Breaking Down the Chicago Bears' Franchise-Defining Options in the 2024 NFL Draft
It won't be as simple as one that's too hot, one that's too cold, and one that's just right for the Chicago Bears next offseason, as they get the opportunity to shape the next era in their franchise's iconic history.
If the 2023 NFL season ended today, the Bears would own two of the top four selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick, thanks to last year's pre-draft trade with the Carolina Panthers.
Those two picks would put the Bears in position to transform their roster with an influx of young talent at critical positions of need, but which team-building path should they take?
Let's break down three realistic scenarios:
Keep Building Around Justin Fields
Justin Fields is back from injury, and wasted little time showing that he can still be a dynamic playmaker at the game's most important position. Despite a crushing loss in the final moments Sunday against the Detroit Lions, Fields showed off his playmaking ability by rushing for over 100 yards, and also delivering a perfect deep-ball touchdown to D.J. Moore.
If the Bears believe they already have their franchise quarterback in Fields, they would have the opportunity to use both of those top-five draft picks to keep improving the talent around him.
Pairing Marvin Harrison Jr. with D.J. Moore would be a dream scenario for Justin Fields.
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That would look like taking the best player in the entire draft (regardless of position) in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. from Ohio State at No. 1 overall, and landing either a franchise left tackle (Penn State's Olu Fashanu or Notre Dame's Joe Alt) or another elite pass rusher (UCLA's Laiatu Latu or Alabama's Dallas Turner) with their other top pick.
Giving Fields improved protection, better blocking for the running game, and another elite receiver to pair with Moore would do wonders for his ability to live up to his lofty potential, and turn the Bears into a playoff contender. Adding another blue-chip edge defender could help ensure Fields and the offense don't always have to carry the burden without help from a stout defense.
Restart at QB
The key to this scenario is the fact that Chicago might clean house in the coaching ranks this offseason. If that happens, it wouldn't be a surprise if the new staff would prefer to hand-pick their own franchise quarterback instead of molding their scheme and philosophy around Fields.
At the moment, there are appear to be two worthy candidates for the Bears to choose from at No. 1 overall. USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye both have the traits to warrant consideration, and if the Bears install a new coaching staff, they could spend the entire pre-draft process evaluating both prospects to see which one would be the better fit for their new management.
If the Bears have a new coaching staff, they could prefer their own hand-picked franchise quarterback.
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This route makes some financial sense, as well. Justin Fields has one more year left on his four-year rookie deal, and a fifth-year team option. If he proves to be worthy of a long-term extension, that bill will come due soon, and take a hefty bite out of the Bears' salary cap. Compare that with the savings of starting over with a new quarterback on a cheaper rookie deal for the next 4-5 years, and general manager Ryan Poles might be more inclined to spend those resources improving the roster elsewhere.
There's also the added benefit of Fields still being a young quarterback with tons of talent and upside, which would give him plenty of value on the trade market for other QB-needy teams, allowing the Bears to add even more resources.
Trade Down (Again)
If the Bears want to go the quantity over quality route, they could certainly do the exact same thing they did last year, when they also had the No. 1 overall pick: Trade it for a massive haul of picks and/or players.
Last year, the Bears swapped spots in the first round with the Carolina Panthers, who moved up from the No. 9 overall pick for the right to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. In return for moving down eight slots, the Bears received Carolina's first-round pick in the 2024 draft (currently No. 1 overall), second-round picks in 2023 and 2025, and a much-needed No. 1 receiver in Moore.
Trading down could net the Bears another massive haul, just like last year's deal that included D.J. Moore.
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That trade could be the gift that keeps on giving if the Bears want to make a similar move this time around, once again moving down from the top spot in return for another king's ransom. In fact, this year's No. 1 pick would command an even higher price, as both Williams and Maye are widely considered to be more valuable prospects than Young (or any other quarterback in last year's class).
Considering how many QB-needy teams are likely to be picking in the top 10, the Bears would have no shortage of suitors willing to pay a handsome price to jump to the front of the line for either Williams or Maye. It's possible the Bears could even move back just a couple of spots, add multiple premium picks in future drafts, and still land the same two players they would have taken at their original spots (Harrison, Fashanu, Alt, Latu or Turner).
The Bottom Line
Each of these three options has its unique advantages, and much will be determined by whether or not the Bears decide to reset their coaching staff in the offseason. Regardless of which path they choose, Chicago is in position to shape the future of their historic franchise in a way that sets them up to finally return to playoff contention.
