Though the Chicago Bears probably won't look much into it, Lance Zierlein's Mock Draft 1.0 was released.
In the NFL Network's group of draft analysts, Lance Zierlein is a name that sits alongside Daniel Jeremiah in the realm of mock drafters who carry weight with their opinions. They're more connected than Robbie (fake name, there's no real Robbie) down the street, making mock drafts on his laptop and googling names along the way.
Lance Zierlein mocks surprising first round for Chicago Bears in Mock Draft 1.0
That being said, their predictions shouldn't be seen as gospel. Some teams leak information to these people, as they're the ones pumping information out to the public. Say a team gets word that there's mutual interest between them and a rival for a player they like. The team could leak info to a source, thus pushing false information out to the teams drafting, to get the player they actually want to draft. The likelihood of those instances is small, but it's possible nonetheless.
Now, this mock draft has only one trade, and it doesn't involve the Chicago Bears at all. It's a trade between the Chargers and Falcons, and nothing those two teams do in this mock draft impacts the Bears much.
The idea that the Chicago Bears could trade Justin Fields is still possible, but nothing is noted in the mock draft, as it was looking solely at the first round. The return for Justin Fields, if traded, would likely be a Day 2-type trade.
But, what did Lance Zierlein predict from the Bears? Were the predictions those that match what the Chicago Bears have done under Ryan Poles thus far? Do Chicago Bears fans enjoy the outcome of this first round? Strap in; let's look at the first takeaway from Lance Zierlein's Mock Draft 1.0.
Chicago Bears' takeaway No. 1: No smoke behind Commanders hiring Kliff Kinsgbury
With the Commanders hiring Kliff Kingsbury for their offensive coordinator position, there was a belief that the Chicago Bears could trade Caleb Williams to Washington. The connection between Caleb Williams and KIiff Kingsbury is clear, but if Zierlein's Mock 1.0 is correct, Caleb Williams starts his NFL journey in Chicago.
Let the speculation begin: Kliff Kingsbury coached Caleb Williams last season. Williams was a standout QB at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C. The Commanders currently hold the No. 2 overall pick and are in striking distance of the No. 1 pick that belongs to Chicago. https://t.co/P9uZYvY648
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2024
Kingsbury was a name in the Chicago Bears' interview cycle for offensive staff once the Bears cleaned house. However, he landed in Washington with the Commanders.
Though Shane Waldron didn't work with Caleb Williams in college, that doesn't change the fact that Waldron and the Chicago Bears' offensive staff will probably be just as happy to work with him as Kliff Kingsbury would. As a prospect, any coach who might have the chance to coach him to his potential should be excited. Caleb Williams' potential is sky-high, but the need for coaching is present.
This is the time for smoke screens and all of the resulting chaos, but not every hire in the NFL has cryptic meaning. The Commanders were not a good offensive football team last year, so they went and got a coach who coached a good offense last year. That offense just so happened to have the former Heisman trophy winner as their quarterback. Go figure.
Lance Zierlein, however, doesn't think the Chicago Bears should worry. With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams, quarterback, USC.