What an eventful past week it's been for the Chicago Bears. The biggest question being asked going into the offseason? It's been answered.
Justin Fields was indeed traded. He's now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which means one thing is much more clear for the Bears: it's Caleb Williams time.
The direction of this franchise could not be more clear, at the moment. With Fields now in Pittsburgh and the Bears owning the no. 1 pick, we know exactly what's about to happen.
In this new 2024 NFL mock draft, the Caleb Williams era starts for Chicago
At pick no. 1 overall, the Bears snag their franchise quarterback.
All of the questions, whispers, rumors, criticisms, reports and drama aside, Caleb Williams is going to Chicago, period. It's as good as done, at this point. The Bears are going to select the league's best quarterback prospect of the last 10-plus years, and it's not even a question at this point.
A lot of the pre-draft talk surrounding Williams has gone in effort to try and tarnish Williams' character and potential as a leader in the NFL. And, while many of those questions are valid, we've also seen every one of his coaches and teammates speak highly of the quarterback when given an opportunity.
The fact is, Williams has that "it" factor on the field. His playmaking ability is second to none in this class, and quite frankly, it's second to none in the last 10 quarterback classes combined. He's often compared to Patrick Mahomes, but for good reason. The magician in him is apparent. He extends plays better than anybody, making something out of nothing on a regular basis.
Now, the Bears have an opportunity to right 100-plus years of wrongs by finally being able to develop a franchise quarterback. Williams could be the first 4,000-yard passer in the history of this franchise, along with being the first to throw 30 passing touchdowns.
I have a feeling he's going to do a whole lot more than that, though.
Now, the big question: what do the Bears do at pick no. 9?
The Bears should make every effort to trade the no. 9 pick, and that's exactly what they do, here
In our simulation, the Cincinnati Bengals wanted to come up to pick no. 9, and the Bears were able to get a nice haul of picks in return for moving back nine spots. Chicago nets another second rounder as well as a fourth-round pick, both coming this year.
Moving back to no. 18 overall, the Bears are still able to land a big piece that also fills a need still on the roster.
There are a lot of opinions as to who is the best pass rusher in this class. Florida State's Jared Verse is one of a few up for that title, and the Bears are able to get him at pick no. 18, which may end up being a steal.
The Seminole comes in as a pass rusher who is scheme-versatile, and will have no problem putting a hand in the dirt in Chicago. Verse stands 6-foot-4, weighing in at 254 pounds. His Combine performance was quite impressive, which saw him run a blistering 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds.
Verse has often been criticized for having less length than you'd like to see at the position, but he makes up for that with his speed-to-power moves. He's quick, yes, but he can also bull rush with the best of them. He's also a high-IQ player. The characteristic "quick to diagnose" comes up often in scouting reports, making him a valuable player in both the pass rush and run department.
Last year with Florida State, Verse compiled 9.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss, in total. Over two years with FSU, Verse tallied 29.5 tackles for loss and 18.0 sacks.
In the second round, the Bears fill the void within their defensive front
One of the top free agents on fans' wish lists going into this offseason was undoubtedly Christian Wilkins, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bears would have looked quite scary with Wilkins, but Ryan Poles had other plans to use his cash.
Now, Chicago lands one of the better defensive tackles in the draft by selecting Clemson's Ruke Orhorhoro here in the second round. Orhorhoro will come right in and compete to be the team's starting defensive tackle next to Andrew Billings, and very well could take the job.
Another top free agent target amongst Bears fans was Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who ended up staying put. But, that's the comparison here for Orhorhoro, according to one of the best draft experts in the business, Lance Zierlein.
Orhorhoro is an explosive, well-built defensive lineman who would fit perfectly into what the Bears are trying to do. Over his last three years as an interior lineman, Orhorhoro has 24.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
To kick off the third and fourth rounds, the Bears continue to give Caleb Williams more to work with
At pick no. 75, the Bears add to the wide receiver room that already features D.J. Moore and the newly-acquired Keenan Allen. Depth is an issue beyond those two, and for that reason, it's Malachi Corley here in the third.
The Bears are getting an absolute stud in Corley, who could feast as the Bears' WR3. Corley is one of the very best in his class with the ball in his hands. He is a menace after the catch. It's almost as if he takes a page right out of Moore's book. Getting Corley within the same offense as Moore could mean the Bears have one of the top YAC groups in football going forward.
He stands 5-foot-11, 215 pounds and packs a punch with a big, muscular frame.
The Bears have added depth and competition to the interior of their offensive line, but they continue to do so in the fourth round by adding Kansas State's Cooper Beebe. The 6-foot-3, 322-pound Beebe comes in as a physical interior lineman who has experience at both guard positions. He's got a high motor and brings that nasty mentality, looking to finish his opposition on each snap.
The Bears have their two starters in Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis, but Beebe brings valuable depth and the opportunity to have a spot starter if need be.
Before their second fourth-round pick, the Bears make another trade
After moving back 13 spots in the fourth round, Chicago also nets a sixth rounder to work with. With their second-straight selection, the Bears go with an offensive lineman.
He won't have to travel far. Isaiah Adams played his college ball close to Halas Hall and this would be quite a story for the Illini standout. Having experience playing both guard and tackle, Adams likely projects best at guard in the NFL. But, his versatility is something that the Bears have to like. Giving Chicago an option, when in a pinch, is valuable.
Finally, the Bears add some depth to their cornerback room. This secondary should be special, but the depth is still lacking. Chicago adds Tennessee's Kamal Hadden to join second-year pro Terell Smith in the Bears' cornerback room.
As a sixth-round pick, the Bears get great value here. Hadden is a bigger corner at 6-foot-1, 196 pounds and can present serious matchup problems because of his strength.