This mock draft has Bears trading Justin Fields, selecting QB at No. 1

If you didn’t make it past the headline of this post, I don’t blame you. Any 2023 mock draft with the Chicago Bears trading Justin Fields and selecting a quarterback at No. 1 overall is, in my opinion, trash.

But there is a mock draft that has this scenario playing out, so we might as well try to understand the logic behind it.

According to the 33rd team, the Bears’ best strategy would be to trade Fields to the Carolina Panthers for the ninth pick (there’s no indication whether Chicago gets a future first-rounder in the deal. We’ll assume they do). General manager Ryan Poles then uses the first overall pick on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

“The Chicago Bears pull off a shocking trade sending Justin Fields to the Carolina Panthers for the ninth pick of the draft, and here they pick Young,” wrote the 33rd Team’s scouting crew. “The Bears feel like Young is just too talented to pass up and hand the keys to the franchise to the rookie.”

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Stop the Justin Fields trade speculation

The only word that matters in that summary is “shocking.” It will be a shock if the Bears make any trade involving Justin Fields, let alone one as bad as this one. Trading down to the ninth pick would put Chicago out of the range for Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter.

In this mock draft, the Bears end up with Ohio State offensive tackle Parris Johnson Jr.

Johnson is a fine offensive tackle prospect and would be a plug-and-play starter for Chicago, but ending the 2023 NFL draft without Justin Fields and only Young and Johnson to show for it is disturbing.

Let’s make one thing very clear (again): The Chicago Bears aren’t trading Justin Fields. And while I respect mock drafts that offer a unique spin on a process that can become quite repetitive, hypothetical trades need to be based on some semblance of reality.

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