As the Chicago Bears figure out what to do with their No. 10 overall pick, the idea of trading up has come into the picture. With Ben Johnson becoming the team’s new head coach, Chicago is going to want firepower all over the gridiron.
And the Bears have plenty of draft capital to get a deal done, holding four picks in the top-75. If a prospect at the top of Chicago’s board were to fall, General Manager Ryan Poles and company can make the decision to pounce. Especially if that prospect is Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
Carter is dealing with a stress reaction in his foot, leading to some speculation about him falling down draft boards. Still, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune doesn’t see that fall going all the way to No. 10. Furthermore, he argues it would be too pricey for the Bears to consider moving up into the part of the draft necessary to select Carter.
“I was a little surprised to get a handful of questions this week about trading up for Carter, the All-American defensive end from Penn State. That seems unrealistic for a number of reasons,” Biggs wrote. “For starters, Carter would probably really have to slide for the Bears to have a shot at getting him for the No. 10 pick and one of their second-round picks. They might only be able to get up to No. 5 with just one of their second-round picks (Nos. 39 or 41) as teams put a premium on high selections.”
“The Bears need more difference makers and more depth, and they’re in a fortuitous position,” Biggs concluded. “My hunch is Carter is gone in the first three picks, and if he makes it past No. 4, there’s probably concern from multiple clubs about his foot issue. A trade into the top three to select Carter would be much costlier than the No. 10 and a second-round pick.”
Chicago Bears trade up
While the Bears have the draft capital to make it move, that doesn’t necessarily mean they should use it. Chicago was aggressive in free agency, but the team is building for their long-term plan rather than flash in the plan 2025 success.
By moving up, the Bears guarantee that they get one of the best prospects in the 2025 class. As they look to build their foundation, having a blue chip prospect to mold it around would be majorly beneficial. But not if it means the Bears have to sacrifice a large part of their draft class.
Yes, a top-five pick is inherently more valuable than a slew of second and third-rounders. However, the Bears have more than one hole to fill. While they added guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, as well as center Drew Dalman, this is still the same team that gave up a league-high 68 sacks in 2024.
Furthermore, the team added defensive linemen Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett in free agency. But the Bears know they need a more explosive pass rush to truly compete in the NFC North. And while Chicago has plenty of playmakers, Johnson’s offense needs more to truly tick.
So, the Bears have a decision to make. Land one insanely talented prospect but risk adding much else in terms of upside. Or, stay at No. 10, still land one of the better players in the class and give the team a chance to add at numerous positions. Biggs thinks Chicago chooses the latter.
Abdul Carter leads 2025 NFL Draft defense
His foot injury will be a gray cloud over his entire draft proceeding. But Carter and his agent have been adamant it won’t be a long-term issue. And assuming that reigns true, the edge rusher is considered arguably the best defensive player in the entire 2025 class.
Carter spent three years at Penn State, appearing in 42 games. He racked up 172 tackles, 41 of them being for a loss, 23 sacks and five forced fumbles. Carter’s senior season is when he really took the league by storm however. He managed to put up 68 tackles, an FBS-leading 24 of them being for a loss and 12 sacks. Carter was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and an Unanimous All-American.
Any team that is drafting Carter is getting an immediate force off the edge. He has proven he can make a living in opposing team’s backfields and shut down entire offenses. It’s for those reasons that Carter is considered a top-five talent.
Adding him next to Montez Sweat on the Bears is a tantalizing idea for fans. But he doesn’t seem likely to fall to No. 10 barring his injury being deemed worse. And at that point it’d be a risk. In terms of a trade, Carter offers one of the highest potentials in the 2025 class. But Chicago would need to give up an awful lot for his services.
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1 Comment
I think if you know what you’re doing, those slew of second and third round draft choices could be turned into some excellent players. Pro bowlers, stars, whatever you want to call them. I mean it’s not difficult, we can see that the pro bowl games are not just played with first-round draft choices. So I wouldn’t be so quick to poo poo second and third rounders. If it was so easy, then everyone would just choose in the first round, and then everything else is fair game.