5 Prospects the Chicago Bears will likely consider at nine after trade with Panthers

The Chicago Bears could still consider Jaxon Smith-Njigba

I have done many mock drafts at this point. I had one actually come out just two days ago. In that mock draft, I had the Bears trade down from one to four and again from four to 14. The Colts were the first trade partner and the Patriots were the second trade partner. After the two trades, I selected Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba is a wide receiver out of Ohio State who played for one season with Justin Fields. Pairing these two up again would be huge, even with the team now having D.J. Moore.

If you look at things from a macro level and not just a micro level, the Chicago Bears could have D.J. Moore, Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney and Smith-Njigba all on the roster for 2023. Then, depending on how the season shakes out, Ryan Poles could look to extend Claypool or Mooney before the end of the 2023 season or before the start of the 2024 season. The other outcome could be letting both walk and using the extra 2024 draft capital to secure the top wide receiver prospect next year in Marvin Harrison, Jr. That would leave Moore, Harrison and Smith-Njigba on the roster for Fields.

I do think with the addition of D.J. Moore, that Smith-Njigba is less likely to be Ryan Poles' selection at ninth-overall, or even lower in the first should Poles trade down a second time. I'm not ready to cross his name off my big board, but selecting him would come down to who else is there when the Bears are on the clock.