The pre-draft process is well underway around the NFL as the month of January comes to a close and the calendar turns to February, where the scouting combine is just weeks away, followed by free agency and the new league year starting in mid-March.
With talent evaluators continuing to make rounds, the next three months provide all 32 franchises with a chance to build for the 2024 season, actively adding talent to the roster. For teams that have questions at the quarterback position, the Bears may have an answer.
When a franchise holds the first overall pick, the general consensus is the pick will usually be a quarterback. But for Chicago, the picture is cloudier than ever. The presence of Justin Fields on the roster and possessing the first overall pick for the second consecutive year means general manager Ryan Poles will have a tough decision to make.
With a projected five quarterbacks expected to hear their names called in the first round this year, past trends show that teams are willing to pay a premium price to figure out the quarterback position. That’s where the Bears come into the picture. Poles and the front office will evaluate Fields, and multiple quarterbacks over the next three months to determine who should be starting under center in 2024.
If the franchise determines that Fields is the guy, the first overall pick will be for sale, for the second straight year. That means trading down for a second consecutive year, securing a huge haul and setting the Bears up with additional draft capital to fill holes on the roster. Any trade would garner 2025 and 2026 draft capital, along with multiple players in the process.
