The Bears have the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and they chose to trade and build around quarterback Justin Fields, rather than draft another quarterback. Three games into the season, that seems wrong.
The Bears are 0-3, Fields isn’t playing well, and for Bears fans, the 2024 draft may be the only reason for optimism.
That’s because the Bears have their own first-round pick and the Panthers’ first-round pick, which they acquired by trading up from the top spot this year. The Bears and Panthers are two of four 0-3 teams in the NFL, so the Bears will almost certainly draft high in 2024, and could have the first pick or a combination of picks that would enable them to trade. in No.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams is widely viewed as the top prospect in next year’s draft, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is also viewed as a franchise quarterback. The Bears would be happy to draft one of those two.
Of course, the very fact that we’re talking about the Bears drafting a quarterback is an indication of how bad Fields has been this year. And the Bears’ failure to win with Fields this year could mean someone other than Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus will be the GM and coach to select the Bears’ quarterback in 2024.