Clarity on the Way for Bears

The gun jumpers are out in full force regarding the 2024 NFL Draft.

People have been trying to fix a strategy for the Bears with the first pick since before they even clinched it, and on Saturday ESPN's Jeremy Fowler had the Bears foregoing the draft process.

"I have talked to some people in and around the program who believe they will eventually land on a Caleb Williams or a quarterback at No. 1," Fowler wrote.

This means exactly nothing.

It actually could be what the Bears hope people believe at this point, so they can drive up demand for trading the pick.

The Bears haven't even really begun to get serious about this pick, yet.

During the postseason press conference, everyone was reminded again how much character meant in last year's run up to the draft. The Jalen Carter situation had everyone at the NFL Scouting Combine hopping.

The interview process is critcal and none of that even begins until the Senior Bowl at the beginning of February.

The Bears need to know more about Williams, and the other quarterbacks before they make any decisions about anything related to the No. 1 pick.

It was apparent how much this process means to the Bears when Poles was asked about this aspect of owning the first pick during the season-ending presser.

From @sportscenter earlier: The #Bears QB process, and playoff injuries - Mostert/Waddle, Brown (before declared out), LaPorta pic.twitter.com/7qyVfRiyQ3
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 13, 2024

"Do your research," Poles said. "Again, get the human being right and the character. That's always going to be important.

"I feel like that's emphasized every year, though."

Poles needs to talk to Williams and other QBs to get an idea on their character. What if Williams is not what they're looking for?

Poles already said he feels like he'll be taking this decision up "into April."

So there's every reason to assume it's not worth much at this point to express insight into the direction they'll turn with this pick.

The Bears don't even have an offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach at this point. It would be a good idea to have them on staff for their input. Maybe they're of the opinion by looking at tape as well as from talking to prospects that Justin Fields is someone they can easily improve rapidly through better coaching.

Let's face it, Andrew Janocko didn't have extensive experience developing the quarterback for Minnesota. He did work with Teddy Bridgewater in 2015 but Bridgewater's career there was cut short by injury. Then they acquired Kirk Cousins, who was already a veteran QB. Luke Getsy's exposure to developing a QB before the Bears was working with Aaron Rodgers. He did help Jordan Love before he left for Chicago but Love had another year without Getsy before he became a starter.

Maybe this time they'll find a QB coach and coordinator who actually can handle this task.

In fact, it can't even be assumed Williams will be one of the quarterbacks available. He hasn't declared himself eligible yet and has a little over 24 hours to do it. Deadline to announce is Monday

Forever a Michigan Man 💙🙏 pic.twitter.com/0i50FzLsoB
— J.J. McCarthy (@jjmccarthy09) January 14, 2024

Sunday or Monday could be a huge day for the Bears in terms of finding out who they'll have a chance to pick.

Contrary to what rumor mongers have said on social media, Williams still hasn't said he is refusing to go to Chicago or that he doesn't want to be drafted by the Bears.

Williams couldn't avoid being drafted by the Bears by waiting until after the deadline and then declaring himself for a supplemental draft. The supplemental draft is only for draft-eligible players who didn't enter the NFL Draft but who can't play college football the same year. Williams will still have eligibility in fall of 2024.

So if Williams' decision is to come out for the draft, the Bears will get to know him through interviews at every possible place.

The predraft process begins with the all-star bowls. The East-West Shrine Bowl is Feb. 1. Senior Bowl practices start Jan. 31 and the Senior Bowl is Jan. 4 in Mobile, Ala. The NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is Feb. 27-March 4.

The schedule is rather tight in the offseason this year because the day franchise tags can begin to be applied is the day after the combine ends.

2024 NFL Draft

Underclassmen Who Declared

(Through Sunday, 2:30 p.m.)

WR Ajou Ajou, Garden City C.C.

RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

T Kiran Amagadgie, Yale

T Joe Alt, Notre Dame

DT Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic

CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

RB Emani Bailey, TCU

TE Jaheim Bell, Florida State

RB Trey Benson, Florida State

S Cole Bishop, Utah

DE Austin Booker, Kansas

TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas

S Javon Bullard, Georgia

CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest

WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

LB Junior Colson, Michigan

LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

C/G Kingsley Eguakun, Florida

DE Jonah Ellis, Utah

RB Audric Estimé, Notre Dame

T Olu Fashanu, Penn State

T Troy Fautanu, Washington

T Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

WR Troy Franklin, Oregon

RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss

T Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

DT Michael Hall, Ohio State

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

S Jaden Hicks, Washington State

RB Bucky Irving, Oregon

RB Dillon Johnson, Washington

TE Theo Johnson, Penn State

RB Jawhar Jordan, Louisville

S Kamren Kinchens, Miami

CB Kalen King, Penn State

CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

T JC Latham, Alabama

K Cam Little, Arkansas

RB MarShawn Lloyd, USC

RB Kayron Lynch-Adams, UMass

QB Drake Maye, North Carolina

QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

CB Max Melton, Rutgers

T Amarius Mims, Georgia

WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

DT Byron Murphy II, Texas

WR Malik Nabers, LSU

DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

WR Rome Odunze, Washington

T Patrick Paul, Houston

WR Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington

OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

QB Michael Pratt, Tulane

CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri

DT Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois

TE Tip Reiman, Illinois

Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State

TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas

RB Will Shipley, Clemson

RB Jaden Shirden, Monmouth (N.J.)

TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

DT Maason Smith, LSU

DE Javon Solomon, Troy

RB Carson Steele, UCLA

T Kingsley Suamataia, BYU

DT Leonard Taylor III, Miami

WR Brian Thomas, LSU

WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Edge Bralen Trice, Washington

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson

Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama

S Sione Vaki, Utah

OL Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

WR Devaughn Vele, Utah

DL Jared Verse, Florida State

RB Kimani Vidal, Troy

WR Tez Walker, North Carolina

LB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

WR Isaiah Williams, Illinois

S James Williams, Miami

WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State

DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU

WR Xavier Worthy, Texas

RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven