Bears Haven't Had 'Big-Time' Talks About Trading No. 1 NFL Draft Pick, GM Poles Says

If the Chicago Bears want to move off the No. 1 selection in the 2024 NFL draft, they aren't making it known to other teams around the league.

General manager Ryan Poles told reporters on Tuesday they've had some talks with clubs taking the "temperature" on a potential deal, but none of those talks has resulted in "big-time conversations" about trading the top pick.

There has been no indication the Bears want to do anything but make the first pick when the draft begins on April 25.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Feb. 10 that the Bears would need a "historic haul of draft picks and overall compensation" to trade the No. 1 selection.

While some of that could be usual pre-draft negotiating tactics, there's also the very real possibility the Bears are enamored with one of the top players in this draft class.

Poles didn't tip his hand one way or another regarding a trade of Justin Fields, only saying on Tuesday they will "move as quickly as possible but we're not going to be in a rush." He did note the club has been in communication with Fields' camp throughout the process.

If the Bears end up trading Fields, which is what most analysts are expecting, the next step for them will be deciding which quarterback in the draft they like the most.

There is some divide over which signal-caller is the best in this class. B/R's NFL scouting department has North Carolina's Drake Maye as the top quarterback and No. 3 overall prospect, but USC's Caleb Williams is right behind him at No. 4 overall.

The Bears own two of the top-10 picks in the 2024 draft. They don't own a second-rounder after trading it to the Washington Commanders in the deal for Montez Sweat.

Trading the top pick would allow the Bears to recoup more draft assets as they look to keep building up their roster, but the main priority for the front office this offseason is finding a long-term answer at quarterback.

Controlling the draft with the No. 1 overall pick is the simplest way to make that happen.