The Chicago Bears and every other NFL team were in attendance for the USC pro day. No doubt most of them were there to watch quarterback Caleb Williams, the heavy favorite to be the first off the board next month in the draft. What people still aren't sure of is whether the Bears will be the ones making that pick. Plenty of people around the league think it's almost a foregone conclusion. Others think the possibility exists that Washington trades up for the spot, handing the Bears a hefty bag of assets for the hometown star.
Recent updates on meetings between the two sides suggest all positive interactions. The Bears have been impressed with Williams' even-keel personality and attention to detail. It sounds like the quarterback approved of what Chicago has done overhauling their roster. Coaches and teammates have said great things about Williams, too. There haven't been any red flags to pop up thus far. According to Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron, the evaluation is in the home stretch. Things have reached a point where the Bears have all but made their decision.
Caleb Williams is in the pole position.
The only way that changes at this point are if he gets into some kind of trouble, decides he doesn't want to play for Chicago, or another quarterback somehow woos the Bears during upcoming meetings. While all are possible, none feel likely. It feels like the Bears have gravitated towards Williams ever since they secured the #1 pick at the end of last year. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye remain in consideration, but neither of them seems to have whatever it is GM Ryan Poles is looking for.
Either way, it appears the Bears have their quarterback. The next question becomes what they plan to do with the 9th overall pick. More than a few fans hope they trade it, aiming to add more to their inventory of four draft picks. However, the allure of landing a potential top wide receiver like Malik Naber or Rome Odunze to pair with Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore might be too good to pass up. If not that, they also may look to add a much-needed second option at pass rusher or a left tackle to replace Braxton Jones.
It will be a busy next five weeks.
