There’s been no official word, but the conversation about what the Chicago Bears will do with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in a couple of weeks has ended. Roger Goodell will introduce the Bears to their new franchise quarterback, Caleb Williams when the Bears are on the clock at No. 1 in Detroit.
The only question that remains for the Bears is what they’ll do with the ninth overall selection in the NFL Draft. Should they stay put and draft a blue-chip prospect who they project to be a day-one impact player for them next season? Or should they trade back and try to add another player in a draft in which they’re short on picks? Answering those questions isn’t quite as simple as we would hope.
For starters, few people consider that the Bears might not have a trade partner. If a team like the Minnesota Vikings trades into the top eight to take J.J. McCarthy, that idea of the Bears trading down is all but shot. No one is trading up to No. 9 for a quarterback once McCarthy is off the board. I’ve maintained all along that Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. are not top-10 quarterbacks. And, quite frankly, they’re more likely to go in the second round than the first.
Outside of the quarterbacks, it’s hard to see a team in the first round willing to give up draft capital to move up to No. 9. Sure, there’s the possibility that a team falls in love with a top offensive tackle or one of the trio of top wide receivers—if they’re still there at nine—but the question then becomes: is it worth it for the Bears?
When they moved back one pick to allow the Eagles to draft Jalen Carter last year, the Bears got a fourth-round pick back for the slightest move back. Even if a team comes up from the bottom third of the first round, the Bears won’t get a first-rounder. They likely won’t get a second-rounder. Is a future third-rounder worth passing on a day-one starter? Is a 2024 second or third-rounder worth passing on that type of player?
I have my preference stay at nine and add a premium talent. But we don’t know what GM Ryan Poles and co. are thinking. So, let’s preview the ninth pick and other scenarios.
Bears 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
Note: This list does not include Caleb Williams because that’s all but decided. Instead, these are players to consider at No. 9, 10-20, and 21-32.
Players to Consider at No. 9
These are the five players that I 𒆙consider n🌄o-brainers for the Bears at No. 9:
- Malik Nabers | WR | LSU
- Rome Odunze | WR | Washington
- Joe Alt | OT | Notre Dame
- Dallas Turner | EDGE | Alabama
- Laiatu Latu | EDGE | UCLA
If anyone on this list is available at No. 9, Ryan Poles should pull the trigger and add a premium talent to the mix in 2024. I know that the idea of trading back sounds appealing, in theory. But consider this: If the Caleb Williams pick works, this will be the Bears’ last top-10 pick in the NFL Draft for the foreseeable future. Strike while you can on a premium talent here.
Many consider Malik Nabers the best wide receiver prospect in this draft. He doesn’t have the same name recognition as Marvin Harrison Jr., but his talent is undeniable. If he’s there at No. 9, Ryan Poles should have his name ready to submit to Roger Goodell immediately. There’s a slim (to zero) chance that he’s there, but stranger things have happened on draft day.
Ryan Poles and the Bears’ more realistic pass catcher is Washington’s Rome Odunze. Odunze boasts good size and elite ball skills and routinely dominated his competition at the collegiate level. He is eli⛦te at going up and getting jump balls at the catch point and can look ultra smooth when getting through his routes. He was a sprinter in high school, and his 4.4 40-yard dash proves that 🔴he has NFL downfield speed to go along with his elite ball skills, with the latter being potentially the most crucial translatable skill from college to the pros for a wide receiver. Think high-volume, Larry Fitzgerald-type pass catcher with Odunze.
Joe Alt gets better and better the more I watch his tape. He’s the clear-cut OT1 in this draft and the only tackle I see as worth a top-10 pick in this class. While Braxton Jones is good, Joe Alt has the potential to be an elite anchor on the left side of the Bears offensive line. No matter how much Ryan Poles likes Jones, if he can add a long-term high-ceiling starter to protect Caleb Williams’ blind side, he should do so and worry about the plan for Jones later.
Dallas Turner and Laiatu Latu are my two favorite edge rushers in this class. Each brings something different to the table, making this a preference decision for Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus. I like Latu over Turner. I think Latu is the better pure pass rusher with the higher ceiling, but I wouldn’t hesitate to add Turner to the Bears’ defensive line opposite Montez Sweat.
If it’s not those five (and that’s unlikely), then I would lean toward moving back from No. 9. But today, I don’t see things shaking out that way.
Players to Consider in the 10-20 Range
- Brian Thomas Jr. | WR | LSU
- Byron Murphy | DI | Texas
- Taliese Fuaga | OT | Oregon State
- Jared Verse | EDGE | Florida State
- Brock Bowers | TE | Georgia
If the Bears move into the 10-20 range, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. is atop my list. In a draft class that doesn’t feature Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers at the top, Thomas is a WR1/2 prospect. With some extra draft capital in Ryan Poles’ pocket, Thomas is an excellent selection with WR1/2 potential at the NFL level.
Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus has long praised the importance of the three-technique defensive tackle. If that’s the route they want to take in this range, Texas’ Byron Murphy is the obvious choice. Murphy is muscular and explosive and has all the tools to become a productive three-down defender who can anchor the Bears’ interior defensive line. He has sudden hands, quick feet, and an endless motor.
If Poles is determined to add a tackle in this range, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga is an intriguing prospect who has met with the Bears in the weeks before the draft. Fuaga was exclusively a right tackle in his two seasons as a starter at Oregon State, so he’s only a fit if the Bears are willing to move Darnell Wright to the left side. Still, he’s intriguing enough to include him here in this range, and he’s on Poles and company’s radar.
Jared Verse is an edge rusher to consider in this range, although I don’t see him in the same tier as Turner or Latu. Verse brings consistent speed and power to the edge and has powerful and violent hands that can lead to him being a three-down defender for the Bears.
I’ve discussed it before and won’t dive too deep into it today, but if Brock Bowers is on the board and the Bears are in this range, I would love to see them add the Georgia star. Weapons are weapons, and Bowers is an elite one. New Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron will use multiple two-tight end packages, and while the Bears added Gerald Everett in free agency, Bowers and Kmet would be a different animal for defenses to prepare for. Giving as many weapons as possible isn’t a bad thing. Period.
Players to Consider in the 21-32 Range
I’m giving you three players here because if the Bears trade back into the lower third of the first round, they should be more selective, and the trade should place more emphasis on the return than the previous two scenarios.
- Adonai Mitchell | WR | Texas
- Ladd McConkey | WR | Georgia
- Xavier Worthy | WR | Texas
Adonai Mitchell is a big wide receiver with an uncommon blend of size, elite speed, and finesse that poses a🍃 problem for opposing cornerbacks. He scored 14 touchdowns in his last 18 starts over two 🅠seasons and wowed the football world at the NFL Scouting Combine with his 4.34 40-yard dash.
Georgia’s Ladd McConkey has had a tremendous pre-draft process to go with a solid resume in college that includes 14 touchdowns for the Bulldogs during his time there. He’s not going to be an X receiver in the NFL, but he’s quick and can be the difference-maker in the slot. His footwork and release will serve him well in press coverage, and he can make an impact in the receiving game and the return game. He’s also a dependable blocker.
Worthy is skilled at playing both inside and outside positions and has plenty of big-play potential, which could tempt the Bears to take a shot at him despite his inconsistent hands at times in college. The Bears have Worthy on their radar and have had him at Halas Hall for a visit.
