The Chicago Bears are sitting in an unique position with the No. 10 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Bears don’t need a quarterback and addressed their major roster needs during the early weeks of the offseason. They added three new starters to the offensive line while bolstering the defensive line with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.
While the arrivals of Jarrett and Odeyingbo wouldn’t prevent the Bears from addressing the defensive line in the first round of the draft, it seems unlikely that they would do so at No. 10. Short of the Bears selecting Michigan’s Mason Graham or Penn State’s Abdul Carter, there aren’t many defensive line prospects that make a compelling case for the Bears to use the No. 10 pick on.
Again, if Graham or Carter are still available when the Bears are on the clock at No. 10, the team shouldn’t waste any time with the decision. Perhaps, the Bears may not waste time in pursuing Carter. PFF’s latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft has Ryan Poles making a massive trade up.
The mock trade has the Bears receiving the No. 2 selection from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the No. 10, No. 39, No. 148, and 2026 first-round pick. With the No. 2 selection, PFF has the Bears taking Carter.
Abdul Carter would be worth the trade up for the Chicago Bears.
Carter isn’t just the best edge rusher in this year’s draft class, his potential impact has drawn comparisons to the impact Micah Parsons had with the Dallas Cowboys. Nevertheless, it would make sense that the Bears would be drooling over the idea of adding Carter. Carter is likely one of two players that would warrant the Bears being willing to move up for in the draft.
PFF isn’t the only source thinking the Bears may move up in the draft. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has the Bears trading the No. 10 pick, No. 41, and a 2026 third-rounder to the New England Patriots for the No. 4 selection in the draft. With the selection, the Bears took Carter.
Carter has been dealing with a shoulder and foot injury as he preps for the draft. Assuming there isn’t a major red flag with either injury, Bears fans shouldn’t take issue with either mock draft. Of course, the trade with the Patriots would be the ideal one as that would be a small price to pay if Carter turns out to be the elevator that many believe him to be.