For the first time ever for many Chicago Bears fans, there is a certainty about who the Bears will be selecting with their first-round pick in the NFL Draft.
The Bears made their presence felt at USC's Pro Day on Wednesday where their focus was primarily on quarterback Caleb Williams, including a cameo by recently acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen.
At this point, the worst-kept secret is that the Bears will be selecting Williams with the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The focus for the Bears now shifts to what the team will do with the ninth overall selection in the draft. While the leading suggestion is that the Bears will trade down in an effort to collect more draft picks beyond the fourth round of this year's draft, there is the potential to be intriguing prospects available.
If the scenario that plays out in the draft is one that has four quarterbacks selected with the first four picks, the Bears could be in a position to draft the best offensive lineman available.
Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt has been a player that many Bears fans have called for the team to select with their second first-round selection in this year's draft. Notre Dame held their Pro Day on Thursday and while the contingency from the Bears was not nearly as large as the one they had in Southern California on Wednesday, offensive line coach Chris Morgan was spotted as the coaching putting Alt through drills.
Chris Morgan running OL drills with Notre Dame OT Joe Alt. #Bears @foxkickoff pic.twitter.com/L7YPtTX6br
— Cassie Carlson (@CassieCarlsonTV) March 21, 2024
The Chicago Bears may be adding a major improvement to the offensive line.
What the Bears do with the ninth overall selection will be a reflection of how Poles views this roster. The belief is that the Bears are ready to open their contention window while creating a soft landing spot for the start of Williams' NFL career. If Poles wanted to add to that, selecting Alt with the ninth overall selection would be an ideal next step.