1st and North: Can the Chicago Bears help out the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft?
CHICAGO, Ill. - This week's edition of 1st and North is here, and it's the NFC Championship game edition.
There will be NFC North representation, and it's… the Detroit Lions. Yes, indeed. But, these results could mean plenty for the Chicago Bears.
Could the Chicago Bears help the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft?
There's an old saying that goes "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Could that apply to the NFC North this April?
The Chicago Bears aren't the only team that needs to decide on what it should do at quarterback. The Minnesota Vikings have to decide, too.
The Vikings are entering the offseason while Kirk Cousins is also entering free agency. Cousins is an unrestricted free agent after his contract expired after the 2023 season. In March 2022, Cousins signed a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed contract extension that went through 2023.
With the Green Bay Packers somehow landing on another playoff-caliber quarterback in Jordan Love and the Detroit Lions resurrecting Jared Goff's career, those two franchises have their long-term solutions at the position until Love or Goff given them reasons to think otherwise. That leaves both the Bears and Vikings pondering both their immediate and long-term futures at the game's most important position.
Could the two franchises help each other out? It's possible this draft cycle.
Minnesota has the No. 11 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The team could very well sign Cousins to another one-year deal, and Cousins has indicated that he'd like to return to Minnesota after a season where he had the seventh-best quarterback rating in the league at age 35 before tearing his Achilles tendon against Green Bay.
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But, this is also the deepest draft in recent memory. Especially with a look at quarterbacks, Minnesota could be in a position to select its future quarterback at No. 11. Or, maybe Minnesota could talk its way into No. 9 overall?
The Bears, who traded down to the No. 9 overall selection last year with the Panthers, traded down again on draft day with the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 10 because the Eagles wanted falling defensive tackle prospect Jalen Carter and the Bears were guaranteed their guy in Darnell Wright.
What if the Bears' guy isn't there at No. 9, or what if each of the three star receiver prospects in Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors and Rome Odunze are taken by then, but a quarterback prospect the Vikings really like is there at No. 9? The Bears could facilitate a first-round trade for the third time in the last four drafts.
Right now, the consensus is the Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots will all take quarterbacks in the first three picks of the first round. What if the Patriots decide to take Harrison Jr., who is regarded as the best receiver prospect in years? That would mean one of either Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or Michael Penix Jr. are going to slide down to at least No. 8 to Atlanta.
If that QB gets past the Falcons, that puts them in the Bears' lap. Assuming the Bears take Caleb Williams, that means they could field offers for anyone in need of a quarterback. That could be the Vikings, who could trade up for a fair price that's far below the king's ransom the Bears could command for the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bears got a 2024 fourth-round pick to trade down with the Eagles in 2023. The Bears could always ask for more if a quarterback is involved, but the sentiment remains in how the two NFC North rivals could benefit each other this April.
Are the Detroit Lions a blueprint for the Bears?
The Lions could be in the Super Bowl. Yes, that's not a typo.
But, there's a lesson that can be learned from this. If you're the Bears, it's that patience is key and drafting is important.
It may be hard, but just two years ago the Bears were in the beginning stages of a massive teardown that led to a three-win season. If anything, the Lions have been tearing down and rebuilding for three decades.
From Charlie Batch, to Joey Harrington, to Shaun Hill, to Matthew Stafford, to finally Jared Goff, the Lions have swung and missed at quarterback almost about as many times as the Bears have. Eventually, the Lions settled on a plan and executed it.
Detroit GM Brad Holmes built draft capital, invested in the offensive line and pass rush and found a way to win without a superstar quarterback. The difference is the Bears have a chance to build around the No. 1 overall pick while also building up other areas through the draft.
The fact of the matter is, if the Detroit Lions can do it then so can the Bears.