Chicago Bears Got Everything They Could’ve Wanted On Saturday
The Chicago Bears are two games away from controlling one of the top two picks in the 2023 draft. All they have to do is lose both. Much depends on how their opponents play. However, one thing is now clear. If the bears secure the #1 or #2 picks, they will have tons of leverage. Now they could go the boring route and sign the best player on the board. No one would blame them. They desperately need superstar talent. At the same time, their list is riddled with holes. More draft picks would help fill them. That’s why so many people are hoping that chief executive Ryan Poles will try to cut sales.
To do that, he needs something to attract other teams. Nothing does more than quarterbacks. It was unclear where the 2023 QB class was. While some talented names are in the mix, evaluators were hesitant to declare them locks for the top five. That changed a lot on Saturday when Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud turned in arguably their best performances of the year. It was confirmation that both are absolutely capable of great things in the NFL and that teams should want to get them.
CJ Stroud vs. Georgia:
• 23/34
• 348 meters
• 4 tutorials
• 34 rushing yards
The Buckeyes QB put the world on notice tonight.
Next stop, the NFL Draft 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WXAcrDZiYl
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 1, 2023 The Chicago Bears are in a privileged position if they do their part.
Winning one of their last two games would ruin the chances. If this happens, the configuration is close to perfect. Assuming one of those QBs becomes No. 1 overall in Houston, the Poles would hold the keys to the other at No. 2. There are a host of needy teams lining up in the top 10, including Indianapolis (5th), Atlanta (6th), Carolina (8th), and Las Vegas (9th). Also note that Seattle (3rd) is a joker since Geno Smith is a free agent and will be 33 this season. They might not want to pay him big bucks despite his surprisingly good 2022 season.
That’s why the Chicago Bears could hold all the cards if they end up with one of the top two picks. Fans are already celebrating. It may be premature. This team has a habit of wasting such opportunities. Two late wins in 1997 deprived them of Peyton Manning. A meaningless win over the Jets in 2002 deprived them of Andre Johnson. Wanting to win is not a bad thing. However, there is a point when it becomes counterproductive. Most of the players on this list probably won’t be around by 2024. That’s something people need to keep in mind. Call it tanking if you will, but the Bears have a lot more to gain if they end up with No. 1 or No. 2 overall.