Report: Bears trade No. 1 overall draft pick to Panthers for picks, WR DJ Moore

The Chicago Bears made a move with the No. 1 overall draft pick.

The Bears struck a deal with the Carolina Panthers on Friday to send them the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to multiple reports. In exchange, the Bears received two future first- and second-round draft picks and Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

This marks the first time the No. 1 overall pick has been traded since the 2016 draft, when the Los Angeles Rams moved up 15 spots to select Jared Goff.

The deal ends weeks of speculation about what the Bears, who haven’t had the first pick in the draft since 1947, would do at No. 1. The Bears went 3-14 last season but have been steadfast about rebuilding with quarterback Justin Fields, who threw for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for another 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns in his second season in the league.

This trade not only gives Chicago multiple immediate draft picks in return but also adds another weapon for Fields. Moore had 888 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season, his fifth with the Panthers. In May, the 25-year-old signed a three-year, $61.8 million contract extension with the team that runs through the 2025 season.

While it’s unclear what the Panthers will do at No. 1, they do need a quarterback. The team used Baker Mayfield, PJ Walker and Sam Darnold last season while struggling to a 7-10 finish. The team hired Frank Reich earlier this offseason to replace Matt Rhule, who was fired after five games last season.

If the Panthers indeed go with a quarterback, there are at least four options available. Ohio State's C.J. Stroud was picked No. 1 in Charles McDonald's latest mock draft for Yahoo Sports, and Florida's Anthony Richardson, Alabama's Bryce Young and Kentucky's Will Levis were all in his top 10.