The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, thanks to a 3-14 record and the Houston Texans winning in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
The Bears are in position to take the best prospect available, or trade the top pick and add draft capital or players to complement quarterback Justin Fields, who had a much-improved sophomore season.
So how rare is it for the No. 1 pick to be traded before the NFL draft? It has happened 12 times since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967, including one pick that was dealt twice (1984). Those subsequent selections include notable players such as Michael Vick, Earl Campbell and Jeff George.
It last happened in 2016, when the Tennessee Titans traded the first pick to the Los Angeles Rams two weeks before the draft, with the Rams moving up all the way from No. 15 and surrendering several valuable picks. Those Tennessee choices turned into running back Derrick Henry and tight end Jonnu Smith, among others, while the Rams drafted quarterback Jared Goff at the top of the board.
Here's a closer look at all 12 trades for the No. 1 pick since 1967, excluding deals that happened after the draft had already started, such as the Eli Manning/Philip Rivers trade in 2004, Bo Jackson in 1986 and John Elway in 1983.
Player picked at No. 1: QB Jared Goff
Titans received: 2016 first-round pick (No. 15; subsequently traded, WR Corey Coleman), 2016 second-round pick (No. 43, DT Austin Johnson), 2016 second-round pick (No. 45, RB Derrick Henry), 2016 third-round pick (No. 76; subsequently traded, OT Shon Coleman), 2017 first-round pick (No. 5, WR Corey Davis) and 2017 third-round pick (No. 100, TE Jonnu Smith)
Rams received: 2016 No. 1 pick (Goff), 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 113; subsequently traded,
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