Colts GM says he’ll do whatever it takes to trade up for QB in NFL Draft

The good news keeps flowing for the Chicago Bears.

On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts held their season-ending press conference, at which general manager Chris Ballard confirmed he’d do whatever is necessary to trade up for a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, assuming a prospect grades out high enough.

Asked if there is a QB at the top of the draft they want, would he give up heaven and earth to trade up and get him?

Ballard: “Yes. I’d do whatever it takes.”

— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 10, 2023

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Bears’ leverage with No. 1 overall pick will grow stronger

The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick this April, and with Justin Fields already in place, general manager Ryan Poles can trade the pick to a team like the Colts for “heaven and earth.”

Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and Kentucky’s Will Levis are trending as first-round picks at this point in the NFL Draft process. Young is the favorite to be the first overall pick, assuming the Bears trade out.

A trade back from the first pick to No. 4 overall, where the Colts are currently slotted in Round 1, would produce a bounty of draft picks in 2023 and future years. It’s the fastest and most effective way for the Chicago Bears to rebuild and reach a point of sustained success, which has been the primary goal for Poles since being named GM.

There’s a ways to go before the Bears swing any deals. Free agency kicks off in March, and it’ll be after the spending spree concludes that Chicago knows how many holes remain on the roster. If Poles lands multiple impact starters in free agency, it’s possible he keeps the first pick and selects a pass rusher like Will Anderson Jr. If free agency is less fruitful, a 2023 NFL Draft trade is more likely.

The next three months will be the most important in modern Chicago Bears history. Enjoy the ride.

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