Bear Digest

Opposite Ends of the Spectrum for Bears

Analysis: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says the Bears need 'historic haul' to trade back but they already said they need to be blown away by another QB to turn from Justin Fields.
Gene Chamberlain|
Opposite Ends of the Spectrum for Bears
Opposite Ends of the Spectrum for Bears

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Chicago Bears

In a sense, the Bears may have done a complete 180 in the way they look at the quarterback situation for this NFL Draft.

At least that could be the case if a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has merit.

Rapoport says his sources tell him the Bears will need compensation in a trade down from No. 1 that would be "crazy" if they were to give up the pick.

Rapoport said it would need to be a "historic haul."

To say what Rapoport does then indicates the Bears have identified a player they grade good enough to take with the first pick and would not trade down without a huge trade compensation.

If this is the case, it is exactly the opposite of the situation Bears GM Ryan Poles described at season's end because then the support was entirely behind keeping QB Justin Fields. In that case, you'd actually be trying to trade down the first pick and fielding all offers. 

Poles' description then was he'd have to be "blown away" by another quarterback, exactly like he said last year. 

He did not say he had to be blown away by a trade offer to deal the first pick. 

Now, Rapoport is saying Poles would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to not use the first pick of the draft. And obviously that would be for quarterback Caleb Williams.

You can't have both. They're opposite things. You can't be behind keeping Fields and need to be blown away by another QB to give up on Fields, if you're sitting there resisting humogous offers like in Rapoport's report in order to keep the first pick and use it for Williams. 

They're opposites.

The only way those aren't directly opposite situations is if the Bears have identified a player at a position other than quarterback to be the one they want to take No. 1.

This seems entirely unlikely, although anyone who has seen what Marvin Harrison Jr. brings to the NFL would say he's worthy of being the first pick.

When the season ended, Poles painted it all as a situation exactly like last year.

"Yeah, I'll actually go back to last year, and I've got to stay open minded about it, but I really—not to use the same quote, but—want to say 'blown away,' " Poles said. "But it's the same setup.

"Seeing the things Justin did this year, his ability to make plays, coach (Matt Eberflus) talked about some of those improvements: keeping his eyes down the field, taking less sacks, seeing a lot of growth where he can continue to get better. I'll have the same mindset. Someone needs to really show that they can (be mind-blowing with their talent)—it's not just the film. I need the person."

Poles' idea of learning about the person is letting them prove themselves through the whole run up to the draft. This is how he can know the QB candidates better.

"There's a whole process here that we have to figure out," he said.

This is the vetting process.

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

"Spend time, reach out to the people that spent a lot of time with them over the years, and then I always feel like if you can sit down and look someone in the eyes and ask them the right questions, you can learn a lot."

This all gets done through the interviews and workouts at the combine coming up Feb. 26 through March 4, through pro days and through top-30 visits. It also happens with the research into backgrounds they're doing on players, particularly Williams.

So if this is all still true, and Rapoport in his report even admits this part is huge and  yet to come, then how can there be a player they like enough now that they've already decided they have to be blown away by a trade offer to trade down and give up taking him? 

It's an exact opposite situation as well. 

Either this is just a nothing report full of garbage to fill a few dead spot before the Super Bowl or the Bears have known all along they plan to take Williams no matter what they're offered.

Considering where teams usually are right now in terms of assessing talent in the draft, garbage is the more likely description. 

Poles already said he's open to listening to anything. They've obviously got the top pick and will most likely have someone trying to persuade them to give it up. And they will want something expansive in compensation unless they have decided they'll under no circumstances give up on a chance to take Williams.

So with all of this still to come and uncertainty the only certainty, just drop the Rapoport report into the circular file.

It very well might be that they draft Williams or that they get a deal so good they can't afford not to take it, but either way it's all still to come and anything can still happen.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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