5. The Denver Broncos
The Broncos should qualify as a team interested in trading up for the first overall pick, especially when considering Sean Payton's comments regarding Caleb Williams on The Herd in November 2022, where he called the USC quarterback a "generational player", and presented the player as such a strong prospect that "clubs begin to lose to try to put themselves in a position ". After starting the season 1-5, the Broncos could have potentially tanked to secure a top draft pick but instead went on an impressive hot streak to end the season.
"At some point, we're going to move to a lottery system in the NFL. This is a player that possibly does that."
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 28, 2022
— @SeanPayton on Caleb Williams pic.twitter.com/XV4DTEytSO
It appears that running it back with Russell Wilson at the helm is not in the Broncos' primary plans, and despite forfeiting premier draft capital to acquire the former Seahawks quarterback, the new ownership in Denver may be willing to shell out the big bucks - or picks - once again.
Trading back with the Broncos would seriously change how the Bears can attack the top of the draft, but for Denver to trade up 11 spots to select their potential franchise quarterback, it would take several high-end picks, a challenge that is made more difficult by the fact that the Broncos do not possess their own second-round pick in the impending draft.