The Chicago Bears reportedly will no longer be drafting first overall in the upcoming NFL draft, and instead the Carolina Panthers are on the clock.
The Bears and Panthers swung a massive offseason trade Friday, with Carolina giving up several assets to move into the top spot in the first round of the draft.
According to multiple reports, Chicago acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore along with the No. 9 overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round selection.
Moore, 25, has been a top receiver for the Panthers the last few years. Moore had 63 receptions for 888 yards and seven touchdowns this past season.
The Bears were most likely content with moving back in the draft since they already must feel they have a franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, who took strides in his second season in the NFL but still has to develop more as a passer. And by obtaining Moore, Chicago put another playmaker around Fields to try to help continue his upward trajectory in 2023.
The Panthers continue to signal with the trade that they likely will use the No. 1 selection on a quarterback and now will have all the top signal-callers as possible options.
Carolina had Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and PJ Walker all make starts a season ago. The Panthers moved on from Mayfield in-season, while Darnold will in all likelihood find his next NFL home this offseason in free agency. Walker, who went undrafted out of Temple, is a restricted free agent.
With this monumental trade, the Panthers got a step closer to finding their quarterback of the future.
