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NFL Rumors: Bears Spoke to Cowboys About Trading Up to Draft Justin Fields
May 10, 2021
The Chicago Bears turned heads on draft day by trading for the No. 11 pick to use on quarterback Justin Fields, but the team had also called the Dallas Cowboys sitting at No. 10.
The Bears, who owned the No. 20 pick in the first round, spoke to Dallas about a potential trade up, according to The MMQB's Albert Breer.
"Dallas wasn't going to trade back further than a couple spots because of the dropoff in talent in the class in the mid-teens," Breer said.
Chicago found a trade partner in the New York Giants, who dealt the No. 11 pick in exchange for No. 20, a fifth-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick and a 2022 fourth-rounder. It allowed the Bears to land their potential quarterback of the future, who was considered the second-best signal-caller in the class by some teams, according to Breer.
Dallas, meanwhile, traded back from No. 10 to No. 12 before selecting linebacker Micah Parsons.
Many projected the Cowboys would target one of top two cornerbacks in the class—either Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain II—but they were selected at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. It was bad news for Dallas at No. 10 but excellent news for the Bears in hoping Fields fell.
Both the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos could use a long-term option at quarterback, but both decided to go with defensive players with their first picks.
It created an opening for Chicago, which remained a possibility after the Philadelphia Eagles moved up to select receiver DeVonta Smith with the 10th pick.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com, the Giants were targeting Smith, Horn, Surtain and Jaylen Waddle (who went sixth overall).
Chicago general manager Ryan Pace reportedly called New York about a deal before the eighth pick was announced, per Rosenblatt, preparing a potential move up if Fields were still on the board at No. 11. The Bears got their wish and added an exciting quarterback to the roster.