Getty Caleb Williams standing on the sideline.
The Washington Commanders found their head coach when they hired Dan Quinn, former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. With the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they have one more major decision to make. Who they decide to draft to be their franchise quarterback will determine what position the Commanders will be in for the future.
Caleb Williams is the consensus No. 1 pick. The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 pick and they could use it on him. However, ESPN’s Matt Miller proposed the idea of trading the No. 1 pick to Washington. He said that the Bears would then trade Justin Fields for a second-round pick and draft Drake Maye. Miller had the following to say on ESPN’s “Get Up” on February 5.
“If you trade from No. 1 to No. 2, let Washington take Caleb Williams and you take Drake Maye, you’re going to get draft capital from Washington. You’re also going to turn around and trade Justin Fields for a second round pick and we saw Ryan Poles attempt to do this last year, so there’s precedent. They didn’t want to go from 1 to 9. They wanted to go from 1 to 2, and then restart the conversation about trading back one more time. It didn’t workout that way, but I do think there’s a conversation to be had.
“Those are going to pick up later this month at the NFL Combine. What if we just go back to 2, and take Drake Maye? What could we get from Washington? Could we get a first rounder, plus a player like Jonathan Allen?”
Chicago would make this deal to land more draft capital. It is tough to imagine a scenario where they would trade Fields and not draft Williams, however. Jonathan Allen is a high-end defensive player and could serve as another pass rusher, but the trade would be confusing for the Bears.
The Commanders Should Explore This Deal
A trade with a similar framework should be something the Washington Commanders think about. If the Chicago Bears want to keep Fields, that gives them even more of a reason to trade the pick. if they do not want to keep him, they could have interest in multiple picks, including the No. 2 pick, Allen, and others.
Maye and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels have the tools to suggest that they would be above-average quarterbacks. Williams looks to be generational and that is where the issues could become a thing for the Commanders. Chicago, if they are looking for a new quarterback, would likely take the best available one in the draft.
When also factoring in that the Commanders made Kliff Kingsbury their offensive coordinator, they could be doing everything in their power to try to land Williams. Kingsbury was on the staff at USC as an analyst when Williams was there.
Why the Bears Could Be Interested in This Deal
While this deal would be a no-brainer, there has to be a reason for the Chicago Bears to entertain it. For this scenario, the deal would land them the No. 2 pick, multiple future picks, and Allen.
For a defense that finished 19th in points allowed per game, defensive help is a necessity this offseason. Does that come at the expense of moving Fields for a second-round pick and losing out on Caleb Williams to draft Maye?
The Bears hold all the weight in this draft. What the Washington Commanders do in the draft will be because of the Bears.