"Experts Grade Chicago Bears' Trade of No. 1 Pick to Carolina Panthers"
The Chicago Bears have made a major trade with the Carolina Panthers, acquiring the coveted No. 1 pick in the draft. In exchange, they have secured a fantastic package that includes two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and standout wide receiver DJ Moore.
For Chicago's general manager, Ryan Poles, this trade is a major coup that will bolster his team's chances of making significant strides in the upcoming 2023 season. The acquisition of Moore, a true No. 1 wide receiver, at the age of just 25 is particularly significant for quarterback Justin Fields' development in his third year.
Poles' decision to get this trade done before free agency opens up opportunities for addressing other crucial needs in the upcoming season. Despite securing Moore's services, the Bears still have an impressive $75 million in salary cap space, the highest in the league.
Experts have applauded the Bears' trade, with many praising Poles' move as a home run that puts the team in an excellent position for success in the upcoming season. Here is a collection of the grades assigned to the trade by various experts.
In a single trade, the Bears accelerated their roster turnaround and will be able to help quarterback Justin Fields. Credit general manager Ryan Poles for being willing to trade down all the way to No. 9 to gain extra value. Too often teams end up getting married to where they are slotted and not wanting to deviate far from that spot. Once Chicago elected to stick with Fields, it wasn't going to use the No. 1 overall pick on a non-QB. Thus, the Bears walked away with far, far more out of this deal than the No. 1 pick was worth to them. And the approximate yield of an extra sixth overall pick is assuming Carolina's future picks are in the middle of its respective rounds. In reality, the Panthers are going to have a rookie QB, which means the chances of their season going sideways and ending up with one of the top picks in the 2024 NFL draft is significant.
I also really like that the Bears were able to pry Moore from the Panthers. He is on a value contract for the Bears now. From Chicago's perspective, it's a three-year, $52.3 million deal with only the first year guaranteed, per ESPN's Roster Management System. And he fills a crucial need, one that was not going to be easily filled in free agency given the weak receiver class.
We know Justin Fields can connect on the deep bombs, and we know he can take off with his legs when his pocket breaks down. But to take his game to the next level, he has to become a consistent intermediate passer. Enter D.J. Moore.
Among 32 quarterbacks with at least 50 intermediate pass attempts (passes thrown 10-19 yards downfield) in 2022, Fields led the way with a 66.7% completion rate and ranked 13th in accuracy percentage per PFF charting. However, he didn't attack there often enough, partly due to his pass-catchers.
From 2019 to 2022, D.J. Moore saw 172 intermediate targets, the second-most in the NFL. And while Fields still has room to grow as a passer, it's not like Moore was working with much at quarterback over that span. The timing is also perfect, as Moore is just 25 years old and signed a new contract last offseason, with Chicago inheriting a three-year, $52.265 million deal.
In addition to getting their young quarterback a No. 1 option at a good value, the Bears also land two first-round and two second-round picks, which they can utilize to overhaul the rest of their roster, particularly in the trenches where help is sorely needed on both sides of the ball.
The 2024 first-round pick from Carolina could land in the top 10 again, given the current state of the Panthers roster and the volatility that comes with playing a rookie quarterback.
Overall, this was a home run by general manager Ryan Poles.
