The Chicago Bears are sitting pretty with a pair of top-10 picks in the 2024 NFL draft, including the No. 1 pick, which will be used on quarterback Caleb Williams. But the No. 9 selection offers more intrigue and speculation — and it could very well depend on how the board falls early Thursday night.
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the belief is the Bears will target pass rusher or wide receiver with the ninth overall selection — with the caveat that it’s always possible they trade back.
While the Bears already have a dynamic receiver duo with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, it’s never a bad thing to add more weapons for your young quarterback. Especially given Allen is only locked in for this year before Chicago has to decide whether to extend him.
Adding Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers to this receiver room would give them one of the best groups in the NFL.
I could see Chicago taking a receiver at No. 9 to prove to Williams and the rest of the league how serious the Bears are about this offense. Remember, they locked up offensive coordinator Shane Waldron with lightning speed in the offseason.
On the other hand, edge rusher is one of the team’s biggest needs heading into the draft. While the Bears acquired stud Montez Sweat last year, they’re missing a true complement opposite him.
There’s a good chance Chicago will be in a position to land their pick of edge rusher at ninth overall, be it Dallas Turner, Jared Verse or Laiatu Latu. But that could also mean Byron Murphy II is on the table as arguably the best interior pass rusher in this draft.
Other sources have pointed out the Bears could use the pick on a pass rusher to take some pressure off Montez Sweat. It’s a good idea, and it makes roster-composition sense. But the Bears sent a second-round pick to Washington for Sweat (and then paid him) because they didn’t anticipate strong options in free agency or the draft this year.
General manager Ryan Poles said he’s comfortable with having just four draft picks this year, which makes sense given what they’ve added in exchange for three of those lost selections (Sweat, Allen and Ryan Bates).
Pass rusher and receiver certainly make sense for Chicago at No. 9, and it could ultimately come down to how the board falls.
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