Caleb Williams alone won't save listless Chicago Bears, claims NFL analyst
Caleb Williams is fully expected to be selected by the Chicago Bears with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has long been the highest-rated quarterback prospect in this year's class and it doesn't seem like the franchise will pass on the opportunity to bring him in.
Supporting this idea is the fact that Bears recently traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This almost definitely signifies that they are planning to draft a quarterback at the top of the draft and Williams is the most likely option.
When they selected Fields in the first round, they were hoping he could help them to get back on track after a big swing and miss on Mitchell Trubisky. It didn't quite work out that way, but maybe Williams can be the one to do it. According to NFL analyst Peter Schrager, the direction of their franchsie may actually be more dependent upon their second first-round pick than their first one this year.
Schrager explained:
"There have been other two first-round teams that haven't had much success. I mean, we talk about Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel with the Cleveland Browns. That did not work out ... Aaron Donald was a home run, but the Rams drafted Greg Robinson second overall in that draft ...
"You go down that list, and you start thinking it's almost not good enough for the Bears to just get Caleb Williams. To be truly set on the right path, you need to nail the second one."
The Bears are in a rare situation where they have the luxury of having two of the top 10 overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Most assume that Williams will be their pick at No. 1, but who they select at ninth is more up for debate. According to Schrager, this could be the pick that makes or breaks their draft even more so than their potential new quarterback.
Who will the Bears select after Caleb Williams with their second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Assuming that the Chicago Bears do infact select Caleb Williams with the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they will have plenty of options with their second pick at ninth-overall. If they stay on the offensive side of the ball, they will likely pick either a wide receiver or offensive tackle. If they go defense, an edge rusher or cornerback are the two most likely positions.
According to Daniel Jeremiah in his latest Mock Draft, he predicts that they will select wide receiver Rome Odunze. Mel Kiper Jr. went in a much different direction with his prediction, choosing pass rusher Jared Verse in his latest Mock Draft. Opportunities at two top-10 picks are extremely rare, so nailing them can potentially change everything in Chicago.