Chicago Bears Insider Says They Likely Choose One Of Three Names At #9

The Chicago Bears don't have to worry about other teams when it comes to their #1 pick. It's the top spot in the draft. They can take whoever they want. It will likely be their preferred quarterback. That won't be the case with the 9th pick. While it is still an excellent spot in terms of value, GM Ryan Poles will be at the mercy of what happens at the other seven spots in front of him. There is no shortage of possible scenarios that can completely alter how he and the Bears handle their decision.

Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has long had proven connections both to the team and around the league. He went on Twitter Spaces with colleague Robert Schmitz to discuss how he sees the top 10 unfolding based on his feelings and the buzz he's heard. It goes as follows.

• #1 - Bears - Caleb Williams
• #2 - Commanders - Jayden Daniels
• #3 - Trade - Vikings - Drake Maye
• #4 - Trade - Giants - J.J. McCarthy
• #5 - Chargers - Marvin Harrison Jr.
• #6 - Cardinals - Malik Nabers
• #7 - Titans - Joe Alt
• #8 - Trade - Jets - Rome Odunze

Given those results, Hughes believes the Bears' decision will come down to one of three players. He listed them as follows.

The Chicago Bears have dropped plenty of hints at this scenario.

None more so than head coach Matt Eberflus. He has said the team has been active in their pursuit of finding a second pass rusher to pair with Montez Sweat. He made sure to note they would really love somebody who can provide interior pressure. If that isn't a dead giveaway that they might be eyeing Byron Murphy, nothing is. The three-technique is the most critical position in Eberflus' entire scheme. Murphy has drawn comparison to Buffalo Bills standout Ed Oliver, who is fresh off 9.5 sacks last season. It may not be a coincidence that Eric Washington, the Bears' new defensive coordinator, was his defensive line coach since getting drafted.

This might not be the flashy outcome Chicago Bears fans were hoping for. They wanted that shiny new weapon for Williams to exploit. However, sometimes the board doesn't cooperate. Facts are facts. While Poles has covered almost every other position this off-season, pass rusher wasn't one of them. Justin Jones is gone. Yannick Ngakoue is gone. That is the only spot where the Bears look dangerously thin. Perhaps they already knew where they planned to go with #9 months ago. Hughes' comments reflect as much.