QB chaos in 2023 NFL Draft will benefit Bears in 1st round

The Chicago Bears couldn’t ask for a better 2023 NFL Draft scenario. Less than a week until the first round kicks off, the quarterback chaos at the top of Round 1 is out of control.

The Carolina Panthers appear set to select Alabama’s Bryce Young after weeks of speculation that Ohio State’s CJ Stroud would be the guy. The Houston Texans are rumored to be ready to pass on a quarterback if Young isn’t there. The Indianapolis Colts appear to favor Will Levis (Kentucky), which could mean Stroud falls to No. 5 to the Seattle Seahawks. And then there’s Florida’s Anthony Richardson, who was considered a contender to be the No.1 pick a few weeks ago. Now? He may slide outside the top 10.

“(Levis) might not have as much upside as Richardson, but I think tomorrow he is going to be ahead of Anthony Richardson,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said during his annual media conference call. “Whereas Anthony Richardson, I think, has a little more distance to travel but with a way bigger upside. With this Colts roster where it is right now, there’s some pretty good veteran pieces in place. I think there’s some expectation there that you want (a rookie QB) to be up and running sooner than later.”

Chicago Bears trade with Carolina Panthers looking better by the week

If Richardson, Levis, or even Stroud, experience a top-10 slide, the Chicago Bears’ trade with the Panthers will become even more of a home run. It means GM Ryan Poles can trade down with a club like the Washington Commanders or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both of which are searching for their QB next.

“The crazy thing about it is, I think as we’re a week out — I never would have thought this when they made that trade — but they might be sitting there with more quarterbacks still on the board when they pick at (No.) 9 and might be faced with another opportunity to continue to add more picks,” Jeremiah said. “I really thought that was the smart move that they made.”

It’s hard to believe anything with the NFL Draft this time of year. Lying season is at its all-time high. Teams are posturing and sharing fake news to manipulate the first round. Perhaps the Colts are hoping CJ Stroud falls to them. Maybe a club like the Buccaneers won’t risk a quarterback falling to nine. They could trade up with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3. Who knows what to believe.

Indeed, as the days until the 2023 NFL Draft countdown, the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick is gaining value. And it’s all because of the quarterback uncertainty that, for once, doesn’t exist inside Halas Hall.