Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Draft: Latest rumors and reports fuel two first-round trades

Until Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears make a decision regarding their no. 1 pick and Justin Fields, we're going to continue seeing plenty of rumors.

Hopefully, we are only about a month or so away from a decision. Free agency begins March 13, and the Bears would ideally like to have made a decision before the new league year opens.

Will Justin Fields be sticking around? Or, will the Bears go with Caleb Williams at no. 1 overall? Those seem to be the only two real options being weighed.

Well, based on a couple of recent reports from reputable sources, we could be seeing the start of a couple of moves being made.

The latest rumors suggest the Chicago Bears could not only stick with Justin Fields, but pull off a pair of monumental trades.

Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger is a known follow for Bears fans, and he recently put out some significant news bits in regards to the Washington Commanders hiring Kliff Kingsbury, the Caleb Williams/Colin Cowherd saga and what the Bears could get from Washington moving up just one spot.

So, Williams isn't opposed to the Bears and trains at the spot where new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron works. But, the big piece of information in the above post has to do with Washington.

The Commanders hired Kliff Kingsbury to be their new offensive coordinator, just days after it was reported that Kingsbury would be hired in Las Vegas. Kingsbury withdrew his name from the Vegas job, somewhat abruptly, which might lead me to believe he thinks it's possible for the Commanders to land his former USC quarterback. Oh, and Williams seems to be pretty happy for his guy Kingsbury after landing the Washington gig.

With this information in mind, let's take it and run with it.

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The Commanders trade up to no. 1 and pair Caleb Williams with Kingsbury once again.

This first trade comes well ahead of the draft, and the Bears could choose to make yet another huge move prior to free agency kicking off, thus cementing their plans around the quarterback position going forward.

One other recent rumor has the Las Vegas Raiders wanting to move up for a quarterback, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. If that desire becomes so strong for Vegas, that they're willing to offer a package like this one, then the Bears might have to move down once again.

In this deal, the Bears move down to the no. 13 pick while also netting a second rounder and fourth rounder this year. The Raiders also trade their first and second-round picks next year, in addition to last year's first round pick, defensive lineman Tyree Wilson.

The Bears might have a choice between Wilson or a 2026 first-round pick, and for the sake of building this roster right here and now, Wilson makes sense. He came along slowly in his rookie year, but still has the athletic build of a total freak of nature.

Wilson comes in and can play meaningful snaps right away with Montez Sweat on the other side, but the Bears aren't done at this position just yet. Now, it's on to their first pick in the draft at no. 9 overall.

With their first pick being their own at number nine, the Bears take the best player available, and it just so happens to be a guy who won't have to travel very far.

Notre Dame's Joe Alt is up there with Penn State's Olu Fashanu as one of the best offensive tackles in this draft, and the Bears are able to come home with the Irish standout.

While offensive tackle isn't exactly a high priority, it's also a spot that the Bears could upgrade. Braxton Jones has been fine, but if Chicago has an opportunity to improve such an important spot, and for years to come, why wouldn't they?

Jones has had his issues amidst some bright spots. He's been caught standing too tall out of his stance quite often and was also penalized nine times in 11 games last season. Bringing in Alt gives the Bears a solid, franchise left tackle to pair with last year's first-round pick, Darnell Wright.

Alt stands a towering 6-foot-8 and moves like a tight end. He is every bit of a plug-and-play offensive tackle in this draft and would fit very well within this Bears offense.

A few picks later at no. 13, the Bears stay in the trenches but go with a pass rusher in Alabama's Dallas Turner. This is a true Ryan Poles haul, thus far. No quarterback, no wide receiver; just two excellent football players who help build the trenches into what they should be.

The Bears already traded for Wilson out of Las Vegas, and of course have Montez Sweat coming off a big year. Turner gives them another franchise type pass rusher who will come in and create a three-headed monster up front.

Turner has two of the most desirable traits when it comes to being an NFL pass rusher: length and athleticism. He stands 6-foot-4, 242 pounds and is lightning-quick off the line of scrimmage. His post-snap processing speed goes hand-in-hand with his physical speed, too. He is quick to diagnose a run play and get to the ball carrier.

He has also done a nice job answering the critics who have called him too skinny. He might be fast and athletic, but he showed a lot more play strength over the second half of the season with Alabama. He is not just a speed rusher. He has a lot of moves that can make him one of the better edge defenders in football.

With their first pick in the second round, thanks to the Commanders giving up no. 40, the Bears address the wide receiver position and go with Xavier Legette out of South Carolina.

The 6-foot-1, muscular Legette is your prototypical Gamecock wide receiver. In a history littered with bigger wideouts who possess contested catch ability and a strong frame, Legette fits right in. He isn't too far removed from one of the more recent guys to play in the NFL, and also in Chicago: Alshon Jeffrey.

Legette brings the size and outside presence while D.J. Moore does a lot of the smaller and intermediate things well. Moore is great working all over the field and gives the Bears a legitimate YAC monster. Legette, meanwhile, also has experience lining up everywhere but is best suited on the outside where he can win one-on-one battles regularly.

The Bears need a traditional, outside receiver like Legette who can adjust his body in the air, display immaculate control and go up to get those 50/50 balls. Their room has lacked the size and specific skill set brought by Legette, and now he allows this offense to open up more of their new playbook with his attributes.

One spot the Bears need to figure out this offseason is the one currently occupied by Eddie Jackson. This secondary is one of the best, young groups in all of football. If Chicago can re-sign Jaylon Johnson, then the only position they need to account for is the one that will ultimately be vacated by Jackson.

The Bears are going to cut Jackson. It's a foregone conclusion at this point. Now, whether they cut him and decide to bring him back on a cheaper deal remains to be seen. Jackson's play has dipped over the years and the team should cut their losses. Hopefully, they are able to move on from him completely and bring in a younger safety to take his place.

That's where Minnesota's Tyler Nubin comes in. As maybe the most well-rounded safety in this draft class, Nubin would fit perfectly. He forms a safety tandem with another guy who is similar in talent, Jaquan Brisker, and also plays with an aggressive mentality. Nubin is 6-foot-2 and plays physical football. He doesn't shy away from contact and is a willing helper in the run game.

His length, though, shows up in coverage, too. He's a great example of a safety the Bears could place at either spot, allowing them to make sure both he and Brisker are comfortable.

Above all else, Nubin is a leader. He plays with a competitive edge that Brisker possesses, too. Between the two of them, Chicago could have one of the more fun, dynamic safety duos in the league.

Like the safety position, the Bears will also have to figure out their center spot. Lucas Patrick is a free agent and was originally brought over as one of Luke Getsy's guys, so he's a goner. Cody Whitehair, like Eddie Jackson, could be cut in order to save some additional cap space. And believe me, he's going to be cut.

In the third round, the Bears find their starting center in Georgia's Sedrick Van Pran. He is one of the top three at his position in this draft, and while many fans would love Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson, Van Pran is a nice consolation prize. He's been a steady presence for the always-competitive Georgia Bulldogs and has taken on the likes of several SEC defensive linemen who will wind up in the NFL.

Van Pran moves well, which is a familiar trait we just talked about with Alt. He can get to the second level quickly, firing off the line of scrimmage. He also sports heavy hands which he knows how to use, and a strong, dense frame that's tough to push back.

This is a pick fans would be excited about. Adding to the receiving room again, the Bears go with UCF standout Javon Baker. In Baker, the Bears are getting a quick-twitch athlete who runs extraordinary routes and knows how to get open. His body control, from head to toe, is outstanding. That might be his best overall trait. He knows how to maneuver his body, in any situation, to put himself in the best position to succeed.

Whether it's in his route running or going up for a contested catch, Baker is always in control. He's one of those sneaky picks that might end up making a bigger impact than anyone could have anticipated. In terms of being NFL-ready, he has the desirable traits that make a great wide receiver: instincts and body control.

With Moore, Legette and Baker, the Bears have now totally revamped their wide receiver room. Second-year pro Tyler Scott has to take a step forward if he is going to merit added playing time. Velus Jones Jr. may or may not be on this roster in a few months. Equanimeous St. Brown will likely not return.

And, then, there's Darnell Mooney. Who knows what happens with him. All we do know, though, is that the Bears will look mighty different at wide receiver. They've gotten younger and more diverse in their top three skill sets, with a pair of rookies coming in to make an immediate impact alongside Moore.

The Bears currently don't own any picks beyond the fifth round, but don't count out another trade back from Poles. Here, we see the Jaguars wanting to move up a couple of spots and the Bears take full advantage, netting a sixth rounder as well.

With their selection at no. 114, the Bears head back to the defensive line and grab a guy who had a strong Senior Bowl showing in Ohio State's Michael Hall Jr.

While a lot of attention was on Jackson Powers-Johnson at center, there were plenty of reps that saw Hall go toe-to-toe with the All-American. Hall improved his draft stock greatly over the Senior Bowl and definitely cemented himself as an early Day 3 pick, if not late Day 2.

Hall's biggest knock is his lack of size, standing 6-foot-2, 280 pounds. But, he balances his frame well. He has a strong upper body and is quick off the line, which we saw going against Powers-Johnson in a few specific reps. Hall comes in and gives the Bears another interior lineman for their rotation, to go with Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens (the future of Justin Jones is still up in the air).

Chicago will probably add to their running back room, even though Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are firmly capable of handling the load. USC's MarShawn Lloyd was another guy who stood out at the Senior Bowl and showcased his play style in a big way.

Lloyd is a bit smaller at 5-foot-9, but he's powerful. He packs a punch. Lloyd runs well in between the tackles and can be a solid short yardage back, and has also shown an ability to catch the ball when called upon. Last season with the Trojans, Lloyd averaged over 7.0 yards per carry while rushing for 820 yards and nine scores.

In the fifth round, the Bears take their shot on finding a second tight end to pair with Cole Kmet. Teams that can use 12 personnel successfully are able to add so much more to their offense, and the Bears need to be able to do that, especially with a mobile quarterback like Fields. He'll need guys who can not only be effective blocking, but who are also able to get out and help him improvise in the passing game.

A.J. Barner is classified as your prototypical tight end, standing 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. Michigan used him all over the field, whether he was split out wide, in-line or even as a full back at times. He's the perfect type to come in and be used just as he was in college, with Kmet being the primary target in the passing game.

Lastly, the Bears add to their cornerback room with the pick they obtained from Jacksonville. In the sixth round, they select Louisiana Tech corner Willie Roberts. Depth behind the two starters includes last year's rookie Terell Smith, but the Bears could use a solidified fourth outside corner. Roberts gives them the opportunity to find that.

Last year, he played over 700 snaps, came up with nine passes defensed, one interception and gave up an opposing quarterback rating of just 66.0.