How the Bears could leverage 2023 first-round pick to help Justin Fields

The Chicago Bears have a solid shot at wrapping up one of the top two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, and if they indeed do so, the team at The Draft Network believes they can leverage that pick to both add a breakout receiver and acquire more draft capital.

In this scenario, TDN has Chicago trading the No. 2 overall pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 28 overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick, and receiver Tee Higgins.

With that No. 28 pick, TDN has Chicago drafting Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith.

“With potentially monstrous new contracts on the horizon for Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, something has to give,” the TDN staff wrote. “In this case, it means Tee Higgins can’t get the deal he deserves in Cincinnati and asks for a trade. The wide receiver and draft-pick-needy Bears are willing to move back, pick up picks, and add a superstar pass catcher for Justin Fields.”

Despite the upside Higgins brings — he has had six or more touchdowns, 100 or more targets, and 900 or more receiving yards in each of his three seasons including back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons the last two years — the Bears could command an even bigger return for the No. 2 overall pick.

However, if such a deal were struck, Chicago would have arguably the top trio of young receivers in the NFC, and all three — Darnell Mooney (25), Chase Claypool (24), and Higgins (23) — are 25 or younger.

Among receivers to play in 10 or more games, Higgins has the 10th-most receiving yards in the NFL (1,022), and he ranks in the top 20 in receptions (73), yards per reception (14), receptions of 20 yards or more (14), yards per game (68.1), contested catches (16), and passer rating when targeted (128.50).

Claypool had consecutive 100-target, 850-yard receiving seasons in 2020 and 2021, while Mooney put up an 81-catch, 1,055-yard season just last year.