It would seem that the Chicago Bears are leaning toward making a selection with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft as opposed to moving the pick as a way of collecting more draft capital in the later rounds of the draft.
The Bears will be selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall selection but they have an opportunity to select another blue-chip talent with the ninth overall pick.
What's important in all of this is that this year's draft class is widely believed to have a drop-off in talent after the fourth round. The Bears do not currently have a pick beyond the fourth-round in this year's draft but shouldn't be a cause for concern considering the magnitude of the players they can add by having two selections within the first 10 selections.
That would be the reason why the latest mock draft from NFL Network's Peter Schrager is a little bit of a head-scratcher. Schrager has the Bears selecting Williams at the top of the draft but he does not have the team making a selection at nine.
A trade down for the Chicago Bears at No. 9 continues to make little sense.
Instead, Schrager has the Bears swapping the No. 9 pick with the Indianapolis Colts at No. 15 with the Colts also kicking in a future second-round pick. Malik Nabers remaining on the board is why Schrager forecasted the Colts trading up with the Bears in order to select the LSU star.
First thing's first, if one of the wide receivers--Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr, or Rome Odunze--is available when the Bears are on the clock at No. 9, it would seem likely that the team would race to the podium in order to submit their selection. Beyond that, in a scenario where that is the case, it would take far more than a first-round swap and a future second-round pick for the Bears to be compelled to make a deal.
The Bears are not going to be trading the No. 9 pick for the mere purpose of trading the pick. Schrager's mock is not a realistic scenario for what to expect from the Bears next season.