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Bears have made it known No. 29 pick for sale
By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter 10:41 p.m. CDT, April 27, 2011
j
erry Angelo didn't shy away from talking about the possibility of trading down from the first round of the NFL draft with media last week, and now he's talking about the possibility with other teams.
A high-ranking official from a team selecting in the upper half of the second round told the Tribune Wednesday night that the Chicago Bears have made it known the No. 29 pick could be for sale.
The news does not come as a surprise given Angelo’s history and the fact that the Bears have only six picks in the draft.
The Bears are seeking help at a number of positions, including along the offensive line and at defensive tackle. They could also use some new talent at cornerback and wide receiver.
"Trading down is easier to do and if there's enough players on the board when it's our pick, and it makes sense, then it's something that we would consider very seriously as what we've done in the past,” Angelo said last week.
The Bears have been in a similar position before. They held the 26th overall pick in 2006 and traded it to the Buffalo Bills on draft day in exchange for second- and third-round picks that were No. 42 (Danieal Manning) and No. 73 (Dusty Dvoracek), respectively.
The team executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, represents picks before No. 42.
When the Bears had the 31st overall pick in 2007 they stayed put, selecting tight end Greg Olsen. It's hard to say exactly what price Angelo would seek for the 29th pick, but it’s probably similar to the package he got from the Bills. In the event the Bears do trade No. 29 to a team that picks before No. 42, they might have to send that team another late-round pick to secure second- and third-round picks.
Keep in mind the Bears could face competition from other teams selecting near the end of the first round who are also looking to bail out of their selection. The Tribune’s Dan Pompei reported the Bears would look to deal the pick three weeks ago.
"Once we've cemented how many players we would take at 29, that would be the barometer of how far we'll trade down,” Angelo said. "There's a little math involved with it. It's not scientific, obviously. And then you know we also have to look at the needs of those teams behind us. And you know we don't want to go down and then find out we're not really crazy about the guy we're getting. That doesn't make sense either, and then you're just collecting picks. That's not the theme of the draft is to collect draft picks. You have to feel good about that player you're going to trade down or you don't do it.”
bmbiggs@tribune.com
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Originally Posted by Henry Burris 
