With the 2024 NFL a few hours away, Caleb Williams will soon become the first player to hug and shake hands with Roger Goodell. And when the announcer utters those magical words that every Chicago fan and Williams himself has been waiting to hear, it’ll all be worth the wait. But once the journey starts, it’ll be an uphill battle to win against the most talented sides in American Football. For a tough battle, you need trustworthy people around you. Protection is key.
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And a good offensive line becomes of peak importance when you draft a young rookie QB. If Chicago doesn’t end up trading their 9th overall pick, they are likely to get their hands on an Offensive Tackle, to protect their star shot-caller. The Bears have plenty of options to choose from, but it seems their new incoming QB Williams knows the perfect man for the job, someone he believes will put his life on the line to save him. That guy is Penn State star tackle Olu Fashanu.
Fashanu, already predicted to be picked in the top 15 of the Draft as per Peter Schrager, shares a bond with Caleb, playing at the same Gonzaga College High School. Looks like the 2022 Heisman winner is already giving instructions to the Bears on whom to pick, someone with whom he is already acquainted.
While many drafts see Chicago pick a wideout or trade away their pick, it seems drafting an OT in the first round won’t be such a bad thing. The percentage of success that first round offensive linemen have shown surpasses any success quarterbacks or even receivers have shown. Thus, seasoned coaches and front offices tend to go with safer picks towards the top of the draft. And thus, Bears have a peculiar position to play from.
Chicago Bears 2nd Pick Predictions: Trade Away or Help Caleb Williams?
While the 1st pick feels like a lock, their 2nd pick or the 9th overall pick, Gives them a dilemma whether to choose a Tackle or a receiver or trade away. If the Bears are keen on drafting an OT, there are plenty of 1st round options such as Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu, Taliese Fuaga, JC Latham, Troy Fautanu, Tyler Guyton, Amirus Mims, Graham Barton, and Zach Frazier.
If they choose to draft another weapon for Caleb Williams, they could very well draft Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Ladd McConkey. It is unlikely that Chicago will trade up for a prospect. Given they only have four picks in the draft, trading down seems like the best option to acquire more draft capital.
If they trade away the 9th pick and move down to somewhere above 20, they could very well get a 2nd-round pick alongside the 1st. Trading down would allow them to still draft an OT and with the 2nd or even a 3rd pick they receive via trade, they could still land a receiver for Williams.
Things seem optimistic for the Bears for the first time in over a decade. They could finally get a franchise QB, and they are doing everything in their power to make his first season a success. No Bears QB has ever thrown for over 4000 yards. While they made the playoffs only 4 seasons ago, the teams has not tasted victory in the postseason since 2011. That’s a long drought for one of the oldest franchises in the NFL. Will this be the end?
