Mock Draft Rebuild Series: Chicago Bears

For the second year in a row, the Chicago Bears have the #1 overall pick. This year, it is because the Carolina Panthers traded them their first rounder in 2024 to move up to #1 in 2023, and take Bryce Young. The jury is still out on Bryce Young, but it is beginning to look like a bad trade for the Panthers. But this rebuild isn’t about the Panthers, it is about the Bears, and there is a giant looming question around the windy city. What is going to happen with Justin Fields? The former first round Quarterback has looked stellar at times, especially in 2022 where he finished in the top 10 of MVP voting, with over 2200 passing yards and over 1100 rushing yards. There are also times where you just scratch your head because of a decision he made. A terrible pass, poor ball control, the issues have been there far too often for someone that is expected to be the face of a franchise.

For the sake of this mock draft, and there is still a lot of time before the actual NFL draft occurs, we will be acting as if the Bears will trade Justin Fields, and will be in the market for a Quarterback. Ryan Poles will be in the 2nd full year of his managerial reign, and it is hard to imagine that he would pass on a Quarterback for a second year in a row. This draft will also be geared towards making the Bears competitive in 2-3 seasons, not year 1.

As always, we will be using the PFF (Pro Football Focus) Mock Draft Simulator to assist us in this draft, as well as any PFF rankings that come with the upcoming class of rookies. Lets begin:

Round 1, Pick 1

The Bears have their pick of the litter with the first pick in the NFL draft. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are the top Quarterbacks in this class. If Fields is not traded, Brock Bowers, Marvin Harrison Jr, or Malik Naybors are the top receiving options. As previously stated, we are playing this as if the Bears will trade Justin Fields, and change the direction of the franchise. Even though there are stellar athletes and Quarterbacks in most of the top selections, there is only one pick that makes sense here.

Pick: Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC

• Caleb Williams has looked like he can be the next Patrick Mahomes for the last few seasons, dating back to his time at Oklahoma. Williams has elite arm strength and mobility that can make him a dual threat in the right system. Caleb Williams has ranked in the top 20 of Quarterbacks in each of the last 3 seasons per PFF rankings (12th in 2021, 5th in 2022, 17th in 2023). Williams also has a 93-14 touchdown to interception ratio in the last 3 seasons. The one area that Caleb Williams struggled with this last season was dealing with pressure, where he graded below the 25th percentile. Caleb Williams has the capabilities to be a generational talent in the NFL. And while it still remains to be seen what the Bears will do with the Justin Fields situation, Caleb Williams is almost too good of an athlete to pass up on. Thanks Carolina.

Round 1, Pick 9

The Bears are one of two teams to have multiple first round picks this year (Cardinals), so they will look to double dip on the talent pool in this draft. There are a lot of other holes that the Bears need to fill outside of Quarterback. Wide Receiver, Cornerback, Defensive Line, Offensive Line, there are a lot of directions they could go. At 3 of the 4 positions listed, the Bears do have someone that is phenomenal. D.J Moore at Wide Receiver (seriously Carolina…thank you), Jaylon Johnson at Cornerback, and Montez Sweat at Edge/Defensive Line. That being said, the best teams in the NFL have someone opposite their #1 guy. If the Bears want to be successful in the years to come, they will need to get back to what made them great in the 2000’s: a stifling defense.

Pick: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

• Dallas Turner has gotten better each of the 3 years that he has been at Alabama, with 11 of his 25 career sacks coming last season. He also posted 11 QB hits and 33 QB hurries last season, making him an absolute force for the Crimson Tide. Turner ranked near or at the 99th percentile in most pass rush grades last season, but he only ranked as the 69th best Edge rusher out of 836 edges. That is because Turner struggles at times in run defense. At 6’4, 242 lbs, Turner has the size to contend with most Tackles, and some Guards in the NFL, if he utilizes his speed. Turner is going to continue to grow as an individual, as he is still only 21 years old. If Turner is available at 9 for the Bears, they would be wise to pair him with Montez Sweat, and get back to having a top end defense in the league.

Round 3, Pick 75

The Bears traded their second rounder to the Commanders, so their next selection will come in the 3rd round. Still in the top 75, this is a spot that the Bears could luck out if someone falls in their rankings. Receiver, Offensive Line, and Secondary are still areas of need that can all be addressed right here. If drafting a Quarterback is the move with the #1 overall pick, it makes sense to pair him with some nice new weapons to go into the season with.

Pick: Brenden Rice, Wide Receiver, USC

• Caleb William’s college teammate exploded in 2023, going from 7 career touchdowns between 2021-2022, to scoring 12 touchdowns in 2023 alone. Rice has also averaged more than 14.0 yards per catch in each of his 3 seasons, peaking at 17.6 yards in 2023. Rice graded out as the 80th Wide Receiver out of 1022 total receivers in 2023, putting him above the 90th percentile. What Rice struggles in, is catching contested passes, where he ranked around the 30th percentile in the nation last season. Rice has the size to be an effective outside receiver in the NFL, standing at 6’3, 210 lbs. Pairing him with his college QB, where there is already a relationship. Rice would make a nice addition next to D.J Moore, and would give the Bears a solid receiving core.

Round 4, Pick 111

The Bears have 5 of their 6 draft picks in the first four rounds of the NFL draft, meaning the talent that they bring in from the rookie class will be deep. Quarterback, Defensive Line, Wide Receiver have all been addressed. The Bears will likely take a “best available” approach to the rest of the draft, as well as filling the needs that they still have.

Pick: Cam Hart, Cornerback, Notre Dame

• Playing 36 games over the last 3 seasons for the Fighting Irish, Cam Hart has gotten better each season. Allowing 335 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2021, to allowing 137 yards and 0 touchdowns in 2023. Hart is also a better man coverage defender, but his zone coverage is nothing to laugh at either. Hart graded as 47th out of 852 Cornerbacks in 2023. Hart has a chance to be here at 111 for the Bears, and if he is, he is a fantastic option to pair with Jaylon Johnson on the outside.

Round 4, Pick 123

Best available player in a position of need, or take a chance on someone that might pay off for your team down the road. The Bears took a very good man coverage corner in their first selection of this 4th round. With their next pick, they will double down in the secondary, and aim to get back to their early 2000’s ways.

Pick: Jarvis Brownlee Jr, Cornerback, Louisville

• Brownlee Jr. is a far better zone coverage corner than he is man coverage, almost the opposite of Cam Hart, who the Bears just took. And while Brownlee only allowed 271 yards last season, 4 of his 13 career touchdowns allowed came last season as well. Brownlee is a far less polished athlete than Hart, and while that may turn some people off, he can become a decent slot corner for the Bears with the right amount of coaching. At 6’0, 190 lbs, bigger, more physical receivers might bully him. If he is in the slot, he will be able to match up against guys that are closer to his size. Brownlee Jr, paired with Hart, would round out the Bears secondary nicely, even with zero free agent acquisitions.

Round 5, Pick 143

Their final selection in the 2024 draft, the Bears have a chance to fill all of the major holes they have from the draft alone. Like previous rebuilds, there is no accounting for free agency, and who the Bears might bring in that way, this is solely focusing on the NFL draft. One thing the Bears would be looking for is versatility, something this next player has done for multiple seasons.

Pick: Beaux Limmer, Center, Arkansas

• One thing that Arkansas is known for is large, physical offensive lines. At 6’5, 307 lbs, Limmer fits that mold all too well. What makes Limmer more interesting than other Centers, is that he did not play Center extensively prior to this year for Arkansas. Between 2021-2022, he played 92 snaps at Center. He mainly played Right Guard for those two seasons, but moved to Center in 2023, playing 776 snaps between 13 games. Limmer is also a natural run blocking Center, and while this will help at the next level, his pass blocking needs serious improvement. Limmer allowed 8 sacks in his collegiate career, which is a fair amount from the Center position. Still, Limmer offers the Bears flexibility on the interior of the offensive line. If a hole opens up, or something is not addressed in free agency, Limmer is a great option this late in the draft.

There are a lot of question marks around the Bears, and what they will do with the #1 overall pick. The Bears will also enter the 2024 league year with over $78,000,000 in cap space. This frees up a lot of room with Ryan Poles, and what he can and can’t do as the General Manager. The Chicago Bears will likely be active in free agency, and I am willing to bet there will be some movement in the NFL draft from their position. It remains to be seen what kind of movement, and if that movement will involve Justin Fields or the #1 overall pick, but there is a lot of time between now and April 25th (first day of NFL draft). It is an exciting time in Chicago, so Bears fans should buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Up next in the NFC North: The Minnesota Vikings.