Proposed Chicago Bears Blockbuster Trade Would Flip 2026 NFL Draft on its Head

ESPN's Bill Barnwell has suggested a Chicago Bears trade that would completely shake-up Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. | David Banks-Imagn Images

We have seen a lot of Chicago Bears trade scenarios for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but one proposal from ESPN would amount to an earth-shattering move.

The proposal comes from ESPN's Bill Barnwell, who suggested one trade for every team in the first round of this year's draft.

For the Bears, Barnwell has Chicago moving up all the way from No. 25 to No. 11 in a blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins.

Barnwell's proposal is as follows:

• Bears get: 1-11, 5-151, 7-227, 2027 fifth-round pick

• Dolphins get: 1-25, 2-57, 2027 second-round pick

"Though moving from No. 25 to No. 18 wasn't a drastic jump, going from 25 to 11 would be a much more significant climb. This would really make sense only if one of the top pass-rush prospects, such as David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr. or Arvell Reese, fall out of the top 10," Barnwell wrote.

"That seems unlikely to me, but stranger things have happened, and the Bears would be well-positioned to pounce if that occurred," he added.

Is this Bears-Dolphins trade proposal possible?

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. | David Banks-Imagn Images

While this trade is unlikely for multiple reasons, never say never in the NFL.

The two 2026 picks the Bears are giving up in Barnwell's deal are worth 1,050 points, per the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart.

Miami's three 2026 picks are worth 1,282 points, so that's not an insurmountable gap by any stretch.

Second-round picks range anywhere from 270 to 580 points, so Chicago's 2027 second-round selection would close the gap to even out the deal.

The last time the Bears traded up

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The last time the Bears traded up was in 2021, when they moved from No. 20 to No. 11 in a deal with the New York Giants to take Justin Fields.

A trade up makes sense for Chicago because the team is lacking an impact EDGE opposite Montez Sweat for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit, and all the best ones will be off the board by the time the Bears are on the clock at No. 25.

The presence of a pure predator pass-rusher would have a multiplying effect. Dennis Allen's defensive fronts have edge rushers generating pressure on their own, which opens up opportunities elsewhere on the line. A monster on the outside, like Bailey or Bain, would not only give Allen his Cam Jordan in a Bears uniform, it can create pressure from all over.

That's what it would seem on paper, at least. The concern for the Bears is their lackluster history when it comes to developing edge rushers, something Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune pointed out.

"The issue here, and I’ve written about it for years, is the Bears have been unable to draft and develop a high-caliber edge rusher," he said. "Can they do it this year? I don’t know."

That's definitely something troubling to think about, especially if the Bears are going to give up a lot to move up.

But that was also a previous regime and the current one isn't going to stop itself from making a move now because of past failures unrelated to it.

Would the Dolphins make this trade?

Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We're pretty skeptical the Dolphins would be interested in a trade like the one Barnwell proposes.

That's not to say Miami would be opposed to moving back, but sliding all the way to No. 25 just doesn't seem like something a rebuilding team in need of blue-chip players would want to do.

And it's not like the Dolphins need the extra picks, either.

Sure, another 2027 pick would be nice because next year's draft is expected to be much better, but Miami is already armed with 11 picks in this year's draft, including two first-rounders and a whopping five total selections on Day 2.

Chances are, if the Bears want to move up in Round 1, it'll have to be with someone else that's a bit close to where they are.