NFL draft: Bears pull first shocker, trade up from No. 3 to No. 2 for QB Mitchell Trubisky

The Chicago Bears must have really, really been sweating the rumors of Mitchell Trubisky going first overall to the Cleveland Browns.

The Bears pulled off the first big surprise of the NFL draft, trading with the San Francisco 49ers to move up one spot to No 2. With that pick they took Trubisky in their latest step on an arduous journey to finally find a franchise quarterback.

It wasn’t cheap to move up. The Bears gave up a third- and fourth-round pick this year and a third-round pick in 2018 to move up one spot. The 49ers took Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas third overall.

It cost the Bears some picks, but they got the quarterback they wanted.

Trubisky called it “crazy” and “surreal” that the Bears traded up for him; he said he didn’t even know he was the Bears’ pick until commissioner Roger Goodell announced it.

“It shows they believe in me,” Trubisky said on ESPN. “I can’t wait to go to work.”

It’s a bit of a curious move given that the Bears signed QB Mike Glennon to a three-year, $45 million deal this offseason. But Glennon’s contract is practically a one-year deal and then the Bears can make a decision. If Glennon works out, it’s not the worst problem to have.

There are questions about Trubisky. He started just one season at North Carolina. He probably needs to sit and learn for a year behind Glennon. But he does have a good arm and fine athleticism. The Bears obviously were anxious about Trubisky going No. 2, considering they gave up three picks to make sure the 49ers didn’t take him first. There were rumors up until Thursday the Browns would take Trubisky first overall, but when they went with defensive end Myles Garrett, the Bears had their opportunity to go get the quarterback they wanted.

The Bears have searched endlessly for an elite quarterback. This offseason, they finally gave up on Jay Cutler. Now Trubisky is in the spotlight. Perhaps the Bears’ carousel stops with him.

The Bears traded up to take quarterback Mitch Trubisky second overall. (AP)
The Bears traded up to take quarterback Mitch Trubisky second overall. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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