield is set up to become one of the best secondaries in the NFL if all parties stay on their current track.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports is one of them, and on December 22, 2023, he named the Seattle Seahawks among the five most logical trade partners for Fields this offseason.
“Geno Smith just landed a new deal as their veteran starter last offseason, but his injury-riddled season may not stop Seattle from exploring younger alternatives, as team brass did around the 2023 draft,” Benjamin wrote.
“Smith can be designated a post-June 1 cut to save $22.5 million.”
