The Chicago Bears have the most draft capital in the 2024 NFL Draft, putting general manager Ryan Poles in a position to build one of the best rosters in football long-term if he hits on his picks. While there are still several months of evaluations to be done, there is one player apparently guaranteed to land with the Bears next season.
Chicago will head into the 2024 NFL Draft holding two top-10 selections, likely including the first overall pick. For a franchise with a top edge rusher (Montez Sweat) and a franchise-caliber quarterback (Justin Fields), Poles would seemingly have an array of options.
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The ongoing debate right now among fans and analysts centers on whether the Bears should draft a quarterback at No. 1 overall and trade Fields or move down, receiving even more draft capital, building an even stronger roster around Fields. In the eyes of one NFL insider, there’s not even a decision that will need to be debated in Chicago’s front office.
Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network writes that the Bears “won’t pass” on USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.
While he notes that the Bears still need to take Williams through the pre-draft process, it seems all but certain that Williams will be taken by Chicago.
Some view Williams as the undisputed No. 1 player in the 2024 NFL Draft, but North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is equally talented. There are also NFL teams that have off-field questions with Williams and believe he created a bit of an on-field concern with his play this season.
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As long as Williams doesn’t tank the pre-draft process, however, Caplan seems to believe that the Bears are locked in on Williams in the same way that the Cincinnati Bengals were a few years ago. If that proves to be the case, Justin Fields’ trade rumors will ramp up after Week 18.
