The Chicago Bears have a golden opportunity to set the franchise up for a sustainable future of contention this offseason, as they are the proud owner of the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft as a result of their blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers. While they're likely to draft a game-changing talent at quarterback with that pick, they also have the ninth overall pick at their disposal to draft another true blue-chipper.
In particular, some analysts think that the Bears can use that lower pick of theirs to try and get another top-five pick so they can draft a potential star wide receiver — maybe even pick up Marvin Harrison Jr., who, by all accounts, has been lauded as the best option at the position. However, one mock draft written by ESPN's Jordan Reid has the Bears drafting another wide receiver entirely in LSU's Malik Nabers.
“It's an aggressive move for the Bears, as general manager Ryan Poles is looking to improve the supporting cast on offense. The Bears acquired DJ Moore last spring, and Nabers — who had 1,569 receiving yards last season — has similar traits and would pair nicely. He's super explosive,” Reid wrote.
Of course, the catch of this is that the Bears will be unable to draft Marvin Harrison Jr. in this hypothetical scenario, as Jordan Reid has the Arizona Cardinals drafting the best WR in the 2024 draft class with the fourth overall pick.
It's not yet 100 percent clear which direction the Bears would opt to go in with the first overall pick, but most analysts have them drafting Caleb Williams to replace Justin Fields as the team's quarterback. Reid then added that selecting Malik Nabers could be such a godsend, especially when sharing the field with both DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet.
“The Bears already landed a franchise quarterback at No. 1 overall, but I have them moving up to get Williams some help on offense. I think Chicago could probably move from No. 9 to No. 5 for a pair of third-rounders,” Reid added.
One thing's for sure, the Bears have a bright future ahead of them. Hopefully they don't fumble this huge opportunity that's right in front of them.