Since the Chicago Bears made the Justin Fields trade official, it has been a foregone conclusion that this team is going to select Caleb Williams no. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
If you had been reading the tea leaves and following along with some of the top experts and insiders, especially during Combine week, the Fields trade was no surprise to you. The plan to ultimately draft Williams shouldn't be a surprise, either.
In fact, this plan to draft Williams and trade Fields likely goes back pretty far. Just how far? We might never know, but it's no longer a secret, and head coach Matt Eberflus is making that much known.
Eberflus told NFL lead reporter Albert Breer that they not only brought the USC quarterback out to dinner, but revealed some interesting verbiage when speaking about their conversations.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus says the team brought USC QB Caleb Williams to dinner with few of his teammates. That allowed them to see him interact with peers—“great personality, great character, can see that easily during the dinner”.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 26, 2024
Says they’ll continue install at the 30 visit.
The Bears have already begun familiarizing Caleb Williams with their plan for him
The key words here, from Breer, are "continue install."
That would lead us to believe the Bears have already begun preparing Williams for life in Chicago, whether it be discussing offensive strategies or familiarizing him with personnel. At this point, it would be the biggest shock of the offseason, and maybe this century, if the Bears didn't draft Williams.
Take a look back at his pro day, when new Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen showed up to show his support. When speaking about Allen, Williams told reporters "he's here," referring to Allen being in Chicago, and "here" being Williams' unspoken, unofficial NFL home, with the Bears.
Everyone knows what's going to happen. Williams is going to hear his name called first overall on draft night. He's going to be a member of the Bears. This should have long-been known by fans, both casual and die-hard.
If you're one of those fans who have had a hard time being convinced that Fields was going to be traded and Williams is his ultimate successor, this should put any worry, doubt or anxiousness to rest. Eberflus said it himself. The Bears are installing Williams into this offense, team, staff and organization as a whole.
The NFL's worst-kept secret only continues to be revealed more and more, as time goes on.