Bears Reportedly Favor One Choice for the No. 9 Pick in Latest Draft

With the 2024 NFL draft less than a week away, speculation is heating up. The consensus seems to be that the Bears will pick Caleb Williams first overall, but their strategy for the No. 9 pick remains uncertain. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, other teams believe the Bears may trade down due to their limited number of draft picks.

Currently, the Bears hold only four picks (Nos. 1, 9, 75, 122), a result of numerous transactions dating back to 2022. Notably, they've traded away their second, fourth, fifth, and sixth-round picks in various deals involving Montez Sweat, Keenan Allen, Ryan Bates, Dan Feeney, and N'Keal Harry. They acquired this year's top pick from a previous transaction with Carolina and have Philadelphia's fourth-round pick from a swap last year.

Breer suggests that if the Bears don't trade down and a top talent is available at No. 9, General Manager Ryan Poles is likely to enhance the squad around Williams, possibly with a top receiver like Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers. This could give speedsters DJ Moore and Keenan Allen a new teammate. If not, they might opt for an offensive lineman or defensive tackle like Byron Murphy II.

The early draft might also impact the Bears' choice, as a run on quarterbacks or tackles could push high-quality receivers toward them. The team aims to bolster its receiving corps, which lacks a true deep threat—a gap they've attempted to fill in past drafts without much success.


On the offensive line, the Bears could use more depth. Though Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright are the projected starters, adding a tackle like Joe Alt could improve protection for Williams and provide insurance against injuries.

While it might seem unlikely for the Bears to draft a defensive tackle in the first round after picking two last year, the need for more pass rushers to support Montez Sweat could lead them to add another, perhaps in later rounds.

As the draft approaches, the exact direction the Bears will take remains up in the air, depending on how early selections unfold.