NFC Scout Fuels Rumors About Bears’ Trade Plans for No. 9 Pick

The Chicago Bears could potentially land an instant-impact player for their roster with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but one NFC scout believes it is far more likely they trade away the pick for additional assets.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently emptied his notebook of his pre-draft intel on several of the NFL’s teams and shared an interesting tidbit from an anonymous NFC area scout about the Bears and his expectations for what they will do with the ninth overall pick.

“I’d be shocked if they make that pick at nine,” The scout told Reid, who quoted him in his April 11 article. “[Bears general manager Ryan] Poles loves to move around and build through the draft, and that roster still needs help in some spots.”

Reid cautioned fans not to be “surprised if Chicago moves back, adds more draft capital and takes the best defensive end available wherever [the team] lands.” He also floated UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Florida State’s Jared Verse — both of whom have taken Top 30 visits with the Bears in the past week — as potential trade-down targets for them.

The Bears have just two selections outside the top 10 — Nos. 75 and 122 — after trading picks in the second (Montez Sweat), fourth (Keenan Allen) and fifth (Ryan Bates) for veteran players over the past six months. If they find a trade partner willing to pay a premium for the No. 9 pick, though, they could have more darts to throw at the board.