Written by Kevin Fishbein, Adam Yanz, Joseph Pearson, and Jeff Howe
The Chicago Bears have traded the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, and team and league sources have confirmed that the athlete. Here’s what you need to know:
- In exchange for the top pick in the draft, Chicago will receive No. 9 and No. 61 Carolina picks in 2023, first round picks in 2024, second round picks in 2025, and future senior DJ Moore, per team and league sources.
- The Bears have shopped in first place this season due in part to strong play by QB Justin Fields in the second half of 2022.
- Fields finished 2022 with 2,242 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, to go up to 1,143 passing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. He threw 12 of those touches in the team’s last eight games.
- The Bears were 3-14 in 2022, while the Panthers were 7-10.
the athleteInstant Analysis:
Why did the Panthers make this move?
After three years of playing the ring with Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, they had to try something different. Owner David Tepper is a fan of making a big splash, which he has attempted to do by pursuing Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson the past two seasons. In addition, the Panthers will not hire Frank Reich, former NFL quarterback and QB coach, nor will they give him someone to work with. – person
So who are the Panthers up for?
The party line of the team will be such that Reich and general manager Scott Vetterer will use the next seven weeks to assess which of the Big Four quarterbacks they want: CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. But league insiders believe he will be Stroud, bigger than Young, more accurate than Richardson and a more playmaker than Levis. Stroud delivered an accurate passing display on the set last week, proving against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals that he’s not afraid to leave the pocket when necessary. The Panthers passed another Ohio State quarterback two years ago with eighth-ranked Jesse Horn when the fields were available. – person
Go deeper
What was the value of the Bears’ No. 1 pick? A gift from the leopards
Trade valuation for bears
This is a big win for Bears General Manager Ryan Pauls. And quite a statement to the rest of the league. Poles is rebuilding the Bears, and now he has a plethora of picks for that. First Choice was a tremendous resource and he knew it. Teams always go to the quarterbacks.
The Panthers now get whatever they choose from them, while the Poles have an additional first player in 2024 and a second in 2025 to add key pieces to his roster. He also earned No. 1 receiver at Moore for Fields. It really is an amazing distance. – Janz
What Moore brings to Chicago
The draft capital is more important in the long run for the Bears, but Moore could be a huge part of that deal. The Bears are a productive wide receiver — he’s had 1,100 yards every season from 2019-21 — and he turns 26 next month. Moore could be a much-needed key part of this roster at a premium position, and lessen the Bears’ need to pour resources extensively into free agency or the draft. It’s a big thing for Fields, too, to get a veteran playmaker to join Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool. – Aquarium
the background
With quarterback Young and Stroud expected to be the first players selected in the upcoming draft, the Bears, content with the Fields, capitalized on their worst record in the NFL. With the new picks, Chicago is expected to develop the roster surrounding fields or flip shots into more assets.
24th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Moore started 73 games during his five-year career with Carolina. Last season, he led the Panthers with 888 yards and seven touchdowns.
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(Photo by Bears GM Ryan Poles: Matt Marton/USA Today)
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