Peter King, Accurate Predictor of Bears' Top Pick Trade, Unveils Probable 1st Round Selection
Just a few days remain before the 2023 NFL draft unveils the Chicago Bears' plans for their ninth overall pick.
The Bears have several options for their No. 9 pick, such as sticking to it and acquiring a top prospect or trading back once again. Speculation has been mounting about general manager Ryan Poles' inclination to trade out of the ninth position. On March 5th, renowned NFL insider Peter King from NBC Sports discussed the evolving situation regarding the Chicago Bears and their top pick.
He confidently predicted that GM Ryan Poles would likely trade the spot, insisting it was more a question of when rather than if. King then honed in on the Carolina Panthers as the team to watch. Sure enough, five days later, Chicago traded their top pick to Carolina in exchange for the #9 overall pick, wide receiver D.J. Moore, and three extra draft picks.
King published his singular mock draft for the year, based on what he's heard around the league. For Chicago, the choice seems quite clear-cut.
GM Ryan Poles has already addressed several issues with offseason additions at receiver (D.J. Moore), linebacker (T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds), and guard (Nate Davis). Now it's time to tackle the next challenge�finding the sturdy tackle in Paris Johnson that Poles believes will make a difference. Johnson's stock has been rising this offseason, and he should provide immediate relief to a line that gave up a whopping 58 sacks last year.
While King's mock draft doesn't address the widespread rumors of the Bears trading down, it does align with the popular opinion that they'll focus on fortifying protection for Justin Fields.
In addition to that, Pro Football Focus analysts Arjun Menon and Brad Spielberger project the Bears to select Ohio State's top offensive tackle, Paris Johnson Jr., with the ninth overall pick as well.
Unless Jalen Carter is still available, the Bears should shift their attention back to the offense with their first pick and reunite Fields with tackle Paris Johnson Jr. In 2022, Johnson allowed a 4.4% pressure rate on true pass sets, ranking 20th in the FBS despite it being his first year as a starting left tackle. Johnson played as a right tackle in 2021, which is where Chicago's most significant gap on the offensive line lies. The Bears also employ the widely popular outside-zone-based rushing scheme, and Johnson's 85.5 run-blocking grade on outside-zone runs in 2022 placed him sixth among FBS tackles."
As seen at: Peter King, Who Nailed Bears' #1 Pick Trade, Reveals Likely 1st Round Pick
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24 AVRIL | 171 ANSWERS Peter King, Accurate Predictor of Bears' Top Pick Trade, Unveils Probable 1st Round Selection Should the Bears select an offensive lineman in the first round? | ||
| Yes | 142 | 83 % |
| No | 29 | 17 % |
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