New Projected Landing Spots For Top Veteran QBs Is Great For Chicago Bears

If the Chicago Bears want to secure a substantial market for the No. 1 pick, they need to see how the veteran landscape unfolds via free agency and trades. Depending on where the biggest names go, this will impact which teams may or may not be interested in making a run at No. 1 overall. Many pundits and insiders believe GM Ryan Poles will keep the phone lines open and busy for months. However, the real move is not likely before the end of March. This is when the veteran market should be largely settled.

No one can say for sure how things are going. Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr decided to put up some projections of how he sees things breaking down. By his assessment, that’s exactly the scenario the Bears should be encouraging.

Tom Brady – Retired (has since been confirmed)Aaron Rodgers – Remains with PackersDerek Carr – Signs with WashingtonJimmy Garoppolo – Signs with MiamiLamar Jackson – Remains with RavensGeno Smith – Remains with SeahawksDaniel Jones – Remains with Giants

The main significance of this is that none of the best options resulted in a top 10 team selection. Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Carolina failed to get big names. That means everyone will have more desperation to land a quarterback in the draft. It stands to reason that at least one of them would be willing to pay top dollar to get the guy they want.

The Chicago Bears need something else to make it work.

They need top quarterbacks like Bryce Young and CJ Stroud to blast one or two of those teams in drills and interviews. They have to make someone fall in love. If and when this happens, anxiety begins to set in. What if anyone else feels the same way about this quarterback? They could reach it before we do. This is when the phone calls to Halas Hall will get intense. Poles can weigh the offers carefully. Once he gets one that he deems impossible to pass up, he can pull the trigger.

Nothing is set in stone. One of those quarterbacks could always do something unexpected. Still, everything points to the Chicago Bears having a solid roster of teams interested in the No. 1 pick. It will depend on what they offer and how low the Poles would be willing to go. Everything can happen. If there is a trade, the smart money says it meets a few weeks before the draft between late March and early April. Keep track of the quarterback’s workouts so far.