The Chicago Bears are on the clock.
In possession of the overall no. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft, they have first dibs on drafting USC Heisman award winner and consensus top quarterback in the talent pool, Caleb Williams. Many feel that Williams could develop into an elite-level franchise QB and some have even compared him to legendary figures such as Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.
There’s a vocal minority, however, who believe that Williams’ greatness is overstated and that the Bears might be better off if they looked elsewhere in the draft or, better yet, traded that coveted top pick for a haul of talent. Chicago certainly did the latter last year, when they brought in a treasure trove of riches when they, again, had the overall no. 1 pick and traded it away to the Carolina Panthers for veteran wide receiver DJ Moore, Carolina’s first-round pick last year, their second-round pick last year, their first-round pick this year (which ended up being the overall no. 1), and a second-round pick next year.
Chicago Bears Wheelin’ and Dealin’ Again?
Some have speculated that the Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles may try to pull off another mega-deal once again, to acquire an abundance of talent to fill in holes on the roster.
But, of course, if that happens, it’ll likely mean that the Bears have decided to keep quarterback Justin Fields and build around him.
Will Brinson of CBS Sports is envisioning a scenario in his latest mock draft where Chicago’s front office, having a spark of hope in Fields and seeing a low demand for him in a trade, does just that.
In Brinson’s layout, the Bears would swap draft spots with the New England Patriots, who are slated to pick in the overall no. 3 spot, while picking up three additional future first-round draft picks and a second-round pick in this year’s draft because, as he put it, “The Pats are that desperate for a quarterback…The Patriots are hell-bent on getting a franchise quarterback to help them forget Mac Jones…and Tom Brady.”
With their new no. 1 pick, Brinson sees New England drafting Caleb Williams, obviously.
Meanwhile, the Bears would use their new no. 3 pick to select Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who many see as the overall top player in the draft. Although the door may also be open for drafting one of the remaining high-end quarterbacks.
Per Brinson:
“The Bears could go with a quarterback here or they could kick the can down the road and grab a superstar wide receiver to see how things could work in 2024 with Justin Fields.”
What makes this scenario unlikely is the fact that the Bears would be taking a gigantic gamble in passing on Caleb Williams in favor of Justin Fields.
Fields’ Follies
Chicago Bears, Justin Fields
Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) tackles Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) during the second half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Fields, a 2021 first-round draft pick from Ohio State, will be headed into his fourth season in the NFL and has yet to prove himself a consistent winner in the league. Sporting a mediocre 10-28 record as a starter, he’s shown flashes of brilliance, especially in running with the ball, but he’s failed to show any real high-end consistency and has shown a frustrating tendency to fall apart in the fourth quarter.
However, Fields did demonstrate an increased level of maturity last season and he seemed to be hitting his stride in the second half of the campaign, following his thumb injury, when his on-field chemistry with wide receiver DJ Moore paid dividends for big receptions.
If given another elite tool in Marvin Harrison Jr., an improved offensive line, and the right tweaks from new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, it’s very conceivable that the 25-year-old Fields could become the player Chicago envisioned him to be when selecting him number one.
Add this possible scenario to the many others in the grand intrigue of “What will the Bears do in this year’s draft?”
