“
Chicago Bears
(via CAR)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ohio State · WR · Junior
Honestly, with the way this exercise has played out thus far -- with Anthony Richardson and Will Levis still on the board -- I'll be surprised if you stick-and-pick here. GM Ryan Poles has said this team will be
built through the draft, and I can't help but think of the haul the Bears
gave up in 2021 (including future first- and fourth-round choices) to jump from No. 20 to No. 11 for
Justin Fields. Imagine pulling in a package like that from another QB-needy team for this spot and adding it to the draft capital already acquired from Carolina to drop down from No. 1 (a second-rounder this year, plus a first-rounder in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025). This is my dream for you -- for
us.
If you stay at No. 9, though, take Smith-Njigba. I know, you already traded for
D.J. Moore. But you're not quite complete. You can never have
too many great receivers. And if
Darnell Mooneyor
Chase Claypool don't work out, Smith-Njigba will be ready to go. You will also need to give new contracts to Fields and Moore at some point, and having a receiver on a rookie deal for up to five years would help a lot. (Yes, the offensive line remains a need, but I trust Poles to find another
Braxton Jones with one of the
three picks he currently has in the range from No. 53 to No. 64 overall.)”