Bear Digest

Sensible Move Up for Bears Has Too Many Obstacles

Gene Chamberlain

Notre Dame's massive, quick-footed left tackle Joe Alt would be the object of a Bears trade suggested by one NFL writer.
Notre Dame's massive, quick-footed left tackle Joe Alt would be the object of a Bears trade suggested by one NFL writer. / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Trading up for the Bears has been a thought by those who support landing a top wide receiver for Caleb Williams, namely Marvin Harrison Jr.

NFL media's Daniel Jeremiah on Wednesday suggested a different use for future draft capital, and it would also benefit Williams.

He had them trading up from No. 9 to No. 6 to draft Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt.

Alt hasn't gone to Halas Hall on a reported top-30 visit but they have definitely shown interest him at his pro day. At almost 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds, he has an 82 3/4-inch wingspan and easily gets his hands on pass rushers. Alt is the top tackle on every analyst's board and a pick by Tennessee at No. 7 on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus mock draft.

"Looking at the potential trade spots and thought this was an interesting one—Chicago trades up from 9 to 6 to take Joe Alt," Jeremiah tweeted. "I know they have a functional LT right now but Alt & Wright would be an incredible tandem to protect Caleb for a decade. Ideally for 2025 pick/pick swap."

The compensation most likely would need to include the Bears' second-round pick next year. They have an extra one still from the trade down with Carolina last year.

It's not a report, just something that supposedly popped into Jeremiah's head.

The other aspect to this is Tennessee. The Titans need a tackle and most likely are hoping for Alt to be there at No. 7. They could easily trade with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 to make sure they get Alt.

The Bears could do this, as well.

There are plenty of assumptions from NFL reporters that Jim Harbaugh will be looking at No. 5 for a wide receiver but his MO at Michigan and San Francisco always started with a strong running game and having a tackle would be exactly what they need to implement his and Greg Roman's style of offense.

So Alt might not even be available for the Bears to pursue unless they wanted to trade all the way up to No. 4 with Arizona, and the Cardinals need that spot to come away with Harrison.

Helping Williams with Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers as targets seems much more likely considering Braxton Jones is still available as a starter. The Bears wouldn't lose good future draft capital by selecting one of the receivers and going with their current tackle.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.