Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft almost went a shockingly different way

The Chicago Bears were the talk of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft as they selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall selection and wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall selection.

While the selection of Williams was no secret, there was some debate about who the Bears were going to select with the ninth overall selection. In the months since the draft, it became clear Odunze was the player they always had their sights on but Tuesday night's episode of Hard Knocks provided a shocking detail about a potential trade that the Bears had lined up if the draft board fell a certain way.

If wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Malik Nabers were off the board by the time the Giants were on the clock with the sixth overall pick, the Bears were prepared to swap first-round picks with New York in addition to sending a third-round and fourth-round pick. The Bears also would have received a fifth-round pick from the Giants.

While the Giants' front office was under the impression that the Bears were targeting offensive tackle Joe Alt, it's clear that the Bears were prepared to make that trade in order to land Odunze. We learned previously this offseason that Ryan Poles had to be convinced to stand pat and trust that Odunze would still be on the board when the Bears were on the clock at No. 9.

While the Bears would have still landed Odunze under this proposed trade, the move would have left them with only one pick after the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead of an unnecessary aggressive trade, the Bears were able to still land Odunze while also adding an offensive tackle project in Krian Amegadjie and a dynamic punter in Tory Taylor. Not to mention, the Bears wound up getting back into the fifth round and selecting defensive end Austin Booker.