When it comes to the 9th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Bears fans should feel this way

The 2024 NFL Draft will finally take place next Thursday night in Detroit. After enduring an exasperating off-season, Chicago Bears fans can finally look forward to Caleb Williams drafted first overall, standing next to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, holding the Bears' jersey.

As the final version of mock drafts continues to get churned out like butter by many NFL experts as the draft gets closer, the only question on the mind of every Bears fan is what they will do with their 9th pick. There are plenty of options for the Bears to get one of the top wide receivers, edge rushers, or offensive tackles, all of them still a position of need for the Bears. Whether staying at 9 or trading down, Poles will pick in the team's best interest.

Whoever general manager Ryan Poles picks, the fans must be prepared and not rush to judgment.

There is no doubt that the fans are hoping players like Rome Odunze, Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, and Jared Verse will still be available when the Bears pick 9th. However, offensive linemen such as Washington's Troy Fautanu, Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton, and Alabama's JC Latham have appeared on the latest mock drafts or news of them making top 30 visits to the Bears.

In addition, the names of Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers have appeared on the latest mock drafts or made an official visit. But both players seem like a reach, especially picking Murphy at 9th.

Fans can dream all they want about their favorite pass catcher, pass rusher, or pass protector being picked 9th or later. But the fans need to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios and not lose any sleep over it. Nor they call the Chicago sports radio show the next day and demand Poles to be fired because he did not pick your favorite player.

If this off-season taught us anything, it is easy to get caught up in the sea of information(or misinformation) at this time of the year given how the local and national media personalities played with the Bears fans' emotions the entire off-season involving Justin Fields' trade value, how Caleb Williams did not want to come and play for Chicago, and all the non-sense about him painting his nails and the color of his phone.

At this point, two things are 100% certain. One is Caleb Williams will be a Bear on draft night. Second, only Ryan Poles knows what he wants to do with the 9th pick.