The Chicago Bears have made their long-expected trade of the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, swapping places with the Carolina Panthers at No. 9, per multiple reports.
The Panthers are sending back the No. 9 overall pick, a late second-round pick (No. 61 overall), a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick as well as star wide receiver D.J. Moore, according to ESPN.
With quarterback Justin Fields entering his third season after being acquired with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Chicago was expected to move the pick to a QB-hungry team in exchange for additional draft capital.
Carolina, coming off a 7-10 with an emerging defense and running game, was the team to meet the Bears’ asking price.
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The Panthers now own the top pick for just the second time in franchise history — Carolina selected Auburn quarterback Cam Newton at No. 1 in 2011 — and will likely choose between the top QBs available.
Alabama’s Bryce Young was the first QB off the board in FOX Sports’ post-combine mock draft, but Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is also ranked by some evaluators as a potential top pick. Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis are also projected as potential top 10 selections.
Following Carolina at No. 1, the rest of the top five picks are owned by Houston at No. 2, Arizona at No. 3, Indianapolis at No. 4 and Seattle at No. 5.
The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft has been traded 13 times prior to the draft, since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967. It last happened in 2016, when the Titans traded the first pick to the Rams two weeks before the draft, with the Rams moving up from the 15th pick to select quarterback Jared Goff.
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