In the suggested Bears transaction, three choices would have been exchanged for $22.7 million.
The Chicago Bears had a flawless first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft when they selected elite receiver Rome Odunze with the eighth overall pick, then added new franchise quarterback Caleb Williams at the first overall pick. However, before things worked out, there were discussions about a potential deal that would have moved Chicago up between the Bears and the New York Giants.
A few hitherto unreported information regarding the Bears’ interest in perhaps trying to trade up from No. 9 were revealed during the behind-the-scenes look at the Giants’ draft day on July 23 episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.” While assistant general manager Ian Cunningham had to “hold him back” from trying to trade up higher for Odunze, Poles acknowledged after the first round on April 25 that the Bears and Giants had the details of a potential trade worked out that would have allowed Chicago to move up to sixth overall in the most recent episode of the HBO show.
Rome [Odunze] is there if those players [Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers] go Nos. 4 and 5. Joe Schoen, general manager of the Giants, stated in the episode, “We like Rome.” “All of us love Rome. I’ve had communication with Chicago. Currently at nine, they aim to reach six. After we give them back a fifth round pick, they will have a third and a fourth round pick. We go back to nine and they go tackle if Chicago calls and tells me they’re coming up for a tackle—let’s say it’s Joe Alt.
Giants-Bears Trade Would Have Modified the Draft In the end, the Bears decided against making the trade with the Giants. Maybe what prevented New York from going back in the order was the fact that they had a choice between Odunze and Nabers at No. 6. Poles appear to have been influenced by Cunningham’s words of wisdom, which helped the Bears exercise patience.
But based on what we now know, the Bears would have committed a grave mistake if they had forfeited more draft picks in order to advance Odunze three spaces. With the exception of the first pick, which they utilized to choose Williams, the Bears had just four selections in the 2024 NFL draft. To bolster their roster, they traded a fourth-round pick for Keenan Allen and a fifth-round pick for Ryan Bates during the 2024 offseason after giving up their second-round pick for Montez Sweat at the 2023 in-season trading deadline.
The Bears would not have selected punter Tory Taylor or offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie if they had not used their third- or fourth-round picks. Though they might have still acquired pass rusher Austin Booker in the fifth round (and without having to give up a 2025 fourth to do so), the proposed trade would have severely changed their offensive strategy and reduced their total return. Rather than dealing with the Giants, the Bears used all of their non-first-round selections and still selected Odunze at ninth overall. What a fortunate break it was.
Is There Any Chance of a Bears Trade Before 2024 Season? Under head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears have assembled a competitive roster for 2024 and are off to a better start to training camp than they were in the previous two seasons. That’s primarily because to Poles and the meticulous work he and his team have done since assuming leadership of the team in 2022, rebuilding it from the ground up. Even still, it is interesting to speculate as to when Poles will choose to reenter the trading industry. Before the regular season begins, he might even make another trade.
The Bears still have needs that might be met by trade, even if they do not have as many voids on their roster as they did in 2022 and 2023. To strengthen their pass rush overall, they are mostly depending on Zacch Pickens and Gervon Dexter Sr. developing on the inside of their defensive line. However, maybe the Poles will test the waters in locating seasoned assistance to support the middle if neither appears the part by the end of camp.
The other noteworthy position is pass rusher. Although Sweat rose to prominence after the Bears traded for him in October of last year, and Booker is a valuable young addition, they might still feel that they need firepower despite the depth provided by DeMarcus Walker and Jake Martin. Carl Lawson and Yannick Ngakoue are now the only available free agents, but a trade opportunity might increase their possibilities.
Nevertheless, before making any daring trades once more, Poles could want to assess his present squad, particularly if the young players impress during training camp. It would be prudent to assume that he will hold off until the trade deadline this year.