Bears NFL Draft prospect Paris Johnson Jr. the target of teams trying to trade up in 1st round

Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. is the best offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’d be a fantastic selection for the Chicago Bears, who currently hold the No. 9 pick. Their need at right tackle, combined with Johnson’s plug-and-play skill set, are a perfect match.

According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Bears might not get a shot at Johnson. At least one team is attempting to trade up with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3 to land the prototype left tackle.

“Johnson is the 7th rated player on my big board, so taking him with the third pick of the draft is not much of a reach,” Pauline wrote. “In a draft void of talent at the left tackle spot, Johnson has cemented himself as the best in this class. While the league has gone QB crazy in round one, left tackle is still a position that teams covet in the early part of the draft, and there aren’t many good ones in 2023.”

I’ve long been wary of draft insiders who share information they receive from area scouts. With all due respect to those guys, they’re a few rungs lower than key organizational decision-makers. A scout may have told Pauline that Johnson is a trade-up target, but it doesn’t mean a trade will happen. And there’s no chance a general manager or director of scouting revealed that intel.

Chicago Bears should consider trading up for Paris Johnson Jr.

Indeed, the Chicago Bears could be one of those teams looking to trade up. There’s no reason they shouldn’t get aggressive if they believe Johnson or another player, like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., is worth sacrificing picks to move up for. I’d be fine with it, considering GM Ryan Poles already has two first-round picks in what should be a stronger draft class in 2024.

The last few days before the NFL Draft are always littered with smokescreens. Misinformation runs wild. And while I don’t doubt that Paris Johnson Jr. will be one of the most coveted players in the 2023 NFL Draft, I have a hard time believing he’ll be the third pick.

With four first-round quarterbacks, two top-shelf edge rushers, and a pair of lockdown cornerbacks featured in the top 10 players, Johnson is almost certain to slide outside the top five. The farther he falls, the better the chances the Chicago Bears can move up to grab him.