This week, the No. 1 overall picks from the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts — Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers and Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears — will square off in separate primetime games. Young and the Panthers host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football, while Williams and the Bears visit the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. The two quarterbacks are forever linked by a March 2023 blockbuster trade that sent the top pick to Carolina and a massive haul to Chicago.
Trade Details
The Panthers received the 2023 No. 1 overall pick. In return, the Bears acquired the 2023 No. 9 overall pick (later traded back and turned into offensive tackle Darnell Wright and punter Tory Taylor), a 2024 first-round pick that became Caleb Williams, a 2023 second-round pick used to trade up for cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, a 2025 second-round pick that became wide receiver Luther Burden III, and wide receiver DJ Moore.
Panthers' Turmoil and Young's Rough Start
Carolina had been in disarray since David Tepper purchased the team in 2018, cycling through head coaches and general managers with no alignment. The Panthers went 29-53 over Tepper's first five years and started a different leading passer each season from 2018-22. After moving up to No. 1, the Panthers selected Young over C.J. Stroud. Young's rookie season was historically poor: he took 62 sacks and posted a 4.6 net yards per attempt, the worst since Jimmy Clausen in 2010. Offensive coaching chaos — Frank Reich, Thomas Brown, and James Campen never meshed — led to Reich's firing after a 1-11 start.
Bears' Immediate Returns and the 2024 No. 1 Pick
Chicago used its two 2023 picks on Wright and Stevenson, both of whom had up-and-down rookie years. Justin Fields continued to struggle in 2023, though Moore enjoyed a career year with 96 catches for 1,364 yards. The Bears finished 7-10, while the Panthers went 2-15, handing Chicago the 2024 No. 1 overall pick — used on Williams.
Williams' Rookie Struggles and Coaching Turnaround
Williams faced many of the same rookie issues: poor surroundings, play-calling instability, and a leaky offensive line. He took 68 sacks, tied for third-most in a single season, and head coach Matt Eberflus was fired in-season. The hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach in 2025 sparked a dramatic improvement, and Williams has taken another leap in his second year under Johnson.
Young's Gradual Improvement
Young also struggled in 2024 under new coach Dave Canales and was briefly benched. He finished the season strongly and has shown further progress in 2025 under new offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who assumed play-calling duties. While not yet elite, Young is providing viable play for a Panthers team eyeing a playoff return.
Statistical Comparison This Season
Through the current season, Williams ranks 4th in EPA per dropback, 2nd in completion percentage, 7th in net yards per attempt, and 5th in touchdown-to-interception ratio. Young ranks 16th, 29th, 12th, and 12th in those same categories, respectively. The gap underscores that Williams is on a superstar trajectory while Young remains a work in progress.
Landslide Victory for Chicago
The trade has been a landslide win for the Bears. Beyond Williams, Wright has developed into one of the NFL's best tackles, Stevenson remains a key contributor, Taylor ranks eighth in net punting average, and Burden leads the Bears with 35 catches for 491 yards this season. Chicago even flipped Moore to the Buffalo Bills for a second-round pick, which yielded tight end Sam Roush, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Outlook
As Young shows signs of stability and Tepper's meddling appears to have lessened, the Panthers can view the trade with slightly less regret. However, the deal has fundamentally altered Chicago's fortunes and continues to pay dividends across multiple draft classes.
