On April 25, Caleb Williams will officially join the Chicago Bears after becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While adding a new franchise quarterback is exciting enough, Bears fans have another reason to be heavily invested in the three-day draft weekend, thanks to having another first-round selection at No. 9 overall.
While Williams will obviously be their first draft choice of the night, what will the Bears do with their second pick? Earlier this month Bears general manager Ryan Poles relayed his plans to split up the front office into a mini-debate team, deciding between the top tackles, wide receivers, and pass-rushers on Chicago’s NFL Draft board.
There’s also the possibility that the Bears will trade down from No. 9, yet, what about a trade up?
Marvin Harrison Jr. set to meet with Chicago Bears, but why?
We ask this because the Chicago Bears are actually set to meet with Ohio State superstar Marvin Harrison Jr. at Halas Hall on Monday. Most have tabbed MHJ as the best wide receiver prospect in the 2024 draft class, and some have even called him the best overall player.
Yet, no one expects the son of the Hall of Fame receiver to still be available when the Bears are on the clock again at No. 9. This means if the Bears are seriously thinking about drafting Harrison Jr., they’ll have to find a way to trade up again.
However, trading up isn’t so simple for the Bears, who possess just four draft picks at 1, 9, 75, and 122. That’s not enough ammo to move into the top-five, where Harrison is expected to be drafted. Of course, Chicago could always toss in future draft compensation too, but it always takes two to tango, and the teams they negotiate with may prefer immediate players or picks over what can help them in the future.
What’s also notable is that the Bears are also bringing in Texas speedster Xavier Worthy for a workout at the same time as Harrison Jr. This could be a way to compare the two prospects. If scouts view Harrison as the best receiver available, then how much of a dropoff is there between MHJ and Worthy? The up-close workout will give the Bears a good way to find out.
But again, Worthy is projected as a late-first, possibly Day 2 draft pick. This means he’s once again outside of Chicago’s draft range at 9 and 75. Could the Bears be preparing to move back from No. 9 to acquire a few more draft selections while targeting someone like Worthy? With just four draft selections in a top-heavy draft, it wouldn’t surprise us to see Chicago move back from No. 9.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft: Predicting Chicago Bears’ first-round picks