Bears GM Ryan Poles on trading No. 1 pick: Panthers ‘wanted to control the draft’

The Chicago Bears pulled off a blockbuster trade of the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers, where general manager Ryan Poles set his team up for success.

Many were surprised that Poles pulled off the trade before the start of free agency, as pro days hadn’t started yet. And some believed they could’ve traded down a couple of times. But the deal was a good one — two first-round picks, two second-round selections and wide receiver DJ Moore to move back eight spots.

On the latest episode of 1920 Football Drive, Poles detailed what went into pulling off the trade of the No. 1 pick, where he knew the Panthers were willing to do whatever it took to move up to the top spot.

“I knew from the jump that they were a team that really wanted their quarterback,” Poles said. “They wanted to control the draft. That meant a lot to them. They got in front early, at the combine. I had a good relationship with their general manager, Scott Fitterer, and felt like at that time it was best to close on the deal when we did, instead of dragging it out.”

While Poles has indicated that there were multiple teams that made offers for the No. 1 pick, Carolina’s offer was simply too good to pass up.

“It was calm and cool for a while, and then it turned into pretty much pacing all day long,” Poles said. “It’s so fluid. It shifts and changes all the time when you’re talking with different teams. Some teams are super aggressive. Some are playing in the gray, and you kind of have to read between the lines.”

Poles made a move that set the Bears up for success both in the present and future. They landed a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Justin Fields, as well as future draft picks in 2024 and 2025.