Do you remember March 10, 2023? That pivotal Friday afternoon when Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles made a blockbuster trade, sending the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a treasure trove of assets?
“I know a little about it,” Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams said on Wednesday at Halas Hall. “But not too much. I’m obviously grateful to be a Bear, but I don’t know the full history.”
Well, let’s recap. That trade is why Williams is now the Bears’ QB1, their hope for the future.
The Bears, who had ended the 2022 season on a 10-game losing streak, secured the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. Despite the chance to select top QB prospects like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or Anthony Richardson, Poles chose to give Justin Fields one more season to prove his worth. This opened the door to auction the top pick, and the Panthers, desperate to move up from No. 9 to pick a franchise quarterback, aggressively pursued the deal. They ended up drafting Young.
In return, the Bears received star receiver DJ Moore and four valuable draft picks, distributed across three drafts. But things went poorly for Young behind a weak offensive line, leading to the Panthers finishing with a dismal 2-15 record, the worst in the NFL. As a result, the Bears found themselves with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, which they used to select Caleb Williams, one of the most highly touted QB prospects in years.
When asked about what else the Bears gained from the trade, Williams wasn’t sure of the details. The answer? Right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, punter Tory Taylor, and Moore. And there’s still one more Panthers pick, a second-rounder in 2025.
This Sunday’s Bears-Panthers matchup at Soldier Field highlights how the trade has changed the trajectory for both teams. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus reflected on the trade’s impact: “It’s really remarkable. A lot of it is luck, but also positioning ourselves well. Poles and his staff did a fantastic job.”
No one could have predicted the Panthers’ rapid collapse, which deferred the Bears’ opportunity to draft first overall by just one year. Williams, who must now deliver on his immense potential, is expected to lead the Bears to success in the same way Stroud, whom the Bears passed on, has for Houston.
In addition to Williams, the other trade assets are already paying off. DJ Moore had a stellar first season in Chicago, Darnell Wright is emerging as a top-tier tackle, Stevenson has already made game-changing plays, and Taylor’s clutch punts have swung key moments. And there’s still more to come with that future second-rounder.
For the Bears, March 10, 2023, stands as a landmark moment in the team’s rebuild. Or as Stevenson put it: “Shoutout to Poles. And sorry to the Panthers.”
