A time when the Chicago Bears appeared to be at a major turning point in history.
Following the opening night of the 2024 NFL Draft, here are five observations on the Bears.
A watershed in the franchise’s history? It’s difficult to argue otherwise. The Bears had never previously selected a quarterback first overall. The rosters had enormous gaps to be filled and lame-duck head coaches the past two times they selected quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft.
With a roster that is primed to go, the Bears now have their quarterback at No. 1 pick.
Rome Odunze and Caleb Williams, the best quarterback prospect since possibly Andrew Luck, will join Rome in Chicago, where they will join a team that has been improving for the past two seasons.
As of right now, it appears like the Bears will fulfill general manager Ryan Pole’s vow to win the NFC North and keep it forever. That’s a high standard to meet, given that the Lions are coming off an NFC championship game appearance, the Packers are young and developing, and the Vikings improved with two first-round picks.
The Bears have also greatly improved. All of the offseason decisions made thus far, however, are insignificant compared to Williams’ potential if he becomes the player who wins the Bears’ key games.
Ryan Poles is over his idle idleness.
During his initial debrief on Thursday night, the general manager of the Bears made a jab at the team’s past, which was among his most incisive remarks.
The names of all the starting quarterbacks for the Bears are mentioned each time the quarterback issue is discussed. Thus do all of the defeats and the franchise’s current status.
Poles are tired of it.
At Halas Hall on Thursday, Poles declared, “The history is the history.” I think I’ve said enough about it. You always go back, and those times are gone. We are therefore bringing in guys that genuinely want to completely alter everything and approach things in a different way.
Tell us about the situation.
Dallas Turner, an edge rusher out of Alabama, might have gone to the Bears at No. 9 overall. They also made a compelling case for doing so. A pass rusher to counter Montez Sweat was what they needed. Rather, the Bears decided to use Odunze to alter their offensive strategy.
These Bears aren’t your parent’s, who may have prioritized defense. Bears like this have a plan. They want firepower now. Well, they understood it.
Nowadays, in the NFL, strength equals success. The Kansas City Chiefs will tell you.
“This place obviously loves its history,” Poles remarked. “But it has hasn’t been smooth recently and it’s time to change.”
Williams is unique in part because of his attention to detail.
It’s true that quarterbacks require quick memories, particularly rookies in the NFL who are prone to making mistakes.
But Williams can remember just about anything.
When you ask him about his favorite college play, he will describe the plot, the characters he was throwing to, the circumstances, and the reason it happened. It’s a quality that will help him in his first season.
Williams’s ability to always have an answer is astounding. After being asked the same questions over and over again, he had the option to mail in his answers on Thursday. Rather, he made sure to answer each question as best he could.
That’s a commendable quality in a player who has obviously committed himself to going first overall in the NFL Draft for many years.
There’s no denying Williams and Odunze’s chemistry.
The fact that there are a thousand possible outcomes on Draft Day is one of its greatest features.
Odunze was dropped by the Bears after Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers scored a ton of points. The Titans then selected J.C. Latham, while the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr.
In their draft simulations, the Bears and Poles claimed that Odunze was present for only roughly 50% of the time.
“If you told me we’d end up with both Caleb and Rome weeks ago, I would’ve said you’re crazy,” Poles said.
Was this prior to or subsequent to Williams and Odunze sharing a trip to Detroit following their joint workout with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen?
The fact that Odunze and Williams have already established a connection is, in any case, the greatest part. You cannot ignore that. Here in Detroit, the two nourished one another.
The two are trying to become one of the greatest quarterback-receiver tandems in Bears history, even though they had no idea they would finish up on the same side at the end of the game.
Not that it would be difficult; Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler are the main rivals.
However, Williams-Odunze is probably going to be in Chicago longer than Cutler-Marshall. Marshall spent just three seasons as a Bear.
Sooner or later, Odunze is also expected to be the Bears’ best choice. After then, a lot of records might be broken.
