Glazer: Bears Almost Traded No. 1 Pick to Texans, Would've Flipped No. 2 to Panthers

Prior to dealing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers last month, the Chicago Bears reportedly almost traded it to the Houston Texans instead.

According to Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer, the Bears and Texans were close to a deal that would have seen them swap the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks, and then the Bears had a trade "pretty much worked out" with the Panthers to move down from No. 2 to No. 9. However, the trade between Chicago and Houston was never completed.

Glazer noted that the Texans likely would have taken Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick had they landed it, but now Young is likely to go first overall to the Panthers instead.

While the Bears potentially could have gotten slightly more draft capital with two trade-downs, they still fared quite well in the trade with Carolina that did come to fruition.

In addition to moving down from No. 1 to No. 9 in the 2023 NFL draft, the Bears received the No. 61 overall pick in the second round, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

The Bears secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft in the final week of the 2022 regular season when they lost to the Minnesota Vikings and the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts in the closing seconds.

Houston's win improved its record to 3-13-1 and cost it the No. 1 overall pick and the opportunity to select Young as its franchise quarterback.

The Bears went just 3-14 last season, but they are seemingly comfortable with the idea that 2021 No. 11 overall draft pick Justin Fields is their quarterback of the present and future.

If they are correct, then they stand to add a lot of key pieces around him via the draft over the next few seasons, and they already have received a player in Moore who is poised to help him immediately.

As for the Texans, rumors are running rampant that they will pass on taking a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick despite their obvious need at the position.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, multiple NFL executives expect the Texans to take a defensive player with the second pick, such as Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. or Texas Tech pass-rusher Tyree Wilson.

The Texans also own the No. 12 overall pick in the draft, though, meaning they could either stand pat or trade up to land a quarterback after taking a defensive player.

After Young, the top quarterbacks in the draft are considered to be Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Florida's Anthony Richardson, Kentucky's Will Levis and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker.

The first round of the 2023 NFL draft will begin Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.