Here’s what Bears were willing to trade in the 2024 NFL Draft to land Rome Odunze originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Bears GM Ryan Poles started to get worried as their No. 9 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft drew closer and every player was pulled off the draft board.
Poland had his man in mind. He wanted Rome Odunze. And after the draft, he told the media that assistant GM Ian Cunningham was instrumental in dissuading him from making a trade to transfer from Odunze.
“Ian [Cunningham] and I sequenced a board all the way across and Rome was extremely high on that list,” Poles said after the first round. “That’s why I was nervous that he wouldn’t be there at No. 9. Our simulations were about a 50-50 shot if he was there.
“But as it started to unfold, Ian had to talk me out of trying to make a trade and doing something crazy to get him”
A new clip from Roku’s latest show ‘NFL Draft: The Pick Is In’ shows Poland on the phone lining up a trade with the Falcons at No. 8. The clip shows Poland talking to Terry Fontenot, the Falcons’ general manager. call and throw the ball. idea of trading him a future fourth-round pick to move from No. 9 to No. 8 in the draft.
The #Bears were open to trading a future 4th to the #Falcons to go from 9 to 8 to secure Rome Odunze.
It seems Atlanta wasn’t interested. The Bears still have Odunze.
But this feels notable after Atlanta lost a future 5th to tampering this week.pic.twitter.com/cB2kAn7fmO
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 14, 2024
‘Would you go back one place? Is that in the cards, or?’ Poland asked Fontenot on the phone. “As a future fourth (round pick). We did the same thing with Philly last year.”
In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Eagles gave the Bears a 2024 fourth-round pick to move from No. 9 to No. 10 in the draft. Next, the Eagles wanted Jalen Carter, who was a far cry from his initial draft projection. The Bears didn’t want him, so they traded one pick and selected Darnell Wright.
Luckily, the Bears didn’t have to cough up a future fourth-round pick to move up. Odunze fell into their lap after the Falcons shocked the NFL world with Odunze’s quarterback — Michael Penix Jr. — taking No. 8 after recently signing Kirk Cousins.
“No,” Poles said as he expected that move. “I’m just glad it worked out this way,” he said with a smile.
The Bears made their move and grabbed the big, speedy Odunze to pair him with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. With that trio, Poles and the Bears created one of the most lethal wide receiver rooms in the NFL, complemented by a player Poles fell in love with leading up to the draft.
“Man, I don’t know where to start with that guy,” Polen said of Odunze. “First of all the man, what a great guy, work ethic, just a blue-collar guy in the way he goes about things. But as a receiver he can line up anywhere, inside (or) outside. You love his ability to He can very well running after the catches. I mean, the kid has put in the time and he’s gotten better every year.
“He is a winner. He can influence the match at any time.”
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