Last offseason was fun because Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears controlled the offseason both regarding the NFL Draft and free agency. Poles landed a gift as the Houston Texans won their final game to give the Bears the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Poles moved that pick to the Carolina Panthers and now owns the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft thanks to the Panthers completely falling apart as an organization — thanks David Tepper.
With the first and ninth picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears have plenty of draft capital to make some serious moves again. Justin Fields didn't do enough to be the for-sure answer going forward, but Caleb Williams went from generational talent to a guy with some flaws that some view as bust material. This has led to a huge debate amongst Bears fans on what Poles should do at the quarterback position.
The Chicago Bears trade Justin Fields to the Falcons for pick No. 8
In a recent interview, ESPN draft expert, Mel Kiper stated he believes the Bears could move Justin Fields to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their first-round pick. The Falcons currently own the eighth-overall pick, netting the Bears the first, eighth, and ninth-overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Yes, that's three picks in the top 10!
Personally, I don't find this report to be feasible. I think Kiper is just trying to keep himself relevant in terms of draft coverage. Too many NFL fans have become tired of Kiper's takes and see him as nothing more than an ESPN personality instead of a true draft expert. To give up the eighth-overall pick for a quarterback selected 11th overall nearly four years ago seems steep. That said, I also think it would be a fun exercise to dissect what a mock draft would look like should that trade actually happen.
The Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams with the first pick in the draft
With Justin Fields shipped off to Atlanta, it only makes sense for the Chicago Bears to draft a quarterback with the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Had they kept fields, this pick would have been traded for a haul similar, if not greater than, to what Ryan Poles received last year from Carolina. The compensation would have obviously been dependent on how far down the Bears move.
It is well-known that I am a Justin Fields supporter and I also am a Ryan Poles supporter. Poles is where most of my support relies though and I am going to trust in his process when it comes to making a decision at the quarterback position. I also am not privy to the draft and/or player compensation he might be offered to trade down from one to whatever. In this scenario though, Poles moved Fields for a top-10, first-round pick and settled on the quarterback with the highest ceiling in the draft.
The 2023 season did not age as well as Caleb Williams would have liked. He struggled against a strong Notre Dame defense. After that game, it seemed as if defenses figured Williams out. The USC Trojans lost four of their last five games. Those losses were not all on Williams though as the Trojans averaged 34 points per game. It's obvious that Williams isn't as much of a slam dunk as we once thought, but he still has elite attributes.
Williams has the arm strength and ability to make every throw. He has a quicker release than Justin Fields, even though he does hold onto the ball too long at times. Williams can escape the pocket and make off-script plays, although I wouldn't put him in the same tier as Fields in this category. Williams has shown an ability to throw with timing and better anticipation than Fields as a prospect — only time will tell if that translates to the NFL.
If the Chicago Bears decide to go with Williams, his ceiling is higher than Fields at this point. I have to think his floor as a passer is higher than Fields too, but he isn't nearly as athletic and will not be able to make the same type of plays with his legs as Fields. This draft would be considered a reset (rookie QBs typically struggle), but since the team is being built up, this isn't a typical poor situation for Williams to step into. Let's see what Ryan Poles does with his other two top-10 picks, shall we?
The Bears give Caleb Williams another weapon to pair with DJ Moore
DJ Moore is a legit WR1 in the NFL. He had a career year with Justin Fields and he has been outspoken about his support for his current quarterback. That said, he knows this is a business and he seems to want to be in Chicago for the rest of his career no matter who is throwing him the ball.
Heading into this season, most of us (me included) thought one of Chase Claypool or Darnell Mooney would show enough to earn a contract extension and supplant themselves as the WR2 in this offense. Neither of them did such a thing. Claypool's football career looks to be basically over and Mooney looks as though he will never be anything more than a WR3/4 on a roster. I don't see either of them in a Chicago Bears uniform ever again.
As soon as Ryan Poles traded Fields and drafted Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison, Jr. joining this roster became nearly impossible. Good thing that there are other receivers worthy of a top-10 pick in this draft. Malik Nabers is my number two prospect, but he went before the Bears were back on the clock at No. 8 thanks to the Falcons trading for Justin Fields. This left Rome Odunze out of Washington for Ryan Poles. Luckily for the Bears, Odunze is probably a better fit opposite of Moore than Nabers.
Odunze brings length and size to the position at 6'3" and 215 pounds. He can high-point the ball well and is one of the better contested-catch receivers in the draft class. What I like about Odunze more than Nabers is he has shown more consistency over the last two years. Both receivers gained over 1,000 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons, but Nabers only scored three touchdowns in 2022 (14 in 2023), whereas Odunze had seven touchdowns in 2022 and 13 this past season.
A combination of Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet would make the Bears' offense more explosive than we have seen since the days of Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. Poles isn't even done yet.
Ryan Poles switches things up and trades down from nine rather than using a selection with the team's own pick. I had a hard time not taking Olu Fashanu at this pick as he is my OT2 in this draft behind Joe Alt. Fashanu has elite traits and I'm not opposed to adding either Alt or Fashanu to the roster even though Braxton Jones has played extremely well over his first two seasons. When you can add an elite LT to your roster though, you do it. Look at how well Laremy Tunsil did against Myles Garrett in the post-season this year. Braxton Jones can become an elite swing tackle.
The Chicago Bears make a trade with the Colts:
Bears Receive:
15th Overall
46th Overall
Colts Receive:
9th Overall
Remember, the Chicago Bears sent their second-round pick in 2024 to the Commanders for defensive end Montez Sweat. Based on Sweat's performance in both a Commanders and Bears uniform, I'd say that trade was well worth it. By moving down from 9 to 15, Ryan Poles was able to recoup a second-round pick within the top 50.
Not bad seeing who was still left on the draft board. The decision to move down seemed to pay off too as one of the better edge rushers was available for Poles to add to the defensive line rotation and pair with Montez Sweat. If defensive tackle Gervon Dexter continues his development and ascension, this pass-rushing unit should be much better in 2024.
Ryan Poles shifts to the defense and drafts Jared Verse
With the 15th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select defensive end, Jared Verse. This draft class does not have one of those must-have, dominant pass-rush specialists. That said, there are a select few who deserve to be taken in the middle of the first round. Verse is probably the best fit for Chicago and their 4-3 defense too.
Verse is a little on the older side at already 23 years old. He has been very consistent over the last three years with seven, nine and 11 sacks. He knows how to get to the quarterback. Isn't the best against the run, but also isn't a liability either.
Verse has a great burst off the line and should push to become the starting defensive end opposite of Montez Sweat. At worst, he'd be the first rotational guy on this roster during his rookie year and see plenty of opportunities to disrupt the backfield. He has strong counter-move capabilities, and strong hand techniques, and uses his speed and strength to set offensive tackles up for both inside and outside moves. His bend isn't elite but should be adequate enough. Needs to be more consistent with his pad level when attempting stunts — can find himself off balance at times.
Overall, Verse should make an immediate impact on this roster and landing him at 15 would be ideal.
The Bears look to bolster the center position by taking Sedrick Van Pran
I am sure that many of you would prefer the Chicago Bears to select Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson. I'll admit, both were available at pick No. 46 and I had a hard time deciding between the two. Actually, I also had Zach Frazier from West Virginia in mind as all three of these centers are in the same tier of my center rankings.
Some of you might also be concerned with the idea of having a rookie quarterback paired with a rookie center. That could be a problem early on when it comes to identifying pre-snap blitzes and coverages while calling out protections. I'd like to see Chicago add a veteran center to the mix also, but the free-agent market at the position is bleak. Connor Williams (Dolphins) would be the best option if he hits free agency, but he tore his ACL in Week 14. Lloyd Cushenberry (Broncos) would be my next choice followed by Andre James (Raiders) — will either become a free agent though?
When looking at the three center prospects previously mentioned, If you like big guys up front, Jackson Powers-Johnson is the guy for you. He is 6'3" and 320 pounds. He's very athletic and shows a high football IQ. His rushing attack is superb and easily the best out of the three centers being considered. However, his pass-blocking skills are my biggest concern. Oregon runs a very quick passing attack with Bo Nix who excels at throwing quick, one-read throws (think Tyson Bagent). Powers-Johnson's pass-blocking just does not jump off the tape to me and that's a concern.
Sedrick Van Pran isn't as successful in the run game as Powers-Johnson, but he is by far the better pass-blocker. As the starting center of the Georgia Bulldogs for the last three years, he has only allowed one sack and averages 10 hurries per year. Also, he's a true center. Powers-Johnson played guard before the 2023 season. Although snapping the ball didn't seem like an issue for Powers-Johnson (something we cannot continue to have in Chicago), I like the idea of drafting a pure center.
I'll admit, I'm intrigued to see Powers-Johnson in the Senior Bowl to see how well he can hold up as a pass blocker when the playbook dictates five and seven-step drops. No matter what, Ryan Poles must, and I mean must, upgrade the center position.
The Chicago Bears might be stuck with Eddie Jackson in 2024. The team can afford to cover the final year of his contract despite him looking like a lock to become a salary cap casualty. Chicago is on the hook for $18 million, but if they cut Jackson they can save $12 million. Even after signing Montez Sweat to a monster contract, the Bears are currently projected to have the eighth-highest salary cap. That could obviously change if the team signs Jaylon Johnson to a contract extension, but moving on from Cody Whitehair (an absolute must) should help soften the blow a bit.
The safety free-agent market is arguably worse than the center position. Keeping Eddie Jackson despite his inability to play a full season would be smart, but Ryan Poles needs to find some serious competition to replace him.
The Chicago Bears draft back-to-back Georgia Bulldogs
Ryan Poles adds Javon Bullard to the roster by selecting him in the third round (75th). Bullard should have the most success as a free safety as opposed to a strong safety. He has the ability to play in both man and zone coverage. He is a little undersized at 5'11" and 185 pounds. If he can put on an additional 10 to 15 pounds, that would likely be ideal for his future. Bullard has proven he has a nose for the football. In three years at Georgia, he has four interceptions and didn't give up a single touchdown this year. Allowing him to sit behind Jackson and learn seems ideal.
Not every team has a true three-down back. The Chicago Bears saw Khalil Herbert, D'Onta Foreman and rookie Roschon Johnson take turns leading the way from week to week. Only Johnson was reliable as a pass-blocker and that's hard to do as a rookie. Of course, he made some mistakes along the way, but I expect him to take on a bigger role in 2024. Foreman only signed a one-year deal and will hit free agency in a couple of months. Herbert is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is not consistently reliable.
To help add more fire power, the Bears add another RB to the mix
Last year Ryan Poles drafted Roschon Johnson in the fourth round. He adds another running back to the mix by taking Notre Dame running back Audric Estime in the same round (110th overall). One area that the Chicago Bears struggled with last year was gaining short-yardage first downs. Part of it was a poor scheme and poor play-calling by Luke Getsy. That should not matter though with Estime on the roster. At 5'11" and 225 pounds. He has a powerful lower body that he uses as a wrecking ball when needed. He has above-average patience and can split tight gaps. He's an under-valued pass catcher too.
The knock on Estime is his speed. He's quick and explosive but lacks breakaway speed. This could be a problem, but pairing him with the likes of Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert seems like a strong three-headed attack. Whoever the new offensive coordinator is will hopefully line him up behind Khari Blasingame and allow him to plow his way through on short-yardage situations. He will be more than that though as he plowed his way, breaking tackles, for 1300+ yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023.
When I made the selection of Audric Estime at 110th overall, it was a difficult choice because I also loved the value of taking defensive tackle Michael Hall, Jr. instead. I elected to lean running back since Ryan Poles spent a second and a third-round pick on the position last season. Gervon Dexter's growth has impressed me but Zacch Pickens didn't do enough to make me feel confident that the team shouldn't look to add additional help. This brought me to Hall.
I got aggressive and traded a 2025 5th-round pick along with the pick Poles gained in the Jalen Carter trade last season (122nd overall) to the Raiders in order to move up to 112 overall. Then, I took Hall with a smile on my face.
The Bears add much-needed defensive tackle depth by trading up
The knock on Dexter was his get-off wasn't fast enough. Well, that's not the case with Hall. He could be the true 3-technique that Matt Eberflus covets in his defense. That said, Dexter vastly improved in that area this season and his versatility allows him to be disruptive all over the line — even on the outside. Hall doesn't have the size to be on the edge but his quickness allows him to not only pressure the quarterback but also stuff the run. He had seven sacks over the last two years, but what's impressive is Pro Football Focus (PFF) has him down for 22 pressures this year. Whoa!
Michael Hall has a high motor and a great combination of speed, burst, and strength. I wouldn't be surprised if he shoots up draft boards and isn't available here in the fourth round. His tape jumps out at you when watching any Ohio State film.
In the final three rounds, Ryan Poles looks for additional depth at key positions. I wouldn't expect much from either of these three players to start the year, but they have the ability to carve out roles as the offseason and regular season progress.
Bears select offensive tackle Jonah Monheim out of USC in the fifth round
I'll admit that it was difficult not taking another offensive lineman earlier in the draft. Building through the trenches is important, but you aren't going to find elite OTs very often outside of the first and second rounds. I liked the versatitily of Jonah Monheim out of USC who has played both guard and tackle for the Trojans. I also think having Monheim on the roster along with teammate Caleb Williams could prove to be a smart decision. I'd expect Monheim to carve out the Larry Borom role.
Bears select WR Malik Washington out of Virginia in sixth round
The Bears need playmakers and Malik Washington could help in that department. It's hard to believe that a sixth-round WR could come in and make plays right away. However, the former Northwestern Wildcat who transferred to Virginia had a breakout year with the Cavaliers in 2023. He might be small in stature at 5'8", but Washington was a force in the slot, finishing with 1,400+ yards (led the ACC) and nine touchdowns. He isn't easy to bring down and could prove to be an explosive weapon with his ability to separate and operate all over the field.
What I love most about his film is that you can tell he believes he is a playmaker and wants the ball in his hands.
Bears select CB Fentrell Cypress II out of Florida State in seventh round
Finally, with the final pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears turn to cornerback Fentrell Cypress, II. Cypress played two years at Virginia before transferring to Florida State in 2023. Although Cypress only had one interception in his three-year college career, he led the ACC in pass defensed last season (14) and added another eight this season. He brings serious speed to the field and could even play a part on special teams as a returner.