Where things stand with the Chicago Bears quarterback situation, and more, after the NFL Combine
CHICAGO, Ill. - Are things starting to come together after two months of pondering?
Here are where things stand with the Bears' quarterback situation and more after the NFL Combine, which might have given us a look into the coming weeks for the Chicago Bears.
The winds are indicating the Bears are going to select Caleb Williams
The picture is beginning to clear up.
Bears GM Ryan Poles, last Tuesday in Indianapolis, said he'd prefer to have the quarterback decision done as soon as possible. Based on last week, it feels like the Bears are leaning a certain way.
It wasn’t until Day 2 or so in Indianapolis when the rumors started swirling about a Justin Fields trade.
Up until the combine, there wasn’t even so much as a rumor or two surrounding the Bears and their decision. Was it a coincidence that rumors finally began popping up after Poles started talking about wanting to do right by Fields and trade him before free agency opened?
It does not seem so.
Combine this with reports the Bears are looking to get Caleb Williams in for a visit even before his USC Pro Day, and it seems clear the team is taking steps to explore a future with Williams at quarterback.
Sitting at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears are in full control. They can do whatever they want, and Williams’ words at the combine indicate he’s more than ready to start his career in Chicago. Albert Breer reported
This leads to the idea that Fields is going to be traded. There are a few things to settle here first.
The next major domino to fall: Kirk Cousins
Before Fields could get moved, the one road block seems to be Vikings quarterback and impending free agent Kirk Cousins.
Cousins, who has been the Vikings quarterback since signing with the franchise in 2018, threw 18 touchdowns in eight games before tearing his Achilles tendon. Before that, he was the subject of midseason trade rumors.
A report noted Cousins was beginning to relocate his family to Atlanta.
Atlanta is a desirable destination. They have Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts already. Those are more weapons than most teams have in more than one dimension of their offense.
New head coach Raheem Morris is a defensive-minded coach, but first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson won a Super Bowl under Sean McVay in Los Angeles.
If the Falcons grab Cousins, it’s a sign they believe they’re ready to compete now as opposed to later. It would also have to do with the idea they can pay Cousins for a season or two and not have to give up and draft capital.
After Cousins, eyes might shift towards where Baker Mayfield could end up, but Tampa Bay resigning Mike Evans could point to the team running it back with the former No. 1 overall pick instead of moving on to a new quarterback AND a new offensive coordinator.
NFL Combine: FOX 32's Cassie Carlson recaps the week, and what we learned about the Bears and Caleb Williams
The NFL Combine is winding down, and we've learned plenty across the span of five days. FOX 32's Cassie Carlson recaps the week in Indianapolis, what we learned about the Chicago Bears and what we learned about consensus top prospect Caleb Williams.
The No. 9 overall selection could be a coveted trade-up selection
One of the biggest risers from the combine was Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy. The buzz around the La Grange Park, Illinois, native was that his stock was trending upward. Quickly.
Last week puts McCarthy squarely in the top-15 discussion.
Is there a chance that McCarthy keeps moving up draft boards? Absolutely. Zach Wilson did the same in 2021. His combine and pro day performances were a big reason why he landed at No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft after Trevor Lawrence.
That would most likely squeeze Jayden Daniels out of the top three, but if Daniels drops that just means the reigning Heisman Trophy winner could potentially be in play at No. 9. Not to mention Washington’s Michael Penix.
There are QB needy teams beyond No. 9 in Las Vegas and Denver, perhaps Minnesota depending on the Cousins saga. That could provide the Bears a chance to recoup draft capital while staying in range of the top talent.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Bears did either of these two things:
1. Trade down from No. 9, even for a smaller haul
The Bears met with edge rushers Darius Robinson, Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu. They also met with offensive linemen Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu. Also, the Bears met with Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.
That’s a lot of players. Of course, the Bears are doing their due diligence. You don’t know what the first round looks like and who will be there at No. 9.
But, if a team wants to move up for a quarterback, like Minnesota or Denver, that could start a bidding war. But, if there are plenty of options on the board for the Bears, trading back to recoup extra capital doesn’t just sound like something the Bears would do. It’s something Poles has done the last two years.
He kept trading back in 2022 to get more selections and traded back with the Eagles one spot for a fourth-round pick this year. Factor the teams that need a QB, and you’re left with the Bears who could move down a pick or three with one or three teams knowing they’ll still get an impact player.
Poles has been consistent with that, even when there isn’t the pressure of landing a quarterback at hand.
Add that the Bears are now sans a fifth-round selection after trading it for Ryan Bates, and I’m almost expecting Poles to trade back.
2. Draft an edge rusher over a wide receiver
The Tennessee Titans came down to this decision a couple years ago. They had Jeffrey Simmons and AJ Brown and had to extend one of them.
The Titans chose to keep Simmons and shipped Brown to the Eagles for draft picks.
Simmons has been voted onto the NFL’s top 100 list every season since 2021. He’s been a fixture on a defense that’s made the playoffs in three of the five years he’s been on the Titans’ roster.
Of course, the opposite end of the conversation is simple, though: Brown really is THAT good and having a game-changing receiver undeniably wins games. Counterpoint: the Bears have DJ Moore. Adding a receiver that compliments him should be the primary goal.
The Bears did not have 45 sacks last season. They had 30. Montez Sweat had six of those in nine games, that’s 20 percent of all the Bears’ sacks in nine games. Adding a productive pass rusher could elevate the Bears’ defense to the next level.
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