The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone and the Chicago Bears have their newest player, selecting Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright. The Bears moved down one spot from No. 9 to No. 10 to pick Wright, swapping picks with the Philadelphia Eagles while gaining a 2024 fourth-round pick. It was a trade that made sense but according to general manager Ryan Poles, that wasn’t the only offer they mulled over.
Poles spoke with reporters following the selection of Wright and revealed the Bears had another offer for the No. 9 pick that would have dropped them lower in the draft order. “There was another team, it didn’t get too heated up and it was in a spot where I had a really good sense that Darnell would be at risk to be gone,” Poles said when asked about any other offers.
The other team in question may have been eyeing Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, whom the Eagles wound up taking at No. 9. Poles didn’t want to risk losing his top target though and still wound up with additional draft capital for the future.
The NFL Draft will resume on Friday evening beginning at 6 pm CT, with the Bears holding picks 53 and 61 in the second round and pick 64 in the third round.
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