With the No. 1 pick in 2024, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has the opportunity to move on from Justin Fields and draft a new franchise quarterback, but NFL national insider Peter King expects him to seek another “ransom.”
In his most recent Football Morning in America blog, King mentioned Poles and the quarterback decision he will face again in the 2024 summer. Like in 2023, the Bears get the first overall pick — this time from the Carolina Panthers, who finished 2-15 — and have doubts about Fields’ future as a starter.

Similarly to 2023, King expects Poles to trade the selection to the highest bidder.

“With so many good quarterbacks in the pool, the Bears should be able to get a 2022-like ransom for the pick,” King wrote in his NBC Sports column on January 8. “I expect GM Ryan Poles to trade the pick, but it’s too early to say for sure.”
King is one of the most trusted NFL insiders in the country, but his information on Poles comes with a proven track record. During the 2023 offseason, the two spoke multiple times, with Poles sharing critical facts with King about his trade negotiations and long-term ideas on Fields and the quarterback position.

King also stated that he expected Poles to trade the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 after the NFL Scouting Combine last March, less than a week before the move was completed. So, when it comes to plugged-in sources with Poles, King is hard to beat.

Nonetheless, it is worth noting that King left the door open for Poles to choose a different path with the No. 1 overall pick in 2024. Will Poles, on the other hand, make a radical change?

The NFL Combine Could Be Important for the Bears and Ryan Poles
The Bears may not make a decision on the quarterback position in the same time frame as they did in 2023. Poles traded the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina in early March last year, between the end of the NFL Combine and the start of the 2023 league year, but a more prestigious class of quarterback prospects in 2024 may cause things to take longer.

In any case, the Bears will almost definitely postpone any franchise-altering choices until after this year’s NFL Combine, which runs from February 26 to March 4.

The NFL Combine appears to be an excellent scouting showcase for organizations to further analyze talents that have sparked their interest. While the physical testing and measures tend to get the most of the public attention, clubs also have the opportunity to meet with candidates one-on-one and get a sense of their demeanor and character.
Furthermore, the yearly event permits general managers to meet privately and discuss prospective deals that could occur in the weeks leading up to the NFL draft. Poles told King that at the 2023 event, he lay the groundwork for his trade with the Panthers — and former general manager Scott Fitterer — and talked with a few other clubs.

Whether Poles is looking for trade partners with the No. 1 overall selection or scouting a potential new franchise quarterback, the Combine feels like a good place to start.
Which Teams Could Make a Trade for the Bears’ First-Round Pick in 2024?
If Poles decides to deal the No. 1 overall selection again, the list of potential trading partners will be wider, not shorter, than it was last year. Washington (No. 2) and New England (No. 3) may both sit back and wait for a quarterback to fall to them, but the Bears could benefit if the Patriots choose to go first.

In his column, King mentioned a few additional prospective quarterback teams. He feels the Minnesota Vikings would not move “aggressively to sign Kirk Cousins” and are more interested in moving up for a quarterback. He also mentioned that Denver (12th), Las Vegas (13th), and Seattle (16th) could be “in the hunt for young quarterbacks.”
A trade down with New England is the most enticing option for those who want to see Chicago target Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The Commanders and Patriots would then pick quarterbacks in the top two places, leaving the Bears free to take the first non-quarterback off the board.

However, Poles chose to drop eight spots in 2023 in favor of a huge haul. If the right club comes knocking with the promise of another “ransom,” as King described it, the Bears may jump at the chance to set themselves up for success for years to come.