Chicago Bears Free Agency Evaluations and 2024 NFL Draft Scenarios

With Draft Weekend fast approaching, I'm nearing the end of my time giving the PFF Mock Draft tool a daily workout. While I'll miss getting to utilize the tool, the hundreds of mock drafts that I've completed over the past few months have given me a clear set of thoughts about the Draft.

Of course, the draft comes on the heels of free agency. GM Ryan Poles has undertaken most of his team building activities already. In advance of next week's Draft, here's my thoughts on the Bears' non-minimum contracts forays into the free agency period followed by Draft scenarios evaluated from best-case to worst-case scenario.

FREE AGENCY

First, a reminder: there's no grade inflation here. A C is a solid, average move. A B is a good move. An A is a truly exceptional move. A D is bad. An F is a failure. Let's go!

Bears trade #144 to Buffalo for OG Ryan Bates

I love Ryan Bates. I love his tummy rub celebration with Trace McSorley that he did numerous times after protecting Trace's blind side for years. I love that he carved out a niche in the NFL. I even love that Poles decided to make a play for Bates as an RFA during his initial offseason as GM. I like the Bates contract in the Bears' hands with two unguaranteed years at $4M apiece.

I do not, however, love trading #144 for a player who figures to be a reserve for a team with a rookie QB. Poles needs to hoard picks...yet here he is trading away yet another pick. Bates was a cut candidate in Buffalo too, so while his contract provides good value in this market, the trade negates the net value coming to the Bears and then some.

Grade: D

Bears sign CB Jaylon Johnson to a 4-year, $76M deal

Johnson hasn't been the most consistent CB in the NFL during his four years as a pro, and he comes with a history of back injuries. That said, he possesses true top-of-the-league skills and he turned 24 this month. Keeping a guy like Johnson around is a slam dunk choice, even with a functional three-year guarantee.

Grade: B

Bears sign S Kevin Byard to a 2-year, $15M deal

This move I like, too. Functionally, this is a one-year, $8M deal for the 31-year-old former All Pro. Byard's play slipped last year, but he was still a real starter and looks like an ideal bridge candidate for the Bears. Ideally, Poles will draft a successor FS in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft, giving the rookie a chance to come along slowly while Byard holds the job.

He's no star, but he looks like a solid citizen at an affordable, market rate in the non-Xavier McKinney FS market.

Grade: B-

Bears sign RB D'Andre Swift to a 3-year, $24.5M deal

Woof. Not a good place to start the tampering period.

Pouring money into middle class free agents is a dicey proposition to begin with. Pouring money into RBs is a terrible idea. Pouring money into a middle class RB? Big yikes. A multi-year (two) guarantee to a middle class RB in free agency? There's no saving grace here.

Swift is 1.5 years younger than D'Onta Foreman. Beyond that, I can't tell the difference here, except that Swift got $15.3M guaranteed and Foreman got a veteran minimum deal.

Grade: F

Bears sign TE Gerald Everett to a 2-year, $12M deal

Love this. Everett presents an ideal TE2. The fact that he came on an extremely affordable one-year, $6.5M deal makes this move tremendous. The depth chart at TE is non-existent behind Cole Kmet, and rookie TEs are classically slow to adjust to life in the NFL. Everett should serve as a nice security blanket for Caleb Williams. He brings so much value to this roster.

Grade: A

Bears sign S Jonathan Owens to a 2-year, $4.75M deal

This kind of deal doesn't hurt in a big way...but there's no value. Owens isn't good. Owens is 28 and has never received a contract above the league minimum, yet Poles offered him a functional $2.6M guarantee. Yuck. Hopefully Owens has to fight to make the roster, which would make $1.5M of dead money left behind even worse. There's no upside and a bit of downside. Just find the street free agent instead.

Grade: F

Bears sign LB Amen Ogbongbemiga to a 1-year, $2.1M deal

It's good to sign special teamers. Cool.

Grade: C

Bears sign C Coleman Shelton to a 1-year, $3.5M deal

I'm not a big fan of Shelton. His ceiling is low and his floor is, too. That said, Shelton comes with meaningful starting experience, he's cheap, and he offers protection in case Poles can't find a starting C in the Draft.

Shelton being the starting C in September would be bad. But he'd be better than Lucas Patrick or Cody Whitehair.

Grade: C-

Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Pittsburgh for a 2025 6th round pick

Barf. Barf barf barf. Much electronic ink has been spilled on the Fields trade. I'm fine with Poles trading Fields given his desire to reset at QB and his belief that Fields can't be the guy to get the Bears over the hump. OK.

But there has to be value. And there's no value here. This trade values Fields as less than Mac Jones. That's a joke. If this was the market rate, I would've preferred to see Poles announce that Fields was the starter for 2024, that the Bears would bring Williams along slowly, and then trade Fields only after another team (i) struck out on their search for a new QB, or (ii) had a QB suffer an injury during the season. A future 6th is basically nothing and the condition is likely to bump this pick into a 4th. If it does, the trade will look even worse as a future 4th for a starting NFL QB is a truly horrendous deal.

I appreciate the locker room dynamic disaster of keeping the very-popular Fields in house while beginning the transition to Williams.

The grade reflects Poles' aggregate handling of the Fields situation.

Grade: F (if there was a lower grade, this move would receive that)

Bears trade #110 to Los Angeles Chargers for WR Keenan Allen

Yes please! Allen is 31 and heading for free agency this offseason...which means that Poles acquired a second #1 WR entering the final contract year of his career for just $23.1M this year. Again: yes please! The free agent WR class was a disaster and the Draft is risky. Allen is not risky. This is a great acquisition, limited in value only by the fact that the Bears need to allocate $23.1M of their cap to a 31-year-old.

Grade: A-

FREE AGENCY REVIEW

The individual moves were graded above, but giving a comprehensive view of free agency requires considering moves made and unmade.

In advance of free agency, Poles had a few essential tasks to complete, as follows:

1. Acquire a new, good starting C.
2. Find a DE2 to start opposite Montez Sweat.
3. Replace Eddie Jackson at FS.
4. Find a starting-caliber WR.

Uh oh. It's clear that Connor Williams' ACL tear torpedoed his market, but quality starting C options remained. Poles passed. OK.

The Bears' current DE2 is a misplaced DT (DeMarcus Walker). The current DE3 is probably minimum-salary vet Jake Martin. Not good!

The Byard signing makes me happy enough and the Allen trade is a big win.

Unfortunately, the Bears still have a number of needs, and Poles has continued his habit of trading picks for players on expiring deals. As a result, my dreams for having a cache of picks on hand to fill in the roster around Williams are gone. The cap space is gone. The end results are good in ways but they're below expectations thus far. The grade does get boosted by the Everett signing and Allen trade.

FREE AGENCY PERIOD GRADE: D+

Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Offseason: FINAL (March 2024) Edition

Free agency kicks off on Monday afternoon. Buckle up. Here we go.

Internal Decisions
S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap) and G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M) were cut earlier this offseason. Somewhat surprisingly, RB Travis Homer was not. The Bears are currently slated to carry a dead cap of $10.543M into free agency. I actually think that Velus Jones Jr. will stick around as a special teamer, WR, or even converted RB. We'll see. Velus is a plus KR when it gets cold and kickoffs don't carry the endzone in Chicago. That's nice in December and could be clutch in January if the Bears ever play into January again.

Jaylon Johnson is now subject to the franchise tag of $19.802M. And Ryan Bates has been acquired with a $4M cap hit.

But wait a minute! As a result of his early-career playing time, OT Larry Borom received a PPE escalation to a $3.116M base salary. He's getting cut, yielding an additional $83K of dead money.
With an adjusted cap of $260.327M and after allocating (i) $10.626M to dead money, (ii) $4M to the practice squad, (iii) holding back $12M to account for draft cap hits over the minimum, and (iv) accounting for $192.227M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter free agency with approximately $41.474M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.

Justin Fields
I was previously at 80/20 to take Caleb Williams. I'm now at 99/1. Williams will come to Chicago...

...which means that Justin Fields needs a new home. This is going to get seriously tricky. The Bears are incentivized to hold onto Fields until late April, when some team is unable to fill their QB hole via free agency or the draft. But that's risky and in extremely poor form related to Fields, who has been an exemplary citizen in Chicago. Instead, I think Poles pulls off a deal after free agency begins but before the draft, with the following teams in the running with the most likely first and the longest shot last:

1. Atlanta. The Atlanta native goes home to form a terrifying rushing attack.
2. New England. Picking #3 and in desperate need of a reset, New England could lean into their rushing offense.
3. New Orleans. They have no plan. Fields' speed would play up in a dome.
4. Las Vegas. They were #2 on the list until Luke Getsy signed on to be their new offensive coordinator. He makes a ton of sense there but for Getsy.
5. Denver. They don't have any picks. They'll probably look for their next QB in the draft given their timeline.
6. Pittsburgh. Their QB room is a mess. Mike Tomlin always wins. This one makes a ton of sense unless Russell Wilson will show up for free.
7. New York Giants. They're in a tough spot, wedded to a terrible Daniel Jones for another year and in need of an offensive restructure.

That brings up the matter of Fields' trade value. On one hand, Fields has never been a plus passer in the NFL, stunting his value. On the other hand, Fields is an ultra-elite runner and has improved as a passer each year as the supporting cast has improved around him. Further helping his value: numerous teams are in need of a QB upgrade and it's pretty easy to make the argument that Fields would be better in many other, non-Chicago offenses, especially having undergone plenty of NFL seasoning with the Bears. I previously thought that the Bears could get a 1st for Fields, but that ship appears to have sailed. I'll continue to rely on the PFF trade tool, so the return will surely be less than that and is reflected below.

Trading Fields would net an additional $3.223M in cap space, bringing the Bears to $44.697M.

Free Agency
The Bears have four genuinely massive needs in free agency with options listed in order of my preference:

1. Center. After terrible play at the pivot for years, it's time for a real starter.
1. Connor Williams, Lloyd Cushenberry, Andre James, Aaron Brewer
2. Defensive Line. The Bears need an impact player up front. It could be a 3 technique DT or a DE.
1. DTs: Christian Wilkins, Chris Jones, Leonard Williams, Mo Hurst, Shelby Harris
2. DEs: Danielle Hunter, Jadeveon Clowney, Za'Darius Smith, A.J. Epenesa, Derek Barnett, Chase Young (short contract)
3. Free Safety. With Eddie Jackson gone, the Bears need a starter next to Jaquan Brisker. It's a great year to need a FS given the plethora of safeties that hit free agency or were released.
1. Xavier McKinney, Justin Simmons, Geno Stone, Jordan Poyer
4. #2/#3 Wide Receiver. Behind D.J. Moore, the cupboard is bare.
1. Gabe Davis, Curtis Samuel, Tyler Boyd

The jump in the salary cap really complicates matters for teams that planned to spend big in free agency, like the Bears. Because the cap came in nearly $10M above expectation, numerous teams now have the space to swim in the deep end. This will put significant upward pressure on the free agent market and limit Chicago's ability to splurge. Signing Wilkins or Jones would be the best-case scenario in free agency, but neither signing seems particularly likely.

With all of that said, here we go with projections from PFF:

• Franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$19.802M) while attempting to extend him.
• Will Johnson get extended? Hard to say.
• Sign DE Za'Darius Smith (2/$24M, $19M guaranteed).
• I'd much prefer to find a DT with skills and cost akin to Smith given my strong preference for DE over DT in this draft class, but Smith changes the defensive outlook. He's the right fit.
• Sign WR Curtis Samuel (2/$17M with $11M guaranteed)
• Sign C Connor Williams (3/$22.5M with $12.5M guaranteed)
• Williams is by far the top option, with his contract mitigated by his December ACL tear.
• Sign S Geno Stone (2/$13MM with $7.25M guaranteed)
• I really like the safeties available in the draft, so a short-term safety makes sense here.
• Sign TE Austin Hooper (1/$2M)
• Sign RB J.K. Dobbins (1/$2M)
• Oregon's Bucky Irving is basically the only RB I like in this class and even he would only make sense in the 4th. Thus, take a shot on Dobbins.

The most important goals this offseason are (i) keeping a home-grown star, (ii) bringing in a veteran starting C after years of awful play at the pivot, and (iii) adding another boost to the pass rush. Johnson, Williams, and Smith check those boxes. It's a good year to need a pass rushing boost, and while adding a star like Josh Allen, Brian Burns, or Danielle Hunter would be great, there's plenty of appeal to adding a second-tier pass rush specialist like Smith. Bryce Huff, scary as he is, would also be exciting.

Based purely on AAVs, the above spending spree would utilize $38.5M of cap space before accounting for lower first-year cap hits and, thus, utilize net cap space of just $33.01M after accounting for the minimum salary players replaced by the above signees. This should leave plenty for the draft class, even with some trades.

Justin Fields, Again
I don't think that Poles will ultimately wait until late April to trade Fields. Instead, he'll deal him sometime in late March or early April, as follows:

• Falcons Receive: QB Justin Fields, #123, and a 2025 6th (MIA)
• Bears Receive: #43 and #74

Draft
The main purpose for this article, as it is every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using the Pro Football Focus mock draft tool.

Here we go again for the last time before free agency.

#1: USC QB Caleb Williams
The Williams hype machine is in full force. Williams has a true #1 pick pedigree after half a decade of being the top QB in his class (alongside Quinn Ewers) dating to his time at Gonzaga HS in Washington, DC alongside star Penn State LT Olu Fashanu. Williams has every bit the arm that Fields has, and while his running ability is a tick below Fields, it's plenty helpful. Add in that Williams can grow with a young, improving offensive core in Chicago and the future is bright. I have no doubt that Williams will win over the Bears' locker room. He's a dynamic playmaker and those guys tend to win fans, even if the initial adjustment from the wildly-popular Fields is bumpy.

Bears trade #9 to New York Giants for #39, #47, and a 2025 1st
All four of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and Brock Bowers were off the board, so I took the nuclear option, adding a pair of 2nds while punting this year's 1st to next year. The Giants are unlikely to be a great squad in 2024, so this should be a pretty decent 2025 1st.

#39: Minnesota S Tyler Nubin
I wanted to trade down again and planned to do so. But then Nubin was available, surprisingly slipping out of the 1st round. Boom. He likely kicks the newly-signed Stone to a 3rd safety role. Nubin is that good. All of a sudden, the safety room looks great!

Bears trade #43 to Jacksonville for #48 and #96, and a 2025 6th
I liked the names on the board here with three DEs available. Picking again at #47, I loved getting my hands on #96 in this deal.

#47: Penn State DE Chop Robinson
Robinson isn't going to last this long, especially after his Combine showing. But if he does, largely due to his limited sack production in the blue and white? Taking best player available dictates that he has to be the guy here. He's too darn good, even with Sweat and Smith already on board and leading the way.

One impact of loading up at DE: DeMarcus Walker kicks back inside, where he enjoyed significantly more success with Tennessee in 2022. This mitigates the need to find DT depth on draft weekend.

Bears trade #48 to Tennessee for #107, a 2025 2nd, a 2025 3rd, and a 2025 4th
Man, I love this one. Delaying this pick to 2025 netted a 3rd and two 4ths. This is how the Bears add depth.

#74: USC WR Brendan Rice
Rice is a great addition for Williams, bringing pedigree, familiarity, and physique. But he's not my favorite WR...

#75: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
I think I'd take Corley in the 2nd. I love him so much. He's a compact ball of explosiveness.

#96: Houston OT Patrick Paul
There's almost no chance Paul gets this far, but if he does, he has to be the pick. He features many of the same benefits as Braxton Jones with good production. Paul immediately becomes an ideal reserve OT with the ability to take over at LT.

#107: Arkansas C Beaux Limmer
I don't love Limmer, but he's good value in this spot and fills out the offensive line room wonderfully. Miami DT Leonard Taylor would've otherwise been the pick, but he's tumbling in value this draft season.

Bears trade #111 to Las Vegas for #113 and #190
OK.

Bears trade #113 to New England for #136, a 2025 4th, and a 2025 7th
This one is a bigger deal and is the least enjoyable move I made in this entire mock. Delaying this pick to 2025 returned some value...but not a ton, really. Perhaps I should've made this pick. Oh well.

#136: Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott
Well, I considered using #113 on Sinnott. That would've been fine. His testing was basically akin to Sam LaPorta. He'd be a great addition.

After taking Sinnott, I attempted to swing a deal to get another 5th so I could take Clemson DE Xavier Thomas, but he came off the board a few picks later, nullifying that plan.

Bears trade a 2025 6th, a 2025 6th (JAX), and a 2025 7th (NE) to Washington for #181 and #220
This is bad value. But there were two players that I really wanted at #181 and #220. See below.

#181: Michigan TE AJ Barner
Barner was basically nothing at Indiana until transferring to Michigan in 2023...where he was great. His blocking was excellent and he was surprisingly athletic as a pass catcher. He's worth a swing here.

#190: Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden
I really wanted a developmental edge rusher here, but I didn't love the options and Hadden was a better fit anyway. He allowed a passer rating of 7 this year. He went the junior college route on his way to the NFL, so his pedigree is murky. But the production is there on a flyer.

#220: Iowa P Tory Taylor
If Taylor makes it to the 7th, he has to be the pick. He would be a significant instant upgrade over Trenton Gill.

Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following bevy of tasty picks:

1st (NYG)
1st (CHI)
2nd (CAR)
2nd (TEN)
2nd (CHI)
3rd (TEN)
3rd (CHI)
4th (NE)
4th (TEN)
4th (CHI)
5th (CHI)

Final Roster
New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded. Here's the 53:

QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT
RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, J.K. Dobbins, Khari Blasingame
TE (4): Cole Kmet, Austin Hooper, Ben Sinnott, AJ Barner
WR (6): D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, Brendan Rice, Malachi Corley, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones
OT (3): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Patrick Paul
OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates (trade)
C    (2): Connor Williams, Beaux Limmer

DE (5): Montez Sweat, Za'Darius Smith, Chop Robinson, Dominique Robinson, FREE AGENT
DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, DeMarcus Walker, FREE AGENT
ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds
OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT
CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, Kamal Hadden
S (5): Jaquan Brisker, Geno Stone, Tyler Nubin, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones

ST (3): Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Patrick Scales

Taking Williams at #1 overall normally stunts my ability to accrue numerous picks to fill holes. That wasn't the case here. The trade with the Giants from #9 enabled the Bears to get Robinson and add gobs of depth, even before accounting for the 2025 1st coming back.

It's also worth noting that the final tally for the Fields trade would be Fields and #123 for #48, #74, and #96. That still feels like a solid haul for the Bears. Using the Jimmy Johnson draft value chart and assuming an exactly equal trade where both Chicago and Atlanta acquire and ship out 756 points, the trade values Fields as 707 points (Fields (707) + #123 (49) = #48 (420) + #74 (220) + #96 (116)), roughly akin to the #26 pick in the draft. That feels about right.

This roster would feature meaningful starters at every spot along with an incredible infusion of young talent on offense with which the new franchise QB could grow. I'd really enjoy this outcome and the path on which it would leave the Bears, particularly in light of the 2025 war chest they'd have as they continue to shape the roster around Williams.

Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Offseason: February 2024 Caleb Williams Edition

No big updates since the earlier January mock, so away we go.

Internal Decisions
As with prior mocks, the big cuts are easy: S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap), G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M), and RB Travis Homer ($0.225M). Dead cap total after those cuts: $11.768M. I actually think that Velus Jones Jr. will stick around as a special teamer, WR, or even converted RB. We'll see. Velus is a plus KR when it gets cold and kickoffs don't carry the endzone in Chicago. That's nice in December and could be clutch in January if the Bears ever play into January again.

With an adjusted cap of $247.427M, allocating $4M to the practice squad, and accounting for $150.925M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter next offseason with approximately $80.734M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.

Justin Fields

I've been somewhere in the neighborhood of 70/30 or 60/40 to keep Fields for a while now. But as I keep digging into the draft prep, it's tougher to maintain this position. I could be anywhere from 60/40 to 40/60 these days, depending on the individual day. But I think that the Bears are likely 80/20 to take Caleb Williams at this point. So, let's try a mock taking Williams.

That brings up the matter of Fields' trade value. On one hand, Fields has never been a plus passer in the NFL, stunting his value. On the other hand, Fields is an ultra-elite runner and has improved as a passer each year as the supporting cast has improved around him. Further helping his value: numerous teams are in need of a QB upgrade and it's pretty easy to make the argument that Fields would be better in many other, non-Chicago offenses, especially having undergone plenty of NFL seasoning with the Bears. While a lot of reporting suggests that Fields will return something like a 2nd and a 4th, I think that he'll ultimately yield a 1st or the equivalent thereof. Unfortunately, I'll rely on the PFF trade tool, so the return will surely be less than that.

Free Agency

Quick hits with projections from PFF:

• Franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$19M) while attempting to extend him
• Sign C Andre James (3/$27M with $15M guaranteed) 
• Sign DE Za'Darius Smith (2/$24M, all guaranteed)
• Sign WR Curtis Samuel (2/$18M with $12M guaranteed)
• Sign S Geno Stone (2/$13MM with $7M guaranteed)
• Sign TE Austin Hooper (1/$2M)
• Sign WR Equanimeous St. Brown (1/$2M)

The most important goals this offseason are (i) keeping a home-grown star, (ii) bringing in a veteran starting C after years of awful play at the pivot, and (iii) adding another boost to the pass rush. Johnson, James, and Smith check those boxes. It's a good year to need a pass rushing boost, and while adding a star like Josh Allen, Brian Burns, or Danielle Hunter would be great, there's plenty of appeal to adding a second-tier pass rush specialist like Smith or Bryce Huff.

Former Giants S Xavier McKinney got a lot more expensive in the projections, jumping from an AAV near $8M to $12.5M. It's understandable but a bridge too far for this rebuild. The Connor Williams ACL tear remains a huge bummer.

Based purely on AAVs, the above spending spree would utilize $59.5M of cap space. This should leave plenty for the draft class.

Draft

The main purpose for this article, as it will be every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st-5th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using the Pro Football Focus mock draft tool.

Here we go again, this time with Williams leading the way.

#1: USC QB Caleb Williams

The Williams hype machine is in full force. Williams has a true #1 pick pedigree after half a decade of being the top QB in his class (alongside Quinn Ewers) dating to his time at Gonzaga HS in Washington, DC alongside star Penn State LT Olu Fashanu. Williams has every bit the arm that Fields has, and while his running ability is a tick below Fields, it's plenty helpful. Add in that Williams can grow with a young, improving offensive core in Chicago and the future is bright. I have no doubt that Williams will win over the Bears' locker room. He's a dynamic playmaker and those guys tend to win fans, even if the initial adjustment from the wildly-popular Fields is bumpy.

Bears trade #9 to Jacksonville for #17, #48, #116, and a 2025 2nd

All three of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze were off the board, so I was faced with the brutal choice: take Georgia TE Brock Bowers or accumulate tasty picks. Option #2 won this time.

Bears trade QB Justin Fields and a 2025 5th to New England for #34 and a 2025 3rd

New England selected Nabers in this mock, so Fields was a sensible target for them.

#17: Alabama DE Dallas Turner 

I wanted to trade down again. Dallas Turner at #17 wouldn't let me do it. He's not quite Will Anderson, but he's a Day One impact player. That value is too strong.

Bears trade #34 to Atlanta for #43 and #74

Tons of great players were on the board here, including a bevy of OTs that would have moved the needle for me. But again, this value is exceptional. Atlanta ponied up to come grab Bo Nix...after not trading for Fields. Chess, not checkers.

#43: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

I'm straight-up obsessed with Legette. I really hope Poles finds a way to get him to Chicago.

#48: Penn State DE Chop Robinson

Robinson isn't going to last this long. But if he does? Taking best player available dictates that he has to be the guy here. He's too darn good, even with Sweat, Smith, and Turner already on board. Buckle up!

One impact of loading up at DE: DeMarcus Walker kicks back inside, where he enjoyed significantly more success with Tennessee in 2022.

Bears trade #75 and #146 to Carolina for #65 and #180

Trading up is bad practice in general. But I did it here because it seemed like the right move.

#65: Kansas OT Dominick Puni

There was a huge run on OL that I liked and the pool was running dry. Puni wasn't going to last until #75, so the move up secures a legit OT prospect who can play G from the jump if necessary. Puni is a very important 6th OL in 2024.

Bears trade #74, a 2025 6th, and Miami's 2025 6th to Cleveland for #86 and a 2025 3rd

This was a tough spot for me. I like Georgia S Javon Bullard and filling the hole in the rotation behind Jaquan Brisker and free agent signing Geno Stone, but I had other plans in the 3rd round. If I could score a sufficiently tasty extra pick, I wanted to do it. So I did.

#86: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley

I'm going to lose my mind if Poles gets Corley. Please, Ryan, please.

(BC G Christian Mahogany would also be a great choice here.)

#110: Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.

Another tricky spot. I love Oregon CB Khyree Jackson, but Hall offers such essential pass rush upside at DT. He should've returned to Ohio State, but he didn't and the Bears can afford to bring him along situationally with remarkably strong depth on the DL.

#116: Washington State S Jaden Hicks

Yet another spot where Jackson would've been a great choice...but I needed to come out of here with Hicks. So, he's the #3 S.

Bears trade #122 and #180 to Arizona for #133, #140, and #225

There wasn't anybody here that I desperately wanted, so move back and move #180 up 40 spots.

#133: Ohio State TE Cade Stover

Well that was fun! Stover was the guy I most wanted at #122. Moving down to get him anyway? Nice!

#140: Michigan C Drake Nugent

The Stanford transfer makes a lot of sense on this Bears roster. He doesn't look like a star, but he could fill in should an emergency emerge given his extensive collegiate experience.

#225: Iowa P Tory Taylor

There's no way that Taylor makes it to the 7th. If that inexplicably happens, the Bears should absolutely upgrade over Trenton Gill.

Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following picks. While it's only one extra selection, they are far more valuable than a normal allotment of one pick in each round.

1st (CHI)

2nd (CAR)

2nd (JAX)

2nd (CHI)

3rd (NE)

3rd (CLE)

3rd (CHI)

4th (CHI)

Final Roster

New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded. Here's the 53:

QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT

RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Velus Jones, Khari Blasingame

TE (4): Cole Kmet, Austin Hooper, Cade Stover, FREE AGENT

WR (6): D.J. Moore, Xavier Legette, Curtis Samuel, Malachi Corley, Tyler Scott, Equanimeous St. Brown

OT (3): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Dominick Puni

OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Larry Borom

C   (2): Andre James, Drake Nugent

DE (5): Montez Sweat, Za'Darius Smith, Dallas Turner, Chop Robinson, Dominique Robinson

DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, DeMarcus Walker, Michael Hall Jr.

ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds

OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT

CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, FREE AGENT

S    (5): Jaquan Brisker, Geno Stone, Jaden Hicks, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones

ST (3): Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Patrick Scales

Taking Williams at #1 overall normally stunts my ability to accrue numerous picks to fill holes. That wasn't the case here. The trade from #9 to #17 enabled the Bears to get Turner -- who would be a fine pick at #9 -- AND Robinson AND Hicks, even before accounting for the 2025 2nd.

It's also worth noting that the final tally for the Fields trade would be Fields, a 2025 5th, a 2025 6th, and Miami's 2025 6th (the 5th and pair of 6ths is roughly equivalent to a mid-4th on the pick value charts) for:

• #43
• #74
• #86
• a 2025 3rd (NE)
• another 2025 3rd (CLE)

I will miss Fields if the Bears trade him. But if the package is Fields and a 4th for a mid-2nd and four 3rds? Yeah, I'm feeling pretty happy with that.

This is my favorite mock yet.

Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Offseason: January 2024 Caleb Williams Edition

No big updates since the earlier January mock, so away we go.

Internal Decisions
As with prior mocks, the big cuts are easy: S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap), G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M), and RB Travis Homer ($0.225M). Dead cap total after those cuts: $11.768M. I actually think that Velus Jones Jr. will stick around as a special teamer and converted RB or a bottom-of-the-chart WR. We'll see. Velus is a plus KR when it gets cold and kickoffs don't carry the endzone in Chicago. That's nice in December and could be clutch in January if the Bears ever play into January again.

With an adjusted cap of $247.427M, allocating $4M to the practice squad, and accounting for $150.925M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter next offseason with approximately $80.734M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.

Justin Fields

I've been somewhere in the neighborhood of 70/30 or 60/40 to keep Fields for a while now. But as I keep digging into the draft prep, it's tougher to maintain this position. I could be anywhere from 60/40 to 40/60 these days, depending on the individual day. So, let's try a mock taking Williams.

That brings up the matter of Fields' trade value. On one hand, Fields has never been a plus passer in the NFL, stunting his value. On the other hand, Fields is an ultra-elite runner and has improved as a passer each year as the supporting cast has improved around him. Further helping his value: numerous teams are in need of a QB upgrade and it's pretty easy to make the argument that Fields would be better in many other, non-Chicago offenses, especially having undergone plenty of NFL seasoning with the Bears. So, with that in mind, here are the trade packages I think that the Bears can get for Fields:

• From Pittsburgh: #20 overall and #119 OR #20 overall and a 2025 3rd
• From Seattle: #16 overall
• From Las Vegas: #13 overall
• From Atlanta: #8 overall; Chicago sends back #110 alongside Fields
• From New York Giants: #39 overall and #47 overall OR #6 overall with Chicago sending back #75 overall alongside Fields
• From New England: #34 overall and #68 overall

Denver would seemingly make sense as a trade partner, but they probably can't justify an additional significant draft outlay for a QB after making the disastrous Russell Wilson deal so recently.

There's a lot of rumors suggesting that the Bears would only get a 2nd or even perhaps a 3rd+4th back for Fields. I just don't buy it. The QB market is extremely rich. Sam Darnold fetched a 6th, plus a 2nd and a 4th in the next draft. Surely Fields is worth a good deal more than Darnold.

Free Agency

Quick hits with projections from PFF:

• Franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$20M) while attempting to extend him
• Sign S Xavier McKinney (3/$25M with $17M guaranteed)
• Sign C Andre James (3/$24M with $13M guaranteed) 
• Sign WR Curtis Samuel (2/$18M with $12M guaranteed)
• Sign DE Jadeveon Clowney (1/$9M, all guaranteed)
• Sign WR Equanimeous St. Brown (1/$2M)

The most important goals this offseason are (i) keeping a home-grown star, (ii) bringing in a veteran starting C after years of awful play at the pivot, and (iii) adding another boost to the pass rush. Johnson, James, and Clowney check those boxes.

Based purely on AAVs, the above spending spree would utilize $56.333M of cap space. This should leave plenty for the draft class.

Draft

The main purpose for this article, as it will be every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st-5th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using Pro Football Network's mock draft tool.

Here we go again, this time with Williams leading the way.

Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Las Vegas for #13 overall

It's a terrible landing spot for Fields. I'd rather get a mid-round pick from Las Vegas this year and their 2025 1st. But this works.

#1: USC QB Caleb Williams

The Williams hype machine is in full force. Williams has a true #1 pick pedigree after half a decade of being the top player in his class dating to his time at Gonzaga HS in Washington, DC alongside star Penn State LT Olu Fashanu. Williams has every bit the arm that Fields has, and while his running ability is a tick below Fields, it's plenty helpful. Add in that Williams can grow with a young, improving offensive core in Chicago and the future is bright. I have no doubt that Williams will win over the Bears' locker room. He's a dynamic playmaker and those guys tend to win fans, even if the initial adjustment from the wildly-popular Fields is bumpy.

#9: Washington WR Rome Odunze 

There are very few hard and fast rules in the draft. One of those rules: if you draft a rookie QB, give him an elite toy. With Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Brock Bowers off the board, I eschewed a future 1st from Tampa Bay in exchange for locking in Odunze.

Bears trade #13 to Cincinnati for #18, a 2025 2nd, and a 2025 3rd

All four of Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton, Florida State DE Jared Verse, Penn State DE Chop Robinson, and UCLA DE Laiatu Latu were on the board, so this trade offered too much to pass up.

#18: Penn State DE Chop Robinson 

I would've loved to trade down again -- New England offered #68 and a 2025 2nd to drop from #18 to #34 -- but I couldn't risk missing out on a DE with Verse and Latu both off the board. So, even with Newton on the board, Chop comes to Chicago.

Bears trade #75 to Pittsburgh for #84 and #115

I regretted this deal as soon as I made it. West Virginia C Zach Frazier, Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley, Oregon RB Bucky Irving, Utah S Cole Bishop, and North Carolina WR Tez Walker were all on the board when I made the deal. Almost all of them were picked before #84...but not actually all of them!

#84: West Virginia C Zach Frazier

Frazier is a great prospect and steps in immediately as the top interior OL backup.

#106: Washington State S Jaden Hicks

This is decent enough value for Hicks, but more than anything else, this pick was about need.

Bears trade #115 to Pittsburgh for #116 and #212

I'll take a free pick.

#116: Florida State DT Braden Fiske 

The Western Michigan transfer likely won't overwhelm anyone at the Combine, but he's highly productive and his undersized nature won't hurt him in the Eberflus scheme.

#118: Florida WR Ricky Pearsall 

I don't love Pearsall, but he is slowly growing on me. He does some nice things and would be a solid addition in the back of the WR room.

#137: Colorado State TE Dallin Holker

I'd love to find a complete TE to add behind Cole Kmet. Holker is not that TE. But he's a nice red zone receiving target and it's tougher to find receiving options in big bodies.

#212: Iowa P Tory Taylor

There's no way that Taylor makes it to the 7th. If that inexplicably happens, the Bears should absolutely upgrade over Trenton Gill.

Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following picks:

1st (CHI)

2nd (CAR)

2nd (CIN)

2nd (CHI)

3rd (CIN)

3rd (CHI)

4th (CHI)

5th (CHI)

6th (CHI)

6th (MIA)

And in 2026, the Bears would have their own full allotment plus a 1st from Atlanta.

Final Roster

New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded (including Harrison). Here's the 53:

QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT

RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, FREE AGENT, Khari Blasingame

TE (4): Cole Kmet, Dallin Holker, FREE AGENT, FREE AGENT

WR (6): D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Curtis Samuel, Tyler Scott, Equanimeous St. Brown, Ricky Pearsall

OT (3): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Larry Borom

OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ja'Tyre Carter

C   (2): Andre James, Zach Frazier

DE (5): Montez Sweat, Jadeveon Clowney, Chop Robinson, DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson

DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Braden Fiske, FREE AGENT

ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds

OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT

CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, FREE AGENT

S    (5): Jaquan Brisker, Xavier McKinney, Jaden Hicks, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones

ST (3): Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Patrick Scales

Taking Williams at #1 overall really stunts my ability to accrue numerous picks to fill holes. But, if Williams turns out to be an upgrade over Fields, it'll be worth it.

Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Offseason: January 2024 Edition

There are big updates since the last offseason update. Namely:

• The Bears earned the #1 overall pick from the Panthers and #9 from themselves.
• Dolphins C Connor Williams tore his ACL.
• Justin Fields stacked a strong stretch of play after returning from injury, compiling QBRs of 71.2, 40.4, 64.8, 18 (with two picks on Hail Marys skewing this number somewhat), 63, 64.9, and 56.5. Prior to his injury, he posted four QBRs under 20 in his six starts.

One more important note: this mock offseason is what I want to see, not what I think the Bears will do.

Internal Decisions
As with prior mocks, the big cuts are easy: S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap), G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M), and RB Travis Homer ($0.225M). Dead cap total after those cuts: $11.768M. I actually think that Velus Jones Jr. will stick around as a special teamer and converted RB. We'll see.

With an adjusted cap of $247.427M, allocating $4M to the practice squad, and accounting for $150.925M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter next offseason with approximately $80.734M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.

Justin Fields

Fields has surely improved his trade value dramatically over the past month or so. Whereas it might have been a couple of 3rds a month ago, it's likely a 2nd and a 3rd with the possibility of sniffing a 1st at this point.

But securing the #1 overall pick significantly complicates the decision with what to do with Fields.

If the decision was purely financial, Fields would remain the guy. The value offered by the bevy of picks attainable in a trade-down scenario would enable the Bears to litter the roster with cheap talent around Fields, even with his enhanced earnings in the coming years.

If the decision was about the locker room's preference, Fields would be the guy. He is clearly loved and has earned the respect of his teammates.

If, on the other hand, the decision is about the QB's ceiling...I'm not sure which direction this thing should go. Caleb Williams makes tons of plays, but he makes them in a way that is very similar to Fields, extending plays with his legs before looking downfield.

If Williams was the choice, any sensible team would move on from Matt Eberflus and let a new coach draft their own QB. The Bears...are not that team. Similarly, any sensible team that elects to keep their 3rd year coach would also then keep their QB. The Bears...might be that team? Who knows?

I'm keeping Fields. Even with the growing pains along the way and despite the fact that Fields' collegiate success was surely fueled in part by the outrageously talented rosters on which he played at Ohio State, I still think there is a second quartile QB in Fields and that's more than enough for sustained success. Fields has a plus NFL arm and an incredible physical profile that enables him to survive in chaotic situations, especially given his leg strength which makes him extremely difficult to sack. I'm sticking with Fields and sticking a big "For Sale" sign in the lawn at Halas Hall with the #1 overall pick on it.

Free Agency

Quick hits with projections from PFF:

• Franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$20M) while attempting to extend him
• Sign S Xavier McKinney (3/$25M with $17M guaranteed)
• Sign C Andre James (3/$24M with $13M guaranteed) 
• Sign WR Curtis Samuel (2/$18M with $12M guaranteed)
• Sign DE Jadeveon Clowney (1/$9M, all guaranteed)
• Sign WR Equanimeous St. Brown (1/$2M)

The most important goals this offseason are (i) keeping a home-grown star, (ii) bringing in a veteran starting C for Fields after years of awful play at the pivot, and (iii) adding another boost to the pass rush. Johnson, James, and Clowney check those boxes.

Based purely on AAVs, the above spending spree would utilize $56.333M of cap space. This should leave plenty for the draft class.

Draft

The main purpose for this article, as it will be every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st-5th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using Pro Football Network's mock draft tool.

Here we go again.

CBS recently mocked the Bears moving back one spot to #2 in exchange for #41 and a 2025 1st from Washington. That'd be great. PFN suggests a trade from #1 to #3 with New England that brings back #34, #68, a 2025 1st, and a 2025 2nd. That's the winner for me...as a first deal...unless someone else ponies up a deal that is simply too good to pass up. And that's where the Atlanta Falcons could come into play. Atlanta has all of their own picks in the first five rounds for the next three drafts and have an extra 3rd incoming this year from Jacksonville for the Calvin Ridley trade. Atlanta has a decent roster in a mess of a division, so a move for a franchise QB could catapult them to the top. To make matters even better, they have a pair of recent DE draftees in Arnold Ebiketie and Zach Harrison that could be the sweeteners that the Bears desire, presuming that WR Drake London is off limits.

Bears trade #1 to Atlanta for #8, #43, #74, a 2025 1st, a 2025 2nd, a 2026 1st, and DE Zach Harrison

Atlanta makes their move for Williams and the Bears secure a bounty. Because Atlanta figures to be substantially better in 2024 than Carolina was in 2023, the Bears are able to extract that 2026 1st. Compared to last year's haul, the picks are of similar value while Harrison is surely less valuable than D.J. Moore, though his paltry contract comes with significant value.

If this trade isn't available, I'd prefer to see the Bears deal with the Raiders. They are a dumpster fire of an organization whose future picks figure to be exceptionally valuable. But the drop from #1 to #13 would require the kind of massive haul (picks + DE Maxx Crosby) that Vegas is unlikely to stomach.

#8: Washington WR Rome Odunze

I desperately want to come out of this draft with one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Odunze. Odunze and Nabers are neck-and-neck for me, so I'm ecstatic to get Odunze here. He's big, he's fast, he's fluid, and his catch radius is massive. I eschewed some excellent trade proposals, made easier by...

Bears trade #9 to New York Jets for #10 and #72

Free pick. Nice!

Bears trade #10 to Tampa Bay for #20, a 2025 1st, and a 2025 6th

Woah. This was the spot that gave me the most trouble. I had to pass on blue chippers like DE Dallas Turner, DT Jer'Zhan Newton, DE Chop Robinson, DE Laiatu Latu, and DE Jared Verse to make this deal. But that 2025 1st is just too juicy. The Bucs came up for LSU QB Jayden Daniels, as expected.

Bears trade #20 to Arizona for #21 and a 2025 3rd

Well, all three of Newton, Latu, and Verse were still on the board. Grab another pick!

#21: Florida State DE Jared Verse

Verse v. Latu is a fun decision to make! Both have good frames, tremendous motors, and spent a lot of time playing a stand-up DE role in college. Both are also age 23 already. Verse seems to play a bit bigger, so I went with him. But either would be a great addition for the Bears.

#43: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

Legette shows up in a ton of my mocks. He's DK Metcalf 2.0. He would offer the Bears the kind of big-bodied receiver they haven't had since his fellow Gamecock, Alshon Jeffery, led the receiving room.

Bears trade #72 to Washington for #96 and a 2025 3rd

In this mock, Washington took MHJ in the first before nabbing Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders in the 2nd. Their 2025 3rd could be higher than #72, so getting that pick in addition to #96 was too good to pass up, especially with two more picks coming shortly thereafter. Unfortunately they did draft one of my favorites here in Oregon RB Bucky Irving.

#74: Utah S Cole Bishop

Bishop sure looks like an early-to-mid second rounder come draft day, but as of now, he's available here. Holy smokes, what a great looking, crazy athletic prospect.

#75: Michigan DT Kris Jenkins

Another plus addition to a burgeoning DT group.

#96: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

This pick was supposed to be Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie, but Pittsburgh nabbed him two picks earlier. Fortunately, Powers-Johnson is a great value here and immediately becomes the top interior OL backup.

#106: Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott

I didn't love any of the TEs in this spot, but I liked them considerably more than the TEs who figured to be available in the 5th. Sinnott appears to move much better than Ohio State's Cade Stover, so he is the pick.

#121: Oregon CB Khyree Jackson

Jackson has great length and good production. He's a good fit in this spot.

#137: Michigan RB Blake Corum

I don't know what Corum becomes as a pro. But there's a chance that his bowling ball physique and style of play works at the next level. This is a fine time to take that chance.

Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following picks:

1st (ATL)

1st (TB)

1st (CHI)

2nd (CAR)

2nd (ATL)

2nd (CHI)

3rd (ARZ)

3rd (WSH)

3rd (CHI)

4th (CHI)

5th (CHI)

6th (TB)

6th (CHI)

6th (MIA)

And in 2026, the Bears would have their own full allotment plus a 1st from Atlanta.

Final Roster

New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded (including Harrison). Here's the 53:

QB (3): Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT

RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Blake Corum, Khari Blasingame

TE (4): Cole Kmet, Ben Sinnott, FREE AGENT, FREE AGENT

WR (6): D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Curtis Samuel, Xavier Legette, Tyler Scott, Equanimeous St. Brown

OT (3): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Larry Borom

OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ja'Tyre Carter

C   (2): Andre James, Jackson Powers-Johnson

DE (5): Montez Sweat, Jadeveon Clowney, Jared Verse, DeMarcus Walker, Zach Harrison

DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Kris Jenkins, FREE AGENT

ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds

OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT

CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, Khyree Jackson

S    (5): Jaquan Brisker, Xavier McKinney, Cole Bishop, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones

ST (3): Cairo Santos, Trenton Gill, Patrick Scales

Holy moly. This is an outrageous collection of talent. I would've liked a projectable 3rd TE and 3rd OT...but when those are my big concerns at the end, I think it speaks exceptionally well of the draft.

The added line talent on both sides is encouraging. But the biggest improvement here comes at the WR spot where Odunze, Samuel, and Legette breathe more life into the room than it's had in a decade. With Moore, Scott, and St. Brown all returning, Fields gets the right combination of continuity and new talent with which to work.

Chicago Bears 2024 Mock Offseason - December Edition

Everything pre-draft will be extremely direct on this one.

Internal Decisions
Cuts are easy: S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap), G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M), WR Velus Jones Jr. ($0.556M), and RB Travis Homer ($0.225M). Dead cap total after those cuts: $12.324M.

With an adjusted cap of $245.830M, allocating $4M to the practice squad, and accounting for $145.396M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter next offseason with approximately $96.434M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.

Justin Fields

Taking a very low view of Fields' trade value: Bears trade Fields to the Falcons for #84 and #90. Poles should be able to get more.

Free Agency

Quick hits: franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$20M), C Connor Williams (5/$65M with $30M guaranteed), DE Danielle Hunter (3/$60M with $35M guaranteed), S Kyle Dugger (2/$12M with $6M guaranteed), K Cairo Santos (3/$12M), WR Darnell Mooney (1/$10M), and WR Equanimeous St. Brown (1/$2M).

Draft

The main purpose for this article, as it will be every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st-5th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, two extra 3rds from Jacksonville (per the Fields trade above), and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using Pro Football Network's mock draft tool. As of the time of publication, the Bears possess #1 overall from Carolina and #5 overall themselves.

Here we go again.

#1: USC QB Caleb Williams

The trade offers will be massive. There will be opportunities to add multiple 1sts, plus other Day Two picks.

I can't pretend to know how to evaluate QBs. I thought Patrick Mahomes was radioactive and wouldn't have touched him. Big whoops! Regardless, Williams has the pedigree and ludicrous production, despite the hilarious shortcomings of his collegiate defenses. Take the top prospect, reset the rookie salary at QB, and give the new coach his new QB, this time with a good offensive line and plus receiving targets.

Bears trade #5 to Green Bay for #20, #38, and #51

This one stings. With Marvin Harrison Jr. off the board, trading down with this pick is significantly more attractive than it otherwise would've been. In this case, the trade stings as the Bears hand the Packers a potential star LT in Penn State's Olu Fashanu, but these three picks are three starters.

Bears trade #20 and #128 to New England for #34, #162, and a 2025 1st

It's a weird trade to wrap your mind around...but when we get to that 2025 1st, it's way too much to pass up. That New England pick could end up in the top 10. New England moved up for Michigan QB JJ McCarthy; perhaps this pick could be in the top 5!

Bears trade #34 to Arizona for #35 and #200

Arizona came up for Bo Nix. I had no interest in Bo Nix.

#35: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

DK Metcalf 2.0. Legette gives Williams another big, fast target to pair with DJ Moore. I suspect he'll be a first rounder by May, but for now, he lasts this long.

Bears trade #38 and #133 to Tennessee for #39 and #101

Trading down one spot to move up a round later? Yes please!

#39: Ohio State DE J.T. Tuimoloau

JTT has the physical traits of a monster star and the production of a solid regular. This is a great spot for him.

Bears trade #51 and #162 to Atlanta for #53 and a 2025 3rd

Easy choice, yet again. Atlanta came up for Texas QB Quinn Ewers. The storylines comparing Fields and Ewers -- two QBs traded to the Falcons by the Bears -- to Williams will be fascinating.

#53: Miami DT Leonard Taylor

I won't be surprised if Poles elects to pass on another potential 3 technique early in favor of a developmental prospect, but Taylor is tremendous value here.

Bears trade #71 to Tampa Bay for #76 and a 2025 4th

Tampa Bay came up for Michael Penix Jr.

#76: Utah S Cole Bishop

Bishop sure looks like an early-to-mid second rounder come draft day, but as of now, he's available here. Holy smokes, what a great looking, crazy athletic prospect.

#84: Rutgers CB Max Melton

Melton is seriously intense and a great fit in the Bears' budding CB room. He also provides nice insurance in case Jaylon Johnson bolts after playing on the tag this year.

#90: Penn State DE Adisa Isaac

Isaac is about 25 pounds lighter than JTT, but he has been extremely productive with a lanky frame. He's likely a third down specialist early in his career but his frame looks capable of holding another 15 pounds. If that happens, he's an every down player.

#101: Iowa TE Luke Lachey

When Iowa TEs come available, just take them, especially when an injury causes them to drop about a full round lower than they should be.

#102: Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie

I have no idea where Amegadjie will end up come May. And no, I hadn't heard of him until recently. Holy moly, he's an idyllic looking prospect here. He has the frame of an NFL left tackle and moves extremely well. He's a small school OT prospect with starting experience at both LG and LT. He tore his quad in October, so he likely won't be able to test at the Combine. Still, there's a whole lot to like here as both an insurance policy for LT Braxton Jones and a versatile backup across the line. He's going to be one of my favorite prospects through this draft cycle.

#200: Texas A&M WR Muhsin Muhammad III

Little Moose doesn't play like his dad, but he has a sufficiently interesting profile here. He reminds me a lot of former Penn State WR Parker Washington in the way that he moves. I doubt his athletic profile will suffice for Poles, but who knows?

Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following picks:

1st (NE)

1st (CHI)

2nd (CAR)

2nd (CHI)

3rd (ATL)

3rd (CHI)

4th (ARZ)

4th (CHI)

5th (CHI)

6th (CHI)

6th (MIA)

Final Roster

New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded. Here's the 53:

QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT

RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, FREE AGENT, Khari Blasingame

TE (4): Cole Kmet, Luke Lachey, FREE AGENT, FREE AGENT

WR (6): D.J. Moore, Xavier Legette, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott, Muhsin Muhammad III, Equanimeous St. Brown

OT (4): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie, Larry Borom

OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ja'Tyre Carter

C   (1): Connor Williams

DE (5): Montez Sweat, Danielle Hunter, J.T. Tuimoloau, DeMarcus Walker, Adisa Isaac

DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Leonard Taylor, FREE AGENT

ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds

OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT

CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, Max Melton

S    (5): Jaquan Brisker, Kyle Dugger, Cole Bishop, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones

ST (3): Cairo Santos, Trenton Gill, Patrick Scales

At the end of my last mock, I found myself wishing that I had taken Bishop in the 2nd. The combination of trade hauls, added roster depth, and, most importantly, support for Williams makes this a real win.

Melton is the only pick that looks a little out of place; I probably felt the sting of all the secondary injuries this year.

The added line talent on both sides of the ball is tremendously encouraging. Turns out that adding nine picks in the top 102 makes the roster look much better. Want to smile? There would be another six coming in 2025.