Final Tally of Bryce Young Trade Between Bears, Panthers is Masterclass for Chicago

The Bears decision to move off the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft proved to be the gift that kept on giving for Chicago.

Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Alabama quarterback Bryce Young on stage after he was drafted first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bryce Young trade is officially in the books. Oh boy, is it a doozy.

Say what you will about Ryan Poles and some of the more ill-advised decisions he's made since becoming the Bears' general manager in 2022. There's no denying just how much of a coup their decision to move off the first overall pick in 2023 was, though.

When looking back at each of the selections, it really is a wonder how they were able to extract so much value from one pick three years ago. The Panthers being awful certainly helped, but the fact remains. It's a trade worthy of hanging in the Louvre.

The Panthers received...

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young smiles after being selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Img 0010 2 | Chris Kwiecinski/Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bryce Young. A quarterback who has shown flashes but barely reached the 3000-yard mark in by far the most promising year of his career last season. Through his first three seasons, he has yet to show that he's a franchise quarterback worthy of re-signing.

Meanwhile, the Bears received...

Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) shakes hands with wide receiver DJ Moore (2) during warm ups prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

DJ Moore

DJ Moore's time in Chicago might ultimately be remembered as a "what could have been", but he still produced some of the most iconic moments in recent Bears' history. His first year in the Windy City also resulted in one of the best receiving seasons in franchise history. They also landed a second-round pick for him, which eventually turned into tight end Sam Roush and Malik Muhammad after a trade-down (and subsequent trade-up in the latter's case).

Darnell Wright

Jan 5, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Darnell Wright was selected 10th overall after the Bears moved down with Carolina (and again with the Eagles) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He's already one of the league's best right tackles at only 24 years old. The team recently picked up his fifth-year option, and he will definitely be locked down as their long-term option at RT.

Tyrique Stevenson

The Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson with the 56th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. It would be an understatement to say that he's had an up-and-down career so far. He had a promising rookie campaign but has been inconsistent (and, at times, infuriating) since. The Bears might've just drafted his replacement in Malik Muhammad.

Caleb Williams

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Panthers being horrible in 2023 put the Bears in a position to select Caleb Williams first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Unlike Young, there are no questions about whether he is Chicago's long-term answer at quarterback. In fact, he really might be their first long-term answer since the AFL became the NFL. He became one of the league's most exciting young signal-callers last season after a turbulent (to very little fault of his own) rookie campaign.

Tory Taylor

Tory Taylor is a punter. The Bears somewhat irrationally drafted him in the fourth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was supposed to be generational. He has only been good. Clearly, I don't know what else to say here. Go find an expert on punters if you want groundbreaking punter analysis.

Luther Burden III

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) runs onto the field during player introductions before an NFC Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Luther Burden III, whom the Bears selected with the 39th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is coming off one of the most efficient rookie receiver seasons in recent memory. The stats might not blow you away, but the metrics certainly will. He should get an even bigger piece of the pie after the team shipped DJ Moore out of town, too.

Sam Roush

Stanford's Sam Roush is one of the most complete tight ends in this year's class. He's a 6'6", 270 lb. bulldozer who also has underrated receiving (and, namely, run-after-catch) chops. The Bears drafted him 69th overall after some TEs who came off the board had no business doing so before him. While he wasn't a need (like, at all), he will still be an extremely useful bully in 13 personnel. He could also push Cole Kmet out of town.

Malik Muhammad

Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad was a great pick for the Bears in the fourth round (124th overall) in this year's class. He could push Stevenson for the starting outside cornerback job from day one and all but cut his leash in half. He's sticky in coverage and holds his own surprisingly well against the run for a player weighing only 182 lbs.