Why Bears Having First Pick Makes it More Likely Bryce Young Goes No. 1: All Things CW
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The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh appears in five parts, with the latest on the Alabama Crimson Tide. This is ...
Take 3
On face value, it didn't look good for Bryce Young, one of two former Alabama Crimson Tide players who have a chance to be selected first in the 2023 NFL Draft.
When the Chicago Bears lost to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, and the Houston Texans pulled off a 32-31 upset of the Indianapolis Colts to close out Week 18 of the NFL season, the Bears secured the top pick (and the Texans fired their coach).
The Bears already have an established young quarterback, and need help everywhere else. So on first glance, linebacker Will Anderson Jr.'s odds of being the top pick seemed to improve.
But it's actually Young's chances that rose.
Here's why:
The first decision that Chicago has to make is whether it still considers Justin Fields to be a franchise quarterback.
This past season, his second, he threw for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns, but with 11 interceptions. Fields also rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, falling just shy of the quarterback rushing record for a season that Lamar Jackson set in 2019 at 1,206 yards.
The only way that Chicago decides not to stick with Fields is if it decides he's already peaked as a passer and can't improve. If that's the case, Young would be a strong choice at No. 1 as he's widely considered the top quarterback in the draft class. The other top names include CJ Stroud (Ohio State), Will Levis (Kentucky), Tanner McKee (Stanford), and Tyler Van Dyke (Miami).
When asked if he’s “your guy,” or if he might opt for a quarterback in the draft, general manager Ryan Poles was a little vague about Fields this week.
“We’re gonna do the same thing as we’ve always done,” he told reporters. “We’re gonna evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I’d have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision.”
Option two would be to take the best non-quarterback available, which would likely mean choosing between Anderson and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Normally that kind of decision would be dictated by the greater team need, but the Bears were last in the league in sacks and second-to-last in rushing defense.
The Bears need a lot of help.
They also have a ton of space under the salary cap, so free agency comes into play.
According to Over the Cap, Chicago will have the most cap space in the league with a whopping projected mark of $118 million. For a little perspective, the next closest team is the Atlanta Falcons, with $69 million in space.
The player topping the Bears' payroll is former Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson.
In theory they could spend a significant chunk on a quarterback in free agency, but there isn't really a high-profile, franchise-type player available this year. Tom Brady is an obvious exception, but if he comes back for another season it'll be to try and win another Super Bowl and the Bears are too far away.
Some of the other potential top names available include Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Jimmy Garoppolo.
At minimum, Fields, the No. 11 -overall pick in 2021, who still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, is a cheaper option.
Which brings us to option three, which at this point is the most likely scenario: The Bears trade out of the top spot, stockpile picks and address more needs.
To move up to No. 1, a team will almost be certainly looking for a quarterback, the one position that will make-or-break the careers of general managers and coaches more than the rest combined.
How many teams with top-10 picks, from the Texans to the Panthers at No. 9, are in need of a starting quarterback? Just about all of them.
They're now all considering their options, taking close looks at Young and the other quarterbacks, and figuring out what they'd be willing to do to move up for each of them. The price at the top figures to be high, especially since there may be numerous interested teams.
Young may be undersized by NFL standards, but he's exactly the kind of player a team can select to be the face of the franchise and then not worry about.
Let the bidding begin ...
See Also:
Take 1: For First Time in CFP era, Champion Didn't Have to go Through Alabama
Take 2: 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class Stellar, but Shows Glaring Problem
2023 Alabama Crimson Tide Eligibility Tracker
Keeping Track of Which Alabama Players Have Declared for 2023 NFL Draft
