Panthers acquire first overall pick in NFL Draft from Bears with blockbuster trade: reports

The Carolina Panthers have acquired the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft from the Chicago Bears, according to multiple reports.

The Panthers are sending the ninth overall pick, a 2024 first-round pick, wide receiver D.J. Moore, the 61st pick this year and a second-round pick in 2025 to the Bears in exchange for the top spot, where they will likely select a quarterback.

The Panthers used three different starting quarterbacks last season while also trading away superstar running back Christian McCaffrey, yet they remained in playoff contention until the very end of the season.

Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are expected to be the top two picks in the NFL Draft. The Houston Texans select second. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson has skyrocketed on draft boards, though.

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The trade ensures Justin Fields is the guy in Chicago. He became the third quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season last year.

But Fields now has a new top receiver. In his five NFL seasons, Moore has 5,201 receiving yards and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark each season from 2019 to 2021. His seven touchdowns last season were a career high. 

Moore will join receivers Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, both of whom have shown promise in their young careers but took a step backward last season.

Carolina now has over $22.7 million in cap space, saving over $10 million by trading Moore, per OverTheCap.