Did Bears Consider Moving Back to No. 17?

Podcast comment about Steelers and Bears talking first-round trade could mean more picks later in draft.

The Bears have announced their ninth pick is available for the right price, from GM Ryan Poles to team board chairman George McCaskey.

So it should come as no surprise the rumors of discussions are starting to heat up.

According to EJ Snyder of the Bootleg Football Podccast, the Bears and Steelers had conversations about the Steelers taking the ninth spot with the Bears moving back to 17.

"Bears and Steelers are possible," Snyder said on the podcast. "They've talked about it. I know they've talked about it. It's by no means for sure.

"The most likely connect-the-dots moment is that Pittsburgh needs and a tackle and they go up for one because there's one they like and they'll be gone by the time they pick at 17."

Yes,  wild rumor season has begun and you'd see that by checking social media for NFL teams this week.

BEST BEARS DRAFT PICK OF ALL TIME ACCORDING TO SI

From the Steelers' standpoint such a move makes sense but it would need to be a very good offer for the Bears to move back to 17.

The difference on the value chart between the ninth and 17th picks is 350 points and that's the equivalent of a late second rounder. The 24th pick in Round 2, No. 56 overall, is  owned by Jacksonville. That is a 350-point pick.

The natural inclination by Bears fans is to think maybe GM Ryan Poles could get back that first pick of Round 2 that he traded to the Steelers for Chase Claypool but that's far out of reach with a value of 560 points.

However, the Steelers do have a second pick in Round 2 and it's No. 49 overall. It's worth 410 points on the value chart. If they tossed that to the Bears and the Bears included the second pick they have in Round 5, which is No. 148, the point differential would be closer. The Bears would be giving up 1,381 points and the Steelers 1,370 points.

The Bears don't have a pick again after that 148th until Round 7 and those picks are virtually worthless on the point scale, No. 1 in the round owned by the Bears being worth 2.3 points and everything after No. 5 in that round worth only one point.

Whether Poles would actually want to jump right into a deal with the Steelers again after coming away as what seems a clear loser in the Chase Claypool trade seems questionable.

With the 17th pick, the Bears would have several options open to fit needs, just a little lower in perceived talent level than at No. 9. They're in need of a right tackle more than a left tackle.

NFL Mock Draft Database has tracked 1,114 mock drafts and the consensus for the 17th pick this year actually is a right tackle. It's Tennessee's Darnell Wright.

Mel Kiper had the Bears drafting Wright in his newest mock draft on Wednesday, but at the ninth pick. NFL Draft Bible has Wright going 15th to Green Bay.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Wright ranked as the 26th best player in the draft but calls him "plug-and-play.

🚨UPDATE: Tennessee star offensive tackle Darnell Wright has had top-30 Visits with the Tennessee #Titans, Washington #Commanders, Buffalo #Bills, New Orleans #Saints, Las Vegas #Raiders, Arizona #Cardinals, Tampa Bay #Buccaneers, Dallas #Cowboys, Green Bay #Packers, Detroit… pic.twitter.com/4KK9VocxiM

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 11, 2023

Considering the entire thing is based only on a podcast comment or rumor and not a sourced report, it's probably safe to push it to the side for now. Poles is likely to get several inquiries about No. 9 based on how many he had for No. 1. 

If a quarterback begins dropping, he might get more than a few.

What this does do is put some of the middle level picks in the spotlight and shows what the Bears might be looking at if they did move down in Round 1 again.

At some point, though, Poles needs to consider quality over extra picks.

Getting the 49th pick overall would be nice, however. They would have four picks from 49 to 64 and that type of situation sets up well for trading up into the very top of Round 2 or even getting a second first-round pick near the end.

Poles' old team, Kansas City, owns the last pick in Round 1.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven