Justin Fields took strides in his first year under the regime of Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus. But did the Chicago Bears have the draft picks and overall capital in the 2023 NFL Draft to compound that growth?
Want to see how the Bears graded out during the 2023 NFL Draft? Check out our full Chicago Bears draft grades, then take a look at the entire 2023 NFL Draft results.
Chicago Bears Draft Picks by Round in 2023
- Round 1, Pick 10 (from PHI via NO)
Darnell Wright, OT | Tennessee - Round 2, Pick 53 (from BAL)
Gervon Dexter, DT | Florida - Round 2, Pick 56 (from JAX)
Tyrique Stevenson, CB | Miami (FL) - Round 3, Pick 64
Zacch Pickens, DT | South Carolina - Round 4, Pick 115 (from NO)
Roschon Johnson, RB | Texas - Round 4, Pick 133 (from PHI)
Tyler Scott, WR | Cincinnati - Round 5, Pick 148 (from NE)
Noah Sewell, LB | Oregon - Round 5, Pick 165 (from NO)
Terell Smith, CB | Minnesota - Round 7, Pick 218
Travis Bell, DT | Kennesaw State - Round 7, Pick 258*
Kendall Williamson, S | Stanford
*Compensatory selection
How Many Draft Picks Did the Bears Have in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The Bears had 10 draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Four of those picks rested within the first three rounds, while six more resided on Day 3 — two in Round 4, two in Round 5, and two in Round 7.
Heading into Week 18, the Bears were one of just two teams with fewer than four wins, alongside the Texans. For the majority of the season, the Bears had been in a position to earn a top-three 2023 NFL Draft selection. They earned the first overall pick after Week 18 as the Texans eked out a 32-31 victory over the Colts.
The Bears ultimately traded that first overall pick to a QB-needy team in the Carolina Panthers. In return, they received the ninth overall selection, an additional second-rounder (61st overall), a 2024 first, a 2025 second, and wide receiver DJ Moore.
Chicago made two trades during the draft. They moved up in the second round, trading picks Nos. 61 and 136 to the Jaguars in exchange for No. 56, which they used to select CB Tyrique Stevenson. On Day 3, the Bears moved back, sending their fourth-rounder (No. 103) to the Saints for fourth (No. 115) and fifth-round (No. 165) choices.
After collecting one in the Khalil Mack trade, the Bears originally had two Round 6 picks. But Chicago dealt that pick to add an extra seventh-rounder in 2022 and later traded their own Round 6 pick for Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant.
The Bears had two seventh-round selections to close out the 2023 NFL Draft. One was their original pick at the very top of the round. The other was a supplemental pick, given to the Bears because the number of compensatory picks awarded across the league (30) was less than the number of teams.
Who Did the Bears Draft in 2023?
The Bears traded back from No. 1 overall and acquired Moore. They used the early rounds of the draft to strengthen their offensive and defensive lines.
Darnell Wright, a first-round OT, will be starting at right tackle, playing alongside free agent addition Nate Davis. Wright is expected to excel in run blocking and provide the Bears’ front five with both potential and stability.
Although there was no edge rusher found in the draft, the Bears did add two strong interior players on Day 2. Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens are over 300 pounds and will be immediate contributors against the run.
The Bears’ defense had concerns in this area in 2022, but Dexter and Pickens will help address these concerns. While they need to improve their pass-rushing skills, they will have a role to play on Day 1.
Second-round cornerback Stevenson should be a great addition to Eberflus’ zone-based scheme and could potentially start alongside Jaylon Johnson.
With Stevenson on board, Kyler Gordon can focus on playing in the slot full-time. The Bears didn’t have a lot of corner depth before the draft, so Stevenson’s arrival should push other CBs down the pecking order.
Although Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman are likely to get more carries, Roschon Johnson could be a valuable asset if injuries occur. Tyler Scott, who fell further in the draft than anticipated, could also make an impact as Chicago’s WR4.