The Chicago Bears Appear to still be on the Hunt for Wide Receivers

When Ryan Poles arranged the trade with Carolina for the top selection, he truly got the win. He not only acquired a first-round pick in 2024 but also wide receiver D.J. Moore. The 26-year-old is regarded by many as one of the top ten players in the league in his position. The combination of him, Darnell Mooney, and Chase Claypool would provide Justin Fields a reliable trio of passing game weapons. One may assume that the Chicago Bears no longer give wideouts top priority at this moment.

However, never make any assumptions when dealing with Poles. He has in the past made some unexpected choices. This might entail selecting a receiver early in the forthcoming draft. Watch out for Jaxon Smith-Ngjiba. He was a star for Ohio State in 2021. His 2022 was tragically destroyed by persistent injuries. This spring, he has appeared healthy and displayed his superior quickness and route-running abilities. The Bears are interested in him, according to Ohio State beat reporter Dan Hope, and they intend to speak with him in private soon.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba said he has pre-draft visits scheduled with the Bears, Panthers and Saints.

Cam Brown had dinner with the New Saints last night and has a visit scheduled with the Bengals.

Tanner McCalister is scheduled to visit the Cowboys.

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) March 22, 2023

It’s possible that the Poles are just being cautious. He needs to check that Ngjiba is properly positioned on his board. He doesn’t want to make the error of missing out on a potentially excellent player because he was too lazy to complete the necessary research. Given that, would the Bears risk selecting him at No. 9? Especially after the Moore trade, it sounds absurd. However, young quarterbacks require all the assistance they can receive. Teams would find it difficult to keep track of so much firepower. Imagine Njigba in the slot and the quick Mooney and Moore on the outside. For good measure, there is also Claypool with his variety.

It’s an appealing concept. The issue is that the trade does nothing to address the offensive and defensive lines problems that still plague the Chicago Bears. Both require a lot of assistance. It would make sense to use a top 10 choice on one of them.