SHOULD THE CHICAGO BEARS DRAFT CALEB WILLIAMS, OR KEEP JUSTIN FIELDS? SORRY IF THIS TAKE SUCKS, IT’S NOT MY FAULT …
It’s the column that purposefully moved out of a chance to take Jalen Carter.
NO, I WON’T GO WITH KELCE’S “TWO THINGS AT ONCE” LINE, BUT …
There’s nothing more important in all of sports – hell, in all of American society – than a good NFL starting quarterback.And there’s nothing more valuable in all of sports – hell, in all of American society – than a good NFL starting quarterback on a rookie salary. I live in Chicago. I get it. As soon as humanly possible, this place wants to exorcise the demon of drafting the once-again-available Mitch/Mitchell Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes in 2017. (Of course, it’s totally lost in the narrative that Patrick Mahomes wasn’t PATRICK MAHOMES coming out of Texas Tech, but that’s for another day.)No matter what, though, Chicago isn’t getting another Patrick Mahomes with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. No one is, because that guy doesn’t exist – but he might, and the Bears could’ve had CJ Stroud by staying put last year … but I digress.No, Chicago isn’t getting another Michael Jordan. It’s not getting another Blackhawk dynasty. It’s not getting the Cubs on a service that’s viewable in a modern society.
That doesn’t mean you don’t take the chance on Caleb Williams. No, he’s not the all-time John Elway-like talent many make him out to be. And no, he might not even be the best quarterback in a draft with Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and JJ McCarthy. But … maybe he is just that magically good. The Bears got ripped for going for Trubisky over Mahomes – and Deshaun Watson, BTW – but it wasn’t all that obvious.Oh sure, to hear it now, evvvvveryone apparently saw Mahomes being this good. Whatever – the Bears picking Trubisky was actually somewhat forgivable in a business revolving around an inexact science. But if Caleb really does become a one-name household superstar, and you pass on him …But Chicago doesn’t have to worry about banking the entire history of the franchise on this one pick.
So how do you overcome the possible bust factor? How do you lessen the chance that Williams might be Cade McNown – remember Cade McNown? How about you simply keep your already good – but fantastically flawed so far – current starting quarterback who might be THIS close to flipping the switch to outstanding.And you have Justin Fields for two more years on a cranked up rookie deal worth a mere $19 million overall. That’s half as much as a mixed drink at Wrigley.Mike Glennon – remember Mike Glennon? – got almost $19 million guaranteed to be the gap quarterback before Trubisky was supposed to take over. Spending that on Fields – just in case he really is the best quarterback option – is a bargain basement insurance policy.A cheap incumbent NFL playmaker with explosive upside? Williams on a rookie deal? This is a perfect situation to have your cake, and a restaurant quality starting quarterback, too.Even better, in a day and age when the final four NFL teams had Kelce, Kittle, Andrews/Likely, and LaPorta, the Bears have a chance at the 9 to – most likely – have Georgia TE Brock Bowers to fall right in to their lap to pair with Williams/Fields with the dream of having the new Mahomes/Kelce and …Don’t screw this up, Chicago.And by the way, Mahomes only started one game as a rookie – Alex Smith came up with a monster season before THAT GUY took over.Chicago, take Williams, and you might just have THAT GUY in your locker room for the next decade.Here’s your chance to figure out who that is. Pete Fiutak on X | CFN on XCollege Football News on FacebookPete Fiutak on Threads | CFN on Threads
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