Bears’ trade of No. 1 pick has Pat Fitzgerald dreaming of Peter Skoronski to Chicago
The Chicago Bears made a splash trading the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers. In exchange, they landed two first-rounders, two-second rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore.
The good news is Chicago still has a top-10 pick in the draft, where all indications are they’re targeting a defensive tackle or offensive tackle.
Someone who should be on the board is Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski, who’s slated to work out at the team’s pro day on Tuesday. The Bears are well-represented at Northwestern’s pro day, where general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive line coach Chris Morgan are among those in attendance.
Before things kicked off, Northwestern head coach — and noted Bears fan — Pat Fitzgerald shared his reaction to Chicago trading the No. 1 pick to the Panthers:
“Skoronski to the Bears! Let’s go!”
Pat Fitzgerald’s reaction to the #Bears trading the No. 1 overall pick: “Skoronski to the Bears! Let’s go!” pic.twitter.com/HmRj3gVOyY
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) March 14, 2023
When you look at how Poles hasn’t overpaid for a defensive or offensive lineman through the first day of free agency, it’s an indication they could be targeting the draft for those needs.
Skoronski could very well be the first offensive tackle off the board, and he’s someone who could develop into a long-term starter for the Bears.
“Peter Skoronski will face the challenge of proving to teams that he can play left tackle in the NFL,” wrote Bears Wire’s Nate Atkins. “While he has the feet and athleticism necessary to play the position, his shorter arm length will have many teams wanting him to move inside to guard.”
With Chicago sitting at No. 9 — in prime position to land a top tackle — Skoronski will be a popular name over the next month.
