2024 NFL Mock Draft: Chicago Bears full 7-round projection in late-January

After trading away the top pick in the draft in 2023, the Chicago Bears find themselves atop the NFL Draft yet again. The team finished 7-10 on the season (5-8 when Justin Fields started the game). They finished 18th in the league in points scored and 20th in points against. Much to the chagrin of Bears fans, the team did not fire head coach Matt Eberflus, and will proceed into 2024 with him at the helm.

The Bears have a little cap space to sign free agents and will have to decide whether or not to re-sign cornerback Jaylon Johnson. The Bears did a great job addressing the offensive line in the 2023 draft by selecting Darnell Wright with their first-round pick, but there are still holes to fill. This mock draft will not feature any trades, so the Bears will have two first-round picks, a third, two fourths, and a fifth.

Round 1, Pick 1: Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC

The big question is going to be do the Bears stick with Justin Fields at QB, or do they draft a new quarterback with the first overall pick? Fields is enormously talented and has shown signs that he could be a superstar in the league. Sticking with him would make sense on many levels, except financially.

Fields is in the last year of his rookie deal, so if the team sticks with him they will also have to give him a contract extension worth between $40-50 million per year. Since all Fields has shown to this point is potential, the team may feel it can get the same production for Caleb Williams for the rookie salary of $9-10 million per year for the next 4 years.

Williams followed up his 2022 Heisman-winning season with a pretty good year in 2023. He completed 68.6% of his passes for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns. In three seasons at USC, he threw 93 touchdown passes to just 14 interceptions (roughly 6.5 to 1 ratio). He chose not to play in the Holiday Bowl, but that won't hurt his draft stock at all.