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Would Bears Really Deal Justin Fields for No. 9?

NFL.com has a three-round mock with three trades and another website has Justin Fields traded for the ninth pick overall.
Gene Chamberlain|
USA Today

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Chicago Bears

A trading frenzy surrounds the Bears in mock drafts, since they do own the first pick.

Two such mocks got in on this wave and caused a stir, and one was on NFL.com as the mocks began expanding beyond Round 1 with the Super Bowl finished.

In another expanded mock, the unthinkable occurred and Justin Fields was traded by the Bears.

The NFL.com draft by Chad Reuter accomplished the Bears double-trade in Round 1 and also another trade back up into Round 1.

Reuter had the Bears trading down one spot to take Houston's second pick because the Texans wouldn't want to be forced to take a lesser quarterback than division rival Indianapolis. Then Reuter has the Bears trading with Indianapolis to move down to No. 4.

It might seem that if Indianapolis gets bested by Houston in a bidding war for No. 1, there would be no incentive for the Colts to trade up to No. 2. After all, the Bears and the Cardinals at 2 and 3 are not going to select quarterbacks. So the Colts could simply sit at No. 4 and keep their picks and take the next-best quarterback if they're unable to secure the top spot in the draft.

However, the Bears could just as easily trade that No. 2 spot to another team from farther back and the second quarterback would be gone as well. So the Colts would need to make certain they can get the second pick if they can't get No. 1.

HOW BEARS SALARY CAP SITUATION RANKS WITH REST OF NFC NORTH

Reuter points out how Colts GM Chris Ballard said he'd do "whatever it takes" to get a quarterback in the draft, so they're unlikely to simply sit there and let some other team trade ahead of them again.

The return on the two trades set the Bears up an ability to pick Alabama defensive end Will Anderson Jr. at No. 4. Although Jalen Carter would be a better fit for their defensive scheme, he was gone to the Cardinals at No. 3.

The Bears obtained Houston's 35th pick in Round 2 in their trade down one spot and sent it in a trade, along with a fourth-round pick, to Kansas City to move back up into Round 1. They then drafted wide receiver Rashee Rice of Southern Methodist.

Rice was a smash hit at Senior Bowl practices. He has the size and ability to play every receiver position. In fact, he might be better from the slot and the Bears can use help there.

BEARS HAVE TO WIN A GAME IN THE NORTH TO TAKE THE NORTH

In the second round at No. 53, the pick the Bears obtained for trading away Roquan Smith, they drafted Maryland tackle Jaelyn Duncan, who was among the players said to have excelled at the Senior Bowl. They passed on Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee to make this pick and Bresee is projected by many mock drafts as a mid-level first-rounder.

The Bears do need a right tackle but it's possible they'll have this addressed in free agency.

The lack of a three technique is obvious now for the Bears and in Round 3, Reuter has the Bears taking Alabama defensive tackle Byron Young at No. 64.

The problem with this pick is one described by the NFL.com scouting report Lance Zierlein did on Young and that is he projects better as a two-gapper than an attacking one-gap player.

The other third-round pick they have is 73 and there they selected Luke Wypler from Ohio State, a 6-3, 300-pound center who started two years. His ability to move would make him a good fit in this Bears wide-zone scheme but scouts are concerned over his shorter arms, especially at how this would affect his abilty to handle the A-gap.

There Goes Justin Fields to Panthers

The mock shock for Bears fans came in a mock draft conducted by the33rdteam.com, the same website that brought everyone Mike Martz's stunning criticisms of Fields.

Apparently he's had an influence on their mock drafts because their website traded away Fields for a package of picks to Carolina.

So instead of trading the first pick of the draft, the Bears selected Alabama QB Bryce Young.

While the Bears traded Fields, they did get the Panthers' ninth pick and added another former Ohio State player, tackle Paris Johnson. The 6-6, 310-pounder is unlike some oversized tackles so he could be a good wide-zone fit for the Bears, whose real need at tackle is the right side.

In Round 2 of this mock, the Bears were able to find the three technique they need at No. 53 with Calijah Kancey, the undersized 6-foot, 280-pounder Mel Kiper Jr. has raved about. His lightning quickness off the ball lets him get into gaps and disrupt.

The33rdteam.com conducted only a two-round mock here.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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