Mailbag: How the Bears’ trading of the No. 1 pick impacts the Lions

How are the Detroit Lions’ impacted by the Chicago Bears’ monster trade in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Seeing as we’re just a day away from the 2023 NFL free agency tampering period, it’s time for a double dose of Pride of Detroit podcast offerings. Earlier in the day, we dropped our full 2023 Detroit Lions free agency preview. Now it’s time to offer up our thoughts on the biggest pressing questions you had about both free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft.

On Saturday morning, Erik Schlitt, Ryan Mathews, and I held a live call-in show on a variety of topics.

We kick off the show with a long discussion on the biggest news of the week: the Chicago Bears agreeing to trade the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers. In return, the Bears got the No. 9 pick, a second-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

That has to be considered a pretty massive win for the Bears given just how many needs the team has, but what does it mean for the Lions? We know the Panthers are getting their quarterback of the future, but what does it now mean that the Bears are now slated to pick after the Lions? How likely is it now that a top-two defensive prospect will fall to the Lions at No. 6? In other words, is it possible for four quarterbacks to go in the first five picks? And how much trouble with Moore give the NFC North?

That’s our main topic this week, but there are plenty more we tackle in this episode, including:

• If you were Brad Holmes, who would be your first free agency call on Monday? (15:00)
• Which NFL teams could trade ahead of Detroit for a defensive prospect? (21:00)
• Would Holmes and Dan Campbell be the type of people to use the franchise tag, if needed? (27:00)
• Guessing prospects that may fall under Campbell’s four NFL Combine players who have the “it” factor (35:00)
• If Jalen Carter and Will Anderson were there at six, who would the Lions value more? — ignore the part where I completely mishear the question (40:00)
• Should the Lions pass on a cornerback at 6 because of the depth at the position? (42:00)
• Is there any quarterback in this draft you’d take at No. 6 for the Lions, if they’re there (43:50)
• Is tight end really a need right now? (48:45)
• How big of a priority re-signing is Isaiah Buggs? (56:00)
• Who could help fill out that defensive tackle room with Buggs and Alim McNeill? (1:00:35)
• Backup quarterback options for the Lions in free agency and the draft (1:03:00)
• Has the Lions’ culture been established enough to take a guy like Jalen Carter? (1:10:00)

Check out our full discussion below:

Subscribe to the PODcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or iHeartRadio.