Here is an unlikely yet still quite plausible draft trade scenario that is perfect for the Chicago Bears. It is perfect because it enables the Bears to trade their 9th pick in the draft in order to draft a first-round wide receiver and first-round pass rusher.
To set this up, I will use the NFL mock draft of the guy who has been rated the most accurate at predicting NFL mock drafts. This draft expert is Bredan Donahue of Sharp Football Analysis. He predicts with good reason that the Vikings will trade their two first-round picks, the 11th and 23rd pick, to the Chargers for the 5th pick in the draft. Then the Vikings will draft J.J. McCarthy and the Chargers will draft OT, J.C. Latham.
My suggestion is for the Bears to offer the Chargers an opportunity to draft two picks before the Vikings' pick. This is important because the two most likely positions the Chargers will draft are either wide receiver or offensive tackle. Both of these positions could be drafted before the Chargers can make a selection with the 11th pick. My two-trade scenario goes against conventional wisdom as I am recommending the Bears make an inter-division trade with the Vikings in order to receive their two first-round picks.
To make a Bears-Chargers trade more attractive than the Vikings' offer, the Bears can offer a package that includes an expendable player such as Tyler Scott, Nate Davis, or Velus Jones Jr.
As Jim Harbaugh has proven to prefer establishing a strong running game, there is a good chance he will be interested in Davis, a younger option than their current starting right guard. When all is said and done, it could take Scott, Nate Davis, and draft picks to convince the Chargers to trade the 5th pick to the Bears.
The reason the Chargers would choose to draft 9th over 11th is with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach, it is quite likely the Chargers will draft the best offensive tackle available to them when they draft. The main reason for the Chargers to make this trade is that the Jets draft 10th. I believe the most compelling need for the Jets is an offensive tackle. The reason for this is the Jets need the best possible blindside protector they can get for their 40-year-old future HOF QB. That he will also be one of the best players in this draft more than justifies this trade.
So here are my trade suggestions. The Bears offer the Chargers the 9th pick, the Panthers 2025, the 2nd round pick, and the 122nd pick in this draft for the 5th pick. Then trade the 5th pick to the Vikings for the 11th and 23rd picks. The Bears trade offer to the Chargers offers fair value based on the classic Draft Trade Value Chart.
If the trade gets made, then I want the Bears, with the 11th pick, to draft Jared Verse. Then, with the 23rd pick, draft Adonai Mitchell. A big reason to make these trades is that Adonai Mitchell is the best wide receiver in this draft to complement the skill sets of D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen.
Mitchell has the best combination in this draft of height 6'2", speed 4.34-40 and hands. With him as a very dangerous X receiver and long ball threat, he can clear out all sorts of space for Moore and Allen to get open in the short to intermediate passing ranges. This is not to say these two will be limited to the short and intermediate passes, but that Adonai Mitchell, together with Moore and Allen, will make it easier for the Bears to move the chains as needed.
In contrast, Rome Odunze may or may not be available with the 9th pick. On top of that while he is an excellent wide receiver, he also lacks long speed as his 4.45, 40 speed does not carry over to him picking up speed when in a sprint. So Adonai Mitchell is clearly a superior home run threat when compared to Odunze. Getting Malik Nabers would be great but a very good X receiver plus one of the best pass rushers in this draft would be better for the Bears. Plus it appears unlikely Nabers will be available at the 9th pick. Ironically enough, Brendan Donahue has the Chargers drafting Adonai Mitchell with the 23rd pick after they make a trade with the Vikings.
A draft day trade with the Minnesota Viking would be a bold move for the Chicago Bears.
One of the reasons I like this trade is because I believe J.J. McCarthy is not a first-round QB prospect. Given that, I am more than willing to facilitate the Vikings being able to draft him while also securing the Bears an additional first-round pick that would give their offense the ability to often create chunk yards as well. consistently, create long TD passes.
For those wondering about the value of the Bear's offer in terms of draft value points compared to what the Vikings could offer for the 5th pick, here is the breakdown: The value of the first-round picks is this: 1.5 equals 1700 points, 1.9 equals 1350 points. The picks in the draft following a current draft are typically downgraded to the next round. If the Panthers have the worst record then the first pick of the second round in 2025 will equal 290 points. The Bears 122nd pick in this draft equals 50 points. 1350+290+50=1690. The 5th pick of this draft equals 1700 points.
With these additions, the Bears' weapons on offense outside of the quarterback include these players. They are D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet, D'Andre Smith, Gerald Everett, and the rookie Adonai Mitchell. With these players and Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator, the Bears could have the best offense in the NFC North. They also could have one of their best offenses of all time.
On top of all that, these trades also give the Bears a pair of pass rushers that, together, should become game-changers for the team. These rookie additions, as suggested, could round out the Bear's roster to have a top-ten offense and a top-ten defense as well. It is also possible that one or both of these units with these players could sneak into the top five of these rankings. Maybe the Chargers and Vikings go for these trades, and maybe they do not, but the Bears should, definitely, try to make it all happen.