One Dream NFL Draft Trade That Could Change the Chicago Bears Overnight

The back end of the first round is where trades most often occur on draft night. Over the past five years, the final ten picks have been traded nearly half the time. That is usually due to teams picking late having fewer (and often less glaring) needs than the desperate teams picking early in the second.

For the first time in a long time, the Bears are in the former category. They could look to capitalize and will be open to trading down with any team looking to move back into the first.

The Cardinals could send the Bears a great offer

Mike LaFleur posing for a picture — Arizona Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur poses for a photograph on Feb. 3, 2026, at Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals are in a similar position to many of the teams picking at the top of the second-round. They're looking to land a franchise quarterback.

Unfortunately for them, this year's class doesn't exactly boast a stacked group of signal callers. That's a major reason why they've been pegged as a potential landing spot for Tyson Bagent.

With that said, there is one player who would be worth a move up the board if he's still available late in the first round: Alabama's Ty Simpson. The 23-year-old will be in attendance for the draft, so there's reason to believe that he received some good news regarding his draft stock. It's hard to envision a team taking a shot on him in the first half of the first (besides maybe the Jets at pick 16), though.

Ty Simpson on the sidelines — Alabama's Ty Simpson (15 celebrates with Isaiah Horton (1) following the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday Dec. 19, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Simpson gets past the Steelers at pick 21, then he will be one of the most interesting storylines from that point onward. It feels like a safe bet that someone will trade up for him, and Arizona makes a lot of sense as a team that could pull that trigger.

With them on the board at pick 34, they will probably want to jump the Jets (one of the league's most QB-needy teams) at 33. They would probably have to give up pick 64 in the deal, and there's also reason to believe the Bears could even get a fifth-round selection next year (based on the compensation that it cost the Giants to make an identical move for Jaxson Dart last year) on top of it. That would be an absolute HAUL.

First-round QB trades feature an interesting history

Jaxson Dart posing with his jersey — Apr 25, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, US; New York Giants president John Mara (far left), general manager Joe Schoen (left), Jaxson Dart, and head coach Brian Daboll (right) pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference to introduce the Giants first round draft picks. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images | Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

Trading up for a quarterback is one of the most common occurrences related to trades late in the first round. While the vast majority of first-round QBs get pushed up the boards, the ones that go late in the round often land with teams that felt urged to trade up to get them.

Over the past 11 years, seven quarterbacks have been selected between picks 20 and 32. Every single one of them went to a team that traded up to get them. You'd have to go all the way back to 2012, when the Browns drafted Brandon Weeden with the 22nd pick, to find a team at the back end of the first round that was patient and picked a QB with a pick they came into the night with.

Teams often want to trade up for a QB so they can benefit from the added fifth-year option. Notably, they're often willing to overpay due to the importance of the position. They view the QB highly enough to use a first-round pick on them, and they're afraid that another team will feel the same (and feel desperate enough to trade up for them).

Geno Smith throws a pass — Oct 17, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to pass during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

(AI was not needed for the above jersey swap)

That is where this could quickly become a coup for Chicago. The Cardinals could overpay because they feel like they have to. If they don't strike a deal with the Bears or the Bills at pick 26 (another logical trade destination), then the 49ers are on the clock at pick 27. San Francisco could have some gamesmanship and even take a bit of a loss by moving down with New York if it means Arizona is stuck with Jacoby Brissett as their starter.

The Bears could certainly use the added compensation

Peter Woods on the field — Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of the Bears' most glaring remaining weaknesses are at defensive tackle and defensive end. However, if Miami's Akheem Mesidor is gone, then I have a lot of questions about the edge rushers that could be on the board at pick 25. Auburn's Keldric Faulk and Missouri's Zion Young are potential options there, but they both strike me as players who should hear their names called at the top of the second round.

I wouldn't love the selections of Faulk or Young at pick 25, but I wouldn't mind those moves one bit if Chicago were able to land the 64th pick to go along with them. Likewise, some really good defensive tackle prospects will hear their names called at the top of the second.

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) looks on before a play against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The move would also give them three picks from picks 57 through 64, which is near the range that has been lauded as the sweet spot of this year's class. That would allow them to also add three potential starters at DE (or DT), safety, and cornerback. It would also allow them to continue rounding out their depth at receiver or linebacker and land their future starting center with their two selections in the third and fourth rounds.

There are a few players I'd love Chicago to select at pick 25 (Emmanuel McNeill-Warren and Dillon Thieneman would be A+ additions there). However, their best move would definitely be trading out of the first and capitalizing on the situation they're in.

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