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Most analysts in the NFL community believe the Chicago Bears will either spend the first pick of the 2024 draft to acquire USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams or trade that selection and stick with Justin Fields as their starting signal-caller.
For a piece published Thursday, former NFL executive Randy Mueller of The Athletic suggested that the Bears could trade both Fields and the No. 1 pick en route to passing on Williams, LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
“What if the Bears are lukewarm on North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, or both, like some in the business are? Many have force-fed us the narrative that there is a clear top tier of Williams, Maye and Daniels, with a line in the sand behind them,” Mueller explained. “But in reality, some — I, for one — really like (Michigan Wolverines quarterback) J.J. McCarthy. He might just have the most upside of any of these guys.”
On Thursday morning, Mel Kiper Jr. and Jordan Reid of ESPN shared that McCarthy could be the fourth quarterback drafted this spring. Kiper wrote that he expects McCarthy will “test extremely well during the on-field drills” and “interview great in team meetings,” while Reid added that the national champion could be taken by the Minnesota Vikings at overall pick No. 11.
“There could be tremendous value in trading both the No. 1 pick and Fields,” Mueller said. “Depending on how far down they traded, the Bears could — if they play their cards right — acquire a rare haul of future picks, allowing them to build up the roster for years.”
For what it’s worth, it’s widely assumed Bears general manager Ryan Poles has Williams atop Chicago’s draft board. On Tuesday night, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that “signs seem to point to the Bears” trading Fields and drafting Williams.
“With the information I have at this point, I would draft Caleb Williams and trade Fields,” Mueller acknowledged. If, however, Poles becomes a big McCarthy fan this week, the Bears could make and take some interesting calls before the draft begins on April 25.
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