2024 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Have Rare Opportunity
As the picks are revealed on draft night, Ryan Poles could find himself holding aces
Matthew Horner - Apr 18, 2024, 11:40am EDT
Chicago Bears Have Rare Opportunity in 2024 NFL Draft
For years, the Chicago Bears have been the laughingstock of the NFL. Just about every instance of news that you ever hear about the team is something that involves them losing football games, even when it seems like a new hope has finally blossomed from the ashes of a previous attempt to become respectable again.
The latest example of this was the polarizing Justin Fields, who split Chicago right down the middle as to whether he should stay or go. The former Ohio State superstar was drafted by the Bears in 2021 after the team finally admitted their mistake in drafting QB Mitchell Trubisky in 2017 by letting him walk away and starting anew. Flashforward to 2024, the cycle begins yet again in the Windy City with the team trading Fields away to Pittsburgh.
However, things could be different this time for the long-suffering franchise. General Manager Ryan Poles has positioned his team so that they have one of the rarest opportunities you can get in this sport: drafting the consensus best offensive and defensive player in the same draft, without having to trade away a single asset.
They own the No. 1-overall pick for the second year in a row after opting to trade away last year's for a massive haul that included the Panthers' first-round pick this year and WR DJ Moore. That first-rounder became the No. 1 pick this year, which will allow the Bears to take QB Caleb Williams out of USC.
The Trojan signal-caller is regarded as one of the better prospects to come out of the draft at the position since Andrew Luck in 2012. The stats are there: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions, and some sneaky rushing ability with close to 1,000 yards over his college career.
It is hard to describe his highlights in writing, so if by some chance you haven't seen them, just head to YouTube now. His ability to escape the pass rush and throw on the run reminds you of Patrick Mahomes, but putting that comparison on his shoulders is unfair.
While you could argue as to whether Williams or WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best-overall offensive prospect, almost everyone agrees that the QB will be selected first overall. He's a whopping -10000 to be chosen first on DraftKings. Still, the Bears could go in any direction they wanted here.
Chicago also owns the No. 9-overall selection, which is their actual pick for this year. Usually the best overall offensive and defensive players are off the board by this time. However, this draft is very offense-heavy at the top, and the Bears are sitting in prime position to also get the best defensive player.
Right now, that is either LB Dallas Turner from Alabama or DL Jared Verse from Florida State. Let's take a look at the DraftKings odds board to get some insight here.
Turner is the favorite to be the first defensive player taken, and looking at the draft pick odds, he is favored to go at No. 8 to the Titans, one pick before the Bears. In fact, the oddsmakers like Chicago to select WR Rome Odunze to pair with Williams for +150.
Verse is right there behind him though at +275, and Turner at +600. The very fact that the two highest-projected defensive players are favored to go around No. 9 gives them a serious chance to get the best player, should one fall to them.
Whatever the team decides to do, one thing is for certain: the Bears are in the best position for the future that they have been in maybe ever, and this is potentially the most pivotal moment in franchise history. They have the opportunity of a lifetime in this draft.
We can only hope they don't "Bears" it up.
Bet just $5 at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets instantly with the welcome offer below!
Chicago Bears Have Rare Opportunity in 2024 NFL Draft
For years, the Chicago Bears have been the laughingstock of the NFL. Just about every instance of news that you ever hear about the team is something that involves them losing football games, even when it seems like a new hope has finally blossomed from the ashes of a previous attempt to become respectable again.
The latest example of this was the polarizing Justin Fields, who split Chicago right down the middle as to whether he should stay or go. The former Ohio State superstar was drafted by the Bears in 2021 after the team finally admitted their mistake in drafting QB Mitchell Trubisky in 2017 by letting him walk away and starting anew. Flashforward to 2024, the cycle begins yet again in the Windy City with the team trading Fields away to Pittsburgh.
However, things could be different this time for the long-suffering franchise. General Manager Ryan Poles has positioned his team so that they have one of the rarest opportunities you can get in this sport: drafting the consensus best offensive and defensive player in the same draft, without having to trade away a single asset.
They own the No. 1-overall pick for the second year in a row after opting to trade away last year's for a massive haul that included the Panthers' first-round pick this year and WR DJ Moore. That first-rounder became the No. 1 pick this year, which will allow the Bears to take QB Caleb Williams out of USC.
The Trojan signal-caller is regarded as one of the better prospects to come out of the draft at the position since Andrew Luck in 2012. The stats are there: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions, and some sneaky rushing ability with close to 1,000 yards over his college career.
It is hard to describe his highlights in writing, so if by some chance you haven't seen them, just head to YouTube now. His ability to escape the pass rush and throw on the run reminds you of Patrick Mahomes, but putting that comparison on his shoulders is unfair.
While you could argue as to whether Williams or WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best-overall offensive prospect, almost everyone agrees that the QB will be selected first overall. He's a whopping -10000 to be chosen first on DraftKings. Still, the Bears could go in any direction they wanted here.
Chicago also owns the No. 9-overall selection, which is their actual pick for this year. Usually the best overall offensive and defensive players are off the board by this time. However, this draft is very offense-heavy at the top, and the Bears are sitting in prime position to also get the best defensive player.
Right now, that is either LB Dallas Turner from Alabama or DL Jared Verse from Florida State. Let's take a look at the DraftKings odds board to get some insight here.
Turner is the favorite to be the first defensive player taken, and looking at the draft pick odds, he is favored to go at No. 8 to the Titans, one pick before the Bears. In fact, the oddsmakers like Chicago to select WR Rome Odunze to pair with Williams for +150.
Verse is right there behind him though at +275, and Turner at +600. The very fact that the two highest-projected defensive players are favored to go around No. 9 gives them a serious chance to get the best player, should one fall to them.
Whatever the team decides to do, one thing is for certain: the Bears are in the best position for the future that they have been in maybe ever, and this is potentially the most pivotal moment in franchise history. They have the opportunity of a lifetime in this draft.
We can only hope they don't "Bears" it up.
Bet just $5 at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets instantly with the welcome offer below!
