Everybody knows the Chicago Bears are taking a quarterback with the 1st overall pick. Caleb Williams is 90% certain to be that quarterback. Fans have reached the acceptance stage on that. Debates have now shifted to the 9th overall pick, which the Bears also hold. Many camps have formed over what GM Ryan Poles should do with it. Some believe the best thing is to give Williams as much help as possible, either with a new left tackle or another weapon at wide receiver. Others feel the team has a glaring hole at edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat. They have to plug it with somebody.
Arguments of this nature remain ongoing. The wide receivers are too talented to pass on. Left tackles are more important. You can’t play good defense in today’s NFL without two good pass rushers. Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and the decision-makers at Halas Hall are having these same discussions. However, there is one added layer many people have chosen to ignore.
What does next year look like?
Often what spurs a team to target specific positions in a current draft is dictated by what they see coming down the pike. If they think a crop of players at, say, defensive tackle is stronger the next year than this year, they may choose to target another position of need, knowing they’ll have a chance to get a good DT the next season. Poles admitted this is part of why he chose to trade down from #1 overall last year. He felt the QB crop in 2024 would be a strong one. Now it’s looking like four could go in the top four picks of the 1st round.
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The Chicago Bears’ decision is clear if you follow early projections.
Based on what several draft outlets indicate from their 2025 rankings, they should stay focused on wide receivers. Initial rankings have six edge rushers placed in the top 32 prospects of next year’s draft class. There are only four wide receivers. Obviously, a lot can change in a year. Some receivers may emerge. Some edge rushers may fall off or choose to stay in school. Still, initial outlooks show the Bears stand a better chance of improving their pass rush next season over finding a legitimate playmaking wide receiver.
Perhaps Poles sees it differently. There could be a pass rusher he and Eberflus love in this class. They may desire to trade down from #9 and grab one. Still, everything points to the Chicago Bears being focused on making Williams’ transition to the NFL as smooth as possible. That is done by arming him to the teeth with weapons. A trio of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze would be one of the best this organization has ever put together. This way, even if Allen left for free agency in 2025, the Bears would have the 1st rounder in place opposite Moore, allowing them to still target a pass rusher in next year’s draft.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a marginal move like trading Herbert for a 5th or 6th rounder to the Cowboys. The Cowboys don’t currently have a starting caliber running back, and would overpay for one they could pick up cheap with a pick, because they are in salary cap hell. Just a thought! Bear Down!
There will be a lot to pick through after the draft all the way until the end of training camp. You’ll have receivers, linebackers, running backs, lineman, and the like. The only thing you might not be able to get is an edge rusher. So, with that 9th pick, I’d select one of the three edge rushers available. If he thinks they’re good enough. Receivers will be available during the cut down, lineman also. Every year there are surprise cuts before the season starts.
Dr.- I agree I don’t think they will full on target a position. Even though I feel DE is most needed where we sit now. The thing no one thinks about is we could trade 9 that includes a player. Poles is not against that if it benefits the bears. But yes I have 5 players I don’t see them passing on. Top 3 WR- Alt- Turner. IMO
Several days before this article came out, I took a look at NFL Draft scout’s rankings for the 2025 draft. In the top 36, here’s the spots occupied by players at positions: WR: 1, 3, 7, 23, 33, 35 DE: 4, 5, 6, 16, 17, 19, 20 DT: 29, 36 So it looks to me like there are about equal numbers of WR and DE, especially in the range we hope the Bears are picking at (mid to high 20’s). Of course, all of this will change after the next college season, and some other players may or may not… Read more »
Dr. Well said sir! That and what a way to debunk the false narratives for your rookie QB and get people more on board after the full on Fans split we just had in Chicago.