Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made a big splash even before the free-agency negotiating window opens Monday.
Poles on Friday agreed to trade the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the Nos. 9 and 61 picks this year, a first-rounder in 2024, a second-rounder in 2025 and wide receiver D.J. Moore.
As Poles prepares to make more big moves to bolster the roster this week in free agency, the Tribune’s team of Bears writers addressed five key topics.
1. The Bears’ trade with the Panthers was _______.
Brad Biggs: A needed step by Poles to see the process through with Justin Fields.
The quarterback didn’t have nearly enough talent around him in his second season, and now the franchise is on the way toward changing that. Getting Moore in return from the Panthers makes him instantly the best wide receiver on the roster, filling a huge need considering there isn’t a better option available in free agency.
The deal provides Poles with a little more flexibility, getting four total picks in exchange for the No. 1 pick. Importantly, he received a plug-and-play veteran in the deal, not additional lottery tickets. The Bears now own four picks in the top 100 — Nos. 9, 53, 61 and 64. With two picks at the end of Round 2 and the top pick in Round 3, Poles has the chance to move around if he would like. The Bears still have a slew of roster needs, and after the trade they’re positioned to have some extra swings with high draft picks that Poles hopes will turn into foundational pieces for his rebuild.
Colleen Kane: Potentially good for both sides.
Only time will tell whether that’s true. But the Panthers need a quarterback, and if they pick one who pans out, they won’t regret spending the draft picks.
The Bears’ move back to No. 9 likely puts them out of reach for the top couple of defensive prospects, who could have been needed game-changers. But they still should be able to get an elite player in the top 10, and the additional second-round picks this year and in 2025 plus the first-rounder in 2024 will give Poles more chances to build the roster the way he wants. Plus, Moore fills a major need at wide receiver. It’s on Poles now to make the right choices in the draft to make the trade count.
Dan Wiederer: Attention-grabbing.
The timing of the deal, almost seven weeks before the NFL draft, was notable. But with Moore included in the trade proposal, both the Bears and Panthers wanted to finalize things before free agency began to set themselves up for more roster clarity.
Moore’s arrival is the bonus of this trade for the Bears. He is, after all, the only known commodity at this point. And with the Bears on a mission to give Fields more support in his third NFL season, gifting him a proven playmaker in Moore — who has averaged 77 catches, 1,103 yards and five touchdowns over the last four seasons — is a major positive.
As for the other three picks Poles netted, the Bears will need to make the most of those and squeeze as many long-term, difference-making players out of the deal as they can. That’s no easy feat.
2. D.J. Moore brings to the Bears _______.
Biggs: The combination of speed and route-running ability that should quickly make him a preferred target for Fields.
Moore is a little different from Chase Claypool (large catch radius) and Darnell Mooney (speedster), so the mix of skill sets should aid offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Moore, who played with nine quarterbacks in five seasons in Carolina, was very productive despite the QB carousel.
If he had complaints, they did not make national headlines, so that indicates he’s likely a strong team-first guy in the locker room. Surely Moore will not have the same experience another former Panthers wide receiver did after he joined the Bears. Muhsin Muhammad was hailed as the missing piece in the offense when he signed as a free agent in 2005. Three seasons later, he called Chicago “where wide receivers go to die.”
Kane: A needed boost to the wide receivers room.
After putting out the worst-ranked passing offense in 2022, the Bears needed better targets for Fields, and Moore provides that. Over five seasons with some bad Carolina teams, Moore was a proven producer despite a revolving door of quarterbacks. He has averaged better than 1,000 yards per season. Mooney, who is coming off an injury-shortened season, is the only other Bears receiver under contract with a 1,000-yard receiving season, in 2021.
Adding a wide receiver via trade instead of overpaying in free agency — especially one under contract for three more years — feels like the right move by Poles, and he has chances to add to the room with more modest free-agent signings or via the draft.
Wiederer: Quickness, versatility, toughness and experience.
The Bears passing offense was abysmal in 2022 and created a demand for 2023 that they climb toward the middle of the league in passing production. That will require Fields to make major developmental leaps with his pocket poise, decision-making and situational success. But all of that becomes easier if he has weapons around him that can help carry the load.
Moore should have little trouble fitting in, and Getsy will work to find the ideal role for the veteran receiver. Suddenly, pairing Moore with Mooney and Cole Kmet — and hopefully Claypool too — gives Fields plenty of options and should lift the Bears passing attack.
3. As the Bears march into free agency this week, their biggest need is _______.
Biggs: On the defensive line.
A trade-off in the deal with the Panthers is the Bears are looking at a best-case scenario of choosing the fifth non-quarterback drafted at No. 9. That means no Will Anderson and potentially no Jalen Carter, though teams will want to gather more background information on Carter.
Poles won’t be able to overhaul the defensive front, which was porous, through the draft. That means finding help in free agency. Yes, he still could go after a starting offensive lineman, potentially a high-priced right tackle, but the Bears won’t be much better stopping the run or rushing quarterbacks without significant personnel upgrades.
Kane: Upgrading the offensive and defensive lines.
My first instinct was to list only the defensive line because the Bears need help at multiple positions in that group. The Bears defense was among the worst in the NFL at stopping the run in 2022, giving up 157.3 yards per game, which ranked 31st ahead of only the Houston Texans. And the Bears were last in the NFL with 20 sacks. It was a major shock to the system after watching Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn and Akiem Hicks rule the defensive front for several years.
On the flip side, Fields was sacked 55 times in 15 games, tied with Russell Wilson for the most. Improving the protection also should rank at the top of the Bears’ priorities this offseason.
Wiederer: In the trenches on both sides of the ball.
The Bears need help on the offensive line to better support Fields. And they need help on the defensive line to revitalize a defense that unraveled after the midseason trades of Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith. The NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and the team they beat to reach the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers, are living, breathing proof of how strength and sturdiness up front can catalyze high-level success. It’s a blueprint Poles should follow.
The Bears couldn’t stop the run, rush the passer, protect the quarterback or throw the football in 2022. Those are four pretty big criteria for having meaningful success in the NFL. And the quickest way to improve on all those fronts is to invest up front.
4. One headline-grabbing signing the Bears should make this week is _______.
Biggs: Dre’Mont Jones if they believe he profiles best as a three-technique.
Word at the scouting combine was the former Denver Bronco is seeking a deal in the neighborhood of $18 million per year. The Bears can’t pay that if they don’t believe he’s ready to blossom as a star. But if they think he’s ready to take off and the scheme is the best fit for him, by all means add a guy at the position Matt Eberflus says is the engine of his defense. We saw what it looks like when the Bears play defense without an engine.
Kane: An offensive tackle.
It makes sense for Poles to spend a good chunk of his cash on an offensive tackle because protecting Fields better is a top priority. The Bears might believe Braxton Jones can continue on an upward trajectory at left tackle by improving his strength and technique before his second season. Or they could sign former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown for the role. Right tackles Jawaan Taylor, Mike McGlinchey and Kaleb McGary are other free-agent options. An upgrade here will cost a lot of money. If they pick the right player, it would be well worth it.
Wiederer: Orlando Brown.
I’ll qualify this by saying the Bears should be ready to extend their in-house financial parameters for Brown without getting reckless. That might mean overpaying a little bit. But to grab a proven Pro Bowl starter for the offensive line would be a great start to the offseason.
Brown has the flexibility to play either side and instantly would increase Fields’ comfort. He had one season of overlap in Kansas City with Poles, which should give the Bears GM some inside intel into what makes Brown tick and where his strengths and weaknesses lie. Many around the league consider this a ho-hum free-agency class as a whole. If the Bears can quickly land one of the headliners, it would provide a boost.
5. Realistically, over the next seven weeks the Bears should hope to _______.
Biggs: Do everything they can to give Fields the opportunity to succeed.
It’s a critical season for Fields, and the Bears will be best off if they have a clear read on the position at the end of 2023. They need to determine if they’re all-in or all done with Fields. The fifth-year option in contracts for first-round picks is fully guaranteed. Look around the NFC and think about the best quarterbacks in the conference, especially if the Green Bay Packers ship Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets,. There is Jalen Hurts and … good luck putting together a top five.
You can make a strong case seven of the eight best quarterbacks in the league reside in the AFC. So the NFC is wide open for young teams that can bring along a legitimate franchise quarterback. Maybe that was part of the thinking in Carolina, where the Panthers tried to deal for Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson the last two years. Fields is further along than whomever the Panthers wind up drafting.
Kane: Make big improvements to several position groups.
Seven weeks take us through the draft. Given the amount of money Poles has to spend and the big possibilities with 10 draft picks, Bears fans should have a lot more to be excited about come May 1.
But we’ve said this before in the lead-up to free agency: The Bears have a ton of holes to fill on their roster beyond the offensive and defensive lines, including at running back, tight end, linebacker and cornerback. So while their resources are plentiful enough to piece together a much-improved team, the roster makeover likely won’t be complete this offseason.
Wiederer: Move the needle.
That’s one of Poles’ favorite expressions as the GM seeks players who can help fill the championship fuel tank. Granted, the Bears aren’t going from “E” in 2022 to “F” in 2023 with a complete refueling in one roster cycle. But they can “move the needle” closer to a half-tank with the proper moves in free agency and a solid draft class. It’s all married together, too, with the visions for free agency balanced with what “Plan B” draft operations could be.
The Bears have needs across the depth chart. And they certainly need to give Fields a fair chance to make a huge developmental leap. That will come with a sturdier and deeper offensive line and a more capable group of pass catchers. Those are boxes that need to be checked in the next couple months.
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