Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders Swap No. 1 Draft Picks in Big Blockbuster Trade Proposal
The Chicago Bears remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to the ultimate prize in this year’s NFL draft. Blessed with the overall no. 1 pick, they have first dibs on the highly sought-after USC Heisman award winner and blue chip quarterback prospect Caleb Williams. However, they also have the option of trading away that selection for a haul of talent– both in terms of draft picks and current NFL stars.
The Washington Commanders, meanwhile, have the no. 2 overall pick, right behind the Bears and, if they stand pat, will have dibs at who many see as the next best quarterback in this year’s draft, North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
But what if the Commanders wanted Williams and/or wanted to keep another team from dealing with the Bears for their no. 1 pick (which would most likely lead to that other team drafting Williams)? Would Washington choose to swap their no. 2 for no. 1?
A Possible Chicago-Washington Swap
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report theorizes that the Commanders might be willing to make that deal to grab a QB they feel could be their franchise hurler of this generation.
The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 pick, but they might consider trading up to prevent another team from leapfrogging them to take whichever quarterback they want…
Since no team has ever jumped directly from No. 2 to No. 1, it’s tough to gauge the value here. Based on the draft pick trade value chart, the Commanders should owe the Bears no more than a second-round selection to make this swap, but that has rarely been an applicable tool for deals involving primo picks with potential franchise quarterbacks in the mix.
The full haul here depends on a lot of variables, including who the other (real or perceived) suitors are, and how high the Bears would like to pick. However, the swap would likely require Washington to surrender at least two Day 2 selections.”
Gagnon’s proposed trade would see the Bears sending their no. 1 pick to the Commanders in return for Washington’s no. 2 pick, this year’s second-round pick (essentially returning the second-round pick the Bears sent to Washington at the trade deadline for Montez Sweat), and a third-round pick in 2025.
It’s certainly an interesting proposal and one that might make sense for both sides.
The deal would still leave plenty of flexibility for Chicago. They could draft Drake Maye as their new quarterback and trade current starting QB Justin Fields. If they opt to keep Fields, they could draft the extremely well-regarded wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who many scouts say is the all-around best player in the draft, anyway.
Another Chicago-Washington Trade Proposal
In a previous Chicago-Washington trade proposal by Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, Chicago would trade away their overall top pick for the Commanders’ no. 2 pick, their second-round pick, and their 2025 first-round pick.
