The Houston Texans are in the mix for the top pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. But they surely won't be the only team to pursue the valuable asset that represents a fresh breath of franchise-altering type hope. 

When you hold the No. 1 overall pick, especially with a quarterback-loaded rookie class like this year's, the sky is the limit. If you hit that one pick, you probably got yourself a future.

This is something the Chicago Bears, proud owners of the 2023 top pick and already equipped with a quarterback in Justin Fields, know very well. 

And as such, general manager Ryan Poles essentially revealed his asking price in Peter King's latest column for NBC Sports. Spoiler alert: It's HIGH.

"(Bears GM Ryan Poles) said he had enough conversations about a deal to know in swapping first-round picks this year he can get “a ’24 one and a ’25 one” in a major package for a trade," writes King, one of the most insightful insiders in the game.

In other words, if the Texans are aiming to call dibs on the first quarterback off the board, they'll have to pay three first-round picks (including one from this year's NFL Draft). 

Is the price tag realistic?

It sounds like a lot and it makes sense that the Bears GM would say that publicly even if it wasn't true.

But at the end of the day, consider the Bears' point of view. Three to four quarterbacks are expected to be picked in the Top 10 of this year's NFL Draft. But they have the key to getting the right one. 

Since every team has a preferred option, they're likely to pay the premium just to secure their guy. You don't mess around with the quarterback position. If one guy is worth it, you pay up.

As such, the Bears are well-positioned to have one team send big-time compensation in return for the top selection of the year. Many expect it to be Alabama's prospect, Bryce Young. And many expect it to be the Texans, and they have the draft capital. 

But the Texans' front office will have to ask themselves if Young (or Stroud, or Richardson) is worth it. As long as they believe that he'll be a successful QB at the next level, there's nothing to discuss. 

A trade for the No. 1 overall pick would be worth three first-round picks.