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The weekend officially started with a bang as Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport dropped the first trade bombshell of the NFL offseason. The Bears decided to stick with Justin Fields as their quarterback and traded the No.1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers.
The trade made sense for both teams. The Bears did not have their second-rounder in 2023 and the Panthers have been stuck in QB purgatory ever since Cam Newton's body began breaking down. Since 2019 the Panthers have shuffled through the likes of Kyle Allen, Will Grier, Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield and were stuck in blatant Quarterback Purgatory. Sure they might have given up a lot, but I'm always a fan of going up to get your guy. If the pick hits it's a small price to pay for 10+ years of success.
Let's break down the trade now, shall we?
Latest on the Blockbuster Bears - Panthers trade
Ever since the NFL offseason began, trade rumors have swirled around the Bears trading out of the No. 1 spot being that they already had Justin Fields in the fold. The teams rumored to be in the mix were the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Carolina Panthers.
This was a massive haul for the Bears who are basically just playing Madden franchise mode right now. They have the most salary cap space heading into free agency and they will have a war chest of draft picks for the next two years. Landing a veteran wide receiver in DJ Moore was great for Justin Fields and his development as well.
Fields was dealt a pretty bad hand since he came into the league as he's had coaching turnover and a weak supporting cast. Now that the Bears' days of tanking appear to be over, they can finally put some solid pieces around him on offense and build their roster back up.
Expect the Bears to be a big player once free agency kicks off next week where they will hopefully add some important pieces on the offensive line to help Justin Fields. Running back David Montgomery is a free agent and it is unknown if he will be back in Chicago in 2023. The good news for the Bears is Aaron Rodgers is expected to be traded from Green Bay. Rodgers has haunted the Bears for many years. Might we see a changing of the guard in the NFC North with the Bears and Lions rising up while the Packers and Vikings fade into the background after many years in the playoffs?
Who Will the Panthers Draft No. 1 Overall?
The latest FanFuel sportsbook odds changed after the trade. CJ Stroud was -170 to go first overall in the draft. That number has now moved all the way down to -320, which suggests many of the talking heads around the league believe that the Panthers really like CJ Stroud. It's no secret that Panthers Owner: David Tepper has gotten tired of all the bandaid options available in the draft and wants his team to make a splash at quarterback.
The betting odds are on CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis. We have seen several instances in years past when four quarterbacks went in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, but we have never seen four quarterbacks go in the top seven picks before. Might what change this year? Were the Texans willing to stay put at two because they know the Panthers aren't interested in the same quarterback that they are?
The NFL is continuing to become a quarterback-driven league and teams are tired of feeling like they are behind the 8-ball. If the Panthers really believe in being able to go up and get their guy then they should be applauded for having the guts to make the move. In a span of 12 months we've seen the Broncos, the Browns, and now the Panthers give up multiple first-round picks to get a quarterback.
Nobody knows what the future holds, but after a wild 2022 offseason, we should expect 2023 to be no different. The NFL is king.
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