USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Chicago Bears might be tipping their hand a bit about their quarterback plans based on the latest details of Caleb Williams’ planned official visit.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Bears are now planning to host Williams for an official top 30 visit in Chicago after his March 20 pro day, but that was not their original plan. Instead, they had initially planned to bring in Williams for his pre-draft visit immediately after the 2024 NFL Combine on Tuesday, March 5.
As Breer notes, that would have been “extraordinarily early” since most top 30 visits do not take place until late March or early April. He also thinks it offers a hint about their quarterback plans with the No. 1 overall draft pick and current starter Justin Fields.
“The idea was pretty simple. Chicago wanted to check some final boxes before finalizing its plan at quarterback before free agency starts next week,” he wrote on March 4. “In the end, Williams and the team decided to move things around: Rather than shuttling the quarterback to and from California again, in the midst of preparations for his March 20 pro day, the Bears will host Williams in Chicago shortly after that instead.”
Even with the rescheduling, the Bears may already have enough boxes checked with Williams to know the direction they are headed. The presumption around the league for weeks now has been that they will use the No. 1 pick to take Williams and trade Fields to the highest bidder. They also got to meet with Williams in person at the combine.
The question now is whether their delayed visit with Williams will change their plans for Fields and NFL free agency, which officially starts next Wednesday, March 13.
Kevin Warren Among Bears to Meet With Caleb Williams
The Bears are still in a state of mystery for the time begin, even though the tea leaves are starting to become easier to read. Fortunately, Breer also offered some details about the Bears’ pre-draft process with Williams and their meeting with him at the combine.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles, according to Breer, brought five other members of the organization with him to meet with Williams: head coach Matt Eberflus, new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, new pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown, assistant general manager Ian Cunningham and team president Kevin Warren. None of those names are surprising, but it does emphasize the Bears’ serious intentions.
Here’s what Breer heard about the Bears’ impression of Williams in that meeting:
What they saw from Williams in that setting was an easy confidence, and a player who was not concerned much with what other people thought of him. That last part is key, because the Bears have tried to drill down on making sure the person they pick first can handle the pressure and spotlight of the Chicago market.
Breer also mentioned the Bears met with Williams’ team to work out the details of a top 30 visit with the team. He writes that Williams will undergo his physical for the Bears, a crucial part of the evaluation after he declined to do medical testing at the combine. He also says the Bears are still working to ensure the chemistry aspect is there with him.
The way things are looking, though, the Bears like what they see in Williams so far.
Will Bears Trade Justin Fields Before Free Agency Starts?
The Bears are still a long way from April 25’s first night of the 2024 NFL draft, when they would have to make their final decision on whether to draft Caleb Williams at No. 1. That said, the Bears trading Fields to another team between now and then would be a pretty strong indication of what the franchise plans to do with its top draft selection.
Let’s be clear here: Insiders can get things wrong, and plans can change. There is still a possibility Fields will remain the quarterback of the Bears in 2024 even if the percent chance of that happening gets smaller each day. Maybe Williams decides he fits better elsewhere and forces his way to another team, al la Eli Manning. Or perhaps, with a strong enough offer, the Bears could still trade the No. 1 pick for a historic haul.
If Poles intends to trade Fields, though, he is likely working to get a deal done before the start of free agency for a couple of reasons. The first is the obvious one: teams with quarterback needs are going to pursue veterans on the market, and at least some of them are going to walk away with a starter and no desire to take a chance on Fields.
Poles also mentioned at the combine that he wants to do right by Fields, if they decide to trade him. In some interpretations, that means finding him a good landing spot, which would ideally work better if he is traded before spots fill up in free agency.
Of course, the Bears are not going to just accept any offer that comes in. It has to work for the team, too. But it is a domino that would surely fall before the draft arrives.