The Bears have a big decision to make this offseason.
Should they draft a quarterback with the first pick? Or should he trade it down and stick with Justin Fields to collect future assets?
The prevailing thought early in the offseason was that USC's Caleb Williams was too elite to pass. But can the Bears convince him with a potential trade package? The Denver Broncos are reportedly desperate to find a new signal-caller after their experiment with Russell Wilson ultimately failed.
“Right now, there's very little room for any team to move down unless a big contract is offered in front of them. And a big deal from the Denver Broncos would definitely include cornerback Patrick Surtain. I've been told throughout the franchise that they don't want to trade Surtain. They would only consider moving the corner as a last-ditch effort to secure one of their top passers. ” Tony Poulin wrote in Sportskeeda.
It's worth mentioning that Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a strong affinity for Williams. Payton had very strong opinions about Williams' talent and suggested that Williams could change the game in the NFL.
“I think he's a generational player,” Payton said of Williams on “The Herd” in November 2022. “…At some point, we will move to a lottery system in the NFL.” [draft]. This is a player who has the potential to do that.”
The Broncos currently own the 12th pick in the NFL Draft. Considering the value of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft, he's far from a No. 1 pick. That means the Broncos will have to give an arm and a leg to get close to that height, or even the No. 1 pick.
My guess is that it would take several first-round picks and a second-day pick to make that happen. Needless to say, a quality player like Surtain must be available. All things considered, it's certainly an attractive offer.
Surtain, 23, was the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Surtain has been named to the Pro Bowl twice and named first-team All-Pro once in 2022 during his three-year career.
He has seven career interceptions, one pick-six, 36 pass blocks, one forced fumble, and 187 tackles. He's the best coverage corner in his career, holding opposing quarterbacks to less than 60% of his targets. That's amazing. And that's on a Denver team that puts little pressure on the quarterback. He was 21st in sacks last season.
Can you imagine Surtain and Jaylon Johnson pairing up on opposite sides? It would be an unstoppable duo. And such an offer is sure to pique the interest of the Bears, who have been a defensive-minded team since their inception.
The Bears could also pull off some trades in the draft. Behind them, the Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and Broncos are all in need of a quarterback. It is no exaggeration to say that multiple trade down scenarios can be executed.
But if you believe Caleb Williams, or any other quarterback prospect, will drive the offense more than Fields, it would take a lot of restraint to turn down the offers that will inevitably flood in this offseason. It will be.
Ryan Pauls and the front office have a big challenge ahead of them. But even if they choose to move down from the No. 1 pick, they will still have a lot to work on in the draft and on the trade market.
